Hard Drive -ACID Product Family - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Hard Drive Posted by: Sorbie Date:10/19/1999 6:01:00 PM Ok i dont want to sound too stupid but im new with Acid and i love it. What i want to know is i notice as im creating a song im using a lot of hard drive space. I am running a 35meg Micron computer. Am i going to have to get another hard drive or can i compress a song once its mixed and done. I dont want to have to erase each song as i finish it. Sorbie
Subject:Re: Hard Drive Reply by: DataCowboy Date:10/28/1999 12:05:00 AM The best way to save disk space is to save the file as an Acid Project. The Project-type file only saves the text of the path information (such as "C:\My samples\Drum Loop.wav") which takes up just a few bytes. But, that means if you later on move "Drum Loop.wav" from the "C:\My samples" directory to another directory, Acid will not find it when you open the project next time, and you'll have to tell it where to find it. Compressing wave files is not particularly effective. It is uncommon to get better than 50% compression on audio files, and most people don't find it worth the bother, but it is an option. Note that you can't use something like WinZip (it'll only get you about 1% compression). You'll need a dedicated audio compression program. A little more on Acid saves: If you save with embedded audio, the wave files you are using are stored in RIFF chunks in the Acid file. This means that a duplicate of each of your wave files is being created and stored on your hard drive, embedded inside the Acid File (you'll notice your .ACD file is rather large if it is of this type). Also, if you save with external audio, Acid copies the waves files from their original directory to the one in which you save your Acid File. Note I said "copies", not moves. This option uses up about as much space as the "embedded audio" save option. Hope that helps, Chris Haisty (aka Data Cowboy) www.thefreeside.com David Loring wrote: >>Ok i dont want to sound too stupid but im new with Acid and >>i love it. What i want to know is i notice as im creating a >>song im using a lot of hard drive space. I am running a >>35meg Micron computer. Am i going to have to get another >>hard drive or can i compress a song once its mixed and >>done. I dont want to have to erase each song as i finish it. >> >>Sorbie

The best way to save disk space is to save the file as an Acid
Project. The Project-type file only saves the text of the path
information (such as "C:\My samples\Drum Loop.wav") which takes up
just a few bytes. But, that means if you later on move "Drum
Loop.wav" from the "C:\My samples" directory to another directory,
Acid will not find it when you open the project next time, and you'll
have to tell it where to find it.

Compressing wave files is not particularly effective. It is uncommon
to get better than 50% compression on audio files, and most people
don't find it worth the bother, but it is an option. Note that you
can't use something like WinZip (it'll only get you about 1%
compression). You'll need a dedicated audio compression program.

A little more on Acid saves: If you save with embedded audio, the
wave files you are using are stored in RIFF chunks in the Acid file.
This means that a duplicate of each of your wave files is being
created and stored on your hard drive, embedded inside the Acid File
(you'll notice your .ACD file is rather large if it is of this type).

Also, if you save with external audio, Acid copies the waves files
from their original directory to the one in which you save your Acid
File. Note I said "copies", not moves. This option uses up about as
much space as the "embedded audio" save option.

Hope that helps,
Chris Haisty (aka Data Cowboy)
www.thefreeside.com

David Loring wrote:
>>Ok i dont want to sound too stupid but im new with Acid and
>>i love it. What i want to know is i notice as im creating a
>>song im using a lot of hard drive space. I am running a
>>35meg Micron computer. Am i going to have to get another
>>hard drive or can i compress a song once its mixed and
>>done. I dont want to have to erase each song as i finish it.
>>
>>Sorbie