Subject:Noob Needs Help

Posted by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/1/2014 10:14:20 AM

Hey guys, I am rather new to ACID and I have some questions. I am using ACID Music studio 10.0.

1. How do you add effects to MIDI tracks? (other than pitch bend and all those, I mean EQ or tremolo)
2. How do you loop groups of audio clips?
3. When I click on the piano roll, sometimes the keys 'stick'. The sound keeps playing even after deleting the track.

I would really appreciate some help.

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: VMP

Date:7/1/2014 12:54:07 PM

Hey,

Not sure about music studio, in Acid Pro:

1. In the mixing console (View-> mixing console) you can view the Synth volume slider there you can add FX. By clicking on the green icon under the mute and solo button.
2. As default all audio events are looped when you pull it out at the end, If an event on the timeline is not looped then you can set it to loop by selecting the event (by cliking it) then right click and select clip properties (or view-> clip properties) There you can set it to loop. Or are you referring to looping a timeline section? Then just select an area with the selection tool then enable the loop button then play that section.
3. That has usually to do with your synth. Click again on the note in the piano roll that is producing the sound. You can also disable the audible when clicked function. By going to and selecting Options-> Enable Real-Time MIDI. You are still able to hear the notes by clicking the piano buttons in the piano roll.

VMP

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/1/2014 1:46:50 PM

Thanks heaps!
1 and 3 worked perfect.
What I meant w/ 2 was: can I encapsulate a group of audio clips on the timeline and loop them without having to just copy/paste them over and over?

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: VMP

Date:7/1/2014 2:31:41 PM

You are welcome.

2. You could also use the draw tool (pencil).
If the events are set to loop you can draw them quickly without the need to copy/paste.

But if they are set as 'one shot' or 'beatmapped' then they will not be repeated when drawed.

VMP

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/3/2014 4:52:48 PM

If I make a beat with audio clips instead of midi (for example, use clips of kicks and snares), can I group a measure and loop it? If not, can I make a custom MIDI drum machine with my own drum sounds?

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: VMP

Date:7/3/2014 5:07:45 PM

You can place the seperate recorded audio files on the timeline, make a good sounding beat and render that out for example as .Wav. If you have composed loopable beat, then that file can be imported as a beat loop.

You need a seperate step sequencer to do that drum machine trick.
there are several VST step sequencers out there that can be used with Acid.

VMP

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/5/2014 7:40:35 AM

also, how do I control FX with an envelope?

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: VMP

Date:7/5/2014 4:10:12 PM

Right click on a track ->FX Automation Envelopes->Choose the available option of the FX which you have already used on that track.

You can also do a search for 'FX automation' and 'Adding Audio Track Envelopes' in help.

VMP

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:7/5/2014 11:46:55 PM

Also there is a manual available here:
[link]http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/manuals/acidpro

Lots of info on YouTube here:
[link]http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sony+acid

And comprehensive in-app help - Push <F1>

;-)

geoff

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/6/2014 12:34:18 PM

when I right click on a midi track, "FX Automation Envelopes" does not show up. When I go to "Insert/Remove Envelope", the only things that show up are: Volume, Pan, Pitch Bend, Aftertouch, Program Change and "Configure Controllers". When I right click the soft synth on the Mixing Console, "FX Automation Envelopes" Is grayed out (if that's what you call it when it's unselectable) even though there is an effects chain added to it. I seriously hope that I did not pay $60 and I can't even use envelopes for FX because I need to buy ACID pro.

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: VMP

Date:7/6/2014 1:09:45 PM

Not sure if Music studio has that function. My Acid Pro does.
You could contact support to ask them that question.

VMP

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: pwppch

Date:7/6/2014 2:28:04 PM

A MIDI track cannot have audio FX, as it is MIDI, not audio.

If you add a FX to the Soft synth bus, you can add audio FX. You have to select those parameters of the FX you want to automate. Once you do that, you can then add the envelopes for those parameters. AMS does not allow you to record moves, but you can add points and then manipulate them.

This is covered in the application help, but not in the PDF Quick Start Guide, though you could download the ACID Pro Manual, as there are details there that are common to AMS and ACID Pro, though there are differences.

Peter

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/6/2014 4:24:03 PM

This is what the F1 application help says:

"Add an assignable effects send envelope

Assignable effects envelopes vary the level of a track sent to an assignable effects chain. Before you can add an assignable effects envelope, you'll need to add an assignable effects chain to your project.

Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.

Do one of the following:

-From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose the effects chain where you want to add or remove an envelope..

-Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose the effects chain where you want to add or remove an envelope."

Insert -> Envelopes only had volume and pan, that's all.

On the mixing console, I right clicked the soft synth with the "Express FX Flange/Wah-Wah" effect added, went to Insert/Remove Envelope, and no effects chains were shown. However, "FX Automation Envelopes" was shown when I right clicked the Soft Synth on the Mixing Console, but it was grayed-out (Yes, I did have effects on it).

Is that only a feature in ACID Pro? And what did you mean by " AMS does not allow you to record moves, but you can add points and then manipulate them."

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: pwppch

Date:7/8/2014 8:48:37 AM

What you want to do is add an Insert FX to the soft synth bus.

After you do this, you the open the audio plugin view, and click the "Configure FX Automation" button.

This will present you with all automatable parameters that the FX exposes. Select those that you want to automate.

From the soft Synth bus, you right click click on it and select "FX Automation Envelope" and select those that you want envelopes for.

Show the bus tracks view on the main timeline, you will see the envelopes for those parameters you enabled.

You can then add envelope points and manipulate the fx parameters. If you hold down the Shift key when hovering over an envelope, you can also free draw an envelope for that parameter.

"And what did you mean by " AMS does not allow you to record moves, but you can add points and then manipulate them.""

This means you cannot enable automation recording mode on a track or bus or FX UI, and then move the sliders to record your moves in real time. Only ACID Pro allows this.


NOTE: Many of the steps I outlined can also be accessed through right click context menus on the soft synth bus, either from the Mix Console or the Bus Tracks.
Peter

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: StraightUpDJ

Date:7/8/2014 5:56:33 PM

Ok. It looks like I have found the problem. None of the sony expressFX support automation. So that means I can't use ExpressFX Equalization, for example, and change the settings with an envelope? Can I download other FX that would let me do that?

Subject:RE: Noob Needs Help

Reply by: U4Ya

Date:7/8/2014 8:51:33 PM

I personaly use izotope plugins: https://www.izotope.com/
or waves plugins: http://www.waves.com/
but those plugins one has to pay for,
as to free plugins I dont know, but sombody else on here might know.