Subject:Strengths of ACID

Posted by: ghanedan

Date:9/4/2006 3:26:11 PM

Ok I have been posting weak sides for a while (and I will keep this, and I regret not doing this with acid 5 because most of the needs would/might be cured in the recent version), I just want people to share what are the specific strengths of ACID which make it the choice for you ?

I mean what specialities of Acid make it shine among other sequencers or audio software ?

I think this question is critical, because most other audio software now support Acid's loop manipulating elasticity which was once making ACID different form all software out there. ( As far as I remember the only similar software was magix-music maker and later, fruity loops which were like toys comparing to acid)

Really wondering, why did you chose acid ?

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:9/4/2006 9:43:51 PM

Well, in my case, to be bluntly honest, i chose it because of Sound Forge and Vegas. I've only ever looked at one other loop-based music production tool and that was a $15 piece of software from a toy store, so not much comparison at all. But, Sound Forge and Vegas work and work very well, so i expected no less from ACID, and for what i've done with it i haven't been the slightest disappointed.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: jumbuk

Date:9/4/2006 9:55:43 PM

For me, the ease of auditioning loops in context while I am working on a piece. Plus, enough "pro" mixing tools to be able to complete a piece without exporting to another platform.

Sure, there are weaknesses. For a predominantly MIDI piece, I will still work in Cubase. Ditto for a predominantly multi-track recording piece. Acid is getting there as a DAW, but still has some way to go. It still can't be beaten for loop-based composition.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: alltheseworlds

Date:9/5/2006 1:17:44 AM

Because it's easy to use. To me there's few greater compliments for software.

I also have Sonar 5PE, but I'm forever fiddling with things in it rather than writing music..

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: feign

Date:9/5/2006 8:33:23 AM

Ditto for me. Easy to use, attractive interface. While trying it out, I read numerous snobbish remarks on this forum and elsewhere about the superiority of other programs. I tried out many, but found them confusing and (important to me as a designer) atrociously ugly to look at (or silly illustrated interfaces meant to look like synth knobs, that are just awkward to use).

For me, as a music novice who nevertheless needs to produce original music for soundtracks, Acid has become so addictive that I enjoy playing with it in my time off...which I can't say about my other graphics and video production software.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:9/5/2006 11:16:37 AM

Since I've been using ACID Pro since version 2.0, I chose it for its digital audio features. (Note that ACID Pro didn't get MIDI support until version 3.0. You couldn't even import/playback MIDI tracks before that, and you couldn't record/edit MIDI until version 4.0. Remember those days?)

I typically also use percussion One-shots to "program" my own drum rhythms (which I've also been doing since version 2.0). ACID Pro is essentially my backup band. (I record and arrange my own guitar parts.)

It's also nice that ACID Pro is pretty flexible in the file format department. Since I'm no video editor, it's quite handy to be able to take a look at any video a client sends me and use it as reference while scoring.

Now that ACID Pro has soft synth support, I've been gradually experimenting and exploring that possibility.

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: kbruff

Date:9/6/2006 5:05:55 AM

FLSTUDIO is my go-to software for music production, but ACID gives me a much much better visualization of the song and how it should flow. ACID does have very nice layout and browsing of sounds, etc. It is a terrfic tool especially with Sound Forge.

If ACID could be improved it would allow users to have all of the Vegas Mixing Features.

Thanks --

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:9/6/2006 6:20:26 AM

> I mean what specialities of Acid make it shine among other sequencers or audio software ?

That’s easy: The interface is simple to use.

Most other multi-track recording software looks like the control panel of the Space Shuttle. There is just too much clutter and pop-up windows going on. ACID has a streamlined interface with everything you need displayed and easy to get to. It is a very productive environment to work in.

It’s also integrated with Vegas and Sound Forge which I use all the time which adds to the overall productivity gains.

~jr

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: thenoizzbox

Date:9/6/2006 7:07:35 AM

>I mean what specialities of Acid make it shine among other sequencers or audio software ?

Like the others I'll say that ease of use is one of the reasons I love Acid. But there's a lot of power hiding behind Acid's intuitive, no-nonsense UI. I like it because it lets me work quickly without getting in my way.

Using soft synths for example: in Acid the soft synths busses/outs don't clutter the track view as they did in Sonar (the other DAW I've worked most extensively with).

Another thing is inline MIDI editing. Although Acid still lacks some of the MIDI editing power of more mature sequencers like Sonar, inline MDI editing lets me get at the individual notes directly on the time line to move, delete or add them.

A third example is looping/time stretching. I've tried a few other DAWs and Acid to me is still the best around at stretching audio/loops in real time with the best sound quality.

Lastly, I love how efficient Acid Pro 6's new audio engine is because I'm stuck with an older computer for a while. I can use a lot more tracks/effects/soft synths before Acid starts struggling and stuttering or popping and crackling than I ever could in Sonar with the same ASIO drivers and latency settings.

In short, Acid just works and feels right for me and doesn't hinder my creativity.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: Lavoll

Date:9/23/2006 11:02:35 AM

it is (for me) still the fastest program to set up hit points in a video and a sensible tempo map to go with it (for scoring to film).

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: DKeenum

Date:9/25/2006 9:54:12 AM

Ease of use.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:9/25/2006 11:29:35 AM

"What are the specific strengths of ACID which make it the choice for you "

I started using using Acid only as a sketch tool for cobbling together quicky beds etc and that hasn't changed - however it's still is nowhere near "DAW" status given my workflow where every large scale project gets build in Nuendo.

Most recently - Nuendo's 3's ability to native handle Acid loops very well plus the just announced Cubase 4 with it's ability (coming to Nuendo 4 in 2007) in MediaBay to audition loops etc at project tempo plus the ability to drag and drop those elements directly into the Nuendo project window - I can see my Acid days being seriously numbered.

Also to be completely honest - I will go to something like Stylus RMX within Nuendo to build up a track now long before Acid would even get a consideration.

But to put down a super quick idea - Acid still rocks.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: ghanedan

Date:9/25/2006 11:39:12 PM

Sonar has the acid looping capabilities, I mean the explorer window, drag drop, timestretch, beatmapping etc since version 3.

Ok let me confess the truth, I use acid neither for looping nor for the simplicity. I recently switched to acid because of the midi capabilities of acid6. It's some kind of refresing for me to use a brand new midi sequencer with strange behaviours.
But I hope, all the missing features to be added in midi department in acid 7.
There is long way ahead..

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: ricknote

Date:9/28/2006 6:52:00 PM

For me ACID is what I use exclusively when writing music for websites or commercials. The video formats are many, ( thanks for finally getting "Flash" support.) and it's super easy to make time line changes of the music to fit Video changes made by the Graphic Designer or the Client. My other main DAW is too sluggish for the speed with which these changes are often made. Time is money.
It's also great at getting songs started. Very fast and creative.

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: IQ

Date:10/5/2006 12:24:45 PM

I hate using DAW software for recording - it's me age!

But with a good HD system it allows one to reach a luddite compromise.

I can construct drum tracks, create keyboard parts - I'm a guitarist hence sausage fingers - add loops and pads etc., then easily transfer them as wav files to assigned tracks on a hard disc recorder. Then simply add "live" guitar, vocals etc. Nothing else can do this so easily.

Its tops

Ian

Subject:RE: Strengths of ACID

Reply by: Tobias7000

Date:10/7/2006 10:10:03 AM

Workflow, simplicity, and user interface. I tend to focus more on composing and recording when all these elements come together. I can forgive all the other faults.