Summary: Sony ACID Music Studio 7  (1/2008)

    by Douglas Dixon

Sony ACID Music Studio 7
New Features
Features Summary
About Sony Creative Software Products

Sony Studio Product Line  (7/11)

Sony Creative Software continues to develop its line of popular and powerful tools for digital video, DVD, audio, and music production, including separate lines of higher-end professional tools and consumer software (www.sonycreativesoftware.com). 

Sony's professional product line is built around three core product names: Vegas for video editing, Sound Forge for audio editing, and ACID for music creation (www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products).

Sony's consumer products trade off these names, but under the Home Studio brand, as in Vegas Movie Studio, Sound Forge Audio Studio, and ACID Music Studio (www.sonycreativesoftware.com/homestudio). Sony offers trial versions as downloads from its website.

           
  Sony Vegas Movie Studio, Sound Forge Audio Studio, ACID Music Studio

For more on the Sony Home Studio products, see my previous articles:

• Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 (8/08)
• Sony Vegas Movie Studio+DVD 8 (10/07)
• HDV Editing with Sony Vegas Movie Studio+DVD (1/06)
• Mass-Market Digital Video and DVD / Sony Screenblast Movie Studio (3/03)
  
• Sony Sound Forge Pro 10 Audio Editing Software Reviewed (Videomaker Magazine, April 2010)
• Sony Sound Forge Pro 10 (12/09)
• Sony Audio / Music Studio Software: Sound Forge Audio Studio 9 and ACID Music Studio 7 (5/08)
• Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 9  (1/08)
• Sony ACID Music Studio 7  (1/08)
• Sony Sound Forge 9 (7/07)

Find related Sony Software articles in the Manifest Tech Blog

Find Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 on Amazon.com Find Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 Suite on Amazon.com Find Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 10 on Amazon.com Find Sony ACID Music Studio 8 on Amazon.com

Sony ACID Music Studio 7

Sony ACID Music Studio 7 is designed for consumers or prosumers who want to create original music using loops or recording vocals, instruments, or using MIDI -- DJs and remix artists, home recording studios and musicians, video and multimedia producers, podcast and streaming media creators, educators, trainers, and presenters.

        Sony ACID Music Studio 7

Enhance music with audio effects such as EQ, reverb, delay, and echo. Add pan and volume envelopes, reverse audio, and change pitch and tempo in real time. Share songs - burn CDs, upload to the web, prepare audio for podcasts, or export to MP3 players. It includes interactive Show Me How tutorials to help step though leaning new tasks.

- Record: Import music from CDs and MP3s, record or capture vocals, guitar, and other instruments. Plug in a microphone or instrument into your PC sound card and click Record to capture audio and MIDI. 

- Mix: Enhance the mix with over 3,000 loops and 1,000 MIDI files, built-in effects, and other tools. Import your own songs and MP3 files for beat-matching and mixing. 

- Share: Burn music to CDs, save songs to popular formats for uploading to websites such as ACIDplanet.com, prepare audio for podcasts, or convert songs to MP3 format for playback on portable music players.

ACID Music Studio includes multitrack audio and MIDI recording, pro-level editing tools, and over 3,000 ACIDized loops to use in remixes, mash-ups, and original songs. 

Version 7 adds MIDI recording and editing, more music loops and instruments, multiple events per track, freehand envelope drawing, and multicore processor and Vista support.

ACID Music Studio 7 was released in 2007, and is available for Windows for $59 (download) or $69 (packaged product). An upgrade is available from previous versions for $29 (download) or $39 (packaged product). Sony also offers a trial version as a download from the website.

Previous articles on Sony professional software:
    Summary: Sony Sound Forge 9 (7/07)
    Automated Soundtrack Creation - Sony Media Software Cinescore (11/06)

Find related Sony Software articles in the Manifest Tech Blog

Find Sony Vegas Movie Studio on Amazon.com Find Sony Sound Forge Audio Studio 9 on Amazon.com Find Sony ACID Music Studio 7 on Amazon.com

Sony Music Studio 7 -- New Features

Multitrack Audio and MIDI Recording

Studio Multitrack recording with freedom and flexibility in how tracks are recorded. Unlimited tracks for audio and MIDI, to record as many instruments (and vocals) as you want. Record the entire band all at once with each instrument on a different track. Complete control over volume, panning, and effects on each instrument or vocal.

• Unlimited tracks for audio and MIDI, instruments and vocals
• Record multiple instruments at a time, or one at a time
• Control over volume, panning, and effects on each instrument or vocal for creating mixes
• Record MIDI on multiple tracks, including MIDI step recording.
• Create multiple takes, Use punch-in recording to create overdubs

Multiple Events per Track with Automatic Crossfades

Seamlessly tie different loops and songs together rather than having to use numerous tracks, saving space and time. More complex musical compositions can be created by using multiple media types.

• Add multiple loops or one shots to a track
• Creates automatic crossfades for  overlapped events
• Saves numerous tracks and track real estate

Freehand Envelope Drawing

Freehand envelope drawing results in more accurate volume, panning levels for mixes.

• Draw envelope shapes directly on events by using Ctrl key and drawing tool
• Create and edit using standard envelope points, or via freehand drawing

        MIDI

Inline MIDI Editing

 Record and edit MIDI note and controller data on the timeline, and assign to any MIDI instrument. ACID Music Studio software supports VSTi and includes over 1,000 MIDI files and 90 instruments. 

• MIDI recording, editing, and sequencing
• Inline MIDI note editing, with envelopes and keyframes
• Use drum grid to edit MIDI notes for soft synths with defined drum maps

MIDI Track Envelopes and Keyframes

MIDI editing and note data can be manipulated visually via envelopes and keyframes on the main UI timeline. MIDI changes can be made across a project using envelopes. 

