SONAR X3 Reference Guide
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Cakewalk, Inc. The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement or nondisclosure agreement. The software may be used or copied only in accordance of the terms of the agreement. It is against the law to copy this software on any medium except as specifically allowed in the agreement.
Getting started If you want to get up and running quickly, please use the following tutorials, which are tailored to learning specific tasks in SONAR. If you are new to Cakewalk products, you may want to start at Tutorial 1.
Getting started
Table of contents Getting started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 About SONAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing SONAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Starting to use SONAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 2 Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Creating a new project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8 Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Volume and pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Adding effects (FX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Using Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing track settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Setting up output devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Assigning Inputs & Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 Assigning tracks to mono hardware outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sony Wave-64 support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Setting the MIDI timing resolution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing to record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recording modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choosing an input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13 Arranging and editing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329 Arranging tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Changing the order of tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 Inserting tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic comping workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recording takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auditioning takes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comping methods . . . . . . . . . .
Erase tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495 Mute tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499 Scrub tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503 Zoom tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17 Browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605 Docking/undocking and resizing the Browser window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Media Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding Browser objects to your project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using Content Location presets . . . . . . .
19 Working with loops and Groove Clips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 697 The Loop Construction view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698 Loop Construction controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 699 Using loops with the Browser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703 Working with loops . .
Selecting controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Select controllers within note duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Piano Roll Microscope mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Inline Piano Roll view. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Displaying the Inline Piano Roll view . . . . . . . . . .
21 Drum maps and the Drum Grid pane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 807 The basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808 Creating and editing a drum map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 808 The Drum Map Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advanced audio processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing DC offset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Applying fades and crossfades offline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audio effects (audio plug-ins) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24 Mixing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 879 Preparing to mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 881 Configuring the Console and Track views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 883 Mixing MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Applying MIDI effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using control groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quick Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the Learn option .
26 ProChannel (Producer and Studio only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 999 Using ProChannel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1003 ProChannel modules and controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1008 PC76 U-Type Channel Compressor module (Producer only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1014 PC4K S-Type Bus Compressor module (Producer only) . . . . . . .
30 Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1101 Quick automation guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automation methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automation write modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automation time base . .
34 Notation and lyrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1179 The Staff view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1180 Opening the Staff view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1181 Staff pane layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Meter/Key view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is meter? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What Is key?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Opening the Meter/Key view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adding and editing meter/key changes . . . . . . .
Sysx echo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1261 Sysx .ini file settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1262 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1263 37 Synchronizing your gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preparing higher-quality audio for CD burning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SONAR project file compatibility notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Improving performance with digital audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Getting the most out of your computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mixing latency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with StudioWare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1349 StudioWare panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1349 Using StudioWare panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1350 Grouping controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1352 Recording control movements. . . .
Plug-in windows flicker or don't display properly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1379 I get a Burn Error or No Drive is Detected error when burning a CD directly from SONAR 1380 Known issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1381 Session Drummer 3 performance (Producer only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1381 Session Drummer 2 issues (Studio only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
46 New features in SONAR X3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1423 SONAR X3 base program enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1424 VST enhancements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1424 Region FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49 Cyclone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1519 Cyclone toolbar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1520 Pad groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1521 Pad inspector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Edit > Undo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1538 Edit > Redo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1538 Edit > History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1538 Edit > Select > All. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Views > Matrix View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Views > Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Views > AudioSnap Palette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Views > Loop Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Views > Event List. . . . . . . . .
Views > Screensets > Screenset 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1553 Views > Screensets > Screenset 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1554 Views > Screensets > Revert Current Screenset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1554 Views > Screensets > Lock/Unlock Current Screenset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1554 Views > Screensets > Rename Current Screenset . . . . . . . . . . . .
Process > Apply Effect > Crossfade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Process > Apply Effect > Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Process > Quantize. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Process > Groove Quantize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Process > Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Utilities > Share with SoundCloud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1572 Utilities > Burn Audio CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1573 Utilities > CWAF Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1573 Utilities > External Encoder Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Set Snap-to = Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 dB Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 dB Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 dB Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 dB Range . . . .
Full Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1600 Time Display Format > M:B:T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1600 Time Display Format > SMPTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1600 Time Display Format > Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Output Bus Meter Options > Hold Peaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Output Bus Meter Options > Lock Peaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Playback Meter Options > Pre Fader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Output Bus Meter Options > Pre Fader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Playback Meter Options > Post Fader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Track view] View > Display > Display Clip Contents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1614 [Track view] View > Display > Show Audio Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1614 [Track view] View > Display > Maximize Waveform Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1614 [Track view] View > Display > Vertical Grid Lines > None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1615 [Track view] View > Display > Vertical Grid Lines > Behind Clips . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Left Click Sets Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1620 [Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Right Click Sets Now. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1620 [Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Left Click Locks Scroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1620 [Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Double-Click > MIDI Clips > -Nothing- . . . .
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > Post Fader . . . . . . . . 1626 [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > -12 dB . . . . . . . . . . . 1626 [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > -24 dB . . . . . . . . . . . 1626 [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > -42 dB . . . . . . . . . . . 1627 [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > -60 dB . . . . . . . . . . .
[Track view] Tracks > Copy Track Name(s) to Clip Name(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Track view] Tracks > Hide Track(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Track view] Tracks > Sort Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Track view] Tracks > Selected Track Input Series . . . . . . . . . .
[Track view] Region FX > V-Vocal > Create Region FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1640 [Track view] Region FX > V-Vocal > Remove Region FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1640 [Track view] Region FX > V-Vocal > Open Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1641 [Track view] Region FX > V-Vocal > Bypass Selected Region FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1641 Save as groove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Staff view] View > Show/Hide Fret Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Staff view] View > Display Resolution > 1/4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Staff view] View > Display Resolution > 1/8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Staff view] View > Display Resolution > 1/16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Staff view] View > Display Resolution > 1/32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Event List view] View > Chords. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1652 [Event List view] Tracks > Show cropped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1652 [Lyrics view] Fonts > Font A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1652 [Lyrics view] Fonts > Font B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1652 [Lyrics view] Fonts > Fonts . . .
Remove control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Write Enable Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Set Default Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All Parameters - Set Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All Parameters - Set End. . . .
Automation Read/Write Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1699 Auto-Send Sysx dialog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1699 AVI Encoder Options dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1700 Bank Name dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1702 Bank Output dialog . . . .
Event Manager dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Export Audio dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dump Request Macro needs your input—Channel/Unit Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dump Request Macro needs your input--Patch/Voice/Config Number. . . . . . . . . . . . Duration dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Insert Series of Tempos dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1754 Insert Soft Synth Options dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1754 Insert Time/Measures dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1756 Insert Tracks dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pick Track(s) dialog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preferences dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audio - Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audio - Driver Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audio - Playback and Recording . . . .
Remove DC Offset dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1876 Remove Silence dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1877 Retain Cakewalk Preferences dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1878 Revert dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1878 Safe Mode dialog . .
Video Export dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Video Properties dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track Control Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windows Media Format Encode Options dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WMV Encoder Options dialog . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1942 Notes pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1945 Controllers pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1946 Keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction SONAR is a professional tool for authoring sound and music on your personal computer. It’s designed for musicians, composers, arrangers, audio and production engineers, multimedia and game developers, and recording engineers. SONAR supports Wave, MP3, ACIDized waves, WMA, AIFF and other popular formats, providing all the tools you need to do professional-quality work rapidly and efficiently.
About SONAR SONAR is the flagship product of the Cakewalk line of integrated MIDI and digital audio sequencers for the Windows platform. SONAR has a comprehensive feature set that makes it the single most productive tool for sound and music authoring. Here are some of the ways you can use SONAR. Next topic: “Publish” on page 54 Publish Publishing usually means printing your music; it’s one way to share your finished product with other performers.
Game sound development There’s no better tool than SONAR for composing music for electronic games. Clip-based sequencing lets you create and reuse musical themes freely, so you can associate musical sections with game characters, locations, objects, and actions. Your creations can be saved and replayed using the compact MIDI file format, which adapts its sound automatically to the target hardware for the best possible sound reproduction. Next topic: “Sound production and engineering” on page 55.
Publishing music on the Internet SoundCloud is an online music sharing service that allows you to upload and share your music with others online. The integrated Cakewalk SoundCloud application enables you to upload sounds, artwork, and metadata to the SoundCloud service directly from SONAR. Next topic: “Burning audio CDs” on page 56. Burning audio CDs SONAR has integrated Audio CD burning, which allows you to write your audio tracks to an audio CD that can be played in any standard CD player.
The MIDI language conveys information and instructions, both from the computer to the instrument and from the instrument to the computer. For example, if your computer wants your keyboard to play a note, it sends a MIDI “Note On” message and tells the keyboard which note to play. When your computer wants the keyboard to stop playing that note, it sends another message that stops the note from playing.
Recording digital audio To record digital audio, your computer monitors the electrical signal generated by a microphone, an electric guitar, or another source. At equal intervals of time (for CD-quality sound, this means 44,100 times a second), the computer measures and saves the strength of the electrical signal from the microphone, on a scale from 0 to 65,535. That's it. Digital audio data is just a long series of numbers. The computer sends these numbers, in the form of electrical signals, to a speaker.
User accounts Previous versions of SONAR required a user to have Windows Administrator status. This is no longer the case. Any level of user can now install and run SONAR. Only one copy of SONAR per machine is necessary for multiple users to run SONAR with each user’s personal settings. When you first install SONAR, all application data files and .
The following table describes the various types of analog and digital connections you may encounter.
To connect an electric guitar or keyboard to your computer • If your sound card has a 1/8 inch input jack (built-in sound cards that come with your computer usually do), plug your 1/4 inch mono guitar or audio cable into a 1/8 inch stereo adapter, and then plug the 1/8 inch adapter into the microphone input or line input jack on your computer sound card. If you are connecting a keyboard, the audio cable must go from the keyboard’s audio out or line out jack to the sound card input jack.
To connect a microphone to your computer • If your sound card has a 1/8 inch input jack (built-in sound cards that come with your computer usually do), and your microphone cable has a 1/4 inch plug on the end, plug the mic cable into a 1/8 inch stereo adapter, and then plug the 1/8 inch adapter into the microphone input jack on your computer sound card. 1/8 inch stereo adapters are available at consumer electronic supply stores.
MIDI connections There are three types of MIDI cables in common use. Here’s how to connect each of the three types: • USB cable. This is extremely common. Many electronic keyboards and stand-alone MIDI interfaces use this type of connection. To use this type of connection, simply plug one end of the USB cable into the USB jack on your MDI keyboard or stand-alone MIDI interface, and plug the other end into your computer.
Figure 2. Joystick connector—use this if your MIDI interface is the joystick port on your sound card. A C B A. Insert this MIDI IN plug into the MIDI OUT port on your MIDI instrument B. Insert this MIIDI OUT plug into the MIDI IN port on your MIDI instrument C.
modes and the existing enabled devices will be remembered for the next time when you switch back to that mode. Loading a project after changing audio devices When loading a project after changing audio devices, SONAR will attempt to automatically remap any missing device to an equivalent new device. If an equivalent match is not found, the Missing Audio Outputs dialog box appears, allowing you to manually reassign any unresolved output ports.
Remapping using friendly driver names When Use friendly names to represent audio drivers is selected in Edit > Preferences > Audio Devices, SONAR can intelligently remap devices across different hardware configurations or driver models by using your assigned friendly driver names, even if the hardware names do not match.
Figure 4. A track’s Output control shows the name of the missing device Opening projects after MIDI configuration has changed If any assigned MIDI output devices are missing when you load a project, which is likely to happen if you transfer projects between different computers, SONAR will do the following: • MIDI tracks. The Missing MIDI Ports dialog box appears and lets you remap the missing devices to available devices.
Starting SONAR There are many different ways to start SONAR. Here are a few: • Double-click the SONAR icon on your desktop. • Click the Start button, and choose Programs > Cakewalk > SONAR X3 (Producer or Studio) > SONAR X3 (Producer or Studio). • Click the Start button, point to Documents, and choose a SONAR project from the menu. • Double-click the SONAR program or any SONAR document from the Windows Explorer or the Find menu. When starting SONAR, you will see the Quick Start dialog box. Figure 5.
Option How to use it Online Videos and more Click this link to view our tutorial videos online. An active Internet connection is needed in order to access this content. Getting Started Click here to view the “Getting started” on page 3 topic in the Help file. This topic has links to a glossary of terms, as well as some basic procedures. Table 1. If you don’t want to see the Quick Start dialog box in the future, uncheck the box at the bottom of the dialog box, and click Close.
Running Wave Profiler The first time you start SONAR, it automatically attempts to detect and configure any ASIO audio devices on your computer. If no ASIO devices are found, it next attempts to detect any MME audio devices, then automatically runs the Wave Profiler utility to determine the proper MIDI and Audio settings for your audio device. When the Wave Profiler determines the kind of card you have, always accept the default settings.
Figure 6. The MIDI - Devices section 1. Look at the top window. Notice that it shows devices on MIDI Inputs; make sure that all devices in this window are checked. If a device isn’t checked, click on it once to select it for MIDI Input. 2. Look at the window on the bottom. Notice that it shows devices on MIDI Outputs. SONAR numbers its MIDI Outputs by the order of the devices in this window. The device on top is on Output 1, the one below it is on Output 2, and so on. 3.
Using MIDI devices after making driver changes If you later add or remove drivers using the Drivers icon of the Windows Control Panel, SONAR reacts in the following way: • If you remove a Control Panel driver, SONAR will not use the device it belongs to the next time you run the program. Any other devices you had selected using the Edit > Preferences > MIDI Devices command will remain selected. • If you add a driver through the Control Panel, SONAR does not automatically use it.
Groove clips are audio clips which have tempo and pitch information embedded within them, allowing them to follow changes to the project tempo or project pitch. You can click on either edge of a Groove clip and drag out repetitions in the track. Events are MIDI data (in MIDI tracks) or automation data. See: “SONAR file types” on page 73 “Opening a file” on page 74 “Views” on page 75 “Working on a project” on page 92 SONAR file types Projects in SONAR can be saved as a project file with the extension .
Opening a file Use the following procedure to open a file. To open a file in SONAR 1. If you haven't already done so, start SONAR. 2. Choose File > Open. 3. In the Open dialog box, navigate to the directory where the project you want to open is located and select it. 4. Click the Open button. 5. If you are opening an OMF file, the Unpack OMF dialog box appears. Set the initial tempo and specify the directory where you want to save the file and its audio.
Views SONAR displays your project in windows on the screen that are known as views. You can have many views open at once, all showing the same project. When you edit a project in one view, the other related views are updated automatically. The Track view Track view is the main window that you use to create, display, and work with a project. When you open a project file, SONAR displays the Track view for the project. When you close the Track view for a project, SONAR closes the file.
The Track pane lets you see and change the initial settings for each track. To change the current track, move the highlight using the mouse or the keyboard as follows. What it does Key Moves the highlight to the next or previous control. LEFT/RIGHT ARROW Moves to the same control in the adjacent track, or the next track of the same type if the control only applies to a specific track type (for example, the Patch control only applies to MIDI tracks). UP/DOWN ARROW Displays the next page of tracks.
Inspector pane When working on a project, you will frequently need to access track and clip parameters and mix controls. The Track Inspector and Properties Inspector provide easy access to relevant settings for the selected track(s) or clip(s). Figure 8. Use the Track Inspector and Properties Inspector to configure track and clip settings. A B C D H E F G I A. Dock/undock Inspector B. Show/hide Clip Properties Inspector C. Show/hide Track Properties Inspector D. Show/hide ProChannel E.
The Inspector pane appears to the left of the Track view, but can also be moved to the right side. There are three separate inspectors: • Track Inspector. The Track Inspector shows mix settings for the current track, bus, or main, and is essentially identical to a channel strip in the Console view. Advanced MIDI settings are also available for MIDI tracks and Instrument tracks. For details, see “Track Inspector overview” on page 576. • Properties Inspector.
Control Bar Much of your time in SONAR is spent recording and listening to your project as it develops. The Control Bar contains the most important tools and other pieces of information you will need to record, edit and play back your project. The Control Bar consists of several modules that each contain various related controls. You can rearrange and show/hide each individual module, which allows you to only show the functions you need most often.
The Console view The Console view is where you can mix the sounds on all the different tracks to create the final mix of your project. While the Track view provides most of the same controls, you may want to use the more familiar interface of the Console view for mixing. You use the Console view to adjust the levels of sound for the different tracks in your project, to change the stereo panning, and to apply real-time effects to an individual track, combinations of tracks, or the final mix.
Other views SONAR has a number of other views you can use to display and work on your project. To display these view, choose the desired view from the Views menu, or press the view’s keyboard shortcut. The Piano Roll view shows the notes from a MIDI track or tracks as they would appear on a playerpiano roll. You can move the notes around, make them longer or shorter, and change their pitches by just dragging them with the mouse.
The Staff view displays the notes from one or more MIDI tracks using standard music notation, similar to the way the notation would appear on a printed page. You can add, edit, or delete notes; create percussion parts; add guitar chords and other notation markings; display guitar tablature; display the Fretboard pane; and print whole scores or individual parts to share with other musicians. Figure 12. The Staff view D E A B F G C H A. Staff view menu B. Zoom in/out C. Staff pane D. Editing tools E.
The Browser lets you find and import various types of content into your projects, including audio and MIDI files, track and project templates, track icons, FX Chain presets, effect plug-ins and instruments. You can drag content and plug-ins directly into tracks. Figure 14. A The Browser. B C A. Media Browser B. Plug-in Browser C. Synth Rack Browser The Event List view displays the events in a project individually, so that you can make changes at a very detailed level.
SONAR has several other views that are used for very specific purposes. View How you use it Meter/Key To change the meter (time signature) or key signature, or to insert changes in the meter or key signature at specific times in a project. For more information, see “Meter/Key view” on page 2008. Big Time To display the Now time in a large, resizable font that you can read more easily. For more information, see “Big Time view” on page 2008.
Zoom controls Many of the views contain Zoom tools that let you change the horizontal and vertical scale of the view. Figure 16. Zoom controls A B C D E F I H G A. Zoom Clips pane out vertically B. Vertical Zoom fader for Clips pane C. Zoom Clips pane in vertically D. Zoom Bus pane out vertically E. Vertical Zoom fader for Bus pane F. Zoom Bus pane in vertically G. Zoom in horizontally H. Horizontal zoom fader I. Zoom out horizontally The Zoom tools are used as described in the following table.
You can also zoom with the keyboard. Key What it does CTRL+UP ARROW Zoom out vertically CTRL+DOWN ARROW Zoom in vertically CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Zoom in horizontally CTRL+LEFT ARROW Zoom out horizontally Hold down Z Arm the Zoom tool ALT+Z Undo the current zoom ALT+SHIFT+Z Redo the previous zoom F Fit tracks to window A Show all tracks SHIFT+F Fit project to window SHIFT+double-click a clip Maximize track height F11 Full Screen mode Table 7.
To enable/disable Auto Zoom Do one of the following: • Click the Track view Views menu and select Auto Zoom. • Press SHIFT+Z. To specify the default Auto Zoom track height Resize the current track. Zooming and scrolling in the time ruler 1. Point the mouse pointer at the top half of the Clips pane or Piano Roll view time ruler until the mouse pointer looks like this: . 2. Do one of the following: • Drag up/down to zoom horizontally. Zooming is centered around the Aim Assist line.
Docking views in the MultiDock You can dock any view other than the Console view in the MultiDock by enabling a view’s Dock in MultiDock option. You can have as many views open in tabbed format as you want. You can toggle through the different views by clicking the tab of the view you want to see (or use the CTRL+SHIFT+LEFT/RIGHT ARROW shortcut). You can also maximize the pane to do detailed work in a view, or drag the splitter bar at the top of the view to enlarge the tabbed view area. Figure 17.
X-Ray windows The X-Ray Windows feature eliminates the need to constantly minimize, move, or close windows in order to work in other windows. It works by decreasing the opacity of the current window enough so that you can see and work with the window that’s behind the current window. You activate the feature by pressing a keyboard shortcut (default shortcut is SHIFT+X) when the mouse cursor is over a window you want to x-ray.
Floating from the drop-down menu. If Disable Floating is in the menu, then the Floating option is already enabled. Note: All FX/Synth/Control surface property pages are float-enabled by default. 3. To X-Ray or un-X-Ray a single window, move the mouse cursor over the window, and press the keyboard shortcut (default is SHIFT+X) for the X-Ray command. The window does not need to have focus (does not need to be the highlighted window). 4.
5. If the plug-in is a VST or VSTi, write down the VST ID value that’s in the VST ID field at the bottom of the dialog box. 6. Close the Plug-in Manager dialog box. 7. Open the Xrayexclude.ini file that’s in your SONAR program folder (use Notepad). 8. At the end of the file, find the [EffectProps View] section. You will see entries such as the following: ; Waves SSL EQ Stereo XRayExclude11=1397510483 XRayExclude12={E451379E-F7E1-4E82-98D9-BEB87AC45E90} 9.
Working on a project Every project has a current time, known as the Now time (see: “The Now time and how to use it” on page 182). As you record or play back a project, the Now time shows your current location in the project. When you create a project, the Now time is set to the beginning of the project. The current Now time is saved with your project.
To restore the default colors 1. Choose Edit > Preferences to display the Preferences dialog box, then click Customization Colors. 2. In the Screen Elements window, select the elements that you want to restore; you can CTRLclick or SHIFT-click to select multiple elements. 3. Click the Defaults button. 4. Click OK. SONAR uses the default colors for all selected screen elements. To change the wallpaper 1. Choose Edit > Preferences to display the Preferences dialog box, then click Customization Colors. 2.
Color presets Once you create a color arrangement that you like, you can save it as a preset, and then load it whenever you want to use that arrangement. You can also load any of the many factory presets, some of which duplicate the colors of earlier versions of SONAR. You can also import and export color arrangements in the form of .clr files so that SONAR users can share color layouts.
To load a color preset 1. Choose Edit > Preferences to display the Preferences dialog box, then click Customization Colors. 2. Click the drop-down arrow on the Presets menu to display the list of presets, then click the name of the preset you want to load. To save a color preset 1. Choose Edit > Preferences to display the Preferences dialog box, then click Customization Colors. 2. Adjust the color settings you want to save. 3. Type a name for your preset in the Presets menu. 4.
To export all your color presets 1. Choose Edit > Preferences to display the Preferences dialog box, then click Customization Colors. 2. Click the Export Colors button . The Export Color Set dialog box appears. 3. Navigate to the folder where you want to store your the exported file. This file will contain all or your color presets. 4. Type a name for your file in the File Name field. Use a file name that you will recognize as a collection of presets, rather than as a single color arrangement. 5.
Installing SONAR SONAR is easy to install. All you need to do is choose the folder where the program and sample project files should be stored. Before you start, make sure you have your serial number handy. Your serial number is located on the back of your DVD case. To install SONAR Note: If you choose to not install the Sample files, you will not have the necessary content to use the tutorials in Chapter 2. 1. Start your computer. 2. Close any open programs you have running. 3.
Starting to use SONAR This chapter has provided you with an overview of SONAR and basic information on how to install the software and configure your system. The following tutorials will give you some hands-on practice in playing, recording, and mixing your projects. If you have not already done so, you may want to refer to “SONAR basics” on page 72 to get the most out of these tutorials.
Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects Understanding and managing project files is central to your workflow in SONAR. In this tutorial, we are going to cover the basics of getting started with project files and some of the operations that can be performed with them. Whenever you write or record music in SONAR, you are writing it to be saved into a project.
Creating a new project There are several ways to get started with a project in SONAR. When SONAR is opened, you will be greeted with the Quick Start dialog box. Let’s take a look at the options available in this dialog box. Open a Project. Opens a standard File Open dialog box, which lets you select the project that you want to open. Open a Recent Project. The drop-down list shows the most recent projects that have been opened in SONAR.
The New Project File dialog box appears. Whenever you create a new project, you will be presented with this dialog box. Let’s explore some of the things you can do in this window. Note: The list of available project templates shown may vary depending on your version of SONAR (SONAR X3, SONAR X3 Studio, or SONAR X3 Producer). Name. Type the name of your project in the Name box. For this exercise, let’s name your project Tutorial 1. Location. Use the Location box to specify where the project should be saved.
See: “Opening project files” on page 102 “Playing project files” on page 104 “Looping project files” on page 109 “Saving project files” on page 110 Opening project files Next, we are going to cover how to open existing project files. There are two ways this can be done in SONAR: • Click the Open a Project button in the Quick Start dialog box that is first presented when SONAR starts. Note: You can open the Quick Start dialog box at any time by going to Help > Quick Start.
