Sonic Foundry's ACID[TM]--Royalty-Free Music Creation Software--Now Shipping

Sonic Foundry, Inc. (AMEX: SFO) today announced the availability of ACID, a new software product which allows music creation for a host of users including musicians, media professionals, and Internet developers.

ACID defines a new product category by combining a user-friendly graphical interface with a music construction engine that takes user selected audio loops and adjusts them automatically to create unique musical compositions.

The combination of ease of use and professional features allows ACID to appeal to a broad range of customers who require easy access to royalty-free content. ACID will be used for creating and enhancing dance music, adding background music to videos, enhancing Web pages, and for simple entertainment in the home.

"ACID establishes a completely new paradigm for the composition and creation of original music," said Sonic Foundry Chairman and CEO, Rimas P. Buinevicius. "In the past, users have been slow to adopt overly complicated music composition tools. ACID allows both the professional and novice user a method by which to simply 'paint' their music, using just our software and a Windows-based computer."

ACID ships with hundreds of pre-recorded loops of different musical formats, instruments, and sounds, including Rock, Country, Hip-Hop, Alternative, Disco, Techno, Funk, Rave, Industrial, Bass, Drums, Guitar, Vocal, Brass, Synthesizer, Turntable, Sound Effects, and Ambient Sounds.

Features -- ACID can generate or chase to MIDI Time Code and supports DirectX Audio Plug-Ins for real-time effects. It can work with 16- and 24-bit audio, with unlimited levels of undo/redo. ACID provides direct output to .WAV, .AIF, and Microsoft NetShow files and automatically matches tempo and pitch between loops for instant synchronization. Loops can be previewed in real-time before being opened. Unlimited tracks are supported for multiple track mixing, subject only to system RAM. Quick access is provided to Sound Forge and other audio editors.

Technical Requirements -- ACID runs on Windows 95 and NT 4.0 or later systems. It requires a computer with a 133MHz Pentium (For real-time effects previewing a Pentium II is recommended.) or an Alpha microprocessor, at least 32M of RAM, 5M of hard disk space for installation, a Windows-compatible sound card, and a CD-ROM drive.

Pricing and Availability -- ACID is now available at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $399 from professional music dealers and computer software resellers worldwide. Demo versions of ACID can be obtained by anyone with a Web browser by visiting the Sonic Foundry Web site. All products are also available direct from the Company at 800-577-6642.