• Use MIDI track envelopes to adjust volume, panning, controller parameters, or program changes 
• Change dynamically over duration of a track

MIDI Processing and Filtering

Apply destructive editing to MIDI events on the timeline, quantize data in events, edit velocity values, change the duration of an event, or transpose MIDI data which allows users to perform more powerful MIDI editing.

• MIDI processes and filters include quantize, velocity and duration for setting MIDI note parameters

Gracenote CD Album Identification

• Used when extracting audio content from CDs
• Automatically view information about a CD track including title, artist, song name, also submit data

ATRAC .aa3 Format Support

• Natively edit and export ATRAC formats, ATRAC (.aa3) and ATRAC lossless 
• Editing and encoding, surround encoding and decoding support, encode up to 512 kbps, 48 kHz
• For MP3 players, NET-MD players, HI-MD players

Microsoft Windows Vista Support

• Works with Windows Vista logo and certification

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Sony Music Studio 7 -- Features Summary

General

Includes more than 3,000 professionally recorded loops in nearly every musical genre to combine to create original songs. ( A loop is a sample of a performance that has been edited to repeat seamlessly in a composition.) Complete MIDI editing and sequencing:  Record and edit MIDI note and controller data on the timeline, and assign to any MIDI instrument. Supports VSTi and includes over 1,000 MIDI files and 90 instruments for song creation.

• NEW -- Includes over 3,000 music loops and 1,000 MIDI files
• NEW -- Includes 90 DLS instruments and 25 DLS-based projects
• NEW -- Multicore processor support
• Intuitive pick, paint, and play interface
• Arrange and edit audio loops
• Automatic pitch and tempo matching
• Alternate time signature support
• Real-time loop previewing
• Show Me How interactive tutorials
• Supports multiple file formats in the same project
• 16-bit/48kHz audio support 

        Beatmapper

Mixing and Editing

Mixing tools provide precise control over volume and panning, effects processing, audio routing, and final output. Customize songs using professional-quality audio effects including EQ, reverb, delay, chorus, flange, phase, distortion, and echo. Use VST and DirectX audio effects, and VST instruments. Add pan and volume envelopes, reverse audio, and change the pitch and tempo of the mix in real time.

• NEW -- Multitrack audio and MIDI recording
• NEW -- Multiple events per track with automatic crossfades
• NEW -- Inline MIDI Editing with drum grid
• NEW -- MIDI step recording
• NEW -- Processing and filtering for MIDI events
• NEW -- Freehand envelope drawing on the timeline
• NEW -- MIDI import and export
• NEW -- MIDI input filters for tracks
• DirectX audio plug-in support
• Tempo-based DirectX effects
• VST instrument support
• VST audio effect support
• ASIO driver support
• Drop loops in real time via keyboard commands
• Chopper editing tool to edit and clone loops
• Beatmapper tool for easy remixing
• Track-level volume, panning, and effects editing
• Master bus track for project-wide volume and pan fades
• Studio-quality effects including EQ, Reverb, Delay, and more
• Event reverse
• Metronome
• Remix your favorite songs and MP3s
• Combine MIDI tracks with audio tracks
• Preview effects in real-time during playback
• Video scoring track

Export and Sharing

Integrated CD layout and burning -- create music and produce CDs all in one program. Save songs to popular streaming formats for uploading to the web, or export them to portable music devices.

• NEW -- Gracenote CD album identification
• NEW -- ATRAC .aa3 support
• CD audio extraction
• Disc-at-once CD burning
• Export to Sony Net MD players
• Save in MP3, RealMedia, and Windows Media 9 formats
• One-click publishing to ACIDplanet.com*

Supported Formats

• Opens: AIFF, AVI, BMP, GIF, JPG, MIDI, MP3, OGG, PCA, SFA, SWF, TGA, TIF, W64, WAV, WMA
• Saves: AIFF, ATRAC3, AVI, MP3, OGG, QuickTime, RealAudio, RealVideo, W64, WAV, WMA

Minimum System Requirements

• Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista
• 800 MHz processor (1GHz if using video)
• 256 MB RAM
• 200 MB hard-disk space for program installation
• Windows-compatible sound card
• DVD-ROM drive (for installation)
• Supported CD-Recordable drive (for CD burning)
• Microsoft DirectX 9.0c or later (included on disc)

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About Sony Creative Software Products

Professional Product Line  (8/08)

Sony Creative Software develops higher-end professional tools and more entry-level consumer software for digital video, music, DVD, and audio production (www.sonycreativesoftware.com). Originally developed by Sonic Foundry, and acquired by Sony Pictured Digital in May 2003, the product line includes higher-end professional tools and more entry-level versions for consumers.

The three core professional products are Vegas for video editing, Sound Forge for audio editing, and ACID for music creation, plus the newer Cinescore for professional soundtrack creation.:

- Vegas Pro 8: Professional HD video, audio, and DVD creation
            (also includes DVD Architect 4.5)
        www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro

- Sound Forge 9: Professional digital audio production suite
        www.sonycreativesoftware.com/soundforge

- ACID Pro 6: Professional music workstation
        www.sonycreativesoftware.com/acidpro

- Cinescore: Professional soundtrack creation
        www.sonycreativesoftware.com/cinescore

Sony also hosts ACIDplanet.com as an online community for digital musicians and videographers to share and collaborate (www.acidplanet.com). The site also includes downloads of free content and ACID XPress, a free ten-track mixing and composing application.

Consumer Product Line  (8/08)

The corresponding Sony consumer tools share these names, but have been rebranded as the Home Studio line (originally Screenblast), emphasizing Movie, Audio, and Music creation, and deemphasizing the Vegas, Sound Forge, and ACID connections (www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/studiofamily.asp):

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