Subject:ACID Enhancements Wish List

Posted by: paulw9

Date:6/16/2006 1:14:24 PM

1) Mute Clip - If you want to mute one or more clips without removing them or adjusting the clip level/fades, it would be nice to be able to select the clip, right-click, and select "Mute" or use a keyboard shortcut like Ctrl-M or something.

2) Swap Channels - Sometimes clips have a dominant channel and I want to swap the two channels. For instance, if the left channel is dominant and I want to swap the channels so that the right channel is dominant, there is no easy way that I know of to do this.

3) Convert to Mono - Right-clicking a clip and selecting "Mono" would play that clip in mono while the option is selected. This would allow clips to be positioned in the soundfield more precisely when necessary.

4) Freeze MIDI Track - It would be nice to have a feature like Cubase SX where you can click a button to freeze/unfreeze a MIDI track.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: alltheseworlds

Date:6/16/2006 10:54:19 PM

Drag-copy between tracks

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: vespesian

Date:6/17/2006 6:18:06 AM

Current Project Clip Pool - shows clips, in explorer/media manager format, used in a given project, so that you can see, in a non-track manner, all the files you're using.


Pitch Adjustment in Clip Preview - sometimes I wanna preview a clip/loop in a different key than that of both either the original or the current project.

Sony should also focus on making some sexy VSTi's - that would come bundled with AP6 - so we don't have to forage around the net looking for this & that...I'd even be willing to pay more (a little). Especially around drum track generation.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:6/17/2006 11:24:19 AM

I'm not sure my wife would be happy if she came in and saw me playing with a sexy vst! Maybe I should wait until she goes out.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: vespesian

Date:6/17/2006 9:42:34 PM

Well, It's all about careful scheduling.....

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: porkjelly

Date:6/19/2006 4:05:06 AM

1) The ability to raise/lower bpm throughout a project. Say, I want to start off at 130 bpm and then five minutes into my project, select a section and raise it to 132 bpm, and then back down after another five minutes, and so forth. This would be a great feature, as I also use ACID to "DJ" mix CDs.

2) Export custom keyboard settings to a file

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:6/19/2006 6:55:51 AM

Porkjelly, read the ACID 6 manual, bottom of page 93, "Changing tempo, time signature, and key"

I even found it on page 101 of the ACID 3 manual, so this feature has been around for a while.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: porkjelly

Date:6/19/2006 12:48:31 PM

Chienworks, from my understanding, the tempo change is instantaneous. I need my project to gradually change tempo within a specified timeframe, similar to what a DJ does when he is mixing together several tracks in a mix session. The kind of mixing I do is strictly for output to a mix CD (instead of live mixing like a real DJ).

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:6/19/2006 5:56:48 PM

Ahhh, you didn't specify that before.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: dafduc

Date:6/20/2006 10:54:05 AM

Sony Oxford plug compatibility. C'mon guys, YOU'RE THE SAME COMPANY!

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: dafduc

Date:6/20/2006 12:14:50 PM

Preview clip at original tempo and pitch (or preview as one-shot - same effect) - when I'm first looking for an idea to start a song with, I'm not locked into a tempo or a key yet, but the preview always adjusts to whatever the project is set at - often this prevents the loop from sounding as good as it could.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: teaktart

Date:6/21/2006 11:16:28 PM

Media Pool with Preview option of media while in the "pool" like Vegas

Media Pool with Preview option of media while in the "pool" like Vegas

Media Pool with Preview option of media while in the "pool" like Vegas

I'm serious !!! You don't want to hear me whine about it, trust me!

Teaktart

Teaktart

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: fREEmASTER

Date:6/22/2006 7:12:45 PM

It would be very handy to be able to select multiple Beat Markers while working in the Acid Clip Properties Stretch window, particularly when adjusting a large group of beats by the same amount. Why make every adjustment individually, over and over again, by the same amount, only to discover it's not right yet, and have to start over again? This window is a very powerful tool for beat composition, but could be much more useful and effective.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:6/23/2006 5:44:53 AM

Teaktart, yes i definately don't want to hear you whine about it! The media pool is rapidly becoming my least favorite part of Vegas. I've never found it useful even in the best of situations. With my workflow lately it is actually becoming cumbersome and counter-productive. I wish i could shut it off completely.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: teaktart

Date:6/24/2006 12:04:53 PM

Chienworks,

Did you mean media pool or media manager?

How does the media pool get in the way? You can always just close that window.... I like to be able to see all the "pieces" that are in my project timeline in a simple window so I can refer to and find them easily.

