Subject:Martin L

Posted by: Martin L

Date:9/11/2009 10:29:25 AM

Hi!
Can anyone explain what the difference is between Sony ACID Pro and Sony Sound Forge? Both seem to be "complete audio production platforms". Or is ACID for beginners and Sound Forge for advanced users? Are both needed or just one?
I will shortly invest in a pro grade sound production system to use proffessionally to make music (mainly pop songs and film music) and radio commersials. I have a small recording studio and use acoustic intruments a lot, as well as MIDI instruments, but not loops or electronica.
Thanks,
Martin

Subject:RE: Martin L

Reply by: groovyone

Date:9/11/2009 10:49:11 AM

Acid is a music creation tool - loop sequencing and has some midi functionality.

Sound Forge is an Audio file editing swiss-army-knife. Cut up your wav files, create clean loops, master music, batch processing of audio files.. etc.

Depends on your needs - but usually you can use them together.

Download the demo versions and have a play - Acid may not be for everyone's composition style. Sound Forge however you can use across other composition tools that use wav files as well.

Subject:RE: Martin L

Reply by: Kennymusicman

Date:9/11/2009 12:45:26 PM

The 2 are very different software breeds -

Acid is for multitrack recording and musical composition

Soundforge is more for audio editing.

Subject:Martin L

Reply by: Martin L

Date:9/11/2009 2:31:01 PM

Ok...hmmm...why is not ACID enough then? I mean, if you have proTools, do need yet another software to edit? No. It has it all. What is lacking in ACID?

Subject:RE: Martin L

Reply by: Kennymusicman

Date:9/11/2009 3:17:19 PM

Different levels of editability - protools would be complemented by Soundforge in the same manner as Acid.

Acid is the same "application" as ProTools. Same job, different tool. Just like Cubase, Digital performer, etc etc

Subject:RE: Martin L

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:9/11/2009 7:46:19 PM

Sound Forge is a multi-channel audio editor, not a multitrack DAW.

You cannot record a bunch of separate tracks and interactively mix them in Sound Forge.

geoff

Subject:leisbornmedia@bredband.net

Reply by: Martin L

Date:9/12/2009 12:17:42 AM

ok...thanks. I think I start to understand it now.

Subject:leisbornmedia@bredband.net

Reply by: Martin L

Date:9/18/2009 1:37:19 PM

What can you do in Sound Forge that you can't in ACID?

Subject:RE: leisbornmedia@bredband.net

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:9/18/2009 5:43:51 PM

You can do fine, sample-oriented editing, and you can work freeform without tempo and beats imposed.

For example, if someone handed me a stereo recording of a concert and wanted it "cleaned up", i wouldn't even dream of doing it in ACID. That would be more of a nightmare. Sound Forge would be a lot more like hacking a reel of tape with a razor blade and makes very easy work of such tasks.

If you're familiar with graphic arts software, perhaps this analogy might help. Sound Forge is more like a photo editor and ACID is more like a page design/layout/drawing program. You wouldn't edit a photo in a layout program and you wouldn't try to create a brochure in a photo editor.

Subject:RE: leisbornmedia@bredband.net

Reply by: MarkWWW

Date:9/19/2009 4:23:49 AM

That's as good an analogy as I've heard.

I usually think of it like this:

If the task involves modifying the contents of an audio file then the toolset you need is the one provided by Sound Forge.

If the task involves constructing a new audio file by arranging/mixing other audio files then the toolset you need is the one provided by Vegas (or Acid, if the construction is to be done largely with loops, or involves MIDI).

Mark

Subject:leisbornmedia@bredband.net

Reply by: Martin L

Date:9/20/2009 3:03:15 PM

Ok. Thanks.