• The vertical navigation buttons let you jump to popular locations on your computer’s hard disk. • The browsing pane lists all the project files and folders that are available in the selected folder. • The Go to Folder drop-down list allows you to quickly move to commonly used folders for project files in SONAR. Typically, you can get to your projects by selecting Project Files. • For more detailed information about all the options and functions in this dialog box, click Help.
“Playing project files” on page 104 “Looping project files” on page 109 “Saving project files” on page 110 Playing project files For this next section we are going to configure the project named SONAR_AudioDemo.cwb for playback in SONAR. If you have not opened the project yet, do so before continuing by using the steps in “Opening project files” on page 102.
After you have selected the desired Input and Output devices that you plan to use with SONAR, click the Audio - Driver Settings page. In the Playback Timing Master list, select the audio output device that you want SONAR to treat as the default or main output device. This should be the output on your sound card that has either speakers or headphones connected to it.
Setting the track outputs The next important step is telling SONAR which output on your sound device you would like audio tracks to play on. In some cases, it is desirable to have tracks playing different outputs (such as if you are using external hardware processing for effects). In this scenario, you’ll want to set all of the audio tracks to the same output. Let’s start with the Bass track. Locate the track named Bass in the project. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the track’s controls.
Control Description This is the Write Automation button. When enabled, changes to adjustable track parameters during playback are recorded. For more details, see Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects. This is the Freeze button. It is used to temporarily convert a synth or instrument track into an audio track to conserve CPU power. Locate the drop-down list for Output and click the small arrow to show all available outputs. Select the output that your speakers or headphones are connected to.
Playing the project Now that all of the track’s outputs are set to the appropriate device, the next step is to play the project to make sure it can be heard and sounds right. Locate the Control Bar at the top of SONAR’s screen. The Control Bar contains many useful functions related to projects in SONAR. To learn more about the Control Bar, see “Control Bar overview” on page 537. For now, simply click the Play button to hear the project. Experiment with the Mute and Solo buttons on each track.
Looping project files SONAR features a really handy tool that allows you to repeat specified sections of a project file. You may want to do this to rehearse a part or phrase or to listen closely to a specific section. Perhaps you might set up a loop just because it’s your favorite part of the song and you want to hear it over and over again. For all of the above, you need to loop a section of the song. You may have noticed this demo file is an example of rock music.
Saving project files SONAR offers you many options for saving your work. To investigate these options, click on the File menu and choose Save As. This opens the Save As dialog box. Before doing anything in this window, the first thing you should do is select Project Files in the Go to Folder list. Even if it already says Project Files, click it anyway. You will notice this window looks very familiar to the Open dialog box we looked at earlier in this tutorial.
which Output ports they are assigned to. For more information about using templates, see “Templates” on page 1164. • Cakewalk Bundle. This format is typically used when transferring projects to other people or other computers. Cakewalk Bundle files use the .cwb file extension and are similar to Cakewalk Project files. The main difference is that Cakewalk Bundle files actually contain all of a project’s audio data.
Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects Saving project files
Tutorial 2 – Using the Browser The Browser lets you find and import various types of content into your projects, including audio and MIDI files, track and project templates, track icons, FX Chain presets, effect plug-ins and instruments. You can drag content and plug-ins directly into tracks. By default, the Browser is docked on the right side of the screen. To show or hide the Browser, click the Views menu and choose Browser, or press B.
First, let’s review the controls at the top of the Browser. Control Description This is the Move up button. It is used to open the folder one level above the active folder. Stop is used to stop play back of the selected loop. Play is used to listen to the currently selected loop. Allows you to save and recall presets to quickly access your favorite folders. The Content Location drop-down list shown in the following figure allows you to quickly jump to popular locations on your hard drive. Figure 19.
To specify the output device to use for previewing loops and files from the Browser, click the Media button , point to Audio Preview Bus, and choose an output device from the submenu. To work with software instruments, click the Synth button Rack contains the following controls. Figure 20. to open the Synth Rack. The Synth Synth Rack Browser A B C D E FGH J I A. Insert Synth B. Delete Synth C. Insert Synth Options D. Show Synth Rack Browser E. Synth Settings menu F. Dock/undock G.
Finding and previewing audio loops Now that we have a general idea of how the Browser is laid out, let’s find some of the content that is included with SONAR and give it a listen. 1. Create a new project using the Normal Template as explained in the previous tutorial titled “Saving project files” on page 110. 2. Make sure the Browser is open and visible. If it is not, click the Views menu and choose Browser, or press the B key. 3. Click the Media button to show the Media Browser. 4.
Previewing MIDI groove clips In addition to audio loops, the Browser also allows you to preview MIDI groove clips. Let’s try this now with one of the clips included with SONAR. Unlike audio loops, MIDI groove clips require a soft synth or instrument track to play through. 1. Click the Browser’s Synth button 2. Click the Insert button to open the Synth Rack. , point to Insert Synths and select Cakewalk TTS-1. The Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box appears. 3.
recording software instruments” on page 125. See: “Adding audio loops to your project” on page 118 Adding audio loops to your project Once you have found an audio loop or MIDI groove clip that you would like to use in your project, the next important step is to add it to your project. Adding loops is easy with SONAR’s intuitive drag and drop interface. To add a loop to your project, do the following: 1. In the Browser, locate the loop you would like to use in your project. 2. Drag the loop to a track.
Tutorial 3 – Recording vocals and musical instruments One of the most important aspects of creating music in SONAR is digital audio recording. This is the process of taking the sound from a microphone or an instrument and recording it to an audio track. Once this step is completed, you can edit and mix the song to prepare it to share with the world. This tutorial will walk you through the steps involved and provide you with some insight on how to get the best possible audio recordings.
8. Click the Output drop-down menu to select the track’s output. The available outputs for the track are displayed. 9. Select the output that you want the audio track to play through during playback. You will usually choose 1 and 2, because these are most commonly the outputs that speakers or audio monitors are connected to. 10. Click the track's Record Enable button . Note: SONAR only allows recording to tracks that have been record enabled. This is necessary since SONAR allows for multi-track recording.
• Click Use Audio Metronome, select the Recording check box and set Record Count-in to 2 Measures. For details about each metronome option, click Help. 13. Make sure the track has been record enabled by clicking the track’s Record Enable button. The Record Enable button on the track should be lit in red like this: . 14. Click the Record button in the Control Bar’s Transport module, or press R on your computer keyboard. You'll hear two measures counted in by the metronome and then recording will begin.
Troubleshooting If you weren't able to record successfully by following this tutorial, please check the following: I only get one side of my guitar or microphone recorded You may be recording a mono signal through a stereo input. Guitars and microphones produce mono signals. Click the tracks Input control and select the appropriate side of your stereo pair, either left or right as opposed to stereo.
The Windows Mixer looks like this: When you open the Windows Mixer it may be labeled Playback or Recording. We want to see the recording controls.
Tutorial 3 – Recording vocals and musical instruments
Tutorial 4 – Playing and recording software instruments Software instruments, also referred to as soft synths, are a major part of computer music. Our goal in this tutorial is to add a software instrument to a project. We'll explore a few different ways they can be used with SONAR and look at some options to make the most of them. A brief history Note: Feel free to skip to the next section if you want to start using synths right away.
Adding an instrument track to your project Adding instrument tracks to your project is easy and something you’ll find yourself doing often, so let’s explore some of the basics. For this exercise, we'll start with a blank project. 1. On the File menu, click New. 2. Select the Normal template and click OK. A new project opens. 3. Click Insert >Soft-Synths. A menu lists all available software synths that are installed on your computer. 4. Click DropZone. The Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box appears. 5.
Let's take a quick look at DropZone. One of the first things you'll typically need to do is choose a sound. In DropZone and most other Cakewalk synths, a sound preset is referred to as a program. 1. In DropZone's Program window, click default. The Program Browser appears. Note: It may take a minute the first time the Program Browser opens. This is because DropZone is building a list of all available sounds. Once the list has been built, the Program Browser will open faster the next time. 2.
Recording MIDI First, we'll try recording. This only works if you have a MIDI controller. If you do not have a MIDI controller, skip ahead to the next section of this tutorial. For recording, you don't need the DropZone window open. You can close an instrument by clicking in the upper right corner. This doesn't cause the synth to stop functioning—it will continue to work in the background. Note: If you need to see the DropZone window again, just double-click the track icon.
The ruler at the top of this view represents musical measures and beats. The keyboard image on the left represents what notes are being played. Click on the Smart tool in the Control Bar. You can also enable this tool by pressing the F5 key on your computer keyboard. To draw a note with the Smart tool, drag on the grid, or hold down the ALT key and click on the grid. To create a note, click on the grid at measure 1.
The Snap module contains the following settings. Figure 22. The Snap module. You can now draw notes at shorter distances from each other. To specify the duration of new notes, select the desired duration in the Control Bar’s Tools module. Figure 23. The Tools module. What if I already have a project that contains MIDI tracks? If you already have a MIDI track that you would like to play through a software instrument, the steps are a bit different. Let's start by opening a sample project. 1.
3. In the Open These Windows area, click Synth Property Page. Note: If you would like a detailed explanation of each option, click Help. 4. Click OK. A new synth track is inserted in your project. On some computers, the tracks may play back through the TTS-1 at this point. However, on computers that have hardware MIDI outputs available, you may need to specify the TTS-1 as each track's output. Here's a fast way to do that: 1. Hold down the CTRL key and click each track to select them.
Tutorial 4 – Playing and recording software instruments
Tutorial 5 – Working with music notation A great way to compose in SONAR is by using the Staff view. The Staff pane displays MIDI note events as musical notation. For some musicians, this may be the most familiar and comfortable view in which to work. The Staff pane provides many features that make it easy for you to compose, edit, and print music. You can add notes to your composition with simple point-and-click techniques.
3. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. For this tutorial, we will also change the time signature to ¾, the key to G and the staff layout to display a treble and bass clef. 1. On the Project menu, click Insert Meter/Key Change. The Meter/Key Signature dialog box appears. 2. Change Beats per Measure to 3 and Key Signature to 1 Sharp (G), then click OK to close the Meter/Key Signature dialog box. 3. Click the Staff view Edit menu and choose Layout. The Staff View Layout dialog box appears. 4.
Now that you know how to set up the Staff view, it's time to play! You can either record a MIDI track in this project or manually add notes. The rest of this tutorial will provide you with a basic overview of the notation tools. For more in depth information about all the features and functionality of the Staff view, including using the Fretboard and the Lyrics view, see “Notation and lyrics” on page 1179.
Selecting notes To select notes: 1. Select the Smart tool or Select tool in the Control Bar. 2. Do one of the following: • To select a single note, click the note head. • To select multiple adjacent notes, drag with the right mouse button to draw a rectangle around the desired notes. • To select discontiguous notes, hold down the CTRL key and click the desired notes. Moving notes by time or pitch To move notes: 1. Select the Smart tool or Move tool in the Control Bar. 2.
Changing the duration of a note 1. Right click the note head to open the Note Properties dialog box. 2. In the Duration field, enter in the number of ticks you want for the note, then click OK to close the Note Properties dialog box. The following table shows the relationship between note durations and ticks (with the default timebase of 960 ticks per quarter note). Note Duration in ticks Whole 4:000 Half 2:000 Quarter 1:000 Eighth 480 Sixteenth 240 Thirty-second 120 Deleting a note 1.
Adding lyrics To add a lyric event below a note: 1. Select the Smart tool or the Freehand tool 2. Click the Lyric button in the Control Bar. in the Staff view. 3. Position the pointer just below the note and click. A box appears where lyrics can be typed. 4. Press the space bar to quickly jump to the next note. Adding chord symbols To add a chord symbol above a note: 1. Select the Smart tool 2. Click the Chord button or the Freehand tool in the Control Bar. in the Staff view. 3.
Adding expressions 1. Select the Smart tool or the Freehand tool 2. Click the Expression button in the Control Bar. in the Staff view. 3. Position the pointer just below a note and click. A box appears where expressions can be entered. Adding a crescendo or decrescendo/diminuendo 1. Select the Smart tool 2. Click the Hairpin button or the Freehand tool in the Control Bar. in the Staff view. 3. Position the pointer just below a note and click. A hairpin event (crescendo or decrescendo) is inserted.
Adding pedal marks 1. Select the Smart tool or the Freehand tool 2. Click the Pedal button in the Control Bar. in the Staff view. 3. Position the pointer below the staff and click. Pedal down and Pedal up marks are inserted. 4. Click and drag to move the marks to a new time if needed. See: “Printing your notation” on page 140 Printing your notation Once you are finished entering and editing notes you can print out the score or individual parts. 1.
See: “Notation and lyrics” on page 1179 See also: “Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects” on page 99 “Tutorial 2 – Using the Browser” on page 113 “Tutorial 3 – Recording vocals and musical instruments” on page 119 “Tutorial 4 – Playing and recording software instruments” on page 125 “Tutorial 6 – Editing your music” on page 143 “Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects” on page 151 “Tutorial 8 – Working with video” on page 161 “Tutorial 9 – Exporting, CD burning and sharing” on page 171 Tutoria
Tutorial 5 – Working with music notation
Tutorial 6 – Editing your music While working on your music, you are likely to find that editing is a major part of the song creation process. Before people started making music on computers, all of the editing was done by cutting tape with a razor blade and piecing it together. You can imagine how difficult it could become. In SONAR, you can actually select a part of your music with the mouse and delete/copy/paste/move it all very easily.
Selection Let's start by opening the tutorial project Cakewalk Audio Demo.cwb that we used in earlier tutorials. One of the most important things to understand in order to edit your music successfully is selection. Once you become familiar with selecting, the rest is easy. There are two aspects of selection: • Time Range • Tracks Let's say you'd like to delete the second measure of a certain track. The time range specifies that the edit will need to occur between measures 2 and 3.
Method 1: 1. Select the track that you want to delete measure 1 through measure 6 from. For this tutorial, let’s use the track named GTR_Lead 1. Tip: Click in the Tracks pane on the left, not the Clips pane on the right. 2. Drag in the time ruler from measure 1 through measure 6. The selected time range is highlighted. 3. Press DELETE or select Edit > Delete. Measures 1 through 6 are deleted from the selected track. Method 2: 1. Select the Select tool in the Control Bar. 2.
Moving clips Another common editing task is to move a selected part of a clip, or an entire clip around in a project. If you understand selection, you're half way there. Let's undo the previous edit (go to Edit > Undo or press CTRL+Z), and turn on Snap to Grid. If you changed the snap resolution, make sure you change it back to Whole Note. 1. Select the section you want to move. Let's go back to the track named GTR_Lead 1 and select measures 6 through 10. 2.
split one or more clips at the mousedown and mouseup points). Note: The Split tool obeys the Snap to Grid settings. If a split does not occur exactly where you click, disable Snap to Grid and try again. Tip: You can also press the S key to split the selected clip(s) at the current Now time. For this tutorial, select the Split tool , position the Now time at measure 10 in the track named GTR_Lead1, then click to split the clip.
Fading clips You can fade individual clips by using the Smart tool or Edit tool . Drag the upper left corner of a clip to create a fade-in. Drag the upper right corner of a clip to create a fade-out. To change the fade characteristics, right-click an existing fade and select the desired fade type from the pop-up menu. Tip: When cropping clips, you can choose to also move clip fades proportionally, or retain the original fade position.
See also: “Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects” on page 99 “Tutorial 2 – Using the Browser” on page 113 “Tutorial 3 – Recording vocals and musical instruments” on page 119 “Tutorial 4 – Playing and recording software instruments” on page 125 “Tutorial 5 – Working with music notation” on page 133 “Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects” on page 151 “Tutorial 8 – Working with video” on page 161 “Tutorial 9 – Exporting, CD burning and sharing” on page 171 Tutorial 6 – Editing your music 149
Tutorial 6 – Editing your music
Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects Mixing is an important part of recording that can really help the music you create in SONAR sound its best. Mixing involves placing different instruments and sounds in layers of the frequency spectrum, adjusting levels so that tracks blend nicely, spreading them across the stereo field and adding effects where appropriate. There are many important decisions to make when mixing, things that are sometimes not considered while writing a song.
Volume and pan Adjusting volume and pan is always a good place to start when mixing. One of the biggest benefits of SONAR's Console view is that you can easily see the volume and pan controls for many tracks simultaneously, in addition to large meters. Some people also enjoy working in the Console view because it doesn't offer a graphical representation of what the music “looks like”.
Note: You can find the Mains meters on the far right side in the Console view. If you don’t see the Mains meters, click the Console view Strips menu and make sure Mains is selected. The next thing we'll try is panning. As with mixing in general, there are no rules when it comes to panning. Be creative, trying different ideas to see how they sound. One important thing to consider is that when you pan two tracks that share the same frequency range away from each other they will become clearer.
3. Point to Audio FX, then point to Cakewalk or Sonitus:fx and choose any one of the available effects. The selected effect is inserted into the track’s effects bin. Experiment with the controls on the plug-in while the music is playing back. You will hear noticeable changes to the sound. 4. Right-click on the effect in the effects bin and choose Delete to remove the effect. Each of the effect plug-ins listed is designed to change the sound in some specific way.
Equalization Each audio track has a dedicated, built-in equalizer (EQ). It is located just above the effects bin in both the Inspector and in the Console View. Figure 27. ProChannel EQ module (Producer and Studio only). A A. Equalizer graph Figure 28. Per-track EQ (SONAR X3 base version only). A A. EQ plot One of the primary uses for EQ is to prevent different instruments from stepping on each other in the frequency spectrum.
Reverb and Delay Next, we'll add some space to the song. This is done by using time-based effects. The first thing we'll do is add a delay effect. A delay effect can really enhance an instrument. In our tutorial project, we will add the Delay effect to the track name Chirppy Synth, which sounds very dry and lifeless. Applying a delay might give it more depth. 1. Add the Sonitus:fx Delay plug-in to Chirppy Synth. 2.
4. Click OK. The Reverb property page appears. 5. Set the Reverb control to 0.0 dB and the Dry control to -Inf. Notice that a send control named Reverb has been added to each track. To enable or disable a send, click the On/Off button located on each track’s Send control.
When a send is enabled, you will hear the reverb effect during playback. To adjust how much reverb is applied to each track, use the send's LEVEL control. Enable the send control for each track that you want reverb on. You'll probably want at least a little reverb on every track except for the kick drum and the bass guitar. See: “Volume and pan” on page 152 “Using Automation” on page 158 Using Automation Another feature that is important to mixing is automation.
6. Disable Write Automation by clicking the button again. 7. Press Play and notice how the track volume changes automatically. Repeat this process with any other automation you feel the project needs. For more information, see “Automation” on page 1101. That concludes this tutorial. But don't stop here. Continue to experiment by adding different effects, adding loops through the Media Browser view, etc. Be creative and listen closely to the mix details in your favorite songs and albums.
Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects
Tutorial 8 – Working with video SONAR allows you to add music and sound to your videos. This tutorial will guide you through the basics of working with video inside SONAR. If you are new to SONAR, it is highly recommended you review “Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects” on page 99 before going any further.
Importing video Before you can start working with video, you first need to import a video file. Let’s try this out with a new project. 1. On the File menu, click New to open the New Project File dialog box. 2. Select the Normal template, give your project a name and then click OK. If you are having trouble with this, please refer to “Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects” on page 99. 3. On the File menu, point to Import and select Video. The Import Video dialog box appears.
First, outlined in the preceding image is the drop-down box Files of type. Making a selection here will determine which video formats are displayed in the dialog box. SONAR supports the following digital video formats: • Windows Media (.wmv and .asf) • Video For Windows (.avi) • MPEG Video (.mpg) • QuickTime Video (.mov) The file we are interested in for this tutorial is a Windows Media file, so let’s select Windows Media (*.wmv, *.asf) in the Files of type list.
What if I don’t see the Video Thumbnail pane or Video view? To show or hide the Video Thumbnail pane, drag the splitter bar that separates the Video Thumbnail pane from the Clips pane. To restore the Video Thumbnail pane, point the mouse pointer over the splitter bar (the mouse pointer will look like ), then drag the splitter bar down to restore and resize the Video Thumbnail pane to your liking. You can also press the V key to show or hide the Video Thumbnail pane.
There are three options on this tab that are very important to understand and extremely helpful when working with video. Let's take a closer look at them. Option What it does Start Time The time in your SONAR project at which you want the video file to start playing. Trim-in Time The time in the video file at which you want video playback to start, this is useful if you don’t want to see the opening credits or the first few scenes. This is expressed in SMPTE time code.
Working with markers When syncing up audio events to film cues or video, it is common to use markers. Markers are a powerful feature in SONAR that helps to simplify the task of identifying major events in a song or video. They can be used to clarify where a verse or chorus begins in a rock tune or, in the case of film scoring, they can be used to identify hit points (points in the film where you want a musical event to synchronize with a visual event).
From this dialog box, you can do a lot of very important things. First, let’s name this marker by typing Intro in the Name field. Next, select the Lock to SMPTE (Real World) Time check box. This option is very important when working with video. If a marker is not locked to SMPTE time, its position in relation to events on the video will change with tempo and meter changes in the project. You might also notice that the Time value changes to the SMPTE format after you selected the check box.
Exporting your video Once you have finished with all of your music and have your video synced up as you would like it, you’ll want to mix it down to a video file that you can share with the world. 1. Select everything in the project that you want to export. If you want to export the entire project, simply select Edit > Select > All or press CTRL+A. On the File menu, point to Export and click Video. The Export Video dialog box opens.
3. Choose the desired video format by selecting it from the Save as type list. Clicking the Encoding Options button at the bottom will allow you to explore some advanced settings for your video. From this dialog box, you will be able to change the quality and size of your video. This is particularly important if you plan to upload your video to the web. Some codecs work better than others and are more appropriate for different scenarios.
Tutorial 8 – Working with video Exporting your video
Tutorial 9 – Exporting, CD burning and sharing Once your SONAR project is complete, you will want to share it with the world or burn a CD. SONAR offers many tools to help you do this. In this tutorial, we are going to explore some of the basics of these tools. Before we get started, let’s open one of the example audio projects included with SONAR. If you have your own project that already contains audio, you can load that instead. However, your screen will look different from the images in this tutorial.
You should notice that the top half of this window is very similar to the Open and Save dialogs that were discussed in “Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects” on page 99. This is used to navigate to locations on your computer’s hard drive and tell SONAR where you want to store the exported audio.
For this Tutorial, we are only going to explore some of the more common settings. If you would like to read about all of the options and settings click the Help button. Control Function Channel Format Specifies if the audio should be exported as stereo or mono. Sample Rate Allows you to set the sample rate of your export. 44100 Hz is used for CD quality audio. Bit-Depth Allows you to set the bit-depth of your export. 16-bit is used for CD quality and 24-bit is often used for DVD quality audio.
Burning an audio CD Select Utilities > Burn Audio CD to open the Audio CD Burner dialog box. Simply browse to the audio files you want to burn and click the Add Track button. You can also drag audio files into the Burner track list. Note: Any files that are not in 16 bit, 44.1kHz wav files will automatically be converted to the proper CD format. Depending on the type of blank CD you are using, you can fit up to 80 minutes of audio on one CD. Make note of the Space Available and Space Used fields.
If you want to share your music online SONAR features a powerful upload utility powered by the online service SoundCloud. See: “Uploading audio to SoundCloud” on page 175 “Uploading your songs to YouTube” on page 178 “Troubleshooting” on page 1087 Uploading audio to SoundCloud SONAR lets you easily mix down and upload the current project directly to SoundCloud, or you can choose to upload an existing audio file. Cakewalk SoundCloud lets you upload one audio file at a time.
9. Click Share. The Share with SoundCloud dialog box appears and shows a progress bar along with the name of the file that is being uploaded. To cancel the upload, click the Cancel button. The Upload Successful dialog box appears when the file has been uploaded successfully. Click the displayed link to view the uploaded file on SoundCloud.com. The Upload Failed dialog box appears if the upload is not successful. There are various reasons why an upload may have failed.
To send push notifications to your Twitter account, select the Share on Twitter check box. Note: You can not share a track on Facebook or Twitter if the track is private. Figure 29. Cakewalk SoundCloud sharing options A B C A. Message B. Share on Facebook (click Setup to configure) C.
Uploading your songs to YouTube You can publish audio and video directly to YouTube from within SONAR. You must have an existing YouTube account before you can use this feature. If you do not already have a YouTube account, you can sign up for a free account at www.youtube.com. To publish audio to YouTube 1. Open the SONAR project you want to publish to YouTube. 2. Go to File > Export > Audio. 3. In the Files of type list, select YouTube Publish. 4. Enter a file name in the File name box. 5. Click Export.
