Subject:Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Posted by: Yojimbo

Date:12/17/2001 8:14:13 AM

A friend has requested that I produce a series of audio tapes for him: bible story narratives with narration, character voices, sound effects, and some background music.

I'm familiar with Acid from my job, where we have several SF products, and Video Vegas from trying out the demo a year ago when I was looking for a video editing package. I'm interested in having the ability to work with audio as my friend has outlined his needs, and with video since that's my hobby and interest. I know Acid would serve... but could I do that same kind of work in Video Vegas?

Going through the specs for each, I cannot make a determination whether Video Vegas shares the same audio editing capabilities of Acid. It appears to on the surface, but I'd like to get a deeper understanding of how they truly differ. If VV is *not* suited to what I need to do, then I'd like to know!

If you have experience with both, please lend me your opinions. I'd like to know what I should look for to make the decision clearer.

Thanks

Jim

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:12/17/2001 10:34:23 PM

Vegas Video is truly a multitrack video/audio editor, whereas ACID is a loop-based music creation tool. It sounds like Vegas would be more up your alley for what you need it for.

However, that's not to say that ACID is no slouch either. You could easily create a music bed with it and import it into Vegas. Also, ACID's ability to keep a project in pitch and in time helps those that are tone deaf and rhythmically challenged.

ACID Pro 3 and ACID Music 3 also have rudimentary video support (limited to one video track). You could take a video and add a music bed to it that way as well. (You won't be able to do much with the video track though.)

I hope I just didn't make your decision harder. :)

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: SHTUNOT

Date:12/18/2001 12:10:11 AM

What kind of gear would you be using with in conjunction with acid or vegas. Do you have a drum sequencer[mpc3000]. If you want total control of the audio wave then I would of course recommend vegas. Unless you were going to use other peoples songs ripped from cds instead of creating a score per section,would I recommend acid. It would be fine for vocal overdubs...little pads in the backgrounds and such. In my honest opinion you need Vegas...sale till dec 24 for $199. Full version of the video editing suite[never know when that would come in handy!!!]. Plus you have the full version of "Vegas Audio 3" coming in late January. Best bang for your buck! Hope that helps. Later.

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: Yojimbo

Date:12/18/2001 7:14:19 AM

Vegas Audio? Oh no! A new program altogether, I take it? Which is more suited to what I asked about?

I do little with loop based music, only small bits and pieces in the background. Most of my looping, if at all, is to lay down a sound effcts bed of background sound to help support a mood or an environment.

From your description, it sounds like Video Vegas is more in line with my needs and my interests. But I am curious how Vegas Audio may change the picture. I'll check the web site. Anything more you can tell me too?

Thanks,

Jim

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:12/18/2001 8:43:08 AM

You can "loop" after a fashion with Vegas as well. Just simply paste the
clip over and over again as necessary. That should take care of any
functionality you described needing from Acid. What you won't have with
Vegas is the beatmapping and the really nifty tempo & pitch changing.
Yes, these can be accomplished with Vegas, but not as simply, quickly,
and easily.

As a personal guess from reading the description of your project, i think
one thing you will absolutely love about Vegas is that you aren't restricted
to one loop per track. In Acid, you need a new track for each different
file you added to the project. This is not the case in Vegas. You can
paste as many different loops, samples, overdubs, .wavs, etc. all on the
same track. You only need to use separate tracks when mulitple sounds
are occuring at the same time. This should make laying out your project
a LOT easier.

(Actually, to be honest, i'm not sure why Acid has the "one event per
track limitation". It seems a little unnecessarily restrictive to me.)

The difference between Vegas Audio and Video is that the Video version
supports unlimited video tracks and has tons of video processing built
in. The Audio version has only one video track, which is primarily there
so that you can build up audio to go along with an existing video file,
rather than to create/edit the video. Other than that, they are basically
the same software. I suppose one nice thing you could do with the video
version for your project is to paste in illustrations and produce a "slide
show" edition of your project on videotape or video CD.

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: Yojimbo

Date:12/18/2001 8:11:18 PM

THAT sounds cool, and yes it would make working with the data easier.

You mentioned "unlimited video tracks" ... I assume unlimited audio tracks as well, or just unlimited tracks of either type in general? As long as I can paste/insert a half-dozen or a dozen odd files that overlap in various ways, and control their envelopes, it sounds like I'm set.

jim

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:12/19/2001 8:22:27 AM

Vegas Audio has unlimited audio tracks and 1 video track.
Vegas Video has unlimited audio tracks and unlimited video tracks.
Sound Forge has 1 stereo audio track
Video Factory has 3 audio tracks and 2 video tracks
Acid Pro has unlimited audio tracks and 1 video track
Acid Express as 8 audio tracks in version 2, and 10 in version 3

I haven't used any of the others, but i'm guessing the various varieties
of Acid have unlimited tracks.

Subject:RE: Acid 3 vs Video Vegas 3 - which should I try for this?

Reply by: pr0be

Date:12/22/2001 2:42:07 AM

Vegas does loops. Right click on an audio file, and under "switches" select loop. It allows you loop painting functionality just like acid.