Trying not to whine....
Teaktart

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:6/24/2006 12:15:42 PM

I do mean the media pool. A typical workflow for me is lots of small projects going on simultaneously, not a whole lot of editing, but lots of capturing and lots and lots of rendering. I'll have several Vegas windows open at once, and as soon as a render is done in one i'll start another one in the same window. Often some small pieces get reused so it's a lot faster to delete the few large chunks that i'm done with and start from there. I'll load in the new captures, do a few minor edits, then start another render and move to the next window.

Here's the problem ... if i forget to clean the media pool then all those old files are still in use, even if the media manager window is closed. I can't delete them to make space for the next capture while the rendering is going on. And i often discover i've forgotten to clean the media pool after a substantial portion of the render has gone by. This means i have to waste time in one of two ways ... stop that render, clean the media pool, start the render over from the beginning, or let the render finish and delay starting the next project until then because i don't have enough free drive space for the next capture.

Every temporary file i create ends up in the media pool too. Some of them can be quite large. And once again, i try cleaning up space on the drive and there they are, still in use in the media pool, from a project i finished hours ago.

OK, my circumstances may not be typical. Then again, it seems like this would be just the situation that news story editors would face day in and day out. I never look at the media pool, never need to, and never want to. It doesn't help me in the slightest in any way, shape, or form. And the kicker is that if i don't forget to manually maintain it, it trips me up and wastes my time.

I guess i could live with the media pool if it only contained items that are on the timeline. I would like it to have the option of automatically removing from the media pool any clip that is no longer on the timeline. I would also need the option to not have temp files i create get added to the media pool too. In that case, at least it wouldn't get in my way.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: drew_

Date:6/24/2006 7:52:24 PM

getting back to ACID if we may (!)

I for one think it's vital to have a global Media Pool to know what is or has been referenced by the session without having to look through individual tracks. I'll be shocked if it's not in the next version of ACID.. just to emphasise this is really not just about seeing what is on the timeline, but the references you can't see at a glance. There is more to a session's content than its timeline.


On the MIDI side there definitely needs to be some clarification re the "Clip Properties" window (which is the strangest name for a MIDI event editor)...

How can it be that there is no "undo" in that window? How can it be that moving a note in that clip properties window and hitting undo actually undoes the previous timeline change and leaves the note I have just moved where it is.. it's just absurd to have not have undo linked in to that part. But.. the Sony support guy told me it was "by design".. also odd that the cursor position doesn't link to the timeline in that window - it feels a bit bolted on compared to the slick inline stuff!


In general the MIDI has come a long way, but I want to be able to pitch notes up & down by semitones & octaves and mute them (not mute the clip) with a keystroke as I could in Cubase - and am I right in thinking that this is just about the only modern DAW where you can't quantize notes with a single keystroke?


Elsewhere...
Why do clicking "record arm", selecting input or moving volume & pan with multiple tracks selected not affect all the tracks as with Solo, Mute etc?

There are some things that look like they should be there, but aren't... like a way to route softsynths to physical outputs. Sure you can create a bus to do that, but it's pretty odd that you can do the EQ & automation directly on the softsynth fader but not the routing.

Bus to aux send + aux inputs (or "direct monitoring even when not armed" if you prefer) are also obvious features anyone would expect from a DAW.

I could go on... ok then I will!

There really needs to be a separation of "close audio & midi ports when not active app" - so I can opt to close MIDI but not audio ports or vice versa... I don't see why they should be linked.

Also "merge midi record", "show inline editing" and MIDI Clock settings are not maintained - yet the "loop playback" setting is remembered.

We seem to be missing a few important keyboard shortcuts like "open in external editor", "MIDI Merge Record","Clip Properties", "MIDI Processes & Filters", "Select all on note", "select all in event", oh and "preferences.keyboardshortcuts"!


And Finally!.... PLEASE let's have a MIDI Input activity indicator and better indication that tracks are armed! You can hardly spot armed MIDI tracks with the current icon... and in a big session you have no choice but to scroll up & down to make sure nothing else is armed before you hit record... a line on the transport saying "tracks armed = zero", or a number if any are armed would really help.

The input meter on audio channels is great - so why not having the very same for MIDI with a blue gauge to differentiate? That would give activity and a clearer indication of armed tracks in one shot.

Amen.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Flock of oscillators

Date:6/24/2006 8:02:46 PM

Freeze Function.

