Sony Acid Music Studio 9 review

AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE

Another important update in this release is automation for VST effects and virtual instruments. This allows effect and instrument parameters to vary over time, which can breathe life into a performance or mix and is a crucial feature for any music-production software that wants to be taken seriously.

Effect automation is created by drawing envelopes onto the audio clips, but only after delving into the right-click menu and locating the parameters that you want to automate from a long list. Accessing automation envelopes for virtual instruments is even more convoluted. Even after parameters have been enabled in another obscurely located list, they don’t appear on the MIDI track that’s associated with the instrument, but instead, in among the bus tracks that are hidden by default.

Effect and instrument parameters can now be varied over time, but drawing envelopes isn’t as intuitive as recording knob and fader movements

The difficulty in finding these features is perhaps a surmountable setback, but as with the 24-bit support, they’re likely to be permanently hidden for a lot of people. Regardless, creating automation data by drawing curves isn’t nearly as quick or as intuitive as performing the changes in real time, as most other recording software allows. It’s also unfortunate that most of the bundled effects and instruments can’t be automated because they’re not VST format. You’ll need to locate some third-party effects and instruments to make the most of the automation features. Parameters that have been automated can still be adjusted using the normal plug-in controls, but any changes are instantly disregarded as soon as the mouse is released.

Other new features include Folder Tracks and Sections, both of which organise a project into chunks for easier management. Folder Tracks create a collapsible tree structure for tracks, and are useful for keeping on top of very large projects. Sections are blocks of time that can be moved and copied en masse, making it easy to repeat a chorus or try out new arrangement ideas. It’s also possible to monitor an incoming audio signal, complete with effects – a crucial feature for recording electric guitars with a virtual amp plug-in.

Acid’s key strength has always been its immediacy, but poor attention to detail is seeing that immediacy slowly diminishing. Meanwhile, its specialism for creating collages of samples doesn’t have the allure it once did. Acid Music has failed to move with the times with its basic handling of MIDI, virtual instruments and effects. Steinberg Sequel 3 is a better option, with a friendly interface and lots of off-the-shelf samples, but also a strong selection of virtual instrument sounds, superior audio fidelity and better mixing facilities.