Cakewalk YouTube Publisher interface Figure 30. Cakewalk YouTube Publisher Cakewalk YouTube Publisher contains the following controls: • Account (required). Enter your YouTube account name or e-mail address. • Password. Enter your YouTube account password. • Save Login Credentials. settings for future use. Select this check box to remember the Account and Password • Title (required). Enter a name for the video. • Description. Type a description of the video. • Private.
• Video preview image. The preview image shows a frame of the video. If you are uploading an audio-only project, you can drag an image to the preview display in order to load a new image. • Load Image (Only for audio export). When uploading an audio-only project, you can load a static image to be used for video frames. This option is unavailable when uploading video projects. • Test Video. Click to show a preview of the video in the default media player. • Upload. Upload the video to YouTube. • Cancel.
Controlling playback When you play your SONAR project, you have full control over the tempo or speed of playback, which tracks are played, which sound cards or other devices are used to produce the sound, and what the tracks sound like. You can access all of the playback functions from the Control Bar (see “Control Bar overview” on page 537).
The Now time and how to use it Every project has a current time, known as the “Now time” on page 2055, which keeps track of where you are in a project. The Now time appears as a vertical line in the Track view and is displayed in the Transport module in the Control Bar (see “Transport module” on page 547). Figure 31. The Transport module in the Control Bar. A B C A. Current Now time (click to cycle through the available display formats) B. Position C.
external device’s start time. For more information, see “Synchronizing your gear” on page 1265. Here are some examples of times expressed in this format (assuming that zero is the start time): Time What it means 00:00:00:00 The beginning of the project 00:05:10:00 Five minutes and ten seconds from the beginning of the project 01:30:00:00 One hour and thirty minutes into the project 00:00:00:05 Five frames into the project Table 14. SONAR provides many ways to set the Now time.
If you click in the Time Ruler while the snap grid is enabled, the Now time will be snapped to the nearest point in the grid. By setting the grid size to a whole note or quarter note, you can easily set the Now time to a measure or beat boundary. Note: The Time Ruler only obeys snap when Musical Time or Absolute Time is selected in the Control Bar’s Snap module. When playback or recording is stopped, the Now Time either remains at the point where the project stopped or snaps back to the Now Time Marker.
The Now Time marker changes appearance to indicate if playback is stopped, paused, running, or recording. Figure 33. A The Now Time marker indicates the playback state B C D A. Stopped B. Paused C. Playback D. Recording You can change the Now time marker behavior so that the marker moves to the current Now time when playback or recording is stopped (on the Track view Options menu, clear the On Stop, Rewind to Now Marker option or press CTRL+W).
• Samples. Example: 926100. You can also right-click the display, and choose time formats from the pop-up menu. The pop-up menu also lets you choose the following display options: • To hide the time display, choose None. • To show the time display, right-click the empty area and choose one of the available time formats from the pop-up menu. The time display settings are global and persist between sessions.
Other ways to set the Now time There are a variety of commands and keyboard shortcuts you can use to set the Now time: Shortcut What it does G Lets you enter the Now time in the Position toolbar or in a dialog box SHIFT+G Sets the Now time to the From time (the start time of the current time selection) CTRL+HOME Sets the Now time to the beginning of the project CTRL+END Sets the Now time to the end of the project CTRL+PAGE UP Sets the Now time to the start of the current measure if the Now time is
The Time ruler The Time ruler appears in the Track view, Tempo view, Staff view and Piano Roll view. It has several functions, including: • Making a time selection. The Time ruler follows the Snap to Grid settings, if enabled. • Changing the Now time • Adding loop, punch, and pitch markers. You can right-click in the Time ruler to add markers. • Zooming and scrolling.
To switch the Time ruler format to H:M:S:F (SMPTE) 1. Right-click in the Track view Time Ruler. 2. In the menu that appears, select Time Ruler Format > H:M:S:F. To switch the Time ruler format to samples 1. Right-click in the Track view Time Ruler. 2. In the menu that appears, select Time Ruler Format > Samples. To switch the Time ruler format to milliseconds 1. Right-click in the Track view Time Ruler. 2. In the menu that appears, select Time Ruler Format > Milliseconds.
Controlling the transport To control playback, you have your choice of tools, menu commands, and shortcut keys for most common operations. When you start playback, the Now time updates continuously to show the current time. When you stop playback, the Now time rewinds to the Now Time Marker. When you start playback again, it continues from the same point. If the Now time is advancing but you don’t hear any sound, see “Troubleshooting” on page 1363.
To pause playback • Click the Pause button . Playback stops, but the Now Time cursor and the Now Time marker do not move. To resume playback again • Do one of the following: • Click the Pause button • Click the Play button . . • Press SPACEBAR. Playback resumes. Rewinding and fast forwarding The Transport module has dedicated Rewind and Fast Forward to rewind and fast forward smoothly during playback. To rewind or fast forward, click the Rewind pressed until you want to resume playback.
Stop at Project End option The Track view Options > Stop at Project End option determines whether or not playback is allowed beyond the last event in a project. This option is enabled by default. When enabled (default setting): • Playback will not engage if there is no data present in the project at all. • Playback will stop when no more data is present going forward. When disabled: • Playback will engage if there is no data present in the project at all.
Handling stuck notes Under MIDI, the events that turn notes on are separate from the events that stop notes from playing. Normally, when you stop playback, SONAR attempts to turn off all notes that are still playing. Depending on how your equipment is configured, it’s possible for notes to get stuck in the On position. The Reset MIDI and Audio button in the Transport module is used to stop all notes from playing. The Reset MIDI and Audio command also stops feedback from input monitoring.
Looping Sometimes you want to listen to one portion of a project over and over, either so you can play along and rehearse or because you want to edit that section of the project while it is playing and hear the results as you make changes. SONAR has a playback looping feature that makes this simple. Looping is defined in the Loop module in the Control Bar. Figure 38. The Loop module. A C B D A. Loop On/Off B. Set Loop Time to Select C. Loop Start Time D.
The Rewind command operates slightly differently when looping is in effect. The first time you rewind, the Now time is set to the start of the loop. If the Now time is already at the start of the loop, Rewind takes you to the beginning of the project. From then on, Rewind switches back and forth between the loop start time and the start of measure 1.
Using the Markers module The Markers module lets you navigate by markers and insert new markers. Inserting markers at important milestones in your project makes it easy to navigate through your project. To insert a marker, do one of the following: • Click the Insert Marker button in the Markers module. • Click the Project menu and choose Insert Marker. • Press the M key when the Now time is in the desired location for your marker. • Hold down the CTRL key and click the top half of the time ruler.
To use the Punch module Figure 41. The Punch module. A C B D A. Auto-Punch On/Off B. Set Punch Time to Select C. Punch In Time D. Punch Out Time The Punch module contains the following controls: • Auto-Punch on/off . Enable/disable punch recording. Toggles punch recording on/off. • Set Punch Time to Selection . Set the Punch In time to the start (From) time of the selection, and the Punch Out time to the end (Thru) time of the selection. • Punch In Time. The current Punch In time. Click to modify.
To use the Transport module The Transport module contains the following controls: • Rewind . Gradually rewind the project. • Stop . Stop playback. • Play . Start/stop playback. • Pause . Pause/resume playback. • Fast Forward . Gradually fast forward the project. • Record . Start recording (requires at least one track to be armed for recording). Right-click to access global record options. Click and keep the mouse button pressed for a brief moment to enable step recording. • Step Record.
• Metronome Playback on/off access Metronome settings. • Metronome settings . Enable/disable the metronome during playback. Right-click to . Click the metronome icon to open the metronome preferences. To use the Loop module Figure 42. The Loop module. A C B D A. Loop On/Off B. Set Loop Time to Select C. Loop Start Time D. Loop End Time The Loop module contains the following controls: • Loop on/off . Enable/disable playback looping. • Set Loop Times to Selection .
Track-by-track playback SONAR lets you play back any combination of tracks at one time by changing each track’s status. You can control the status of each track with the individual controls that are on every track, or with the global controls in the Control Bar’s Mix module. For more information about the Mix module, see “Mix module” on page 552. Figure 43. The Mix module. A B C D E K F G H I J A. Mute B. Solo C. Arm D. Input Echo E. Live Input PDC Override F. Bypass All Effects G.
While playback is in progress, you can mute and unmute tracks in any combination, which means you can hear only the tracks that you want. You can change the status of a track in the Track view, the Console view, the Track Inspector, or the Mix module in the Control Bar. If a track is both muted and soloed, it does not play. Mute has precedence. The track status is saved with the SONAR project file.
• Dim Solo enable/disable . Enable/disable Dim Solo mode. Dim Solo is a mode in which non-soloed audio tracks/buses are still audible but at a reduced level. For details, see “Dim Solo mode” on page 205. • Exclusive Solo enable/disable . Enable/disable Exclusive Solo mode. With Exclusive Solo mode, you can only solo one track and one bus at a time. For details, see “Exclusive Solo mode” on page 206. • Arm / Disarm All Tracks is armed. . Click to arm/disarm all tracks.
Silencing tracks When a track is muted, SONAR processes the track while playback is in progress so that you can unmute the track without stopping playback. If you have lots of muted tracks, this can place a heavy load on your computer. Archived tracks, on the other hand, don’t place any load on your computer. Therefore, if there are tracks you want to keep but don’t need to play, you should archive them instead.
Soloing tracks Sometimes you want to hear a single track, or a few tracks at once, without having to mute all the other tracks. You can do this by soloing the tracks you want to hear. As soon as any track is marked as a solo track, SONAR ignores all mute settings (unless a soloed track is also muted—mute takes precedence over solo) and plays only the track or tracks that are set to solo. Any number of tracks at one time can be marked as solo. All these tracks will play together.
Dim Solo mode Normally when you solo a track/bus in SONAR, the tracks or buses which are not soloed are essentially muted. Dim Solo is a mode in which non-soloed audio tracks/buses are still audible but at a reduced level. The default gain reduction is -6dB, but can also be configured for -12dB and -18dB. Dim Solo is useful when you want to focus on a specific track but you still want to edit/mix the track in context with the entire mix.
Exclusive Solo mode By default, SONAR allows you to solo multiple tracks and buses simultaneously. With Exclusive Solo mode, you can only solo one track and one bus at a time. When you solo a track or bus in Exclusive Solo mode, all other soloed tracks or buses are automatically unsoloed. This allows you to quickly listen to individual tracks and buses in isolation without having to manually unsolo other tracks or buses. To enable/disable Exclusive Solo mode Click the Exclusive Solo button Figure 46.
Solo Override When you enable Solo Override on a track or bus, that track/bus will never be muted as a result of soloing any other track/bus. This is a very useful feature when you want to always hear a particular track regardless of which other tracks are soloed. For example, you may want to always hear the vocal track while you solo other instrument tracks. This can be accomplished easily by using Exclusive Solo mode (see “Exclusive Solo mode” on page 206) and enabling Solo Override on the vocal track.
Changing tracks’ mono/stereo status SONAR has a Mono/Stereo button in each track module in the Track Inspector and Console view. The buttons in the track modules force each track to play in either stereo or mono, but preserve the tracks’ pan positions in the stereo mix. The Mono/Stereo button in each track forces the track’s audio signal to enter any patched plug-ins as either mono or stereo, whether or not the tracks are mono or stereo.
A mono VST plug-in will work correctly if Enable Mono Processing is checked in the VST Plug-in Properties dialog box and the track interleave is set to mono. Note: Enable Mono Processing is enabled by default in SONAR. If you are playing back a legacy project in SONAR and notice the project does not sound the same, try to disable Enable Mono Processing for any mono plug-ins used in the project.
Audio track parameters The following figures show the various parameters in audio track strips. The figures are of an audio track that is located in the Track view, however most of these parameters can also be adjusted in the Console view and Track Inspector. Some parameters are only available in the Console view or Track Inspector. Figure 47. Audio track Figure 48. Audio track header controls A B C D E F G A. Track color B. Track number C. Header icon D. Track name E. Peak value F.
Figure 50. Audio track effects bin, meter, and track scale B A C A. Enable/disable plug-in B. Plug-in name C. Right-click to insert new plug-in Here is a summary table of the different audio track parameters and how they are used. Parameter What it means Number A sequential track number used for reference. Name A name that you assign the track for easy reference. Note that if you do not assign a name to a track, the default name is the track number.
Parameter What it means Pan The stereo distribution of the output, ranging from 100% left (hard left) to 100% right (hard right); a value of “C” indicates sound that is centered left-to-right. On stereo tracks, pan acts as balance. Trim (volume trim) (Track Inspector and Console view only) Volume Trim is a pre-fader control which allows the fine tuning of a single track’s volume.
Parameter What it means Meters The recording and playback levels are displayed in the Playback and Record meters. WAI display Shows a color-coded bar if the track is being controlled by a control surface. Track color Opens the Track Color palette, where you can specify a custom color for each track. Table 21. For more information about audio track controls in the Track Inspector, see “Audio track controls” on page 583.
MIDI track parameters The following pictures illustrate MIDI track parameters: Figure 51. A B MIDI track header controls C D E F A. Track color B. Track number C. Header icon D. Track name E. Maximize/restore F. Meter Note: MSR buttons may appear in the header bar if the Track pane is wide. Figure 52. MIDI track controls B A C D E F G H I J K L Z M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y A. Track number B. Track name C. Edit Filter D. Mute E. Automation Read F. Solo G. Automation Write H.
Figure 53. MIDI track effects bin and track scale A B A. Track scale B. MIDI effects bin Here is a summary table of the different MIDI track parameters and how they are used: Parameter What it means Track number A sequential track number used for reference Track name A name that you assign the track for easy reference. Note that if you do not assign a name to a track, the default name is the track number. This track number will change if you change the order of your tracks.
Parameter What it means Velocity trim (Track Inspector and Console view only) The change in velocity (volume) that will be applied to notes in this track on playback; ranges from –127 to +127 Input The input source for the track, used in recording Output The output device through which the track is played Ch (channel) (Track Inspector and Console view only) The MIDI channel through which the notes will be played Bank (Track Inspector and Console view only) The set of patch names available for the
To change a track name 1. Double-click on the current track name. 2. Enter the new track name. 3. Press ENTER. The default track names (Track 1, Track 2, etc.) are not actually names, but placeholders until you name a track. If you reorder the tracks these placeholders change. You can rearrange and resize the panes in the Track view as shown in the following table.
Changing track settings in the Track pane You can change the values in the Track pane in a number of ways: Control How to change the setting Volume and Pan Click on the control and move your cursor left or right to adjust values, or press ENTER and type a value. Input and Output Click on the black arrow on the right of the control and select a driver from the menu that appears, or double-click on the control and select a driver from the menu. Buttons Click to enable or disable Table 25.
You can change the value of a track parameter for several tracks at once by using Quick Groups: • To adjust the same control in all tracks, hold down the CTRL key and adjust a control in a nonselected track. • To adjust the same control in all selected tracks of the same type, hold down the CTRL key and adjust a control in any selected channel strip.
Figure 55. The MIDI - Devices section A A A. These devices are not selected When you first run SONAR it asks you to select MIDI devices. You may want to change these selections in the future. You can do so by selecting different devices in Edit > Preferences > MIDI Devices. Your computer is usually equipped with at least one audio device—your computer sound card.
To choose MIDI devices 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Devices. 2. Click on any MIDI device in the Outputs list. 3. To move any device to the top of the list, deselect all other devices and click Move to Top to move the selected device to the top of the list. 4. When all devices are selected in the order you want, click OK.
To assign a track to an output 1. Click the Output drop-down of the track you want to assign. 2. Select the output you want to use. To assign a group of tracks to the same output, select the tracks you want to assign, then hold down the CTRL key and assign the Output control in any selected track. All selected tracks will be assigned to the same output. Note: Outputs that are used by the External Insert plug-in (see “External Insert plug-in” on page 926) cannot be assigned to track and bus outputs.
The Assign Series of Inputs dialog box opens, which lets you choose the first input port in the series. Figure 56. The Assign Series of Inputs dialog 4. Select the audio input port that should be assigned to the first selected track and click OK. SONAR will assign consecutive mono input ports to the selected audio tracks, beginning with the track that was clicked in step 2. If a left or right input is selected, then mono inputs will be assigned.
Assigning tracks to mono hardware outputs SONAR lets you assign audio track and bus outputs to individual (mono) hardware outputs in addition to stereo pairs. This is very useful, for example, if you record in SONAR but want to use an external mixing console to mix. To show mono hardware outputs SONAR does not show mono hardware outputs by default. To show mono outputs, do the following: 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Devices. 2. Select the Show Mono Outputs check box and click OK.
Choosing the instrument sound (bank and patch) Electronic keyboards and synthesizers often contain hundreds or thousands of different sounds. Each sound is known as a patch. The name comes from the early days of synthesizers, for which you physically rewired (using patch cords) the oscillators and modulators to produce different sounds. Patches are normally organized into groups of 128, called banks.
To insert a bank/patch change 1. Highlight the track whose bank and patch you want to change by clicking on the track number. 2. Set the Now time to the time at which you want the change to occur. 3. Choose Insert > Bank/Patch Change to display the Bank/Patch Change dialog box. 4. Choose a bank and patch from the lists. 5. Click OK. SONAR inserts a change in bank and patch.
Adding effects You can add both MIDI and audio effects directly from the Track view. SONAR adds these effects in real-time, preserving your track’s original data. To add an audio effect in the Track pane Do one of the following: • In an audio track, right-click in the effects bin and choose a plug-in from the pop-up menu. • Click the Insert Plug-in button at the top of the effects bin and choose a plug-in from the pop-up menu. Use the effects bin to add real-time effects B A C A.
Adjusting volume and pan The Volume and Pan settings control the initial volume and pan of a track during playback. Every time SONAR starts playback, the Volume and Pan settings for the track are set to these initial levels. SONAR allows you to choose different panning laws if you want (see “Configuring panning laws” on page 229). In some projects you want the volume or panning of a track to change while playback is in progress.
Configuring panning laws You can choose from six different panning laws. A panning law is the mathematical formula that a sequencer or mixer uses to control panning. To change panning laws 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings. 2. In the Stereo Panning Law field, choose one of these options: • (Default) 0 dB center, sin/cos taper, constant power.
When the value is 0 (default), non-default pan laws are not applied at the clip level. Clip pan envelopes always use the 0dB center sin/cos taper law. When the value is 1, pan laws are applied at the clip level. It is not recommended that you use this value unless you need to retain backwards compatibility with pre-SONAR X3 projects that use a non-default pan law. Adjusting volume trim Volume Trim acts like the trim control on a mixer, raising or lower the level prior to the volume fader.
Adjusting the Key/transposing a track (Key+) Each MIDI note event has a key number, or pitch. On playback, the key offset (Key+) parameter transposes all notes in the track by the designated number of half-steps. The value can range from -127 to +127. A value of 12 indicates that notes will be played back one octave higher than they are written. This parameter does not affect the note number that is stored for each note event.
Adjusting the note velocity (Vel+) Each MIDI note event has a velocity, which represents how fast the key was struck when the track was recorded. On playback, the velocity offset parameter adjusts the velocity data for all notes in the track by the designated amount. The value can range from -127 to +127. The effect of changing velocities depends on the synthesizer. Some synthesizers do not respond to velocity information. For others, the effect varies depending on the sound or patch you have chosen.
Figure 58. The Track Inspector contains advanced MIDI controls. Other MIDI playback settings Two other MIDI settings can affect what happens when you play back your project, as described in the following table. Option How it works Zero Controllers When Play If this option is enabled, SONAR zeros (resets) the pitch wheel, the pedal Stops Controller, and the modulation wheel Controller on all 16 MIDI channels whenever playback is stopped.
Customizing track/bus colors Each channel strip in the Track view, Console view and Inspector can have a custom color tint, which allows you to color-code your tracks and clips for better project organization. When you change the track color, it affects the track strip in the Track view, Console view, Inspector, and clip foreground color (waveform or MIDI data). Figure 59. Click a track’s Track Color bar to assign a custom track color. A A A.
Figure 60. Track colors affect the Track view, Console view, Inspector and clip foreground color.
To select a track color 1. Click the track’s Track Color bar, which is located at the far left in the Track view and the bottom of the Console view. Track view Console view 2. In the track color palette, select the desired color. You can preview colors in real-time as you point to different color swatches. To assign a custom color, click the Other button and select the desired color. By default, tracks follow the color of the bus they are assigned to.
Figure 61. Default track colors are defined in the Preferences dialog box.
Bus strip colors If you assign a color to a bus strip, all non-colored tracks that are routed to that bus automatically inherit the same color by default. For example, in the following figure, all tracks are routed to the Master bus. Tracks 1 and 2 have custom track colors, while tracks 3-8 use default track colors. If you assign a custom color to the Master bus, tracks 1 and 2 remain unchanged, while tracks 3-8 inherit the same color as the Master bus. Figure 62.
To disable track strip colors You can disable track strip colors if you only want to change the clip color (waveform or MIDI data), but not the track strip background. To do so, go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Colors and clear the Show strip colors check box. If Show strip colors is disabled, the current track is always highlighted. Figure 63.
To specify the default track and bus colors You can specify a default color for all new tracks and buses. To do so, go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Colors and click the Track Defaults or Bus Defaults button. Figure 64. Specify a default color for all new tracks and buses Tip: By default, clips share the same color as their parent track. However, you can use the Clip Inspector to assign a custom color to selected clips, independent of the track color.
“Changing track settings” on page 209 “Track view” on page 1922 “Console view” on page 1971 “Properties Inspector - Clip Properties” on page 594 “Properties Inspector - Track Properties” on page 600 Controlling live MIDI playback—MIDI echo When you play your MIDI keyboard or controller, the sound that SONAR produces is determined by what hardware or software synth SONAR sends the incoming MIDI data to after SONAR receives the data. This is called MIDI echo.
Storing favorite configurations If you want a track to respond to more than one port or channel, you must create a preset input configuration. If you create some favorite configurations of MIDI input options, not only will they be stored with the project you created them in, but you can save each one as a preset to load in any MIDI track in any project you want.
To create or edit a preset input configuration 1. In the Input field of a track that you want to select inputs for, click the drop-down arrow and choose Manage Presets from the drop-down menu. The MIDI Input Presets dialog box appears. 2. In the Input Port column, find the input port that you want to use for this track (if you only use a single-port MIDI interface, you’ll only see one choice). 3.
Local control You should normally disable the Local Control setting on your master keyboard to prevent notes from being doubled when you play your keyboard. If you disable Local Control, your keyboard sends notes that you play to SONAR, which echoes them to the synthesizer, which plays them only once. When SONAR starts, you can have it send a special MIDI message that attempts to disable Local Control automatically. Most modern synthesizers respond to this message.
Playing files in sequence with the Play List The Play List view allows you to automatically play multiple files in sequence. A Play List is a list of projects arranged in the desired playback order, from top to bottom. You can use this feature in live performance applications or just for fun. Figure 66. The Play List. The Play List view lets you create and work with a series of project, MIDI, and bundle files. You can create, edit, and save a Play List (or set) of up to 999 SONAR projects.
The Play List interface The Play List view contains a toolbar and a multi-column list. Each song occupies a single row in the list. Figure 67. Play List. A B C D E F G H I J K L M A. Play List toolbar B. Status C. Play order D. Project name E. Path F. Tempo G. Key H. Meter I. Length J. Created date K. Modified date L. Delay M. Notes Figure 68. A B Play List toolbar. C D E F A. Enable Play List B. Next Song C. Repeat List D. Add Song E. Remove Song F. Delay G.
Toolbar The Play List toolbar contains the following controls. Button Table 27. Command Description Shortcut Enable Play List Enable/disable the Play List. E Next Song Skip to the next song. N Repeat List Repeat the Play List continuously. R Add Song Add one or more songs to the Play List. A or INSERT Remove Song Remove the selected song from the Play List. D or DELETE Delay Opens the Delay dialog box, which lets you specify a delay W before the next song plays.
• Meter. The song’s initial meter. • Length. The song’s duration. • Created. Date Created. • Modified. Date Modified. • Delay. The wait mode before the next song plays. The delay can be a fixed amount of time or to wait for a keystroke. • Notes. Type an optional comment about the song. You can resize and rearrange columns by dragging the column headers. Note: The BPM, Key, Meter and Length columns only apply to projects that have been saved in SONAR X2a or later.
2. Choose a file from the Add Song to Play List dialog box. 3. Click Open. You can use the CTRL and SHIFT modifier keys to add multiple songs in the Add Song to Play List dialog box. To specify a delay before playing the next song 1. Click on the song in the Play List. 2. Click the button in the Play List view toolbar, or press W to open the Delay dialog box. 3. Specify the desired delay: • No Delay. The song starts immediately following the previous song. • Wait for Key Press.