Pro-quality effects. (AUDIO and MIDI)

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Illogical

Date:6/25/2006 9:21:10 AM

haha, flock of oscillators, good name!

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: zendar

Date:6/26/2006 7:50:23 AM

drews comments are excellent. Sony please jot them down!!

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: drew_

Date:6/26/2006 8:42:14 AM

Thanks.. although it should be so obvious that most of it shouldn't need to be said..

Some things, well I couldn't even bring myself to say them.

Who could imagine in 2006 a DAW not having a way to drag audio from one track to the other.. to me, copy/paste is still a workaround!

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: trentemoller

Date:6/27/2006 8:21:46 AM

I really need a function on every track called 'Fine tuning'
Could be great under ex. 'pitch shift track'

Whenever I need to finetune, let's say, a one shot or loop, I have to do that in Soundforge.
Could be much easier just to do it in Acid.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: ATP

Date:6/27/2006 10:07:53 AM

i second the suggestions made by the topic starter:

mute clip
swap channels
convert to mono (realtime)
freeze (midi) track

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: drew_

Date:7/1/2006 7:31:41 AM

Would you agree that Mute Clip and mute individual notes are both relevant here? I can see a time when you would want to mute the whole clip itself, but often I just want to silence harmonies or certain notes. The Select All On Note helps me get them quickly, but then I can only delete them or set velocities to zero which is not ideal.

The more I play, the more I'm mystified by some functionality. Can anyone explain why pitch shifting a clip still shows the notes at their original position? I really thought the transpose would move selected notes up & down but not only does it affect the whole clip, it leaves all notes in their old positions and there appears to be no "+1" type display on the clip itself to say it has been pitched. This I find very odd.


Also further to what I said about track arming indicators, one distinct problem for me is that when I have a MIDI track expanded to see the piano roll but others are smaller, the Arm indicators don't line up so you can't even just look up & down the tracks to see what else is enabled. On a "tall" track It ends up pretty much underneath the red automation indicator which can be confusing! Things like are just so unhelpful when you're in the middle of building up MIDI parts.


I never thought I would say it but turning off Inline MIDI editing does have one advantage.. you can see the whole note range even on the smallest track (although the clip name really should be transparent in this mode!).

But when I right-click on the clip and there is the "inline editing" option.. it affects all tracks! That's very odd for a context menu on a clip. Surely it would be so much more useful to be able to do that on a track by track basis.


In Inline mode if you shrink a track which has notes in the middle of your view, it keeps the display at the top end of your old view rather than centering it. Invariably all my smaller tracks are showing "C5" where there is less likely to be activity.. nothing worse than a track appearing empty when it isn't!

Here's a thought.... it's obvious that when you expand you are doing so to see more of your notes in view at one time. So the main activity should be in the centre (regardless of which octave that may be). Why not keep the piano roll range centred around the middle note as you expand or contract track size, then regardless of whether you can see 5 octaves or half an octave you still see activity.


I'm getting to the end of my trial (on a second machine) and wondering whether to buy. Plenty of good things here and it feels comfortable, but many oversights/lacking features that to me that should be quite simple to add and should be there by now.. as a DAW, ACID is already playing catch-up in many ways where MIDI is concerned. Even Sony's video NLE has better audio functionality than its music creation tool!

Is there a chance we could see some vital editing additions before version 7?

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: pwppch

Date:7/1/2006 3:06:11 PM

>>Is there a chance we could see some vital editing additions before version 7? <<

No. It is unlilkely that any new features/additions will appear in an update to 6.0. Consider ACID 6 features wise to be done.

All of your input - and others on this thread - will be considered for future versions of ACID.

Thanks,
Peter

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: drew_

Date:7/2/2006 12:28:38 PM

Peter - I appreciate your direct, unambigious response.. it's very useful to know the score.

I have no doubt you personally are well aware what would/could be considered to be "missing" - both comparing ACID to other DAWs and to Vegas's (outstanding) audio functionality - so rather than just stating the obvious, I trust this kind of input helps in strengthening a case for new additions at the next possible opportunity.

My ultimate goal is to do everything in one app rather than my combination of Cubase & Vegas... ACID PRO6 got a lot closer. I have big hopes for v7.


My top 5 of little things to sort before 7 would be: ;o)

Preserve settings for "merge midi record", "show inline editing" and MIDI Clock settings so you don't have to set them each time you open.

Add missing keyboard shortcuts (as listed above + one to jump directly to a bar position.. I can't see a direct way)

Two distinct options for releasing audio and releasing midi ports "when not active app".

