Mismatched loops in Acid

[LUGOSIFAN]

Hi, everyone.
I'm using a variety of programs to edit/sequence found sounds/field recordings; my main intention is to create loop soundscapes. The programs are Soundforge (version 4 or something?) to edit, and Acid to sequence (although I'm more partial to Cakewalk's Plasma 2003). This is how I'm doing it: I will use S.F. to isolate segments until I get a good sounding loop and save it as a separate file. Then, I open that file in Acid and drag it to my hearts content. So far. so good. Here's the problem: any additional loop file I open sounds terrible (tempo issue). I'll right click on the track and select "use (X)bpm" or whatever it is. The track will now play fine, but the other one is all screwed up! I've tried everything to get all the file's tempos to match (the manual, using S.F's "edit Acid properties", pitch shifting, etc.) and my patience is wearing thin. I don't know anything about b.p.m's, key, notes, or anything musical for that matter. Can anyone help me?
BTW, the same thing happens in Plasma (another loop program).
-Thanks

[Aaron]

It sounds like the BPM's may match but the pitch might be all screwed up... If the original BPM is a ways off from the target BPM, Acid doesn't go too good of a job with making is sound right... Recycle might help you get better loops... It finds hitpoints and streches pieces of the file as to keep sound integrity...

[Tweak]

You are telling acid how many beats are in the loop?

That helps and if you don't, some loops will be interpreted wrongly.

[enTRAP]

You can fix it to an extent. Seriously mismatched tempos will sound bad, but try this.

Right click on the distorted sounding loop and select properties.

Click stretch.

Stretching properties determine how ACID performs time compression and expansion on audio events. If you hear audio anomalies due to time compression, try editing the stretching properties of the track.

Looping segments is the default stretching method, and it will work well with most types of material.

Choose Nonlooping segments for sustaining material such as synthesizer pads and held notes.

Choose Pitch shift segments to shift the pitch of the track to adjust for variations in tempo. Using this option, you can eliminate some of the problems that occur with extreme tempo changes. For example, if you have slowed the project tempo and hear echo artifacts, using the Pitch shift segments setting can eliminate these artifacts.

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[LUGOSIFAN]

Thanks to all who helped me a while back with my Acid problem. I figured out how to match my loops with the Properties section and readjusting the bpm. Everything sounds great now. Much obliged! -Greg