Hi there.
Well I only have a SB live.
As far as in depth audio tracking editing and chained effects and what not, which one's better? Obviosly I'm aware of Sound Forge, but does Vegas have more features when doing track editing (cutting, fading, etc..)

Thanks

sfx70,

Firstly - Acid is not a multitracker in a conventional sense. Yes you can have multiple tracks but Acid is very limited in how you can handle those tracks. In my workflow, Acid is my compositional tool for loop construction and deconstruction as it were.

Forge is 2 track only so very limited appeal there. Vegas is the way to go, no question. All the tools you will ever need for cuts, fades...the works.

Cheers,

Cuzin B

Here's some more insight for you:

Recording:
Acid= 2tracks(stereo)
Vegas=unlimited except, Limited by the number of inputs your sound card has

Editing:
Vegas= many tools for editing, you can edit together multiple files on the same track, with crossfades, slip editing
ACID= You can't combine audio files onto one track. Each file must remain on it's own track and edits are done by moving events on individual tracks and cross fading and such that way.

Mixing:
Virtually identical ACID and Vegas

CD burning:
Vegas: supports Disc-at-once burning allowing you to put multiple track ID's troughout the time line within a project.
Acid: Supports Track-at-Once. No control of putting CD tracks in the middle of an audio event, burn one track per project onto a CD.

Looping tools:
Vegas: Allows looping of events, no time signature changes, no project master tempo
Acid: Allows looping of events, Project has a master tempo and key signature, each track has it's own tempo properties and key signature, which will be changed to match the project master tempo/key signature, so you can import many different types of loops at different tempos/key signatures, and have them all playback in realtime at the project master tempo/key signature. Ability to change timesignatures along the timeline. Acid has a Beat Mapper utility, which will help you determine the files tempo and length of a loop for you automatically, just incase you can't count to 4 and figure it out yourself.

Basically, as mentioned ACID is a pre-production tool, which is great for putting many types of loops together and creating a song. It also works well for doing remixes, where you can import previously recorded tracks and have them match a new tempo or key signature with minimal effects. Thus, if you're doing a Dance remix of one of your songs it works perfect. You ever hear the Dance Remix for Stayin' Alive previously recorded by the Bee Gees....Acid is your tool.

Vegas is a true multi-track program. If you want to record many tracks, do punch-ins simultaneously and edit them and then mix, then Vegas is your tool.

Vegas, hands down.

What about soft-synths? Can Vegas trigger them? Can Vegas time-stretch loops? Or do I have to do that in ACID and then import into Vegas? Can Vegas open up an ACID file?

and therein lies the rub :(

Besides the MIDI stuff, Vegas'll do ya, no prob

Thats just it, I rarely use midi: even my hardware synths are recorded as audio only, no midi. But, man, it would be great to trigger some of the new softsynths out there for a track or 2. I *do* use Vegas for all my audio needs, but was thinking I had to switch to ACID to trigger softsynths. I think SONAR will do it all, but there is so much of that program dedicated to midi, that I don't need. Any ideas?

Editing in vegas is so hands down MUCH faster than any other app, it frees your creative juices in a way, that might or might not make up for lack of MIDI. A lot of us here agree that Vegas should have Midi, but hasnt happened yet. If you are in a BAND, and dont need much sequencing I dont think you can go wrong with vegas. The quick and easy abilities it gives you to copy and correct parts, will go a LONG way to tightening up and flashing out, prepro'ing etc any songs you want to do

it's actually pretty easy to import an audio file into ACID (your vegas project) and then program VSTi's in ACID, then export an audio file from ACID back into your vegas project.

hmm goddamn wouldn't re-wire be nice.

still, that's my workaround. Of course that does mean you have to own both ACID and Vegas...

Multitrack-wise, I don't think Vegas can be beat, try out the demo, it's incredibly intuitive and fast.

Jason

Oh, get yourself a proper soundcard first - You SB will just be naff for tracking anything, and the drivers I wouldn't trust with Softsynths either.

Get a pro card, plenty on the market second hand pretty cheap.

I use two M-audio Delta 1010's (16 24/96 ins and outs with both cards, fully balanced)

but if your aims are smaller, one 1010 would be good, or the 44 or 66 (4 or 6 inputs)

Otherwise, I hear good things about Echo and RME.

www.m-audio.com

So you can save a Vegas file, as a project (lets say, 10 tracks), and import that into ACID, add a VSTi, then export back into Vegas without losing anything?

Webpuppy,

Off topic but how do you like the twin 1010's? Do you mix those 16 tracks internally in software or route them out to a hardware mixer?

Cheers,

Cuzin B