"undo" funcionality in the clip properties window

And.. resolving whatever it is that makes MIDI clips stop playing from time to time - regardless of whether to soft-synth or physical output they just occasionally stop playing :o( (or am I alone in this one?)

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Allure

Date:7/15/2006 1:27:59 AM

Hi Peter (SonyPCH),

You wrote:

===
All of your input - and others on this thread - will be considered for future versions of ACID.
===

I am not a user of Acid, but I would be - and I know a lot of others who would become Acid users overnight - if one particular functionality was put in the software.

That function is: a live preview functionality - i.e. if a mix is playing live on the timeline - that a DJ can move forward timewise in the mix and listen to the next track transition (to check how it is setup) - without disturbing the live playing of the mix (using a dual sound card output setup).

MixMeister (now Fusion) is the only app that supports this functionality (in terms of timeline preview - Ableton supports just hearing a second track - but not on their arrangement view timeline - and so there is no cordination) - and it is great to work with. However, Fusion doesn't have the sound quality that Acid has. I have been hoping that Ableton will add this functionality to Live as well - in their arrangement view.

The other great functionality previous MixMeister programs had - was the ability to set mix in ranges (at the beginning of a track) - and mix out ranges - at the end of the track. These can be saved along with the track information. This then allows tracks to be mixed in a live situation very easily - as if the in and out ranges have been well setup - then 2 tracks can be simply 'thrown' together with confidence.

MM automatically deals with setting up the tempo changes between tracks - as they are placed on the timeline.

These features would add great functionality to Acid - and I can assure you - it would easily overnight become the number one DJ software of choice. I think we all know that nothing has the stability and ease of working that the Sony video and audio products have.

I would be really greatful - if you could assure me that these features will be given serious consideration for inclusion in next release.

Thank you,
Simon

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: feign

Date:7/15/2006 8:40:01 PM

1) Ability to time-stretch a single clip (that is, a single event on the timeline) by dragging its border, without affecting the tempo of anything else. Adobe Audition has this, and I'm told that Vegas also does. This is (to me) a very sorry omission from Acid.

2) Ability to turn off track titles on timeline clips without turning off other event info (such as the + and - values for clip pitch changes). Track titles totally obscure the wave form on shorter clips, so if I want to keep track of pitch changes AND see the wave form, I'm unable to do so.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:7/15/2006 9:52:59 PM

Simon, i don't want to dampen your enthusiasm, but i will point out that live DJ work is so far away from the intended use of ACID that i would think it unlikely that the programmers would spend much time on such features. I'll agree that it would be nice if ACID was made more useful to more people. However, your request strikes me as kinda like asking a microwave oven manufacturer to add a faucet to their ovens. Sure, it might be handy, and it would certainly be a feature that would extend it's usefulness. But, it's not likely to happen 'cause there's already a sink right next to the microwave. While adding live DJ features to ACID might attract a few more users, it doesn't help it be a better ACID and it won't really help those using ACID for what it was meant to be used for. I'm not SONY staff, but if i had to bet, i think they'll concentrate on core features more than branching out to include the sink.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: pwppch

Date:7/17/2006 4:54:38 PM

Simon,

I can see the need for such a product., but it is just not the product we planned on building,

What you are requesting is essentially a different app. At the very least it is a completely different work flow than we current provide.

ACID is not a live DJ tool by design.

I would be hesitent to add a new workflow that does not fit into the solutions ACID is intended to provide. Too many hats for one app to wear can lead down a path of incompleteness on all parts. Worse, a confusing and muddled UI could be the end result.

I will discuss it with the team at the appropriate time though.

Thanks,
Peter

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Lossl ben Hossl

Date:7/18/2006 3:16:16 AM

chopper, in which you can do your slicer work like rearrange slices on the fly by drag & drop... pitch alterations, reverse and any other processes applicable to each individual slice right inside the chopper

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: porkjelly

Date:7/18/2006 4:54:12 AM

I myself have no desire to mix live, as my mixes are intended for output to CD only. I have used ACID for this ever since version 3.0, and have always desired a feature that allowed gradual changes in bpm over a specified timeline. I have experimented with other mixing programs but none have been as good as ACID. It does everything I need it to do, except for this *one* thing. A feature like this would be very useful to projects like the ones I produce.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: alltheseworlds

Date:7/18/2006 6:16:15 AM

I'm with Hossi. I'd love a "turbo-chopper" that you could use like Sonar's feature. Inside the chopper you'd have something like the standard enveloped controls: picth, volume,, pan etc. You could also drag around slices. Then also paste chunks back to the timeline.

