Making Music with Sonic Foundry ACID

David E Franks

Key features

* Find and edit loops in ACID
* Record your own audio tracks
* Add FX with ACID
* Mix and master your songs
* Burn your songs to CD
* Add music to video

ACID, the breakthrough music application from Sonic Foundry, makes it easier than ever to create amazing audio on your desktop PC. Making Music with Sonic Foundry ACID is designed for effortless navigation of this powerful program, so that no matter what your skill level, whether dabbler or digital guru, your ACID creations will sound phenomenal.

You'll learn how to record and manipulate loops, record vocals and instruments, add FX and mix and master your music. From producing a musical masterpiece to rendering and distributing it for all the world to hear, Making Music with Sonic Foundry ACID gives you the tools to unlock your creative self. The only limits left are those of your imagination.

Contents

1 ACID basics: getting around
ACID Loops. A Visual Tour. Timeline. Window Docking Area. Top Ten Shortcuts.

2 A song is born
Building Blocks. Projects. Exploring Loops and Previewing. Event Basics. Playback and Mixing. Creating MP3 Files.

3 Composition
Song Structure. Creating Structure with Markers and Regions. Musical Phrasing. Tempo. Key. Key Progression. Event-Level Key Changes (Pitch Shift). Chord Progressions. Creating Chords with Simple Loops.

4 Polishing up
Introductions. Fading In and Out. Conclusions. Breaks and Bridges. Project Management.

5 Recording vocals and solos
Hardware. Recording into ACID. Working with Takes. Recording MIDI.

6 Mastering the mix
Mixing a Master. The Studio Environment. Mixing ACID. Space and Panning. Track FX.

7 FX
Types of ACID FX. FX in Action. Summary of Sonic Foundry FX. General FX Concepts.

8 FX dictionary
Amplitude Modulation (XFX 3). Chorus (XFX 1). Compressor (Track). Distortion (XFX 3). Dither. Flange/Wah-wah (Phaser­XFX 3). Gapper/Snipper (XFX 3). Graphic Dynamics (XFX 2). Graphic EQ (XFX 2). Multi-Band Dynamics (XFX 2). Multi-Tap Delay (XFX 1). Noise Gate (XFX2). Paragraphic EQ. Parametric EQ (XFX 2). Pitch Shift. Reverb. Simple Delay. Smooth/Enhance (XFX 3). Time Stretch (XFX 1). Track Compressor. Vibrato (XFX 3).

9 Loops
Media Files. Track Properties Window. Creating Your Own Loops. Loop Limitations. More Loops!.

10 The secret life of ACID MIDI
MIDI. Configuring MIDI in ACID. Working with MIDI. Recording MIDI. MIDI Triggers and Time Code. FX and MIDI Tracks.

11 Video
Working with Video. Rendering Video. Video Editing?.

12 Publishing
Rendering. Publishing. Streaming. Audio CDs. Copyright.

13 Loose ends
Loop Management. RAM. Processor Speed. Preferences.

Appendix - shortcuts
Mouse Wheel. Marker Bar. Keyboard Navigation. Keyboard Selection. Playback (Transport) Controls. Editing Commands. Chopper Commands. Standard Windows Commands.