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Acid has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a 4/4-only loop-based software sequencer. I first got on with Acid Pro 2.0 back around the dawn of the millennium, and found it remarkably capable for recording stereo or mono tracks, as well as arranging loops. Its ability to do on-the-fly loop time stretch/compression, pitch transposition, or both, all with a graphic waveform display that sure beat messing around with the jog wheel on my antiquated hardware samplers, were unique at the time.
Although Acid didn't do MIDI until version 4 (nor did it do MIDI particularly well), and originators Sonic Foundry never leveraged its hard disk recording capabilities beyond recording one stereo track at a time, the excellent user interface, powerful editing features, and relative versatility and affordability were the main draws for most users.
As other DAWs began adding loop functionality, Sony kept their competitors in check by including ASIO compatibility, video and surround sound support, and ReWire functionality. I didn't upgrade until last year's V5.0, by which point Sonic Foundry had been acquired by Sony, and the application had already evolved into something far more than just a loop sequencer: Sample rates up to 24-bit/192kHz, enhanced file compatibility, greater overall versatility, and plug-in support took it out of being just a "groove" program.
So, I was not entirely surprised when Sony announced the arrival of Acid Pro 6.0 as a full-fledged DAW. And it is: V6.0 is more like a makeover than an update, adding in-place MIDI editing, external controller support, multitrack MIDI and audio recording, VSTi parameter automation, MIDI track envelopes, automatic keyframes, and even a custom edition of Native Instruments' Kompakt - a very nice deal, especially given the price. You can see the full list of features at www.sony.com/mediasoftware.
Applying Acid
Why would...