To activate the Play List Click in the Play List view toolbar, or press E, so that the button is pressed. If this button is not pressed, only a single file will play when you start playback. To specify the starting song Double-click the file you want to start with. The project is opened and displayed as usual. To start playback Click in the Control Bar or press the SPACEBAR. If a song has already been played, it appears dimmed in the list.
Video playback, import, and export Video files play in the Video view in real time as your project plays. You can also view your video on an external DV device connected to an IEEE 1394 port (“FireWire”). The File > Import > Video command lets you include the following video file types in your project: • AVI (also called Video for Windows). • MPEG. • Windows Media Video. • QuickTime (.mov files only). SONAR supports QuickTime 7, including H.264 support and the ability to import AAC audio files.
• When exporting to QuickTime, the frame rate of the QuickTime video compressor will default to “best possible”. Since not all movies in a SONAR video project correctly report their frame rate, the best practice is manually enter the desired frame rate. This is done in the video settings of the QuickTime video compressor. • Exports to QuickTime from a SONAR video project created from an AVI using the Indeo video compressor will create a movie with white frames.
Note 2: After you load a video file into a project, you can play it back either in the Video view, or on an external DV device through a FireWire port. See “Video playback on a FireWire DV device” on page 262 for more information. To play a video file in the Video view 1. Open the Video view by choosing Views > Video. 2. Press the SPACEBAR to play or stop video playback. 3.
To adjust the SMPTE time 1. Move the Now time to the place where you want SMPTE time to be either 00:00:00:00, or a number you can enter. 2. Use the Project > Set Timecode At Now command to open the Set Timecode At Now Time dialog box. 3. If you want to set SMPTE time to 00:00:00:00 (the dialog’s default value) at the current Now time, click OK to close the dialog box.
To set the Start and Trim times 1. Right-click in the Video view and choose Video Properties. 2. Set options as described in the table: Option What it means Start Time The time in your SONAR project at which you want the video file to start playing Trim-in Time The time in the video file at which you want video playback to start Trim-out Time The time in the video file at which you want video playback to stop Table 30.
Exporting video After you’ve mixed your audio tracks the way you want them, you can export the inserted video file together with your audio tracks to create a new video file. When you export a video, any changes you’ve made to the Start, Trim-In, or Trim-Out times determine how long your new exported video is compared to the original video that you inserted into your SONAR project.
Uploading your songs to YouTube You can publish audio and video directly to YouTube from within SONAR. You must have an existing YouTube account before you can use this feature. If you do not already have a YouTube account, you can sign up for a free account at www.youtube.com. To publish audio to YouTube 1. Open the SONAR project you want to publish to YouTube. 2. Go to File > Export > Audio. 3. In the Files of type list, select YouTube Publish. 4. Enter a file name in the File name box. 5. Click Export.
Cakewalk YouTube Publisher interface Figure 69. Cakewalk YouTube Publisher Cakewalk YouTube Publisher contains the following controls: • Account (required). Enter your YouTube account name or e-mail address. • Password. Enter your YouTube account password. • Save Login Credentials. settings for future use. Select this check box to remember the Account and Password • Title (required). Enter a name for the video. • Description. Type a description of the video. • Private.
• Video preview image. The preview image shows a frame of the video. If you are uploading an audio-only project, you can drag an image to the preview display in order to load a new image. • Load Image (Only for audio export). When uploading an audio-only project, you can load a static image to be used for video frames. This option is unavailable when uploading video projects. • Test Video. Click to show a preview of the video in the default media player. • Upload. Upload the video to YouTube. • Cancel.
Using the Video Thumbnails pane At the top of the Track view in SONAR is the Video Thumbnails pane, which displays individual frames of your video at certain time intervals of your project. The time interval between displayed frames is determined by the zoom level you choose. If you zoom in far enough, you can view each individual frame of your video.
• The Video Thumbnails pane zooms horizontally when you use the standard Track view commands for horizontal zooming. You control the height of the Video Thumbnails pane by dragging the splitter bar up or down that’s at the bottom of the Video Thumbnails pane. For step-by-step instructions, see the following procedures: To hide or show the Video Thumbnails pane Do one of the following: • Drag the splitter bar that separates the Video Thumbnails pane from the Clips pane.
To change the Trim-Out time • In the video track strip, click the Trim-Out field, type a new number in SMPTE format, and press ENTER (you can press the SPACEBAR instead of typing colons, if you want, and you can type single zeros instead of double zeros). The Trim-Out time is the time in your video file at which you want to stop video playback. To use the Video Thumbnails context menu 1. Right-click the Video Thumbnails pane or the Video Thumbnails track strip. 2.
6. Click Save to export your video. Once you save the video file, it can be re-inserted into a project (see “Importing and playing back videos” on page 252). If the project will ultimately be exported to tape, that project will need to have an audio sample rate of 48 KHz playing back at 16 bits. To play video on an external DV device 1. Connect your external FireWire device. Make sure Windows recognizes the device, and displays the device’s icon on the Windows taskbar. 2.
Exporting a project to a FireWire DV device Once your project sounds the way you want it to, you can export the video and audio together to an external FireWire DV device. This is called “printing to tape,” if your external device uses tape. To export a project to an external DV device 1. Use the File > Export > Video command to open the Export Video dialog box. 2. In the Save as Type field, choose AVC Compliant Device.
Locating missing audio If you try to open a project and SONAR is unable to locate all the audio files that the project references, the Find Missing Audio dialog box appears. The Find Missing Audio dialog box helps you find any missing audio in your project. See: “The Find Missing Audio dialog” on page 265 “Restoring missing audio files” on page 265 “Managing shared and external files” on page 266 The Find Missing Audio dialog Use the Find Missing Audio dialog box to find missing audio in your project.
4. Select one of the following options: • Move file to Project Audio Folder. Use this option if you are sure that no other projects are referencing this file in its present location. • Copy file to Project Audio Folder. Use this option if the missing file is shared with another project and you want to keep all of your project’s audio files together. • Reference file from present location. Use this option if you want to leave the missing file in its current location now that SONAR knows where it is. 5.
Recording You can add sound or music to a SONAR project in many different ways. You can record your own material using a MIDI-equipped instrument, use a microphone or another audio input to record digital audio information, or import sound or music data from an existing digital data file. With the Input monitoring feature, you can hear your audio instruments exactly how they sound in SONAR, including any plug-in effects (effects are not recorded, however).
Creating a new project You can add music and sound to an existing project or to a new project. Just as in any Windows program, you open an existing project file using the File > Open command, and create a new project file using the File > New command. When you create a new SONAR project, there are some additional parameters you can set to make it easier to work on your project.
Creating a new project file When you create a new project you are asked to choose a template to use for your new file. If you have per-project audio folders enabled (for more information, see “Using per-project audio folders” on page 268), you are also asked to specify a file name, the folder where you want to store the file, and the folder where you want to store the file’s audio. You can override per-project audio by unchecking the Store Project Audio in its Own Folder option.
Setting the Meter and Key signatures By default, a new SONAR project is in 4/4 time and the key of C major. You can change these settings to any desired “Meter” on page 2054 or key. These settings apply to all the tracks in a project. You cannot set different meter or key signatures for different tracks. The meter or key signature of a project can change at any measure boundary.
To Set the Meter and Key signature 1. Click the Views menu and choose Meter/Key. 2. Click to open the Meter/Key Signature dialog box. The Meter/Key Signature dialog box appears. Figure 72. The Meter/Key Signature dialog box 3. Enter the top and bottom meter values in the Beats per Measure and Beat Value fields. 4. Choose the key signature from the Key Signature list. 5. Click OK.
Setting the Metronome and Tempo settings The metronome counts off each beat in a measure, so you can hear the tempo of your project. You can choose to have the metronome sound during recording, during playback, both, or turned off. When you start recording, SONAR can play any number of beats or measures of metronome clicks before recording begins. This can help you “get in the groove” before you start performing. These beats or measures are called the count-in.
5. Arm at least one track. 6. Press R or click advance. to start recording. The count-in will play, and the Now time will start to 7. If necessary, stop playback and adjust the tempo using the tempo control in the Transport module, the restart playback. Repeat until the metronome plays the desired tempo. 8. Press the SPACEBAR or click 9. Press W, or click to stop recording. to rewind to the beginning of the piece. Your tempo and metronome settings are now ready.
3. Click OK. Your metronome settings will be saved with the project file. To set the MIDI metronome sounds from your MIDI instrument 1. Select a track in the Track view that is assigned to the MIDI device you want to use for the metronome sound. 2. Right-click the Playback Metronome on/off button to show metronome settings. or Record Metronome on/off button 3. Make sure that the settings in the Port and Channel fields match those for the track in the Track view. 4.
To set the sampling rate and audio driver bit depth for new projects Note: If you are planning to move your project to a Digital Audio Tape (DAT) or to some other media via a digital transfer, set your sampling rate and bit depth to match the target unit. For example, use 44,100Hz/16-bit for a project that will be mastered to a CD, so that no sample rate conversion is required. 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings. 2.
When Wave-64 Files are created Wave-64 files are created behind the scenes automatically under the following usage scenarios: • When the number of samples recorded exceeds the file size limit of a 32-bit RIFF WAV file (approximately 2GB file size). • When you export, bounce or freeze tracks or clips and the resultant wave size exceeds 2GB. • When you destructively process audio effects on a SONAR clip whose duration exceeds 2GB.
applications. In this timebase, each quarter note is represented by 960 ticks, each eighth note by 480 ticks, each eighth-note triplet by 320 ticks, and so on. In some projects you may need a different timebase. For example, if you wanted to use eighth-note septuplets (7 eighth notes per quarter note) and represent them accurately, you would need to have a timebase that is divisible by 7, such as 168PPQ. SONAR uses the timebase you choose for a project to determine the range of tick values in the Now time.
Recording modes Any material you record is stored in a new clip. If you record into several tracks at once, one clip is created in each track. If you record into a track that already contains clips, you can choose one of three recording modes to determine what happens to those clips.
Choosing an input To record into a track, you must choose an input for the music or sound to be recorded. Usually, you choose All Inputs - Omni to record material from a MIDI instrument, or the left or right channel of a digital audio device (such as a sound card) to record audio material, or stereo if you want to record stereo audio in a single track. The input for each track is displayed in the track’s Input field and at the top of each module in the Console view.
To choose an audio input in the Track view 1. Click the drop-down arrow of the Input field of an audio track. A drop-down menu of audio drivers appears. 2. Select the audio driver for the sound card you want to record with from these options: • None. This choice ensures that you do not record to the track in question. • Left (name of your sound card). channel of your sound card. Choose this if you want to record a mono signal on the left • Right (name of your sound card).
that’s on the MIDI channel you chose. • (name of MIDI input driver) > (MIDI Omni or MIDI ch 1-16). Choosing this option causes the track to record any MIDI channel coming from the named MIDI interface input driver, unless you choose a particular MIDI channel instead of MIDI Omni. Then the track will only record input that’s on the MIDI channel you chose, from the named input driver. • Preset.
Auto arming You must arm tracks in order to record. To safeguard your data, there is no automatic arming of any tracks. If you want to record MIDI tracks without arming a track, go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI Playback and Recording and select the Allow MIDI Recording without an Armed Track check box. This feature lets you start recording a new track simply by making it the current track and pressing R or clicking the Record button in the Transport module.
To only open active hardware input ports Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Record and select the Only For Inputs In Project check box. Note: If this option is enabled, you will not be able to change inputs while recording. Recording music from a MIDI instrument Once you have set your tempo and metronome, and armed one or more tracks, you are ready to start recording. To record MIDI 1. Set the Now time to the point in the project where you want to start recording. 2. Click or press R.
Input quantizing Input quantizing allows you to automatically quantize MIDI input during recording. You can see the results immediately, and hear the results as soon as a track is looped. Note: Input quantizing does not destroy your original recording. If you press CTRL+Z after you finish recording with input quantizing enabled, the quantized clip is deleted, and the original unquantized clip appears, just as you recorded it.
To set options Click the track’s Input Quantize resolution menu in the Track Inspector, choose Quantize Settings to open the Input Quantize dialog box, select the desired settings, then and click OK. Note: To get explanations of the options in the Input Quantize dialog box, press F1 when the dialog box is open. Visual indicators You will see the following visual indicators when Input Quantizing is enabled: • When the track is armed for recording, the track’s Arm button circle.
Arpeggiator The arpeggiator lets you play intricate patterns of notes that would otherwise be extremely difficult or impossible to play manually and at speeds and octave ranges that exist beyond the physical limitations of the player or keyboard range. Arpeggiated events are new events that are based on notes that you play on your controller keyboard.
Arpeggiator controls The following table describes the controls in the Arpeggiator. Control Description Enable/Disable Enables/disables the arpeggiator on a given track. This control can be assigned to MIDI remote control and modified in real-time during project playback. Preset Control You can create and edit arpeggiator presets; all user parameters are stored in the preset. • Arpeggiator settings are included in track templates.
Control Description Source Mix When 0, simultaneously held notes arpeggiate as single notes. At 50%, simultaneously held notes are heard as a chord in addition to the usual arpeggiated notes, both at equal levels. At 100%, only the held chord is audible. Control: Knob (0 – 100%); this control can be assigned to MIDI remote control and modified in real-time during project playback. Ch MIDI input and output menu—the Arpeggiator only affects input data that’s on the MIDI channels listed on this menu.
Using the arpeggiator One arpeggiator device appears on every MIDI and instrument track, located in the Track Inspector. To enable/disable the Arpeggiator • Click the Enable/Disable Arpeggiator button in the Track Inspector. Figure 77. Arpeggiator controls are available in the Track Inspector Using patterns and presets Pre-authored patterns are used to apply rhythmic and melodic variations to the arpeggio. SONAR includes many professionally-authored pattern files for you to experiment with.
To load an Arpeggiator preset • Click the Preset control in the Arpeggiator, point to Presets and select the desired preset. A A. Click to load a preset To load the next/previous Arpeggiator preset • Click the Next Preset or Previous Preset button in the Arpeggiator. A A. Click to load the next/previous preset To save an Arpeggiator preset • Click the Preset control in the Arpeggiator and select Save Pattern As from the drop-down menu.
Using automation You can automate the following arpeggiator parameters: • Source Mix • Enable/Disable • Flam Amount • Duration • Latch • Octave Range • Pitch Offset • Rate • Shape • Swing • Velocity To record arpeggiator automation 1. Right-click the desired arpeggiator parameter in the Track Inspector, and select Automation Write Enable on the pop-up menu. 2. Click the Play button to start playback. 3. Adjust the arpeggiator control as desired.
To record automation with a MIDI controller 1. Right-click the desired arpeggiator parameter and select Remote Control on the context menu. The Remote Control dialog box appears. 2. Specify the MIDI message you want to use for MIDI remote control, then click OK to close the Remote Control dialog box. 3. Right-click the desired arpeggiator parameter, and select Automation Write Enable on the context menu. 4. Click the Play button to start playback. 5.
Recording audio Before you record audio, you should check your input levels. If the levels are too low, you may end up with too much hiss and background noise in your recording. If the levels are too high, your recording will be inaccurate or distorted. To check your audio levels, use the audio meters in the either the Track view, Track Inspector or Console view.
When you record audio, SONAR stores each audio clip in a separate file. These files have the same format as a Wave (.wav) file, but they have special names and are stored in a separate directory on your hard disk. SONAR automatically manages these audio files for you, making it easier for you to manage your projects. If you want to work with these files directly, or to learn more about how SONAR stores audio data, see “System configuration” on page 1294. To Record Audio 1.
Confidence recording and waveform preview When you’re recording audio or MIDI data, SONAR gives you many visual cues that tracks are armed and that SONAR is recording data. When one or more tracks are armed: • The Arm button in each armed track turns red. • The Clips pane next to each armed track gets a reddish hue. • The Arm / Disarm All Tracks button the Control Bar’s Mix module is lit.
Input monitoring Being able to hear plug-in audio effects applied to a live signal is an exciting feature of SONAR. However, there are two issues that users commonly stumble upon when using the input monitoring feature. The first is that the monitored signal seems to have an echo associated with it. The second is that live input monitoring can lead to nasty feedback problems, particularly if you have an outboard audio mixer, or you record from a different sound card from the one you are playing back with.
The bottom block of the picture represents the sound card. The shaded area above it represents the audio drivers. The unshaded area at the top represents the main environment of the operating system. As the diagram shows, analog audio flows into the card's line input (on the left), and is immediately split in two. One branch goes up through the analog-to-digital converter (ADC), where the audio is digitized, buffered and fed to the driver (labeled Wave In in the diagram).
Next, you say “2.” In the time it takes you do that, the ADC has converted the “1” to digital form and the Wave In driver has fed it to SONAR for processing. SONAR processes the buffer right away and passes the processed data right back to the Wave Out driver. say “2” SONAR Finally, you say “3.” By this time the original “1” has been converted back to analog audio by the DAC, and that analog signal is mixed in with the “3” you have just said.
To enable input monitoring • Turn your speakers down, and on an audio track that you want to monitor, click the Input Echo button so that it’s lit up (on) . To disable monitoring for this track, click the button off. Or • Turn your speakers down, then click the Input Echo On/Off All Tracks button in the Control Bar’s Mix module. This enables input monitoring on all tracks. To disable monitoring for all tracks, click the button again.
To automatically disable input monitoring during playback Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Playback and Recording and clear the Disable Input Monitoring during Playback check box. When this option is enabled, input monitoring will be disabled on all tracks during playback but not during recording.
Figure 78. The Mix module. Delay compensation is enabled/disabled on all live input tracks in the project. All other tracks have normal delay compensation applied. Note: If the live track being monitored also contains track data (or MIDI data in the case of a synth track), the streamed track data will not be delay compensated. As a result the recorded track data will not be in sync with other tracks.
The Audio Engine button SONAR has a button in the Control Bar’s Transport module called the Audio Engine button . This button lets you turn SONAR’s audio engine off if you’re getting distortion or feedback and want to cut the sound off. When playback or recording are in progress, SONAR enables the button automatically—however, the button appears grayed-out during playback or recording because you can’t control the button at that time.
Loop recording When recording a vocal or an instrumental section, you might want to record several different takes so that you can choose the one you like best. You might even want to record several takes to double a part or merge the best parts of each. Normally, to record each take you would have to arm a track, start recording, perform the take, and then stop recording. You can record multiple takes more easily using a feature called loop recording.
Figure 79. The Record section 4. Choose to stack all takes in a single track or to store them in separate tracks. 5. If you choose to stack all takes in a single track, choose either Comping, Sound on Sound or Overwrite mode. If you use single track and Comping or Sound on Sound with Track Lanes enabled, selecting the Create New Lanes on Overlap check box will create another Take lane if your new clip overlaps an existing clip. 6.
9. Play or perform the material you want to record. At the end of the loop, SONAR will return to the start of the loop and you can record the next take. 10. Click or press the SPACEBAR when you want to stop recording. The takes are stored in the manner you requested. Punch recording Suppose you are happy with most of a track but want to replace some sound or add new material in one small section—perhaps as small as a couple of notes.
You can also combine loop and punch recording to record several takes of a punch. Say you are working on that perfect take of a guitar solo and you need to hear a couple of bars of the project as “pre-roll” before you punch in. By combining looping with punch, you can have each take begin before you start to play and still have the solo cut in at the appropriate instant. In the example mentioned previously, you could loop from bar 17 to bar 27 but record only bars 24 and 25.
• Select a range of time and click in the Punch module. • Select a range of time, then right-click in the Time Ruler and choose Set Punch Points 4. Right-click the Record button to access recording settings, then choose the desired recording mode: Comping, Sound on Sound or Overwrite. 5. Set the Now time to a point where you want to start playback. 6. Click or press R to start recording. If your metronome count-in is turned on, it will play the count-in measures or beats. 7.
Step recording Step recording is a method of recording MIDI notes one note or chord at a time. It’s a very easy and precise way to record, but can sound mechanical if used in the wrong situation. You use step recording in its typical form by choosing a step size, such as a quarter note, and then playing a note on your MIDI keyboard.
MIDI data is recorded using step record even if the track is not armed. Loop markers are ignored. And step recording always uses the Sound on Sound (blend) record mode, regardless of the current record mode. With Auto Advance disabled, you must click Advance each time you want to advance to the next step. While this requires more effort, it also provides you with more flexibility.
Here’s a picture of Advanced mode: Figure 82. The Step Record - Advanced window A B D C A. Randomize durations field B. Step pattern recording field C. Click to move insertion point by single beat D. Click to move insertion point by single measure To use basic step recording 1. Click the Record button and keep the button pressed for a brief moment until the pop-up menu appears, then choose Step Record. The Record button changes to 2. Click the Step Record button .
whole note or as small as a 64th note . You can increase the step size you choose by 50% or 75% by clicking the dot icon , or double-dot icon , respectively. You can add different step sizes together by holding down the CTRL key while you click extra icons, or by pressing the + key on the NumPad. • For a tuplet step size, click a notehead icon to choose the “tuplet unit” (for example, for eighthnote triplets, choose an eighth note).
To use advanced step recording The procedure for Advanced step recording is the same as for Basic, but with these extra options, which become available when you click the Bas./Adv. button in the Step Record dialog box so that it displays Bas.
To use other commands while step recording • Use the mouse to click the command you want to use. or • Click the Activate Step Recording button in the Step Record dialog box so that the button is not red. This disables step recording, allowing you to use both the mouse, and any keyboard shortcuts that the Step Record dialog box uses, for other commands. By default, opening the Step Record window will automatically enable step recording. SHIFT+R is the default shortcut to open the Step Record dialog box.
Step record keyboard Shortcuts The default keyboard shortcuts for step recording are on the NumPad, so that you can keep one hand on your MIDI keyboard to play notes with, and use the other hand on the NumPad to use shortcuts. You can use key bindings to configure your own shortcuts. Go to Edit > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts, choose Step Record in the Area field, select a key and a function you want to bind, and click the Bind button to bind them together. Bind additional keys and commands as needed.
See: “Step pattern recording” on page 315 Step pattern recording The Pattern option lets you define a repeating rhythmic pattern of notes and rests so that you can use step recording more efficiently. For example, suppose your project is in 4/4 time, and one track has a pattern that is two measures long: quarter notes in the first measure and on the first two beats of the second measure, followed by a half-note rest on the last two beats.
8. Step record as before. From now on, after you record each step, SONAR automatically advances past all rests to the next step on which notes will be played. If you change step sizes while recording, the size of each rest changes also. To stop pattern-based step recording, simply delete the pattern from the Pattern box. SONAR stores up to 10 patterns in the Pattern field. Recording specific ports and channels Most MIDI instruments are capable of sending information on several different channels at once.
that’s on the MIDI channel you chose. • (name of MIDI input driver) > (MIDI Omni or MIDI ch 1-16). Choosing this option causes the track to record any MIDI channel coming from the named MIDI interface input driver, unless you choose a particular MIDI channel instead of MIDI Omni. Then the track will only record input that’s on the MIDI channel you chose, from the named input driver. • Preset. If you’ve created any preset collections of input ports and channels, you can select one here. • Manage Presets.
To filter event types 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Playback and Recording. 2. Check the message types you want recorded. 3. Click OK. From now on, SONAR records only the types of events you have chosen. Importing music and sound While recording is perhaps the most common way of adding material to a SONAR project, there are several other methods you can also use.
• Sound Designer II (extension .sd2) • Core Audio Format (extension .caf) The sampling rate and bit depth for a project is set based on your default settings in Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings. If the sampling rate from the Wave file does not match the sampling rate in your project, then it will be converted to the current project’s sampling rate and bit depth. To import an audio file 1. Set the Now time and current track to indicate where the audio should be placed. 2.
Broadcast Wave files Broadcast Wave files are wave files with some additional information stored in them. Broadcast Wave files have the following information: • Description. A brief description of the contents of the Broadcast wave. Limited to 256 characters. • Originator. The author of the Broadcast wave. This information is taken from the Author field in the “File Info dialog” on page 1736. • Originator Reference. A unique reference identifier created by SONAR. • Origination Date.
Importing audio CD Tracks The File > Import > Audio CD command lets you import tracks from audio CD’s into any track of a project. Audio tracks on a CD always have a bit depth of 16, but you can choose to import the tracks at a higher bit depth if desired. To import a track from an audio CD 1. Set the Now time and current track to indicate where the audio should be placed. 2. Insert an audio CD into the computer’s CD drive. 3.
To import material from another project 1. Open the source project, or click in the Track view for that project. 2. In the Track view, select the material you want to import. 3. Choose Edit > Copy Special to display the Copy dialog box. 4. Make sure that Events in Tracks is checked. If you don’t want to import tempo changes, meter/ key changes, or markers, uncheck those options. Click OK. 5. Open the target project, or click in the Track view for that project. 6.
accurate. SONAR can read either, but always writes sample accurate. The clip position is specified in absolute samples. • Slip edits • Fades and crossfades (as destructive edits)—SONAR renders any fades when it writes OMFs, creating separate clips for any fade-ins or fade-outs. SONAR slip-edits the original clip to make room for the fade-in and fade-out clips.
