Subject:Which Software should I get?

Posted by: Black_Francis

Date:11/18/2001 10:28:40 PM

Hey everyone. Excuse the newbie question but I have to start somewhere.

Soon very soon i'll have a new system and want to purchase some software to go along with it. I currently have an old version of Acid Music and am looking to purchase something more advanced. Basically what I want to do is create my own DJ mixed CD's using existing wav files or mp3's plus use various loops etc. I want to be able to use an EQ for these mixes besides just controlling the volume between tracks.
Someone in another forum told me that he prefer's Vegas Video for this but after reading the spec's of Acid Pro 3, Sound Forge 5, Vegas Video and Vegas Audio I'm kind of confused. I get the jist of each software but shouldn't Acid Pro 3 be all I really need? Or is Sound Forge 5 sufficient for what I currently want to do? Each one seems to come with an EQ package and other add-ons.

Thanks in advance!

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: VU-1

Date:11/18/2001 10:56:23 PM

Stay away from Sound Forge (for your intended use). You'll find that its mixing capabilities are extremely limited, at best. If all you want to do is mix together some existing audio files (w/o creating any new tunes - using loops and the like), go with Vegas Audio. It has very powerful mixing, fading and processing capabilities and it is non-destructive. You can mix in some loops w/Vegas but its not near as easy to repeat them as it is in Acid. Acid is the best tool of the 3 for manipulating/editing loops. If you really want to get serious with your mixes, get the best versions of either Vegas or Acid. They both support multiple buss architecture. (Although, Vegas - interestingly enough - does not have a master buss; only subgroups. I don't get it.)

JL
OTR

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: Rockitglider

Date:11/18/2001 11:08:39 PM

Hello,

If you buy the Pro version of Acid you'll get the ability to EQ every track, and mix, and edit, and it now has the chopper which can take place of Sound Forge for now. But Vegas is also good too, but it's a Multi Track Program, and Acid is loop based.

See ya, Rockit

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:11/19/2001 11:37:25 AM

Don't forget that you can also sync both ACID Pro and Vegas Audio together. (If all you plan to do is audio, then Vegas Audio will meet you multi-track needs.)

Sound Forge is self-titular; it's capabilities excel in the area of sound editing/creation and sound polishing.

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: Maruuk

Date:11/22/2001 12:11:40 PM

I'd strongly recommend you check out Cakewalk's "Plasma" for some very specific reasons:

It can deal with Wav's and MP3's better than Acid (SF has reported in these pages that MP3's are very taxing on Acid as the decompression required eats a lot of CPU cycles) and offers far more flexibility and expandability.

But being a DJ, you might really dig the amazing Plasma FX-joypad tool which let's you customize a bunch of kickass multi-layerd efx and control them in real time using the mouse or a joystick. This gives you super-powerful control over any tracks you want and lets you morph sounds into each other with one simple stick or mouse move. Very cool for DJ psyched-up groove manipulation.

"Plasma" goes for $39 street. Nope, not kidding.

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: univalve

Date:11/22/2001 6:14:18 PM

Captain Cakewalk strikes again.

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: MyST

Date:11/22/2001 8:11:45 PM

I give em a 9.5 for persistence!

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: Maruuk

Date:11/23/2001 12:36:47 PM

Ah, I the SF App Police attack dogs are out again! Attack the messenger, not the message, eh, boys? When SF has a competitive product, you guys will have a leg to stand on. In the meantime, Steinberg and Cakewalk will eat SF's lunch.

But to be fair, which you clowns never are, Acid is still great for LOOPS-ONLY. So you kids that want to play "Look Ma, I'm a composer!" under the Christmas tree will love Acid simple and convenient interface to death. And the bugs and glitches won't bother you much as you'll get tired of it and go back to your Gamecube in a few hours anyway.

You SF thought police will get this message eventually: When SF finally catches up with the competition and brings out a professional version of Acid that meets the diverse needs of professional music production, I won't need to save newbies from the stark and confining limitations and bugs of Acid any more. Note to SF R&D: Let's get it on!

Subject:RE: Which Software should I get?

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:11/23/2001 2:17:14 PM

I hope you're not aiming those comments at me, Maruuk?

And just WTH is wrong with the GameCube? This 31-year-old is enjoying his immensely. (Uh-oh...way off-topic flame war imminent?) :)

Iacobus