X Squared Media - Acidizer Help

What is Acidizer?

Acidizer is a utility for use with the Sonic Foundry Acid series (current version is 2.0). 

What is Acidizing?

Acidizing a file involves adding extra information to the audio file that is ACID-specific. This information contains all of the properties on the Track tab in the Properties window, including the stretching properties, root note, and number of beats or tempo of the file. This information is then used by ACID to time-stretch and pitch-shift the file for you automatically when you open it.

When you use an audio file that hasn't been acidized, Acid defaults to 'loop' each time -- a real annoyance if you plan to use a lot of drum samples as one-shots.  At this point, you must change the properties for each file you drag into Acid.

Acid allows you to permanently save the property information for audio files, but only one at a time.  Acidizer can change these properties for all the files in a directory of your choice in one swift operation.  Change all your samples in directory A to one-shots.  Change all the samples in directory B to loop, 4 beats, without transposition.  Use the time you'll save with Acidizer to further your Acid creations!!!

Time Comparision Using Acid vs. Acidizer

  Acid Acidizer
Acidize one file 5 seconds 1 second
Acidize two files 10 seconds 1 second
Acidize 100 files 8 minutes 5 seconds
Acidize 5,000 files 7 hours <60 seconds

Using Acidizer

Start the Acidizer application from your Start Menu.  Drag folders and WAV files from Windows Explorer into the file list view at the bottom of the Acidizer form.

Next, select the Acid properties you wish to configure the audio files with, as shown below.

Mode Description
One shot Use this setting for drum samples where there's an individual drum sound in the file.
Loop Use this for all sorts of loops. 

The 'number of beats' setting is the number of quarter notes that the sample encompasses.  For most modern music this will be a multiple of 4.

The 'root note for transposing' is the key signature of the music in the loop.  If you're not sure, leave this as 'do not transpose'.  Also, if the loop contains only drum sounds, there's really no need to transpose.

Disk-based Use this for long stretches of audio.  If you specify the tempo Acid will attempt to synchronize the audio file with its beats and measures by the tempo you input here.

When you've made your selection, click 'Acidize'.  That's it!  Note: all files within the directory and all its subdirectories will be changed!

License Transfer

To bring up the license screen you should hold the 'shift' key down while Acidizer is starting. This is the only way to display the license screen once the software is registered.

On the license screen, the 'transfer the license to another pc' option will be enabled. Click on the check box and Acidizer will prompt you for the 'destination serial number' which will be the serial number of the unregistered (installed) copy of the software on the target pc.

Once the target serial number has been entered click on the 'Transfer' button, a message box will popup confirming the transfer (this is a good chance to double check the serial number is correct). Acidizer will then invalidate the license on the first machine (i.e. preventing the software from running), and generate the unlock code for the target pc.

By entering the unlock code on the splash screen of the evaluation version on the target pc, the license transfer process will be complete and the software fully functional.

Troubleshooting

If you're working on a network, make sure you've got write access to the files.  Acidizer will confirm on read-only files, but cannot change network access rights.

Tech Support

Tech support is available by e-mailing us at support@x2media.com, or calling (310) 390-6620 during normal business hours (9 AM-5 PM, weekdays, Pacific Standard Time) or by writing, if you must, to:

X Squared Media
P.O. Box 66307
Los Angeles, CA 90066

Legal Stuff

Acid and Sonic Foundry Acid are trademarks of Sonic Foundry, Inc.  This Acidizer program and its related files are copyright (c) 1998-2000 Xavier Jefferson.  All rights are reserved.

This program is protected by copyright laws and international treaties.  Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this program, or any portion of it, may result in severe criminal and civil penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent possible by law.