You can also export SONAR projects as OMF files (File > Export > OMF command). See “Exporting OMF files” on page 972. Importing MIDI files You can create a new SONAR project from a MIDI file simply by opening the file. SONAR takes material from the file and places it into one or more tracks in the Track view. To import data from a MIDI file into a project 1. Open the MIDI file as a new, separate project. 2. Choose Edit > Select > All. 3. Choose Edit > Copy Special to display the Copy dialog box. 4.
Saving your work Like most Windows programs, SONAR has a File > Save command and a File > Save As command to save your work. Normally, you save your projects in the standard project file format, with a file extension of .cwp. This file contains all your MIDI data and all your project settings. Any digital audio that is part of your project is stored in a separate file, as described in “System configuration” on page 1294.
To Save a project 1. Choose File > Save As to display the Save As dialog box. 2. Choose the type of file you want to save from the Save as Type list. 3. Enter a file name and click Save. SONAR saves the file. You can also use File Versioning instead of using Save As. For more information, see “To use File Versioning” on page 326. To change the Auto Save settings 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - Advanced to access Auto Save settings. 2.
Labeling your projects SONAR lets you attach subtitles, composer credits, copyright, and other information to your projects, as shown in the following table. Label Description Title The title for your project; prints automatically at the top of a Staff view printout. Subtitle For a subtitle or dedication; prints directly below the title in a Staff view printout. Instructions Use for performance instructions; prints flush left in a Staff view printout.
Figure 83. The File Info window 3. If you want the File Info window to display automatically, save the file. 4. Click Stats to see statistics about the contents of the file. 5. Choose File > Print Preview if you want to print the project information 6. Close the File Info window. File statistics To open the File Statistics dialog box, select Project > Info and click the Stats button in the File Info dialog box.
Arranging and editing The Track view makes it easy to arrange and mix your projects from a single view. From one location, you can select, copy, move, mix, and rearrange the parts of your project, using menu commands or drag-and-drop tools. You can add real-time audio and MIDI effects from the effects bin and buses. Markers provide easy-to-use reference points and labels for the different parts of your project, and the snap grid makes it easy to align your clips to the desired time points.
“Take lanes” on page 381 “Clip muting and isolating (clip soloing)” on page 388 “Comping” on page 391 “Track folders” on page 414 “Adding effects in the Track view” on page 417 “Changing tempos” on page 418 “Undo, redo, and the undo history” on page 425 “Slip-editing (non-destructive editing)” on page 426 “Enhanced editing with keyboard” on page 434 Arranging tracks SONAR provides a variety of commands that let you work with the tracks in your project. Here are some of the things you can do.
To do this Do this Select a track Click the track number in the Track view. The track is selected, and all other tracks—except the current track—are deselected. When a track is selected, both the track number and all the data in the track appear highlighted. Select several adjacent tracks Click the track number for the first track in the group, drag the mouse to the last track number in the group, and release the mouse button. Select/deselect all tracks Double-click a track number.
To drag a track to a new position 1. Position the mouse just to the right of the track number, over the track icon of the track you want to move. The cursor changes to an up/down arrow. 2. Drag the track to its new location, and release the mouse button. SONAR rearranges and renumbers the tracks.
Attribute How it works Selected If you choose this attribute, SONAR puts all the selected tracks at either the top or bottom of the Tracks window, depending on whether you choose descending (top) or ascending (bottom) in the Order list. Size If you choose this attribute, SONAR puts the tracks in order by size, either in descending or ascending order. Output If you choose this attribute, SONAR sorts the tracks by output number, either in descending or ascending order.
To insert multiple tracks 1. Use the Insert > Multiple Tracks command to open the Insert Tracks dialog box. 2. If you want to insert audio tracks, do the following: • Fill in the number of audio tracks you want to insert in the Audio section’s Track Count field. • Pick a main audio output for the tracks in the Main Destination field. • If you want the main output that you chose to be the default output for new audio tracks, enable the Set as Default Bus check box.
Command Description Shortcut Lock Height This command maintains the track’s height when you use a zoom or fit command. See “To lock or unlock the height of a track” on page 335. n/a Show Only Selected Tracks This command hides all tracks which are not selected. The remaining tracks are adjusted in size vertically. CTRL+SHIFT+H Hide Selected Tracks Hides all selected tracks. CTRL+H Show All Tracks Shows all tracks in your project, including these hidden using the Track Manager.
Copying tracks When you copy one or more tracks using the Track view Tracks > Clone Track(s) command, you can choose any of the following options: • What to copy: events, properties, effects, sends • Repetitions: how many copies of each selected track • Starting track: where you want the first new track to appear To copy tracks 1. Select the tracks that you want to copy. 2. Click the Track view Tracks menu and choose Clone Track(s) to open the Clone Track(s) dialog box. 3.
Erasing tracks You can easily delete an entire track, including all of the track properties and all of its clips and events. Sometimes, you only want to erase, or wipe, the contents of a track, leaving the track properties as they are. If you delete or wipe a track by mistake, you can use Edit > Undo to restore the deleted material. When you delete or wipe a track, the track information is not placed on the Clipboard.
To create a track template 1. Select the track or tracks you want to save as a preset. 2. Select File > Export > Track Template from the main menu. The Save As dialog box appears. 3. Enter a name for the template and click Save. Track templates use the file extension .cwx. To insert a track or tracks from a template • Select Insert > Track Template to open the Import Track Template dialog box, then select the desired track template.
• Select Views > Icons > [name of desired view] > Small Icons or Large Icons from the main menu. To change a track icon 1. Right-click on the icon you want to change. 2. Select Load Track Icon from the menu that appears. The Open dialog box appears. 3. Select an icon and click Open. Note: The right-click option is not available when you right-click a track icon in a track header in the Track view.
Configuring Track view controls To configure track and bus control layouts 1. Click the Track Control button at the top of the Track pane and choose Track Control Manager to open the Track Control Manager. 2. In the Preset field, choose the control preset that you want to configure, or choose , and type a name to create a new tab. 3. In each of the four Strip columns (Audio Strip, MIDI Strip, etc.), check all the controls you want to see for the current preset. 4.
Arranging clips The Track view provides many ways for you to rearrange, copy, and paste clips to arrange your music the way you want. The easiest is to select the clips or portions of clips you want to arrange and then drag and drop them wherever you want. You can drag and drop clips in the Track view even while playback is in progress. You can also arrange clips via the Clipboard using the Edit > Cut, Edit > Copy, and Edit > Paste commands, which work like those in almost all Windows programs.
A B C A. A MIDI clip shows each event; by looking at the clips, you can “see” the notes that are being played B. An audio clip shows the actual waveform C. Controller or automation data are also displayed To inspect the clip contents more closely, use the zoom tools to increase the size in which clips are displayed. Note that displaying the contents of each clip makes your computer work a little harder.
Clip header indicators Audio and MIDI clips show various information at the top of each clip. A standard clip shows only the clip name, while clips that have been modified in various ways show additional information. Figure 85. A Clip header indicators B C D A. Clip group number B. Clip name C. Indicators (FX, AudioSnap, Follow Project Tempo, Stretch, V-Vocal, MIDI editor) D. Clip data (audio waveform or MIDI data) Note: Clip headers automatically disappear if the track height is less than 36 pixels.
Audio clip MIDI clip Description n/a The clip is a Region FX clip, which lets you perform pitch correction on notes and phrases, edit formants, and add vibrato to monophonic sounds. For details, see “Using Region FX” on page 1043. n/a The clip has been stretched from its original duration by the displayed percentage value. For details, see “Slip-stretching audio” on page 687. n/a The clip follows the global project tempo.
• Point the mouse pointer at the top half of the Clips pane or Piano Roll view time ruler (the mouse pointer should look like this: ), then drag up/down. To zoom vertically Do one of the following: • Click the vertical zoom buttons to zoom in or out by a fixed percentage each time you click. • Drag the vertical zoom fader to zoom in or out by the amount you drag. • Hold down the CTRL key and press the UP ARROW key (to zoom out) or the DOWN ARROW key (to zoom in).
To zoom using the mouse wheel (Fast Zoom) • Hold down the ALT key and roll the mouse wheel forward to zoom in, backward to zoom out. • Hold down ALT+SHIFT to intensify mouse wheel zoom effect. • Hold down ALT+CTRL to adjust track scale (Track View Clips Pane only) To select Fast Zoom options 1. Click the Track view Options menu and choose Zoom Options. 2. Select the intensity of the Zoom effect in Zoom Factor by using the spinners or manually entering a value. 3.
To change clip colors 1. Select the clips whose color you want to change. 2. Open the Clip Inspector and show the Properties section. Figure 87. The Clip Inspector. 3. Choose a color as follows: To do this Do this Use the default color Select the Use Track Colors check box. Use a custom color Click the Foreground or Background field and pick a color. Table 47. SONAR changes the color of the selected clips.
Using the Navigator view The Navigator view displays a large part of your project so you can see an overview of your song. The Navigator view is a floating version of the Navigator pane found at the top of the Track view. To open the Navigator view, click the Views menu and choose Navigator, or press ALT+SHIFT+8. Figure 88. The Navigator view. A A. Track rectangle Track rectangle The Track Rectangle appears as a green rectangle within the Navigator view.
To change the Now time in the Navigator view 1. Hold down the CTRL key. 2. Click where you want the Now Time to be.
Selecting clips Before you move, copy, edit, or delete clips you need to select them. There are several ways to select whole clips, as shown in the table: To do this Do this Select a single clip Click on the clip in the Clips pane. Select several clips at once With the right mouse button, drag in a rectangular pattern that touches each clip. Select all the clips in a track Click on the track number in the Track view.
To select by time or by clip You can use either the Smart tool or Select tool to select by time or by clip. When using the Smart tool or Select tool, a clip is divided into two vertical zones. The mouse pointer changes depending on which clip zone the pointer is over: • Smart tool: • Header. Click to select the clip. • Top/Bottom. Drag to select by time. • Top/Bottom. Click to select the clip. • Top/Bottom. Drag with the right mouse button to lasso select. • Select tool: • Top/Bottom.
Moving and copying clips You can copy or move clips using drag-and-drop editing or the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands. If you copy or move clips into tracks that contain existing material, you need to let SONAR know how to combine the two. You have these options: Option How it works Blend Old and New Events in the copied or moved clip are placed into a new clip that overlaps with the existing clip. This is the same effect as sound-on-sound recording.
To move clips using drag and drop 1. Select the clips you want to move. 2. If you want to move the clips by an exact amount of time, enable the snap grid (see “To change the snap options” on page 370 and “Aim Assist line” on page 357). 3. Select the Smart tool or Move tool in the Control Bar. 4. Position the mouse over one of the selected clips. 5. Press and hold down the left mouse button. A rectangle is displayed around the selected clips. 6.
To move clips using cut and paste 1. Select the clips you want to move. 2. Choose Edit > Cut Special to display the Cut dialog box. Figure 90. The Cut dialog box 3. Choose the options you want and click OK. SONAR cuts the clips from the project and places them on the Clipboard. 4. Click in the Track pane to set the current track to be the one where clips should be pasted. 5. Set the Now time to be the time at which the clips should be pasted. 6. Choose Edit > Paste Special to display the Paste dialog box.
To choose a specific start time and/or length for a clip 1. Select the clip you want to edit. 2. Open the Clip Inspector and select the Properties section. 3. In the Time Format field, choose the units you want to use for the new start time and/or length by clicking one of the radio buttons: • M:B:T. Click this if you want the clip to begin and end on a specific measure, beat, or tick. • Samples. Click this is you want the clip to begin and end on a specific sample. • H:M:S:F.
To copy clips using drag and drop 1. Select the clips you want to copy. 2. Enable the snap grid, if desired. 3. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 4. Position the mouse over one of the selected clips. 5. Press and hold the CTRL key and click and hold the left mouse button. A rectangle is displayed around the selected clips. 6. Drag the clips to the new location, and release the mouse button. 7. If necessary, choose the options you want from the Drag and Drop Options dialog box, and click OK.
Aim Assist line Aim Assist is a vertical white line that shows the mouse pointer’s horizontal position in the Clips pane and Piano Roll. The mouse pointer’s time position is also shown in the time ruler. Aim Assist is a helpful guide when editing in the Clips pane and Piano Roll, making it easy to align the mouse pointer with events on different tracks or markers in the time ruler. Figure 92. The Aim Assist line is a helpful guide when editing in the Clips pane B A A. Vertical Aim Assist line B.
To customize the Aim Assist color 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Colors. 2. In the Color Category list, select Track View. 3. In the Screen Element list, select Aim Assist line. 4. Specify the desired color and click OK to close the Preferences dialog box.
To revert clip(s) to original time stamp To revert selected clips to their original SMPTE time stamp, do one of the following: • Right-click a clip and choose Revert Clip(s) to Original Time Stamp from the context menu. • In the Clip Inspector, select the Properties section, click the Original Time field and choose Revert to original time stamp on the pop-up menu. Locking Clips You can lock a clip so that it can’t be accidentally modified or deleted. You can lock the clip’s position and/or its data.
• Clip Lock > Lock Data. In lock mode, this choice locks data only, and causes a blue lock icon with the clasp unlocked to appear on the clip. If position is already locked, then both position and data become locked, and a “locked” lock icon appears on the clip. In unlock mode, if both position and data are locked, and you unlock data, then the yellow “unlocked” lock icon appears on the clip, meaning that only position is locked.
Clip groups SONAR lets you treat multiple clips as a single unit. By grouping clips, you can select and edit an entire group of clips by simply selecting or editing any group member. A group can contain both audio and MIDI clips from a single track or from multiple tracks. Clip groups are very useful, for example, when editing multitrack drums and you want to synchronize edits on all clips from the same recording take.
The following example shows two takes of a five track loop recording. The first clip group is selected. Note: The Group Clips Across Tracks setting is stored with each project.
To create a clip group 1. Select all the clips you want to group together. 2. Do one of the following: • Press [ (square bracket). • Right-click any selected clip, point to Add to Clip Group and choose New from the pop-up menu. A new clip group is created and the group number is displayed next to each clip name. Note: A clip may only belong to one clip group at a time. If any of the selected clips already belong to another clip group, they will be removed from the other group and placed in the new group.
To remove all clip groups 1. Do one of the following: • On the Edit menu, point to Select and choose All. • Press CTRL+A. All clips are selected. 2. Do one of the following: • Press SHIFT+[ (square bracket). • Right-click any selected clip and choose Remove from Clip Group from the pop-up menu. The selected clips are no longer grouped.
SONAR can automatically create a new clip group when splitting clips in an existing clip group. To specify the split behavior, follow these steps: 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Editing. 2. Under Clips, select the When splitting clips in groups, create new groups check box. For more information about splitting clips, see “Splitting and combining clips” on page 379.
Nudge Nudging is moving a clip or a MIDI note by a small amount to the left or right or up and down. There are three customizable settings for the Nudge feature. You can also nudge clips (in the Track view) or notes (in the Piano Roll view) up or down, and you can use keyboard shortcuts (see “To Nudge a Clip Using Keyboard Shortcuts” on page 367).
field: Absolute time setting Description Seconds Whole seconds. Milliseconds Thousands of a second. Frames Number of frames. The default frame count is 30 frames per second. The number of frames varies depending on the setting in Edit > Preferences > Project - Clock. Samples A very small amount of time. For CD-quality audio there are 44,100 samples per second, so a value of 1 here would not move a clip by a perceptible amount.
Working with partial clips SONAR lets you select, copy, move, and delete portions of a project even if they do not match clip boundaries. There are two ways to do this: • Directly select portions of one or more clips. • Select a range of times and one or more tracks. SONAR automatically selects the portions of clips that are in both the selected time range and the selected tracks. You can then copy, move, or delete the material the same way you do with whole clips.
• Click in an empty area of the Clips pane to completely clear the selection. • Choose Edit > Select > None or press CTRL+SHIFT+A to completely clear the selection. • Click on a single clip in the Clips pane to clear the time selection and select the clip. Markers and the snap grid SONAR has a collection of features you can use to simplify and speed the work you do arranging your projects. Here are a few of the most important things you can do: • Show grid lines on measure boundaries in the Track view.
Defining and using the Snap Grid SONAR lets you define a snap grid that makes it easier to arrange clips, select time ranges, and control envelope shape drawing. To use the snap grid, enable the Snap to Grid button in the Control Bar’s Snap module (or press N) and set the grid resolution to an interval of musical time, such as a whole note, half note, or quarter note; a unit of absolute time: a number of frames, seconds or samples; an event; the start or end of a clip; a marker; or audio transients.
duration. When Triplet is enabled, three note events fit in the space of two. • Dotted . Increase the duration of the selected Musical time resolution by half of its original value (150%). • Snap To. Align data to the snap grid. • Snap By. Move data by the grid resolution. • Landmark Events . Snap to the selected landmarks, including markers, Now Time, clips, audio transients, MIDI notes, and automation envelope nodes.
Snap offsets Snap offsets allow you to set a point other than the beginning of a clip as the “snap” point used by the Snap to Grid. A snap offset is the number of samples from the beginning of the clip. Snap offsets affect all edits that obey the Snap to Grid setting. Once the snap offset is added, you can set the Timer Ruler to SMPTE or MBT time. Note: You cannot set a snap offset for a Groove clip. Creating a snap offset Use the following to add a snap offset to a clip: 1.
regardless of changes in tempo. If a marker has a locked SMPTE time (hours, minutes, seconds, and frames), the marker stays at the same time even when the tempo is changed. Locked markers are useful for projects that require you to sync the music or sound with film scores or multimedia presentations. See “To add a marker” on page 373. SONAR takes the current snap grid settings into account when you move or copy markers.
Figure 97. The Marker dialog box 2. Enter a name for the marker in the Name box. 3. The time is set to the Now time. If you want, use the spinners to change the time or type in a new marker time. 4. Check the Locked to SMPTE box if you want to lock the marker to the SMPTE time. 5. Click OK. SONAR adds the marker and displays it in the Time Ruler, the Markers view, and the Control Bar’s Markers module. To add a marker on the fly • Click in the Control Bar’s Markers module, or press M.
To lock or unlock several markers 1. In the Markers view, select one or more markers. Use the CTRL and SHIFT keys if necessary to modify the selection. 2. Select or deselect . SONAR updates the markers. To move a marker • Drag the marker in the Time Ruler. SONAR updates the marker time and shows it at the new location. To delete a marker 1. Press and hold the left mouse button while pointing to a marker in the Time Ruler. 2. Press DELETE, and release the mouse button. SONAR deletes the marker.
• If punch recording is enabled, click to the right of the Punch In marker to select the punch region Tip: If you press TAB or right-click while holding down the left mouse button over the markers, you can toggle through which of the overlaid markers you'd like to move. For example, if the Now Time marker, a regular Marker, a Loop point, and a Punch point are all at measure 5, pressing Tab (while holding down the left mouse button) toggles through T (Now Time), M (regular), L (Loop), and P (Punch).
Clip type TAB target MIDI Groove clips. Each Note event. Step Sequencer clips. Each step that contains a note. Table 53. TAB to transients landmarks (Continued) TAB to transients in the Piano Roll view In addition to the Track view inline Piano Roll, TAB to transients also works in the Piano Roll view. If multiple tracks are displayed in the Piano Roll view, tabbing only operates on the current track.
6. Press and hold down the CTRL key. 7. Press and hold down the left mouse button. A rectangle is displayed around the selected clips. 8. Drag the clips to their new location, and release the mouse button. 9. If necessary, confirm the options in the Drag and Drop Options dialog box, and click OK. SONAR creates copies of the selected clips that are linked to the originals. Any change you make to one of the clips is applied to all linked clips, including the original clip.
Splitting and combining clips SONAR provides several commands that are used to split and combine clips. Specifically, you can: • Split a clip into several smaller clips • Create a new clip from a selected portion of an existing clip • Combine adjacent or overlapping clips into a single, longer clip The following table summarizes the commands you can use. To do this Use this command Notes Split clips into parts • Works on all selected clips.
While the Split command works for both MIDI and audio clips, for audio clips, the Split command provides sample accurate editing and snap-to-zero capability. Note that the Edit > Undo and Edit > Redo commands work with all three of these editing commands. SONAR allows you to specify what is selected after a clip is split into two parts: • Left portion (default). Only the left portion is selected. • Right portion. Only the right portion is selected. • Both portions.
Take lanes Take lanes provide an alternative method of viewing and editing overlapping clips on tracks. Overlapping clips can occur when you record multiple takes on the same track. Take lanes can be expanded or collapsed on each track. When expanded, Take lanes are indented below the parent track. Take lanes can be created, hidden, and removed, and each track can have an unlimited number of lanes. Take lanes provide many benefits, including: • Better visibility of clip data.
• You use loop recording in Comping or Sound on Sound mode, and choose to store takes in a single track. • You record over some pre-existing data while in Sound on Sound mode. • The track contains at least one overlapping clip. See: “Take lane controls” on page 382 “Using Take lanes” on page 384 See also: “Comping” on page 391 Take lane controls Most of the controls in Take lanes are identical to the controls found in tracks. Figure 100. Take lane controls. A B C D E F G H I J A.
• Edit Filter. Use a track’s Edit Filter control to specify the type of data you want to edit. • Clips. The selected tool operates on clips. • Audio Transients. The selected tool operates on audio transients (only available for audio tracks). • Notes. The selected tool operates on MIDI Note events (only available for MIDI and Instrument tracks). • Clip Automation. The selected tool operates on clip automation envelopes. Select the desired automation parameter from the submenu.
Using Take lanes To expand/collapse a track’s Take lanes Click a track’s Expand/collapse Take Lanes button . Any existing clips are moved from the parent track to separate Take lanes. Tip: To show/hide Take lanes in the current track, press SHIFT+T. Figure 101. You can expand and collapse Take lanes on each track. A B A. Take lanes expanded B. Take lanes collapsed After Take lanes are expanded, you can move clips on top of each other without SONAR automatically creating new Take lanes.
• Collapsed, with at least one existing lane. The button has a soft blue glow • Expanded. The button is solid blue . . To insert a new Take lane 1. Click a track’s Expand/collapse Take Lanes 2. Click the Add Take Lane button button. in an existing Take lane. A new lane is created below the clicked lane. New Take lanes are automatically named T1, T2, T3, etc. To remove a lane Click the lane’s Delete Take Lane button deleted. .
To solo or unsolo a Take lane Click the Take lane’s Solo button . You can only solo one Take lane at a time. Note: When a Take lane is soloed, and clip mutes (partial clip mute) are ignored. To arm a Take lane for recording Click the Take lane’s Arm for Recording button . You can only arm one Take lane at a time. Note: If a track’s Take lanes are expanded while recording into the parent track, the recorded data will be moved to a new Take lane after recording is stopped.
See: “Clip muting and isolating (clip soloing)” on page 388 To edit a specific Take lane control across multiple tracks Quick Groups allow you to effortlessly adjust identical controls across the same Take lane in different tracks. For example, you can quickly mute all Take lanes named T2. You can Quick Group the Mute, Solo, Arm for Recording and Edit Filter controls. Quick Groups can either affect all tracks, or only selected tracks of the same type.
Clip muting and isolating (clip soloing) Together with Take lanes, clip muting and isolating (clip soloing) make it easy to build a composite take from multiple takes. The Mute tool lets you mute/unmute entire clips, or only regions within clips. Click a clip to mute/ unmute the clip. Drag in the bottom half of the clip to mute a region, and drag in the top half to unmute a region. A clip that is completely muted appears dimmed.
Toggling a clip’s mute status You can mute or unmute a clip without using the Mute tool if you want. Pressing K on your keyboard toggles the mute status of all selected clips. Any muted time ranges remain muted. See: “Audition (selection playback)” on page 389 “Isolating (clip soloing)” on page 390 Audition (selection playback) To audition the current selection, press SHIFT+SPACEBAR. Only the selected data plays back.
Isolating (clip soloing) Isolating works by muting all the clips in a track in the same time region except the ones that you want to hear. To make it simpler to work with overlapping clips in the same track, click the track’s Expand/collapse Take Lanes button to show overlapping clips in separate lanes. To isolate a region 1. Select the Mute tool in the Control Bar. 2. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 3. Hold down the CTRL key and drag across the region you want to isolate.
Comping There are various methods you can use to record your best performance. Comping refers to the process of recording multiple takes, then assembling a final “composite” track by combining the best parts from each take. While some musicians can perform a flawless performance in a single take, most people typically record several takes so they have a few alternative versions of the same performance in case there are any mistakes they want to fix later.
