The tutorial function in the ACID Pro 4 software can be accessed by using the help screen, which is located on the main menu bar. The help menu consists of search boxes to input certain phrases relevant to the software and index features along with an alphabetical listing that when selected, provides theory, terminology and detailed facts on using a certain process or program in ACID Pro 4.
The audio settings tutorial contains information on settings for individual track or mixer channels, along with a master channel. The tutorial also provides information on what your individual track settings should be for your tracks to avoid “clipping,” which can lead to your sound being distorted. There is a graphic illustration of various track settings at different decibel points that provide tips on how audio is set on individual tracks and the master channel.
The preset manager tutorial contains information on presets usage on individual mixer tracks and the master channel. The tutorial explains how basic presets can be changed into custom presets with a graphic illustration. Information on the presets, such as compression, equalization (eq), noise gates, reverb, vibratos and a host of others are explained with outer links to programs that are involved in the preset process.
ACID Pro 4 can be configured with custom-made settings when a new project is established. If you want to record a 24-bit rate instead of a 16-bit rate, the configuration tutorial explains different system settings that can be changed for projects. The tutorial can also show you how change the number of bus bars available for effect tracks to be routed to the main channel, which is very important in recording music.
Even though ACID Pro 4 is not a “multitrack recorder,” live instruments can be recorded. The recording tutorial has information on making live recordings through a sound card resident on the computer system or through a process called MIDI. The tutorial gives a detailed explanation on configuring the sound card for recording and basics on using MIDI channels to produce instrument sounds from an external device.
Most users of ACID Pro 4 use a process called “mastering” to make all the compositions sound like a cohesive “unit,” or project without sound variation. There is no tutorial that explains the details of “mastering” (compression, equalization, normalization and stereo enhancer of the track on the master channel). For mastering of a project created in ACID Pro 4, you should purchase Sony Sound Forge, which can be integrated with ACID Pro 4.