I've seen this request for a "super chopper" before, but so far as I can see absolutely nothing's been done to the chopper since version 2.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: feign

Date:7/18/2006 5:49:35 PM

I second porkjelly's request! I use ACID to mix short animation soundtracks, for which it is far and away the best tool (sorry, Sony, I've tried Cinescore; nice idea, but ACID is 100 times better, even for beginners).

I also would like to be able to alter tempos in more interesting ways than sudden tempo shifts.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Allure

Date:7/19/2006 3:54:31 PM

Hi Peter,

Than you for taking the suggestion seriously.

I think DJ mixing is just going to get bigger and bigger - and it will move more into everyones lives as it becomes more do-able for home users -- for thie own party's, etc.

Even if it were a separate branch off product, the situation seems to me, that it would take relatively little (i.e. primarily preview functionality (while main mix is playing) and BPM changes across timeline) for Sony to suddenly appear with a top class product in the field.

Ableton is certainly a rival to ACID, but they have really got into producing a DJ capable product. And I think they would say it is all the better for it.

I do hope you will look into it in depth. I will think of you immediatly - and be most pleased and grateful Peter - if in the future, I come across a Sony Press release - announcing such a product or ACID capability.

Thanks,
Simon

PS: I think I mentioned that MM Fusion is out now. That and Ableton are the present leaders.

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Spectralis

Date:7/22/2006 1:04:53 PM

I really would like to see a super chopper or some of the loop editing options available in Live 6. ACID is, after all, built on the loop philosophy so it's sad to see it fall behind other hosts like Live and Sonar in the loop editing capabilities.

I hope ACID 7 incorporates a lot more loop mangling features. There is always the option of Sony developing a seperate loop mangling tool and selling this as an add-on. Ableton have created synths that they sell as add-on's to Live so why not Sony?

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: billybk

Date:7/22/2006 1:39:23 PM

I felt ACID could use a performance tool, similar to what Live (Session View) & Project 5 2.0 (Groove Matrix) have. Where you could load up loops, on a 7x7 or 9x9 square pane window(49 or 81 slots). You could trigger, (by mouse, computer keys or external MIDI) individual loops, rows or lanes, in sync to the ACID timeline. You could also record your performance to the ACID timeline, in realtime. You could dock it or move to another screen monitor. You could call it "The Blotter".

Get it, ACID Blotter. ;-)

Cheers,

Billy Buck

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Lossl ben Hossl

Date:7/22/2006 2:42:35 PM

Spectralis wrote: "I really would like to see a super chopper or some of the loop editing options available in Live 6. ACID is, after all, built on the loop philosophy so it's sad to see it fall behind other hosts like Live and Sonar in the loop editing capabilities."

its not just Live, even Project 5 (Ver. 2) can do this, a program which is regarded as having quite poor audio mangling / handling capabilities (i love it´s workflow with MIDI though)

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Spectralis

Date:7/23/2006 7:06:15 AM

"ACID Blotter..."

:))

That's would mop up the competition...

The 'Blotter' sounds like a great idea that could be marketed as an add-on now if Sony aren't prepared to include it free in A6. Are they listening?

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: billybk

Date:7/23/2006 7:35:28 AM

The 'Blotter' sounds like a great idea that could be marketed as an add-on now if Sony aren't prepared to include it free in A6. Are they listening?


I was thinking more, of including the "Blotter", as a prominent new feature, of ACID Pro 7. There are all kinds, of tie-ins you could do:

You could call the 7x7 or 9x9 slot performance area : Window Pane or Sheet
You could call the slots that you insert the loops into: Tabs
Your recorded Blotter performance could be called a: Flashback

I am always looking at the marketing angle, of which there are many:

The Blotter will make you want to try ACID all over again! ;-)

The Blotter: where it's hip to do ACID! ;-)


Cheers,

Billy Buck

Subject:RE: ACID Enhancements Wish List

Reply by: Spectralis

Date:7/25/2006 9:55:18 AM

I see you've thought about this...;)

I think they should give you a job in R&D because this is the kind of loop tool we'd kill for in ACID. Even the terminology sounds like a trip.

I just hope we can customise the gui and then exchange sheets. I'm not sure where mircodots would fit in but I'm sure they could be incorporated in the design somewhere.

The blotter would make ACID such a good deal. I'd be out selling it to college students and whoever else wanted to try it.