A B A. Comp clip B.
Basic comping workflow When comping, you will typically use a workflow that looks similar to this: 1. Record multiple takes to separate Take lanes. You can manually record to one Take lane at a time, or set up loop recording to automatically create a new Take lane for each repetition. You can also import loops. For details, see “Recording takes” on page 394. 2. Click the track’s Expand/collapse Take Lanes button visible. (or press SHIFT+T) so Take lanes are 3.
See also: “Take lanes” on page 381 Recording takes Before comping, you need to record multiple takes on a track. You can manually record to one Take lane at a time, or set up loop recording to automatically create a new Take lane for each repetition. A take is any new data brought into a track. It can be recorded audio or MIDI, dragged-in loops, or imported files. If a track has data on it, it has at least one Take lane. A new Take lane is created for each new take.
9. Click the Record button in Control Bar’s Transport module. 10. When recording is complete, click the Stop button . Each repetition appears in its own Take lane. Take lanes are named automatically. The first lane is named T1, the next lane is named T2, etc. The newest (chronologically youngest) take is shown on top. The lane number always stays with a lane, even if you reorder, insert or delete lanes. Recording to a single Take lane 1.
See also: “Recording” on page 267 “Recording modes” on page 278 “Looping” on page 194 “Take lanes” on page 381 Auditioning takes There are several ways to audition takes in order to compare and find the best takes: • Click the Take lane’s Solo button . Unlike track solo buttons, Take lane solo buttons are mutually exclusive, meaning you can only solo one Take lane on a track at a time. This allows you to quickly audition or solo a single take since there is no need to first unsolo other takes.
See also: “Take lanes” on page 381 “Audition (selection playback)” on page 389 “Scrubbing” on page 836 “To solo or unsolo a Take lane” on page 386 “Looping” on page 194 Comping methods There are three primary methods you can use to comp in SONAR: • Comping record mode. The default recording mode in SONAR is called Comping. When recording, previously recorded material on the track is not heard.
6. Click the track’s Record button to arm the track for recording. Note: It is important that you arm the parent track, not an existing Take lane. 7. If you are loop recording multiple takes: a) Drag in the Track view time ruler to select the desired loop boundaries. b) Right-click the time ruler and select Set Loop Points on the pop-up menu (or press SHIFT+L). You can also click the Set Loop Points to Selection Bar’s Loop module. 8.
Hear existing material while recording? Time-mute existing material? Create new Take lane for How it works each pass when loop recording? Comping (default) No Yes Yes Overwrite No No (new material No (unless global overwrites existing Store Takes in Separate Tracks material) option is enabled in Edit > Preferences > Project - Record) The new material replaces (overwrites) any existing material.
See also: “Loop recording multiple takes to a single track” on page 394. “Looping” on page 194 “Recording” on page 267 “Recording modes” on page 278 Comping with the Smart tool and Comping tool SONAR’s Smart tool or Comping tool have an isolate function that allows you to select a region on one Take lane and automatically mute the same region in all other Take lanes on the same track. The mouse pointer looks like when comping operations are possible.
focus on identifying the regions you want to hear (isolate), and SONAR will automatically split, mute/ unmute, and heal clips. Figure 105. Drag to select the region you want to isolate. Figure 106. SONAR splits and mutes takes in order to define the isolate/mute regions. Figure 107. Drag to isolate another region, and SONAR automatically heals previous splits, if necessary. You can also manually heal abutting healable clips.
Isolate gestures work on the surrounding “zone”, using the following order of priority: • Selection. If the clicked spot is within a selection region anywhere on that track, the entire selection is isolated. • Mute/Isolate regions. The boundaries of muted and unmuted regions are the zone boundaries. All mute/unmute regions across all Take lanes are used. • Clips. The cropped points of the clicked clip are the zone boundaries.
Note: Only the Smart tool changes its functionality when editing in a Take lane. The other tools function in the exact same way as when Take lanes are hidden. The Comping tool works when Take lanes are shown.
Speed comping You can quickly audition each take by itself and select only the takes you want to keep. To do so: 1. Select a take you want to audition. 2. Press SHIFT+SPACEBAR to start audition playback. Audition will loop continuously. You will see temporary Loop markers in the time ruler. 3. Press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key to audition the next or previous take. Take lanes are numbered sequentially, with the most recent take on top. 4.
5. Press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW key to move to other takes along the timeline. 6. Repeat steps 3-4 until you have completed the comping. Tip: If you want to audition takes in context with other tracks, enable Dim Solo mode in the Control Bar’s Mix module. For details, see “Dim Solo mode” on page 205. Tip: Before speed comping, you may first want to use the Smart tool or Comping tool to drag across each musical phrase in order to split the takes into smaller phrases.
The following table shows speed comping keyboard shortcuts. Command Shortcut Audition the selected take SHIFT+SPACEBAR Audition the next or previous take UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW Isolate the currently auditioned take ENTER Audition the next or previous take along the timeline RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW Table 58.
Adjusting crossfades When splitting clips as a result of comping, SONAR automatically adds a short crossfade between abutting takes. In order to create a crossfade, clip boundaries must occur at the exact same position on the time line. You can manually adjust the duration of each crossfade by dragging the crossfade up/down in either the Comp clip or in a Take lane. To adjust a crossfade duration, position the mouse pointer near the bottom where two clips abut.
“Removing all unused takes and empty Take lanes” on page 413 “Comping” on page 391 See also: “Take lanes” on page 381 “Fades and crossfades” on page 430 Editing Comp clips When showing multiple Take lanes, the parent track shows a Comp clip that is a visual representation of all overlapping unmuted takes in the track, but no audio or MIDI data actually exists in a Comp clip. A track can contain multiple Comp clips if there are time gaps between takes.
Figure 109. A Comp clip can contain multiple regions. A B C D H E I F G A. Isolated take region B. Empty region (no unmuted takes) C. Crossfade region D. Multiclip region E. Isolated take F. Muted take G. Crossfade H. Comp clip unified header (click to select or move all takes as a group) I. Multiclip region (multiple overlapping unmuted takes) A Comp clip contains the following sections: • Unified header. The solid blue header makes it easy to identify Comp clips.
Edit operation Isolated clip region Multiclip region Crossfade region Select Selects the corresponding time region in all takes. Selects the corresponding time region in all takes. Delete Deletes region on all takes. Deletes region on all takes. Only deletes crossfade clip. Crop Equivalent to cropping the corresponding take. The clip region is bounded by the underlying clip, so you cannot extend a clip region further than the corresponding take boundaries.
“Finalizing the comp” on page 411 “Removing all unused takes and empty Take lanes” on page 413 “Comping” on page 391 See also: “Take lanes” on page 381 Finalizing the comp After you have completed a comp, you might want to mix all the unmuted takes down to a new Take lane as a single continuous take. To flatten all isolated clips in a track 1. Click the track’s Expand/collapse Take Lanes button to show Take lanes. 2. Right-click the Comp clip and select Flatten Comp on the pop-up menu.
Figure 111.
Removing all unused takes and empty Take lanes During, or after finishing a comp, you might want to permanently remove all muted takes or empty Take lanes if you are certain that you will not need them. SONAR has several convenient commands to automate this process. To delete all muted takes in a track 1. Click the track’s Expand/collapse Take Lanes button to show Take lanes. 2. Right-click the Comp clip and select Delete Muted Takes on the pop-up menu. To remove all empty Take lanes in a track 1.
Track folders A track folder contains tracks in the Track pane of the Track view. Track folders make larger projects much easier to manage—you can group different types of tracks in their own folder: vocals, soft synths, ReWire instruments, drums, etc. The main characteristics of a track folder are: • You can edit all the tracks in the folder as if you were editing a single track—especially valuable for drum tracks. The track folder displays a composite clip in the Clips pane of all the clips in the folder.
To create a track folder • Right-click in the Track pane of the Track view, and choose Insert Track Folder from the pop-up menu. Or • Use the Insert > Track Folder menu command. Or • Right-click a track that’s not in a track folder and select Move to Folder > New Track Folder from the pop-up menu. A new track folder appears in the Track pane.
To remove multiple tracks from a track folder 1. Select the tracks you want to remove. 2. Right-click a selected track and choose Remove From Folder from the pop-up menu. To delete a track folder 1. In the Track view, right-click and select Delete Track Folder from the menu that appears. 2. SONAR asks you if you want to delete all the tracks in the folder along with the track folder— click Yes or No. SONAR deletes the track folder.
Adding effects in the Track view You can add both MIDI and audio effects directly from the Track view. SONAR adds these effects in real-time, preserving your track’s original data. To add effects in the Track view 1. Right-click in the effects bin of the track you want to add effects to. A A. Right-click here to add an effect An effects pop-up menu appears. SONAR displays MIDI effects if you are editing a MIDI track, and audio effects for an audio track. 2. Select an effect from the menu.
Changing tempos Your project can incorporate all kinds of tempo changes, including step changes from one tempo to another, gradual increases (accelerandos) or decreases (ritardandos), and almost any other type of change you can imagine. The tempo changes you add to your project become part of the project and are saved with the project file. You can add tempo changes to your project in the following ways: • Clicking the tempo display in the Control Bar’s Transport module.
Using the Transport module The Transport module displays the current tempo and lets you change the tempo as shown in the following figure. Figure 112. The Transport module. A A. Click to enter a new tempo When you enter a new tempo directly in the Transport module, you change the most recent tempo setting in the project. To change the current tempo in the Tempo toolbar 1. Enable Groove Clip Looping on any audio clips that you want to follow the tempo changes.
Figure 113. The Tempo dialog 3. Check the Insert a New Tempo box. 4. Enter a new tempo in one of the following ways: • Type a value in the Tempo field. • Click the arrows to change the value. • Tap a new tempo in the space indicated in the dialog box. 5. Enter a starting time for the new tempo. 6. Click OK. SONAR inserts a tempo change at the designated time. To insert a series of tempos 1. Enable Groove Clip Looping on any audio clips that you want to follow the tempo changes.
SONAR erases any existing tempo changes between the starting and ending time, and inserts a series of tempo changes that change smoothly between the starting and ending time. This command never inserts more than one tempo change on the same clock tick. Audio clips which you want to follow tempo changes can also be converted to Groove clips in the Loop Construction view. To modify the most recent tempo change 1. Enable Groove Clip Looping on any audio clips that you want to follow the tempo changes.
The Control Bar contains several tools you can use to add or modify tempo changes: Tool Name What it’s for Select Drag the Select tool in either the Tempo list or graphic display to select tempos to edit Freehand Draw a custom curve indicating changes in tempo Line Draw a straight line indicating a steady increase or decrease in tempo Erase Eliminate tempo changes already in place for some portion of a project Snap grid Controls how often you can insert tempo changes—for example, every measure,
To insert a tempo change in the Tempo view 1. Enable Groove Clip Looping on any audio clips that you want to follow the tempo changes. Do this by selecting one or more clips, right-clicking a selected clip, and choosing Groove > Clip Looping from the pop-up menu. Each clip that has Groove Clip Looping enabled has beveled edges instead of sharp corners. The same command disables Groove Clip Looping on any selected clip that has Groove Clip Looping enabled. 2.
4. Release the mouse button. SONAR deletes all tempo changes in the area you marked. The last tempo setting prior to the erased region is now in effect in that region. To insert a tempo change in the Tempo list in the Tempo view 1. Enable Groove Clip Looping on any audio clips that you want to follow the tempo changes. Do this by selecting one or more clips, right-clicking a selected clip, and choosing Groove > Clip Looping from the pop-up menu.
Undo, redo, and the undo history SONAR provides very powerful Undo and Redo commands that let you move forward or backward through any portion of an editing session. Every project has its own independent undo history. This means you can return to any open project and use the Undo and Redo commands, even if you’ve spent the last hour working on a different project. The undo history of a project is lost when you close the project.
By default, SONAR keeps a history of up to 128 editing actions for each open project. Once that limit is reached, each new action pushes out the oldest item from the History list. You can raise or lower that number in the Undo History dialog box. Slip-editing (non-destructive editing) Slip-editing allows you to non-destructively hide or reveal the beginning of a clip, the end of a clip, or both. The hidden material in a clip is not heard during playback.
Using slip-editing SONAR makes it easy to edit audio and MIDI clips by way of prominent clip handles that appear as your cursor comes close to the edges of clips. The clip handles are easy to see and are equipped with broad functionality for fade-ins, fade-outs, and crossfades, as well as non-destructive editing of the beginning and end of clips. To slip-edit a clip 1. Set an appropriate snap resolution in the Control Bar’s Snap module. 2. Select the Smart tool or Edit tool in the Control Bar. 3.
To move data without moving its clip 1. Do one of the following: • Using the Smart tool to edit. • Using the Edit tool to edit. , hold ALT+SHIFT move the pointer over the middle of the clip you want , hold ALT+SHIFT move the pointer over the top third of the clip you want The cursor changes to look like this . 2. Click and drag the clip to the left or right as desired. As in the case of slip-editing, the hidden information in the clip remains intact but is not heard during playback.
3. Click and drag the edge of the clip to the desired location. The hidden information in the clip remains intact but is not heard during playback. To permanently delete slip-edited data 1. Select the clips that contain the slip-edited data you want to delete. 2. Select the Track view Clips > Apply Trimming command. SONAR permanently deletes the slip-edited data from the clips you selected. Slip-editing multiple clips You can slip-edit multiple clips at the same time.
Fades and crossfades Fades are a gradual increase or decrease in volume at the beginning (fade-in) or end (fade-out) of a clip. A crossfade is when one clip fades out while another fades in. There are two ways to create fades and crossfades in SONAR: offline (destructive) and real-time (non-destructive). To create fades and crossfades offline, see “Applying fades and crossfades offline” on page 843.
3. When your cursor changes and the filled red triangle appears, click and drag to the right until you reach your desired fade-in length. As you drag your mouse, a fade-in appears on your clip, and the red line moves with the mouse to mark the end of the fade-in. To edit a fade-in in a Clip • To move the entire fade-in to a later point in the clip, drag above the blue horizontal line located a quarter of the way up the blue vertical line . A B A. Cursor above horizontal blue line B.
To create an automatic crossfade (real-time) 1. Click the Track view Options menu and choose Auto Crossfade. 2. Click the Track view Options menu, point to Crossfade Type > Default Crossfade Curves and select the desired default crossfade curve types. 3. Select and drag an audio clip so that it overlaps another audio clip. You should overlap the clips by the length you want the crossfade. 4. When you have the clip positioned where you want it, release the mouse button to drop the clip.
To edit or create fades from the Process menu 1. Select the clip or clips in which you want to create or edit fade-ins and/or fade-outs. 2. Select Process > Fade Selected Clips. 3. Click the Track view Clips menu and choose Fade Clips to open the Fade Selected Clips dialog box. 4. Adjust parameters according to the following table. Parameter Description Fade In (mS) Select the number of milliseconds you want the fade-in to last.
Enhanced editing with keyboard SONAR supports advanced editing via the numeric keypad on standard QWERTY keyboards. You can perform the following operations: • Navigate (see “Navigating with a keyboard” on page 436): • Scroll • Zoom • Select (see “Selecting with a keyboard” on page 438): • Clip select • Time select • Edit (see “Editing with a keyboard” on page 439): • Trim/crop • Fade To enable/disable editing with a QWERTY keyboard 1. On your QWERTY keyboard, press the NumLock key to enable NumLock mode.
Figure 117. Numeric keypad (NumLock mode) CROP OR FADE LEFT UP EDIT MODE CROP OR FADE RIGHT LEFT CENTER EDIT CURSOR RIGHT DOWN SELECT MODE ZOOM/ SCROLL MODE ENABLE EDITING Key Function 0 Enable/disable keyboard editing (when NumLock is enabled) 1 Enable Zoom/Scroll mode 2 Down 3 Enable Select mode 4 Left 5 Center edit cursor 6 Right 7 -- 8 Up 9 Enable Edit mode Table 63.
Key Function Volume knob (if keyboard has a rotary encoder) Zoom/scroll/trim/crop depending on current mode PLUS (+) Crop or fade right in Edit mode MINUS (-) Crop or fade left in Edit mode Table 63. See: “Navigating with a keyboard” on page 436 “Selecting with a keyboard” on page 438 “Editing with a keyboard” on page 439 Navigating with a keyboard Scroll and Zoom are part of the same mode, which makes it fast to navigate around a project.
Key Function CTRL+ 4 Scroll left in large steps -Zoom in horizontally in large steps (based on selection) -- 5 Center edit cursor -- -- -- 6 Scroll right in large steps -Zoom out horizontally in large steps (based on selection) -- 8 Scroll up in large steps Zoom in vertically in large steps (based on selection) -- -- 9 Enable Edit mode -- -- -- Scroll vertically Scroll in small steps Zoom (based on selection) Scroll horizontally Volume knob (if keyboard has a rotary encoder) AL
Selecting with a keyboard In Select mode, you can select either clips or time. To enable selecting with a keyboard 1. On your QWERTY keyboard, press the NumLock key to enable NumLock mode. 2. On the numeric keypad, press 0 to enable keyboard editing. 3. On the numeric keypad, press 3 to enable Select mode.
To select clips with a keyboard • In Select mode, do one of the following: • To select and edit clip under the edit cursor. • To extend the current selection. Press 9 to select clip and enable Edit mode. Hold down SHIFT+ALT and press 2, 4, 6 or 8. Editing with a keyboard Edit mode lets you fade and crop all selected clips. If no clips are selected when you enter Edit mode, SONAR will automatically select the clip that is under the edit cursor. To enable clip editing with a keyboard 1.
To fade clips with a keyboard 1. In Select mode, select the clips that you want to fade. 2. Press 9 to enable Edit mode. 3. Specify the clip property that you want to edit: • Fade in. • Fade out. Press 8. Press 2. 4. Do one of the following to adjust the selected fade: • Turn the rotary encoder. • Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-). Note: Fades do not obey Snap to Grid. To crop clips with a keyboard 1. In Select mode, select the clips that you want to crop. 2. Press 9 to enable Edit mode. 3.
Tools SONAR has several different global tools that allow you to edit content in your projects. The global tools live in the Tools module in the Control Bar, and allow you to edit content in the following views: • Track view • Piano Roll view • Staff view • Tempo view The selected tool applies to whichever editing view has focus. There are several ways to select tools: • From the Tools module in the Control Bar. For details, see “Using the Control Bar to select tools” on page 446.
Tool Button Shortcut Description How to use “Smart tool” on page 456 F5 The Smart tool is the default tool in SONAR. The Smart tool is a multifunction tool that combines functions from several other tools. The function is determined by where you click. Using the Smart tool on: • Audio clips • MIDI clips • Take lanes • PRV notes • Automation • AudioSnap transients “Select tool” on page 464 F6 The Select tool lets you select data.
Tool Button Shortcut Description How to use “Freehand tool” on page 486 The Freehand tool lets you draw MIDI F9 (cycle through all notes and freehand automation Draw tools) envelopes. You can also create and promote transient markers. Using the Freehand tool on: • PRV notes • Automation • AudioSnap transients “Line tool” on page 490 The Line tool lets you draw straight F9 (cycle through all automation envelopes and “paint” Draw tools) MIDI notes.
Tool Button Shortcut Description How to use “Scrub tool” on page 503 None J The Scrub tool lets you play all displayed tracks as you drag the mouse pointer forward or backward at the desired speed. To scrub: • A single track • All displayed tracks “Zoom tool” on page 504 None Z “Using the Zoom tool” on page 504 The Zoom tool lets you change the vertical and horizontal scale of a view. You can lasso select a specific area to zoom into. Table 67.
Selecting tools To select and use a tool 1. Do one of the following: • Click the desired tool in the Control Bar’s Tools module. For details, see “Using the Control Bar to select tools” on page 446. • Press T on your computer keyboard to display the Tools HUD, then select the desired tool. For details, see “Using the Tools HUD to select tools” on page 448. • Press the tool’s keyboard shortcut. A tool’s keyboard shortcut is displayed in its tooltip.
Using the Control Bar to select tools Figure 120. Global tools are accessed from the Tools module in the Control Bar. A B C D E F G A. Smart tool B. Select tool C. Move tool D. Edit tools (Edit/Timing/Comping/Split) E. Draw tools (Freehand/ Line/Sine/Triangle/Square/Saw/Random) F. Erase tools (Erase/Mute) G. Draw resolution To show/hide the Tools module Right-click the Control Bar and select Tools Module. For more information about the Tools module, see “Tools module” on page 541.
If the tool you are looking for isn’t visible in the Tools module, chances are that another tool in the same group is selected. To access the hidden tool, click the group the tool belongs to, then select the tool from the pop-up menu. Figure Figure 122 on page 447 shows an expanded view of all tool groups. Figure 121. If a button displays a small triangle in the bottom right corner, click and keep the mouse button pressed to access additional tools or options. Figure 122. Tools module expanded view.
Using the Tools HUD to select tools Press the T to open the Tools HUD (Heads Up Display) at the current pointer position, then select the desired tool. Tip: You can press the middle mouse button to open the Tools HUD. While the Tools HUD is open, use the mouse wheel to open the Edit Filter menu. Figure 123. Press T to show the Tools HUD. In the Track view, the Tools HUD also shows the Edit Filter control for whichever track is behind the mouse pointer when the Tools HUD is opened.
Tool Button Shortcut “Split tool” on page 482 Cycle through Draw tools (Freehand/Line/Sine/Triangle/ Square/Saw/Random) F8 --- F9 “Freehand tool” on page 486 F9 “Line tool” on page 490 F9 “Sine tool” on page 492 F9 “Triangle tool” on page 492 F9 “Square tool” on page 492 F9 “Saw tool” on page 492 F9 “Random tool” on page 493 F9 Cycle through Erase tools (Erase/Mute) --- F10 “Erase tool” on page 495 F10 “Mute tool” on page 499 F10 Snap on/off --- N “Scrub tool” on page 503 ---
To temporarily invoke a tool While using a specific tool, you can temporarily invoke another tool by holding down the new tool’s keyboard shortcut. Release the shortcut to switch back to the previously selected tool. For example, if you are using the Move tool and need to select some notes, press and hold down the F6 key (shortcut for the Select tool), make a selection, then release the F6 key to return to the Move tool.
indicate existing envelopes. • Clip Automation. The selected tool operates on clip automation envelopes. Select the desired automation parameter from the submenu. Color-coded squares and bold text are used to indicate existing envelopes. To change the current Edit Filter setting Do one of the following: • Click the Edit Filter control and select the desired data type.
Data type ghosting Although you can only edit one data type at a time, you can choose to always show clips and automation envelopes simultaneously. All but the selected data type will be shaded, or “ghosted”. This allows you to see all data types in context while editing a specific data type. You can also hold down the SHIFT key and click any ghosted object to switch a track’s current Edit Filter setting. This is a quick way to toggle between editing clips and automation envelopes. Figure 125.
Editing audio clips • “Working with audio clips” on page 515 • “Using the Smart tool on audio clips” on page 457 • “Using the Select tool on audio clips” on page 464 • “Using the Move tool on audio clips” on page 469 • “Using the Edit tool on audio clips” on page 474 • “Using the Timing tool on audio clips” on page 478 • “Using the Erase tool on audio clips” on page 495 • “Using the Split tool on audio clips” on page 483 • “Using the Mute tool on audio clips” on page 499 • “To split a clip” on page 519 • “T
• “To move a clip” on page 522 • “To erase a clip” on page 523 Editing notes in the Piano Roll • “Working with MIDI notes” on page 525 • “Using the Smart tool on PRV notes” on page 461 • “Using the Select tool on PRV notes” on page 466 • “Using the Move tool on PRV notes” on page 470 • “Using the Edit tool on PRV notes” on page 476 • “Using the Timing tool on PRV notes” on page 479 • “Using the Freehand tool on PRV notes” on page 487 • “Using the Line tool on PRV notes” on page 490 • “Using the Erase tool o
• “Using the Line tool on automation” on page 491 • “Using the Pattern tools on automation” on page 493 • “Using the Erase tool on automation” on page 497 • “To select automation” on page 529 • “To move automation” on page 529 • “To draw automation freehand” on page 530 • “To draw a straight line” on page 530 • “To draw automation shapes” on page 531 • “To erase automation” on page 532 • “To add envelope nodes” on page 532 • “To draw MIDI continuous controller envelopes” on page 533 Editing AudioSnap transi
“Edit tool” on page 473 “Timing tool” on page 478 “Freehand tool” on page 486 “Line tool” on page 490 “Pattern tools” on page 492 “Erase tool” on page 495 “Split tool” on page 482 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Smart tool The Smart tool is the default tool in SONAR. The Smart tool is a multi-function tool that combines functions from several other tools. The function is determined by where you click.
