WaveWarp Users' Guide: last updated 28 February 2002

3.12-- Using WaveWarp with Sonic Foundry Acid Pro 2.0

This example was developed with Sonic Foundry Acid Pro 2.0 (Build 61) under Windows 98 (2^nd Edition). Compatibility with other versions of the software or operating systems is not guaranteed.

Starting from scratch without WaveWarp or Acid Pro running, carry out the following steps in order:

1. Start Acid Pro. You should be presented with a blank workspace within the Acid Pro main window. To import a WAV file, select "Open..." from the "File" menu, as shown in the screenshot in Figure 66.

Figure 66 Importing a WAV file into a blank project in Acid Pro 2.0.

2. You may select any stereo WAV file of your choice. For the sake of example, try selecting "wavewarp.wav" from the "Wav\Stereo" sub-directory of the WaveWarp root. The name of the selected WAV file then appears to the left of the track window. Move the mouse pointer to within the first "segment" of the track window. The pointer will change to a pencil. Drag this pencil over the width of the first "segment" of the track window. A "region" of waveform will appear in the track window, as shown in the screenshot in Figure 67.

Figure 67 Selecting and looping a region in Acid Pro 2.0. Note that the "Play Looped" button is depressed (if it is not, then press it).

3. By default, the audio region should already be configured for looping. This is evidenced by the small yellow inverted triangle loop markers (located above the waveform and region label, see Figure 67 ) which should span the entire region. If these loop markers are not present, or if they do not span the entire region, then you may create/adjust the loop markers by carefully positioning the mouse pointer in the vicinity around where the left-hand marker should appear. When correctly placed, the pointer should turn into a left-right arrow cursor. When this happens, click and drag all the way to the right-hand edge. The entire region should now be selected, as indicated by the yellow inverted triangle markers. Next, make sure that the "Play Looped" button in Acid Pro is pressed (if it is not, then press it). This enables auto-looping around the selected region (for convenience when auditioning the DirectX effect).

4. Click on the tab labeled "FX 1" on the right of the lower edge of the main Acid Pro window. The main window will change, as shown in the screenshot in Figure 68.

Figure 68 The consequence of clicking the "FX1" tab (visible in the lower right-hand corner of the main window) for enabling a DirectX plugin in Acid Pro 2.0.

5. Use the drop-down menu labeled "PlugIn:" (located just below the BPM panel) to select a DirectX plugin from the list of available effects installed on your computer. Select "WaveWarp DirectX Interface Stereo", as shown in the screenshot in Figure 69.

Figure 69 Selecting WaveWarp as a DirectX plugin in Acid Pro 2.0.

6. The WaveWarp DirectX Interface will now appear, integrated as part of the Acid Pro window, as shown in the screenshot in Figure 70. By default, WaveWarp will automatically boot-up (unless it is already started) and the Example DrawingBoard entitled "DirectXstereoWelcome.dwb" will automatically be loaded with its Parameter Windows and Description Window open. These windows are also shown in Figure 70.

Figure 70 The "WaveWarp DirectX Interface" which appears when selecting WaveWarp as the desired DirectX plugin in Acid Pro 2.0 (see previous figure). This interface is essentially the same as that shown in Figure 27 except for a different "Presets" panel, the layout of which depends on the sequencer (in this case Acid Pro 2.0). Also shown are the Parameter Windows and Description Window for "DirectXstereoWelcome.dwb" which is automatically loaded (unless this option has been suppressed from within WaveWarp's Option menu).

7. To select an Example DrawingBoard for use as a DirectX effect (if "DirectXstereoWelcome.dwb" did not automatically load during the previous step), press the "Browse" button in the WaveWarp DirectX Interface. The browser should (by default) be set to the "ExampleDrawingBoards\DirectX\Stereo" sub-directory of the WaveWarp root (if it is not, then navigate to this location) and select the "DirectXstereoWelcome.dwb" DrawingBoard. WaveWarp will automatically boot-up in the background (if it hasn't already), and the selected DrawingBoard will be enabled as the DirectX plugin. The two parameter windows for this DrawingBoard, namely the "Simple Delay" and the "Decibel Mixer" windows, will appear in the foreground of the main Acid Pro window, as shown in the screenshot in Figure 70. The DrawingBoard Description Window will also open (in non-edit mode). Important note: the WaveWarp application, though running, is hidden from view.

8. Press the "Play " button in Acid Pro, as illustrated in the screenshot in Figure 71. You will hear the WAV file in the Acid Pro track being processed in real-time by the WaveWarp DrawingBoard acting as a DirectX plugin ! (if you don't hear the effect, select the FX1 volume slider - located to the left of the track viewer - and make sure it is set to a reasonable value). Try adjusting the sliders of the "Simple Delay" and the "Decibel Mixer" on-the-fly.

Figure 71 The "Play" button in Acid Pro 2.0.

9. Try experimenting with different example DirectX DrawingBoards (from the same directory as before, using the "Browse" button). Refer to section 3.5-- for detailed information on manipulating WaveWarp via the DirectX Interface. Once you are familiar with this interface, try "bringing WaveWarp to the front" and changing the architecture of the effect by removing, adding, or changing the components - better still, try building your own DirectX effect from scratch !