Sonic Foundry Introduces ACID

Loop-sequencing software facilitates music production

(Click for a close-up)

Exclusive! An audio example of how ACID allows you to change a song's tempo in real-time.

January 29, 1998 -- Los Angeles Convention Center-Los Angeles, CA (NAMM) - Today at NAMM, Sonic Foundry, Inc. is unveiling ACID, a digital audio loop sequencer for Windows 95 and Windows NT. The program specializes in loop arranging, allowing real-time pitch and tempo adjustments on multiple loops simultaneously. ACID (MSRP $399) is the latest addition to Sonic Foundry's line of audio software for the Windows platform.

"ACID gives musician new creative flexibility," says Roy Elkins, Sonic Foundry's vice president of sales and marketing. "Before ACID, a musician could spend hours trying to match the tempo and pitch of two loops. Now a seamless piece of audio can be created automatically. ACID is a tool that both frees musicians from the mundane, and expands their creative options. The ease with which musicians and producers can alter music with ACID is going to lead to an explosion of experimentation and creativity."

Loops can be previewed in real time before being opened. ACID automatically matches the tempo and pitch of the loop for instant synchronization. Changing the pitch of a project merely involves selecting the desired key from a drop-down menu.

Tempo changes are made instantaneously by adjusting the beats per minute slider. Multiple time-stretching algorithms allow users to choose the setting best suited to the source material. To produce more realistic effects, a tempo map is included for loop slow-down or speed-up.

ACID supports unlimited tracks, based on system RAM. Each track includes the volume, pan, and effect envelopes for greater editing control. ACID features DirectX Audio Plug-In support for incorporating real-time effects, as well as quick access to Sound Forge and other audio editors. ACID generates and chases SMPTE time code allowing it to work with other software products and external hardware.

Several features in ACID were designed to help keep the focus on the creative process. Loops are added or deleted with a simple click-and-drag. Users can quickly locate points within a project with markers. An optional snap-to-grid feature facilitates loop arrangement and allows the user to specify whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, thirty-second, or sixty-fourth note settings.

ACID ships with hundreds of loops and will also allow users to import 16- and 24-bit .WAV or .AIFF files from other sources. The loops in ACID represent many different musical styles and instruments including: Techno, Rock, Break Beat, Funk, Country, Disco, Industrial, Hip-Hop, Alternative, House, and Rave, Synthesizer, Bass, Drums, Guitar, Vocal, Brass, Turntable, Sound Effects, and Ambient sounds. ACID also supports non-looping audio (one-shot sounds). ACID Loop Libraries are planned for the future.

Projects created in ACID can be directly output as .WAV or .AIFF files, or exported to Sonic Foundry's CD Architect or any other audio CD program.

ACID is available for both the Windows 95 and Windows NT platforms and requires a Pentium 133 with a Windows-compatible sound card. A Pentium II processor is recommended for real-time effects.

Sonic Foundry, Inc. develops and markets award-winning digital audio software for the Windows platform. The Sonic Foundry product line is sold internationally for use in a range of applications, including music production, multimedia and Web development, and broadcast production. The company's flagship editor, Sound Forge, contains the most extensive list of audio processing tools available for Windows, and is extendible with a full line of proprietary and DirectX Audio Plug-Ins.

System Requirements:

Pentium 133 or Alpha microprocessor (For real-time effects previewing Pentium II microprocessor recommended)
Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 or later
Windows-compatible sound card
VGA display
CD-ROM drive
32 MB RAM
5 MB of hard-disk space for program installation

The ACID CD-ROM includes native versions for Windows NT-compatible (x86, Pentium, Alpha systems), and Windows 95.

Sonic Foundry and Sound Forge are trademarks of Sonic Foundry, Inc. Other products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers.

For more information, visit their web site at www.sonicfoundry.com.