Using the Smart tool on audio clips Figure 127. Smart tool hotspots on audio clips. A C B D E F G Hotspot Default action A Adjust fade in B Adjust fade out C Crop clip start Note: If the clip contains a fade in, drag the top half to crop clip start and move the fade in, or drag the bottom half to only crop the clip without moving the fade in (does not apply when editing in Take lanes). Table 69.
Hotspot Default action D Crop clip end Note: If the clip contains a fade out, drag the top half to crop clip end and move the fade out, or drag the bottom half to only crop the clip without moving the fade out (does not apply when editing in Take lanes).
Using the Smart tool in Take lanes Figure 128. Smart tool hotspots in Take lanes (two split clips shown). A B Clip 1 Clip 2 C D E F G Hotspot Default action A Adjust fade in B Adjust fade out C H +CTRL +ALT+SHIFT Crop clip start Stretch clip Crop clip start and also move clip data D Crop clip end Stretch clip Crop clip end and also move clip data E Drag the top half to select by time. Drag the bottom half to isolate. F Split clip Click to isolate clip.
Using the Smart tool on MIDI clips Figure 129. Smart tool hotspots on MIDI clip. A B C D E Hotspot Default action A Crop clip start Crop clip start and also move clip data B Crop clip end Crop clip end and also move clip data C Select by time D Click to set the Now time and clear the selection; drag to select by time E Split clip Click to set the Now time and clear the selection; drag to select by time Note: Click the clip header to select the clip, or drag the header to move the clip.
Using the Smart tool on PRV notes Figure 130. Smart tool hotspots on PRV notes. A B D E C DoubleRight-click click Hotspot Default action A Drag up/down to adjust note velocity B Adjust note start C Click to select note; drag to move note D Adjust note end E Insert a new note (before releasing mouse button, drag left/right to change duration, and up/down to change pitch) Table 72.
Using the Smart tool on automation Figure 131. Smart tool hotspots on automation. A B D E C Hotspot Default action Double-click A Move node Reset node B Drag up/down to adjust selected nodes C Drag left/right to select nodes D Insert a node E Time select nodes Table 73.
Using the Smart tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 132. Smart tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. B C A D Hotspot Default action Double-click A Drag transient marker line to stretch selected transients (nonproportional stretch) Select all adjacent transient markers in other tracks B Drag transient marker handle (diamond) to move transient marker (non-stretch) C Lasso select transients D Lasso select transients across clips and tracks Table 74.
“Erase tool” on page 495 “Split tool” on page 482 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Select tool The Select tool lets you select data. You can select a time range, or select entire clips, MIDI notes, envelope nodes and transients. To select the Select tool Do one of the following: • Click the Select tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Select tool. • Press F6. Using the Select tool on audio clips Figure 133.
Using the Select tool on MIDI clips Figure 134. Select tool hotspots on MIDI clip. A C B Hotspot Default action Right-click A Select by time Drag to lasso select B Click to select clip B Drag to select multiple clips C Select by time Table 76.
Using the Select tool on PRV notes Figure 135. Select tool hotspots on PRV notes. A B Hotspot Default action A Click to select note A Drag to lasso select B Lasso select Table 77.
Using the Select tool on automation Figure 136. Select tool hotspots on automation. A B C D Hotspot Default action A +CTRL +SHIFT Right-click Select node Extend/toggle selection Extend selection Drag to lasso select B Time select nodes Extend/toggle selection Extend selection Drag to lasso select nodes across tracks C Select segment D Time select nodes Table 78.
Using the Select tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 137. Select tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. A B Hotspot Default action Double-click +CTRL +SHIFT A Select transient marker Select adjacent transient markers in other tracks Extend/toggle selection Extend selection B Drag left/right to select transient markers Table 79.
Move tool The Move tool lets you move selected data. You can move entire clips, partial clips, MIDI notes, envelope nodes, transient markers and clip tempo map markers. To select the Move tool Do one of the following: • Click the Move tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Move tool. • Press F7. Using the Move tool on audio clips Figure 138. Move tool hotspots on audio clip.
Using the Move tool on MIDI clips Figure 139. Move tool hotspots on MIDI clip. A Hotspot Default action A Drag clip to move clip A Drag selection to move selection Table 81. +ALT Using the Move tool on MIDI clips Using the Move tool on PRV notes Figure 140. Move tool hotspots on PRV notes. A Hotspot Default action +SHIFT A Move note freely Constrain movement vertically or horizontally Table 82.
Using the Move tool on automation Figure 141. Move tool hotspots on automation. A B C Hotspot Default action Double-click +CTRL +SHIFT A Move node Reset node Extend/toggle selection Extend selection B Move selected segments/nodes C Move segment Add new node Extend/toggle selection Extend selection Table 83.
Using the Move tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 142. Move tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. A B Hotspot Default action Double-click A If no selection exists, move clicked transient marker; if selection exists, move selected transient markers Reset transient marker B Move selected transient markers Table 84.
Edit tool The Edit tool lets you adjust data. You can slip-edit (trim/crop) clips, adjust note start/end times, adjust fades, and raise/lower note velocity and automation envelopes. Note: The Edit tool does not work on AudioSnap transients. To select the Edit tool Do one of the following: • Click the Edit tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Edit tool. • Press F8. Note: The F8 shortcut key cycles through all Edit tools (Edit/Timing/Split).
Using the Edit tool on audio clips Figure 143. Edit tool hotspots on audio clip. A B E C D Hotspot Default action +CTRL +ALT+SHIFT A Adjust fade in B Adjust fade out C Crop clip start Note: If the clip contains a fade in, drag the top 75% to crop clip start and move the fade in, or drag the bottom 25% to only crop the clip without moving the fade in.
Using the Edit tool on MIDI clips Figure 144. Edit tool hotspots on MIDI clip. C A B Hotspot Default action A Crop clip start and also move clip data Crop clip start Note: If the clip contains a fade in, drag the top 75% to crop clip start and move the fade in, or drag the bottom 25% to only crop the clip without moving the fade in.
Using the Edit tool on PRV notes Figure 145. Edit tool hotspots on PRV notes. A B C Hotspot Default action A Drag up/down to adjust note velocity B Adjust note start C Adjust note end Table 87. Using the Edit tool on PRV notes Using the Edit tool on automation Figure 146. Edit tool hotspots on automation.
Hotspot Default action Double-click +CTRL +SHIFT A Drag to move node Click to select node Reset node Extend selection Extend selection B Drag up/down to adjust selected nodes C Drag to move line segment Double-click to add new node Table 88. Drag up/down to cycle through the line’s available curve types (Fast, Current, Slow, Jump).
Timing tool The Timing tool lets you slip-stretch audio clips, drag-quantize MIDI notes, and stretch audio using transient markers Note: The Timing tool does not work on MIDI clips or automation. To select the Timing tool Do one of the following: • Click the Timing tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Timing tool. • Press F8. Note: The F8 shortcut key cycles through all Edit tools (Edit/Timing/Split).
Using the Timing tool on PRV notes Figure 148. Timing tool hotspots on PRV notes. A Hotspot Default action A Drag up/down to drag quantize selected notes Table 90. Using the Timing tool on PRV notes Using the Timing tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 149. Timing tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients.
See also: “Tools” on page 441 “Smart tool” on page 456 “Select tool” on page 464 “Move tool” on page 469 “Edit tool” on page 473 “Split tool” on page 482 “Freehand tool” on page 486 “Line tool” on page 490 “Pattern tools” on page 492 “Erase tool” on page 495 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Comping tool The Comping tool lets you isolate clips in Take lanes. Note: The Comping tool does not work on AudioSnap transients.
Using the Comping tool in Take lanes Figure 150. Comping tool hotspots in Take lanes (two split clips shown). Clip 1 Clip 2 A B C D E F Hotspot Default action +CTRL +ALT+SHIFT A Crop clip start Note: If the clip contains a fade in, drag the top half to crop clip start and move the fade in, or drag the bottom half to only crop the clip without moving the fade in.
See also: “Tools” on page 441 “Smart tool” on page 456 “Select tool” on page 464 “Move tool” on page 469 “Timing tool” on page 478 “Freehand tool” on page 486 “Line tool” on page 490 “Pattern tools” on page 492 “Erase tool” on page 495 “Split tool” on page 482 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Split tool The Split tool lets you split clips, cut clips, split MIDI notes, and split clips at transients.
Using the Split tool on audio clips Figure 151. Split tool hotspots on audio clip. A B Hotspot Default action A Click to split clip A Drag to split selection B Table 93. Lasso to split at lasso edges Using the Split tool on audio clips Using the Split tool on MIDI clips Figure 152. Split tool hotspots on MIDI clip. A B Hotspot Default action A Click to split clip A Drag to split selection B Lasso to split at lasso edges Table 94.
Using the Split tool on PRV notes Figure 153. Split tool hotspots on PRV notes. A Hotspot Default action A Split note Table 95. Using the Split tool on PRV notes Using the Split tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 154. Split tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. A B C Hotspot Default action A Split audio at transient marker B Drag over transient markers to split audio at transients C Table 96.
See also: “Tools” on page 441 “Smart tool” on page 456 “Select tool” on page 464 “Move tool” on page 469 “Edit tool” on page 473 “Timing tool” on page 478 “Freehand tool” on page 486 “Line tool” on page 490 “Pattern tools” on page 492 “Erase tool” on page 495 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Tools Split tool 485
Freehand tool The Freehand tool lets you draw MIDI notes and freehand automation envelopes. You can also create and promote transient markers. Note: The Freehand tool does not work on audio clips or MIDI clips. When using the Draw tools to draw note events, use the Value control to specify the duration (whole, half, etc.) of new note events. For details, see “Specifying note durations” on page 507. Figure 155. Use the Value control to specify the duration of new note events. A A.
Using the Freehand tool on PRV notes Figure 156. Freehand tool hotspots on PRV notes. A B Hotspot Default action +CTRL A Glue notes together Modify velocity (only when velocity is not shown in the Controller pane) B Draw a new note Table 97.
Using the Freehand tool on automation Figure 157. Freehand tool hotspots on automation. A Hotspot Default action A Draw nodes/segments Table 98. Using the Freehand tool on automation Using the Freehand tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 158. Freehand tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. A Hotspot Default action A Promote transient marker B Insert transient marker Table 99.
See also: “Tools” on page 441 “Smart tool” on page 456 “Select tool” on page 464 “Move tool” on page 469 “Edit tool” on page 473 “Timing tool” on page 478 “Split tool” on page 482 “Line tool” on page 490 “Pattern tools” on page 492 “Erase tool” on page 495 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Tools Freehand tool 489
Line tool The Line tool lets you draw straight automation envelopes and “paint” MIDI notes at defined resolutions and intervals. Note: The Line tool does not work on audio clips, MIDI clips or AudioSnap transients. For additional draw settings, see “Specifying note durations” on page 507. To select the Line tool Do one of the following: • Click the Line tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Line tool. • Press F9.
Note: Use the Value control to specify the duration of each note, and use the Snap resolution to specify the interval between each note. Using the Line tool on automation Figure 160. Line tool hotspots on automation. A Hotspot Default action A Drag to add nodes at mousedown and mouseup points Insert nodes at the Snap to Grid value without changing the value of the envelope segments (limited to the track the gesture is started on) Table 101.
“Erase tool” on page 495 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 Pattern tools The various pattern tools let you draw automation envelopes that have a specific shape. For additional draw settings, see “Specifying note durations” on page 507. To select a pattern tool Do one of the following: • Click the desired pattern tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the desired pattern tool. • Press F9.
Random tool The Random Pattern tool lets you edit automation envelopes by drawing random shapes. Note: The pattern tools do not work on audio clips, MIDI clips, PRV notes or AudioSnap transients. For information about drawing shapes, see “To draw automation shapes” on page 531. Using the Pattern tools on automation Figure 161. Pattern tool hotspots on automation.
See also: “Tools” on page 441 “Smart tool” on page 456 “Select tool” on page 464 “Move tool” on page 469 “Edit tool” on page 473 “Timing tool” on page 478 “Split tool” on page 482 “Freehand tool” on page 486 “Line tool” on page 490 “Erase tool” on page 495 “Mute tool” on page 499 “Scrub tool” on page 503 “Zoom tool” on page 504 494 Tools Pattern tools
Erase tool The Erase tool lets you delete clips, partial clips, MIDI notes, automation envelope nodes, and transient markers. To select the Erase tool Do one of the following: • Click the Erase tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Erase tool. • Press F10. Note: The F10 shortcut key cycles through all Erase tools (Erase/Mute). If another Erase tool is selected, press F10 again until the Erase tool is selected. Using the Erase tool on audio clips Figure 162.
Using the Erase tool on MIDI clips Figure 163. Erase tool hotspots on MIDI clip. A C B Hotspot Default action A Drag to delete a time selection B Click clip to delete clip B Click a selection to delete the selection C Lasso to delete clips Table 104.
Using the Erase tool on PRV notes Figure 164. Erase tool hotspots on PRV notes. A B Hotspot Default action A Click to delete note A Drag to delete multiple notes B Lasso delete notes Table 105. Using the Erase tool on PRV notes Using the Erase tool on automation Figure 165. Erase tool hotspots on automation. B A C D Hotspot Default action A Delete node B Drag to lasso delete nodes across tracks C Delete envelope segment D Lasso delete nodes across tracks Table 106.
Using the Erase tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 166. Erase tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. A B C Hotspot Default action A Delete clicked transient marker B Drag to delete multiple transient markers C Lasso delete transient markers across clips and tracks Table 107. Using the Erase tool on AudioSnap transients Note: You can only erase user created transient markers.
Mute tool The Mute tool lets you mute clips, mute partial clips, mute MIDI notes, and disable transient markers. Mute events to prevent them from playing back. Note: The Mute tool does not work on automation. To select the Mute tool Do one of the following: • Click the Mute tool button in the Control Bar. • Press T to display the Tools HUD, then select the Mute tool. • Press F10. Note: The F10 shortcut key cycles through all Erase tools (Erase/Mute).
Using the Mute tool on MIDI clips Figure 168. Mute tool hotspots on MIDI clip. A B Hotspot Default action A Click to unmute clip Click to isolate Take lane A Drag to unmute by time Drag to isolate by time B Click to mute clip Click to isolate Take lane B Drag to mute by time Drag to isolate by time Table 109.
Using the Mute tool on PRV notes On PRV notes, the Mute tool functions as a toggle. Click once to mute and click again to unmute. Figure 169. Mute tool hotspots on PRV notes. A B Hotspot Default action A Click to mute/unmute A Drag to mute/unmute multiple notes B Lasso mute/unmute notes Table 110.
Using the Mute tool on AudioSnap transients Figure 170. Mute tool hotspots on AudioSnap transients. A B C Hotspot Default action A Disable transient marker B Disable transient markers C Lasso disable transient markers across clips and tracks Table 111.
Scrub tool The Scrub tool lets you audition all displayed tracks as you drag the mouse cursor forward or backward at the desired speed. You can scrub a single track by dragging over the track, or all displayed tracks by dragging in the Time Ruler. Note: The Scrub tool does not work on automation. To scrub a single track Hold down the J key to temporarily enable Scrub mode and drag over the track. To scrub all displayed tracks Hold down the J key to temporarily enable Scrub mode and drag in the Time Ruler.
Zoom tool The Zoom tool lets you change the vertical and horizontal scale of a view. You can use lasso to select a specific area to zoom into. Using the Zoom tool Hold down the Z key to temporarily enable Zoom mode, then lasso to select the region you want to zoom into. To revert to the previous zoom level, press ALT+Z. Note: The Zoom tool is invoked by pressing the Z key. There is no Zoom tool button in the Control Bar or Tools HUD.
Snap to Grid settings SONAR lets you define a snap grid that makes it easier to arrange clips, select time ranges, and control envelope shape drawing. To use the snap grid, enable the Snap to Grid button in the Snap module and set the grid resolution to an interval of musical time, such as a whole note, half note, or quarter note; a unit of absolute time: a number of frames, seconds or samples; an event; the start or end of a clip; a marker; or audio transients.
• Landmark Events . Snap to the selected landmarks, including markers, Now Time, clips, audio transients, MIDI notes, and automation envelope nodes. To select the desired landmarks, right-click the Snap to Grid button to open the Preferences dialog, then select the desired check boxes in the Landmarks section. SONAR will snap to landmarks on tracks/lanes that are currently visible in the Clips pane.
Specifying note durations When using the Smart tool or Freehand tool to draw new note events, use the Value control in the Tools module to specify the note duration of new note events (whole, half, etc.). Figure 172. Use the Value control to specify the duration of new note events. A A. Draw resolution (note value) You can also use the following shortcuts to set the desired note duration.
Mouse cursors When using global tools, the mouse cursor indicates which operation will be performed when you click or drag. Valid operations depend on the selected tool, the Edit Filter setting, and where the pointer is positioned. The following table describes each cursor. Cursor Description Select clip. Lasso select. Select by time. Move. Fade in. Fade out. Crop clip start. Crop clip start, but don’t move fade in position. Crop clip start and move fade in position. Crop clip end. Table 113.
Cursor Description Crop clip end, but don’t move fade out position. Crop clip end and move fade out position. Mute event. Mute by time. Unmute by time. Isolate Take lane (mute all other overlapping Take lanes in same track). Erase clip. Lasso erase. Erase by time. Split. Scrub. Move a single envelope node. Move multiple selected envelope nodes. Table 113.
Cursor Description Move an envelope line segment. Adjust selected envelope region up/down. Draw. Draw line/pattern. Draw automation line. Draw automation sine pattern. Draw automation triangle pattern. Draw automation square pattern. Draw automation sawtooth pattern. Draw automation random pattern. Move selected automation. Lasso select automation. Split automation (add node). Table 113.
Cursor Description Erase automation. Insert transient marker. Lasso select transient markers. Stretch transient marker. Move transient marker. Erase transient marker. Disable transient marker. Split audio at transient marker. Glue MIDI note events together. Move MIDI note events. Adjust MIDI note velocity. Trim MIDI note event. Drag quantize selected MIDI note events. Table 113.
Cursor Description Move data within clip (ALT+SHIFT). Isolate a clip or region when comping in Take lanes. Crossfade abutting clips in Take lanes. Table 113.
Using tools to perform common tasks This section explains how to perform many common editing tasks.
Working with MIDI notes • “To adjust a MIDI note’s velocity” on page 525 • “To adjust a MIDI note’s start/end” on page 525 • “To select MIDI notes” on page 525 • “To scrub MIDI notes” on page 525 • “To mute/unmute a MIDI note” on page 526 • “To move a MIDI note” on page 526 • “To draw a MIDI note” on page 526 • “To drag-quantize MIDI notes” on page 527 • “To glue MIDI notes together” on page 527 • “To paint MIDI notes” on page 527 • “To erase a MIDI note” on page 527 • “To split a MIDI note” on page 528 Wor
Working with audio clips To fade in/out an audio clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer in the top left (fade in) or top right (fade out) corner of the clip, then drag to adjust the fade duration. • With the Edit tool , position the pointer in the top left (fade in) or top right (fade out) corner of the clip, then drag to adjust the fade duration. To crop a clip’s start/end 1.
To move data without moving its clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the clip, then hold ALT+SHIFT and drag left/right to move the data within the clip boundaries. • With the Edit tool , position the pointer within the clip, then hold ALT+SHIFT and drag left/ right to move the data within the clip boundaries. To select audio clips 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2.
To scrub an audio clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • To scrub a single track, hold down the J key and drag across the track. • To scrub all visible tracks, hold down the J key and drag in the time ruler. To mute/unmute a clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Mute tool , drag across the bottom half of the clip to mute a time region, and drag across the top half to unmute a time region.
To move a clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer over the clip header, then drag the clip or selection to the desired location. • With the Move tool , drag the clip or selection to the desired location. To stretch an audio clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2.
To split a clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer where you want to split the clip, then hold down ALT and click (or lasso to split a region). • With the Split tool , position the pointer where you want to split the clip, then click (or drag to split one or more clips at the mousedown and mouseup points). To raise/lower an audio Clip Gain envelope 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2.
Working with MIDI clips To crop a clip’s start/end 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer over the clip’s start or end point, then drag to adjust the start/end position. • With the Edit tool , position the pointer over the clip’s start or end point, then drag to adjust the start/end position. To move data and the clip edge 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2.
To select MIDI clips 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer over the clip, then click to select the clip. • With the Smart tool selection. , position the pointer below the clip header, then drag to make a time • With the Smart tool selection. , position the pointer outside any clips, then drag to make a time • With the Smart tool , drag with the right mouse button to lasso the clips you want to select.
To mute/unmute a clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Mute tool , drag across the bottom half of the clip to mute a time region, and drag across the top half to unmute a time region. • With the Mute tool , click the bottom half of the clip to mute the entire clip, and click the top half of the clip to unmute the clip. • With the Mute tool to mute/unmute.
To erase a clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Erase tool time selection. , position the pointer over the top half of the clip, then drag to erase a • With the Erase tool the entire clip. , position the pointer over the bottom half of the clip, then click to erase • With the Erase tool , position the pointer outside any clips, then drag over the clips you want to erase. Hold down the ALT key and drag to erase by time.
To split a clip 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer where you want to split the clip, then hold down ALT and click (or lasso to split a region). • With the Split tool , position the pointer where you want to split the clip, then click (or drag to split one or more clips at the mousedown and mouseup points). To raise/lower a MIDI Clip Velocity envelope 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Clips. 2.
Working with MIDI notes To adjust a MIDI note’s velocity 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool down. • With the Edit tool , position the pointer near the top center of the note, then drag up/ , position the pointer near the top center of the note, then drag up/down. To adjust a MIDI note’s start/end 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2.
To mute/unmute a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , hold down the ALT key and right-click the note. • With the Mute tool , click the note to mute/unmute a single note, or drag over notes to mute/unmute multiple notes. To move a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2.
To drag-quantize MIDI notes 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Select the notes you want to quantize. 3. With the Timing tool all selected notes. , position the pointer over a selected note and drag up/down to quantize To glue MIDI notes together 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2.
To split a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , position the pointer where you want to split the note, then hold down ALT and click (or lasso to split a region). • With the Split tool , position the pointer where you want to split the note, then click (or lasso to split a region). To open the Note Properties dialog 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. With the Smart tool , double-click the note.
Working with automation envelopes To select automation 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool or Select tool , drag left/right to make a time selection. • With the Smart tool or Select tool , drag with the right mouse button to lasso select. • With the Select tool , click the node. Hold CTRL or SHIFT to extend the selection. • With the Edit tool , click the node.
To reset envelope nodes 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , double-click the node. • With the Move tool , double-click the node. • With the Edit tool , double-click the node. To raise/lower selected envelope nodes 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2.
To draw automation shapes 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Select the desired pattern tool: Sine Pattern tool tool , Saw Pattern tool , Triangle Pattern tool , or Random Pattern tool , Square Pattern . 3. Set the Snap to Grid to the desired length of each cycle of the shape you want to draw.
To erase automation 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Do one of the following: • With the Erase tool multiple nodes. , click a node to erase a single node, or drag over nodes to erase • With the Erase tool the segment. , click an envelope segment to erase the nodes to the left and right of • With the Erase tool , position the pointer outside the clip, then drag to lasso erase nodes across clips or tracks.
or Random tool value. ), hold down the SHIFT key and drag to add nodes at the Snap to Grid To draw MIDI continuous controller envelopes 1. Click the track’s Edit Filter control, point to Track Automation and choose MIDI to open the MIDI Envelope dialog box. 2. Specify the desired MIDI envelope parameter settings (Type, Value, and Channel). 3. With the Freehand tool , drag to insert envelope nodes and segments.
Working with AudioSnap transients To select transient markers 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , click the transient marker or drag left/right to make a time selection. • With the Smart tool , position the pointer outside the clip, then drag to lasso select transients across clips or tracks. • With the Smart tool , double-click a transient marker to select all adjacent transient markers in other tracks.
To promote transient markers 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 2. With the Freehand tool , click the transient marker handle (diamond). To disable transient markers 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 2. With the Mute tool , click a transient marker handle (diamond) to disable a single transient marker, or drag across transient markers to disable multiple transient markers. To erase transient markers 1.
See: “Working with audio clips” on page 515 “Working with MIDI clips” on page 520 “Working with MIDI notes” on page 525 “Working with automation envelopes” on page 529 “Working with AudioSnap transients” on page 534 “Tools” on page 441 See also: “Comping” on page 391 536 Tools Using tools to perform common tasks
Control Bar overview Much of your time in SONAR is spent recording and listening to your project as it develops. The Control Bar contains the most important tools and other pieces of information you will need to record, edit and play back your project. The Control Bar consists of several modules that each contain various related controls. You can rearrange and show/hide each individual module, which allows you to only show the functions you need most often.
To show/hide the Control Bar Do one of the following: • On the Views menu, click Control Bar. • Press C on your computer keyboard. Control Bar modules Figure 174. Control Bar modules. A B C D E F G H I J K L A. Screenset module B. Tools module C. Snap module D. Transport module E. Punch module F. Loop module G. Select module H. Mix module I. ACT module J. Performance module K. Markers module L. Event Inspector module M. Sync module N.
events. For details, see “Event Inspector module” on page 564. • Sync module. The Sync module lets you configure synchronization settings. For details, see “Sync Module” on page 566. • Gobbler module. The Gobbler module lets you back up and share projects via the cloud-based Gobbler service. For details, see “Gobbler module” on page 568. To show/hide modules Do one of the following: • To show/hide a specific module. Right-click the Control Bar and select module. • To hide a module.
To dock/undock the Control Bar Right-click the Control Bar and select one of the following commands: • Dock Control Bar at Top. Select this option to dock the Control Bar above the Track view. • Dock Control Bar at Bottom. Select this option to dock the Control Bar below the Track view. • Undock Control Bar. Select this option to undock the Control Bar. Tip: You can click any blank area in the Control Bar and drag the Control Bar to the desired position.
Tools module The Tools module contains various tools that allow you to edit content in your projects. The current tool applies to whichever editing view has focus. Using menu buttons Several buttons in the Tools module display a small triangle in the bottom right corner. The triangle indicates that you can click and keep the mouse button pressed for a brief moment to access additional tools or options. You can also right-click the button and choose an option on the pop-up menu. Figure 176.
clips, MIDI notes, envelope nodes, transient markers and clip tempo map markers. For details, see “Move tool” on page 469. • Edit tool . The Edit tool lets you adjust data. You can slip-edit clips, adjust note start/end times, adjust fades, raise/lower clip volume envelope, and raise/lower note velocity and automation envelopes. For details, see “Edit tool” on page 473. • Timing tool . Select the Timing tool.
access the note value menu. For details, see “Specifying note durations” on page 507. Tip: You can quickly access the various tools from the Tools HUD by pressing T on your computer keyboard.
Snap module SONAR lets you define a snap grid that makes it easier to arrange clips and note events, select time ranges, and control envelope shape drawing. To use the snap grid, enable the Snap to Grid button in the Snap module and set the grid resolution to an interval of musical time, such as a whole note, half note, or quarter note; a unit of absolute time: a number of frames, seconds or samples; an event; the start or end of a clip; a marker; or audio transients.
• Triplet . Reduces the duration of the selected Musical time resolution by 2/3 of its original duration. When Triplet is enabled, three note events fit in the space of two. • Dotted . Increase the duration of the selected Musical time resolution by half of its original value (150%). • Snap To. Align data to the snap grid. • Snap By. Move data by the grid resolution. • Landmark Events .
See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 546 Control Bar overview
Transport module The Transport module lets you control the transport and transport-related functions, such as Record , Return to Zero , Rewind , Stop , Play , and Fast Forward . To show/hide the Transport module Right-click the Control Bar and select Transport Module. Figure 179. The Transport module. A B C D E F G H Q R S I J K L M N O P A. Rewind B. Stop C. Play D. Pause E. Fast Forward F. Record G. Dropout indicator H.
• Overwrite . The new material replaces (overwrites) any existing material. This means that portions of existing clips may be “wiped clean” to make room for newly recorded material. While recording, you will not be able to hear material from existing clips. • Sound on Sound . The new material is merged with any existing material. This means that any existing clips on the track are left unchanged and all newly recorded material is stored in new clips.
signatures” on page 270. The Time Display section also shows the following information: • Horizontal progress bar when SONAR is performing certain operations. • “Waiting for Sync” message when synchronizing SONAR to an external clock source. When synchronized to an external clock source, the Time Display shows both the current Now time and the SMPTE source time. Figure 180. The display shows the current Now time, a progress bar or “Waiting for sync” message. A B C A. Now time B. Progress bar C.
See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Loop module The Loop module lets you control loop settings.
• Loop End Time. The current Loop End time. Click to modify. Tip: If a numeric time field has focus, you can press the G key to access a list of marker positions.
Mix module The Mix module lets you configure various playback settings. You can quickly mute/unmute, solo/ unsolo and arm/disarm all tracks. You can also configure automation settings and specify the solo behavior. To show/hide the Mix module Right-click the Control Bar and select Mix Module. Figure 182. The Mix module. A B C D E K F G H I J A. Mute B. Solo C. Arm D. Input Echo E. Live Input PDC Override F. Bypass All Effects G. Exclusive Solo H. Dim Solo I. Automation Read (playback) J.
• Live Input PDC Override . Enable/disable delay compensation on live tracks, thereby removing the latency during playback and recording of such tracks. Because it's a toggle, you can quickly turn it on to complete your tracking at low latency, and turn it off when finished to hear the track compensated as normal. For details, see “Live Input PDC override” on page 300. • Allow Automation Writing . Globally enable/disable the ability to write automation. • Global Automation Playback .
“Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 ACT module Active Controller Technology (ACT) allows you to use a control surface or MIDI controller to control the plug-in effect or soft synth that has focus.
See: “ACT” on page 1346 See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Control Bar overview 555
Screenset module A screenset is a snapshot of the current layout of various views and windows in a project, including which windows are open, their size, position, zoom level and whether they are docked or floating. You can create up to 10 screensets per project and freely switch between screensets at any time. Screensets can be selected and edited from the Screenset module in the Control Bar, or with number keys 1-0 on your computer keyboard.
See: “Screensets” on page 1154 See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Control Bar overview 557
Performance module The Performance module lets you monitor your computer’s performance, including CPU, disk and memory activity. To show/hide the Performance module Right-click the Control Bar and select Performance Module. Figure 185. The Performance module. B A C D A. CPU meters (one per core) B. Disk Activity indicator C. Disk Space meter D. Memory Usage meter The Performance module contains the following controls: • CPU meters.
• Memory Usage (RAM) meter. Shows the total memory (RAM) usage by your computer, not just by SONAR. Note: If you experience a dropout or your CPU or Disk meters are reading high, there are steps you can take to improve your audio performance. For more information, see “Audio dropouts or crashes during playback” on page 1368.
Punch module The Punch module lets you control auto-punch settings. To show/hide the Punch module Right-click the Control Bar and select Punch module. Figure 186. The Punch module. A C B D A. Auto-Punch On/Off B. Set Punch Time to Select C. Punch In Time D. Punch Out Time The Punch module contains the following controls: • Auto-Punch on/off . Enable/disable punch recording. Toggles punch recording on/off. • Set Punch Time to Selection .
“Performance module” on page 558 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Select module The Select module lets you control the selection From and Thru times. To show/hide the Select module Right-click the Control Bar and select Select module. Figure 187. The Select module. A C B D A. Set Select From = Now B. Set Select Thru = Now C. Select From Time D.
See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Markers module The Markers module lets you navigate by markers and insert new markers.
See: “Creating and using markers” on page 372 See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Control Bar overview 563
Event Inspector module The Event Inspector module lets you view and modify settings for selected clips and MIDI Note events. If you select multiple notes, the Event Inspector module displays the note value if all selected note values are the same. If the note values are different, the Event Inspector does not display anything. To show/hide the Event Inspector module Right-click the Control Bar and select Event Inspector Module. Figure 189. The Event Inspector module. A C B D E A. Time B. Duration C.
See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Control Bar overview 565
Sync Module The Sync module lets you configure synchronization settings. To show/hide the Sync module Right-click the Control Bar and select Sync Module. Figure 190. The Sync module. A B C D E A. SMPTE/MTC format B. Incoming timecode C. Sync type D. Transmit MIDI Sync E. Transmit MTC Sync The Sync module contains the following controls: • SMPTE/MTC format. Select the time code format. The following frame rates are supported: • 23.976 frames per second (FPS). Typically used with H.
• Sync type. Select the sync type. The following sync types are supported: • Internal Sync • MIDI Sync . Timing is determined by the clock on the computer motherboard. . Timing is determined by the clock on an external MIDI device. • SMPTE/MTC Sync . Timing is determined by a time code signal (in SMPTE or some other format) recorded on some external medium or generated and sent by SONAR. • Audio Sync . Timing is determined by the clock on the computer’s audio interface. • Transmit MIDI Sync .
Gobbler module The Gobbler module lets you back up and share projects on the cloud-based Gobbler service. To show/hide the Gobbler module Right-click the Control Bar and select Gobbler Module. Figure 191. The Gobbler module. A B C D E A. Connect to Gobbler B. Auto Backup current project C. Storage indicator D. Send project or files E. Notifications from Gobbler The Gobbler module contains the following controls: • Connect to Gobbler . Connect to the Gobbler cloud based service.
See: “Sharing and backing up your projects on Gobbler” on page 1089 See also: “Tools module” on page 541 “Snap module” on page 544 “Transport module” on page 547 “Loop module” on page 550 “Mix module” on page 552 “ACT module” on page 554 “Screenset module” on page 556 “Performance module” on page 558 “Punch module” on page 560 “Select module” on page 561 “Markers module” on page 562 “Event Inspector module” on page 564 “Sync Module” on page 566 “Gobbler module” on page 568 Control Bar overview 569
Control Bar overview
Inspectors When working on a project, you will frequently need to access track and clip parameters and mix controls. The Track Inspector and Properties Inspector provide easy access to relevant settings for the selected track(s) or clip(s). Figure 192. Use the Track Inspector and Properties Inspector to configure track and clip settings. A B A. Properties Inspector B. Track Inspector The Inspector pane appears to the left of the Track view, but can also be moved to the right side.
• Clip. The Clip Properties Inspector displays settings for the currently selected clip(s). For details, see “Properties Inspector - Clip Properties” on page 594. • Track. The Track Properties Inspector lets you type a track name, specify the automation write mode and time base, specify an audio track’s AudioSnap render modes, specify the default clip colors, and enter a text description. For details, see “Properties Inspector - Track Properties” on page 600. • Bus.
Figure 193. The Track Inspector extends the full height of the Inspector pane, while the Properties Inspector is shown in the top half when visible. A B C D H E F G I A. Dock/undock Inspector B. Show/hide Clip Properties Inspector C. Show/hide Track Properties Inspector D. Show/hide ProChannel E. Display area for Properties Inspector F. Display area for Track Inspectors G. Show/hide/configure Track Inspector modules H. Section header bars (click to show controls) I.
To show/hide the Inspector pane Do one of the following: • On the Views menu, click Inspector. • Press I on your computer keyboard. • Click the Docking Options button in the top right corner of the Inspector pane and select Collapse. To expand/collapse the Inspector pane When the Inspector is docked, do one of the following: • Click the Expand/Collapse button at the top of the Inspector pane. • Press I on your computer keyboard. Figure 194. Use the Expand/collapse button to expand/collapse the Inspector.
To dock/undock the Inspector Do one of the following: • To dock the Inspector on the right side. Right. Click the Docking Options button and select Dock • To dock the Inspector on the left side. Click the Docking Options button and select Dock Left. • To undock the Inspector. Click the Docking Options button and select Undock, or click to the left of the Dock/Undock button and drag the Inspector to the desired location.
To edit multiple tracks/clips simultaneously You can use the Track Properties and Clip Properties inspectors to modify multiple selected tracks or clips simultaneously. The following rules apply when modifying multiple tracks/clips: • If the selected tracks or clips share the same value for a parameter, that parameter will display normally. • If the selected tracks or clips have different values for a parameter, that parameter will display as (Multi).
Current track type Left strip Right strip Bus Selected bus Output of selected bus or send Main Selected main Blank Table 114. Track inspector controls (Continued) Showing both the current track and its output destination side-by-side makes it fast and easy to configure the desired audio routing. Figure 196. The content displayed in the Track Inspector depends on the current track type.
Note: When the current track is an Instrument track, you can show either audio output controls or advanced MIDI settings in the right strip by selecting the Audio tab or MIDI tab at the bottom of the Track Inspector. To show a track/bus/main in the Track Inspector Do one of the following: • Click the desired track, bus or main in the Track view or Console view. • Click the Track Name control in the Track Inspector to select any available track, bus or main.
“Inspectors” on page 571 Track Inspector controls The controls in the Track Inspector vary depending on the current track type. Control Description Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Main Clip Show/hide the Clip Properties Inspector. -- -- -- -- -- Track Show/hide the Track Properties Inspector. -- -- -- -- -- Dock/Undock Dock/undock the Inspector pane. -- -- -- -- -- Docking Options The Docking Options menu lets you dock/ -undock/float/collapse the Inspector pane.
Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Control Description Bank The set of patch names available for the track. x x Patch The instrument sound that will be used for playback. x x Phase Invert A switch that inverts the phase of the track. x Mono/Stereo A switch that determines whether a track’s x signal enters an effect or chain of effects as mono or stereo, regardless of the nature of the track. Read Automation Enable/disable automation playback.
Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Track number A sequential track number used for reference. x x x x Track name A name that you assign the track for easy reference. Note that if you do not assign a name to a track, the default name is the track number. This track number will change if you change the order of your tracks. You can click the Track Name control to select any available track, bus or main to display in the Track Inspector.
Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Control Description Input quantize Input quantizing allows you to automatically quantize MIDI input during recording. See “Input Quantize section” on page 588. x x Snap to scale When Snap to Scale is enabled, any notes that you draw or move in the Piano Roll view stay within the selected scale. See “Snap to Scale section” on page 587. x x Main Display The Display menu lets you show/hide modules in the Track Inspector.
Audio track controls Figure 197. Track Inspector controls for audio tracks. A B C D E F G H I J K L A. Input gain B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Effects bin D. Sends E. Mute, Solo, Arm, Input Echo, Phase Invert, Stereo Interleave, Read Automation, Write Automation F. Pan G. Volume H. Meter I. Track icon J. Input and output K. Track name and number L.
Bus controls Figure 198. Track Inspector controls for buses. A B C D E F G H I J K L A. Input gain and pan B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Effects bin D. Sends E. Mute, Solo, Waveform preview, Read Automation, Write Automation F. Pan G. Volume H. Meter I. Bus Icon J. Output K. Bus name L.
MIDI track and Instrument track controls When the current track is a MIDI track, the left strip shows mix controls and the right strip shows Snap to Scale, Input Quantize, Arpeggiator and other advanced MIDI settings. Instrument tracks can show either audio or MIDI controls in the right strip, depending on whether the Audio or MIDI tab is selected. Figure 199. Track Inspector controls for MIDI tracks and Instrument tracks. A B L M C N D E F O G H I P J Q R K S A. Velocity trim B. Effects bin C.
Figure 200. Instrument tracks can show audio output or MIDI controls by selecting the Audio tab or MIDI tab. A B Audio tab MIDI tab A. Audio output B. MIDI controls Advanced MIDI Controls section • Chorus. Adds MIDI chorus effect to the track. • Reverb. Adds MIDI reverb effect to the track. • Key+. The number of half steps by which the notes in the track are transposed on playback (e.g., 12 to transpose up one octave) • Time+.
instrument’s User’s Guide or the manufacturer’s web site. The four methods are as follows: • Normal. Use for instruments that respond to Controller 0 or Controller 32 bank select messages. • Controller 0 only. messages. • Controller 32 only. messages. Use for instruments that only respond to Controller 0 bank select Use for instruments that only respond to Controller 32 bank select • Patch 100...127. Use for instruments that let you change banks by sending patch changes between 100 and 127.
Input Quantize section • Input Quantize On/Off. Enables/disables Input Quantize on the selected track. • Preset. Save or select settings that you use often in the drop-down menu. To save a new group of settings, click the Preset list and choose Quantize Settings to open the Input Quantize dialog box, then type a name in the Preset field and click the Save button. To delete a group, select it and click the Delete button. The Input Quantize dialog box contains the following settings: • Resolution.
Arpeggiator section • Arpeggiator On/Off. Enables/disables the Arpeggiator on the selected track. This control can be assigned to MIDI remote control and modified in real-time during project playback. • Preset. You can create and edit Arpeggiator presets; all user parameters are stored in the preset. Arpeggiator settings are included in track templates. • Rate. Adjusts the relative speed of the Arpeggiator sequence by changing all the note durations by a factor of the current tempo.
• Rhythm (implicit rhythm mode) • Forward • Reverse • Forward Circle 1 • Reverse Circle 1 • Forward Circle 2 • Reverse Circle 2 • Inward • Outward • Inward Circle • Outward Circle • As Played • As Played Circle • Random For more information about the Arpeggiator, see “Arpeggiator” on page 286. Main controls Figure 201. Track Inspector controls for mains A B C D E F G A. Mute B. Link channels C. Volume D. Meter E. Icon F. Mains name G.
To show/hide modules Click the Display control at the bottom of the Track Inspector and select the modules you want to show/hide. The following modules are available: • Input Gain. Show/hide Input Trim/Gain/Pan controls. • ProChannel (Producer only). Show/hide ProChannel controls, which includes Equalizer, Compressor and Tube Saturation. • FX Bin. Show/hide effect bins. • Sends/Bank/Patch.
Properties Inspector overview The Properties Inspector shows properties for the selected clip(s) or track(s), depending on whether the Clip or Track button is pressed: • Clip. The Clip Properties Inspector displays settings for the currently selected clip(s). For details, see “Properties Inspector - Clip Properties” on page 594. • Track.
Figure 203. The Track Inspector extends the full height of the Inspector pane, while the Properties Inspector is shown in the top half when visible. A B C D A. Dock/undock and expand/collapse Inspector B. Show/hide Clip Properties Inspector C. Show/hide Track/Bus Properties Inspector D.
Properties Inspector - Clip Properties The Clip Properties Inspector displays settings for the currently selected clip(s). The Clip Properties Inspector contains the following sections: • “Properties section” on page 595 • “Groove Clip section” on page 597 • “AudioSnap section” on page 598 • “Clip Effects section” on page 599 Figure 204. The Clip Properties Inspector displays settings for the currently selected clip(s). A B C D A. Clip Properties section B. Groove Clip Looping section C.
To show/hide the Clip Properties Inspector Click the Clip button at the top of the Inspector pane, or press SHIFT+I. Figure 205. Click the Clip button to show/hide the Clip Properties Inspector. To show/hide a section in the Clip Properties Inspector Click the section’s header bar in the inspector. The section expands and the previously-displayed section collapses. Figure 206. Click a section’s header bar to expand the section and show its controls. Properties section • Properties header bar.
• Snap Offset (audio clips only). The Snap Offset field is for audio clips only. Snap offsets allow you to set a point other than the beginning of a clip as the “snap” point used by the Snap to Grid. A snap offset is the number of samples from the beginning of the clip. Snap offsets affect all edits that obey the Snap to Grid setting. Clips without a snap offset always align at the very beginning of a clip. For more information, see “Snap offsets” on page 372.
Groove Clip section • Groove Clip header bar. Click to show/hide the Groove Clip section. • Looping. Convert the selected clip to a Groove Clip. You can drag the right edge of a Groove Clip to create loop repetitions. Groove Clips can also obey pitch markers. For more information about Groove Clips, see “Working with Groove Clip audio” on page 706 and “MIDI Groove Clips” on page 715. Note: If this control is not available, the selected clip is most likely an AudioSnap clip.
AudioSnap section • AudioSnap header bar. Click to show/hide the AudioSnap section. • Enable. Enables or disables AudioSnap on selected audio clips. Note: AudioSnap is automatically enabled on a clip if you stretch a transient marker on the clip. • Average Tempo. Shows the average tempo candidates: original, 0.5x and 2x. SONAR will do its best to detect the correct average tempo, but a clip can often have multiple potential tempos (60 BPM, 120 BPM, 240 BPM, etc.).
material, especially if the stretching is by more than a few beats per minute. Note: The Online render mode is for preview purposes only during playback. The final audio quality will be greatly improved after the Offline render mode is applied during mixdown/export. • Offline Render. This drop-down menu lets you choose the algorithm that is used when you export or freeze stretched audio. The choices in the drop-down menu are as follows: • From Track.
See also: “Editing clip properties” on page 830 “Arranging clips” on page 341 “Effects on clips” on page 921 “Adding effects in the Track view” on page 417 “Working with loops and Groove Clips” on page 697 “AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only)” on page 635 “MIDI effects (MIDI plug-ins)” on page 796 “Snap to Scale” on page 778 Properties Inspector - Track Properties The Track Properties Inspector lets you type a name, enter a text description, specify the AudioSnap track render mode for audio tracks, and sp
To show/hide the Track Properties Inspector Click the Track button at the top of the Inspector pane, or press CTRL+SHIFT+I. Figure 208. Click the Track button to show/hide the Track Properties Inspector. The Track Properties Inspector contains the following sections: Properties section • Track Name. Assign a name to the selected track. AudioSnap section (audio tracks only) • Online Render. Specify the algorithm to use during real-time playback.
Automation section • Time Base. Choose one of the two options in this section to control what happens to automation when you change the tempo: • Musical (M:B:T). If the track is set to the Musical time base, the automation’s M:B:T position stays constant, and its absolute position shifts. • Absolute. If the track is set to the Absolute time base, its absolute position stays constant, and its M:B:T position shifts. • Write Mode. This drop-down menu lets you choose the automation write mode: • Touch.
Properties Inspector - Bus Properties The Bus Properties Inspector lets you type a name, specify the automation time base and write mode, and enter a text description for the bus(es). Figure 209. The Bus Properties Inspector lets you specify settings for the selected bus(es). A B C D E A. Dock/undock Inspector B. Show/hide Bus Properties Inspector C. Bus name D. Automation Time Base and write mode E.
Automation section • Time Base. Choose one of the two options in this section to control what happens to automation when you change the tempo: • Musical (M:B:T). If the bus is set to the Musical time base, the automation’s M:B:T position stays constant, and its absolute position shifts. • Absolute. If the bus is set to the Absolute time base, its absolute position stays constant, and its M:B:T position shifts. • Write Mode. This drop-down menu lets you choose the automation write mode: • Touch.
Browser The Browser lets you find and import various types of content into your projects, including audio and MIDI files, track and project templates, track icons, Effects Chain presets, effect plug-ins and instruments. You can drag content and plug-ins directly into tracks. The Browser consists of three sections: • Media Browser. Find audio, MIDI, video, projects, project templates, track templates, Effects Chain presets and track icons that you want to import into a project.
By default, the Browser is docked on the right side of the screen. More detailed information is shown in the Media Browser and Synth Rack Browser when the SONAR Browser is floating or docked at the bottom of the screen. For more information, see “Docking/undocking and resizing the Browser window” on page 608. Figure 211. The Browser lets you import content into a project and manage effects and instruments. A B C D A. Media Browser B. Plug-in Browser C. Synth Rack Browser D.
“To assign a track/bus icon” on page 616 “Using the Plug-in Browser” on page 620 “Adding effects and instruments to a project” on page 622 “To insert an effect in a track or bus” on page 622 “To insert an effect into a clip’s effects bin” on page 624 “To insert an instrument” on page 624 “To insert a ReWire device” on page 625 “Using the Synth Rack Browser” on page 628 “Managing instruments in a project” on page 632 “Keyboard navigation” on page 619 Browser 607
Docking/undocking and resizing the Browser window By default, the Browser is docked on the right side of the screen. You can undock the Browser, or dock it on the left side or at the bottom. You can also resize the width of the Browser. More detailed information is shown in the Media Browser and Synth Rack Browser when the SONAR Browser is floating or docked at the bottom of the screen. Figure 212. Browser A A Docked Undocked Collapsed A. Header bar Figure 213.
To dock the Browser When the Browser is undocked, do one of the following: • Double-click the Browser header bar. • Click the Dock/Undock button in the Browser. • Click the Docking Options button, and select one of the following menu commands: • Dock at Left. Dock the Browser to the left of the Track view. • Dock at Right. Dock the Browser to the right of the Track view. • Dock in MultiDock. view by default.
To show the Browser Select Views > Browser.
Media Browser interface Figure 214. Media Browser A B C DE F G J H K L I A. Show Media Browser B. Browser menu C. Content Location menu D. Dock/undock E. Docking options F. Expand/collapse G. Move up one level to the parent directory H. Search filter I. File list J. Play/ Stop K. Delete content preset L. Save content preset Figure 215. Media Browser (undocked) A A. Folder pane • Show Media Browser . Show the Media Browser. • Browser menu.
small icons. • Details. When the Browser is undocked or docked at the bottom, Details view displays the file size, type and when the file was last modified. • Folders. When the Browser is undocked or docked at the bottom, this option lets you show/hide the Folders pane. • Auto-Preview. When Auto Preview is selected, you can automatically previews loops and files when you click on them in the Media Browser view. If the selected file is a Groove clip, it plays back in the project tempo and key.
“To import a video file” on page 616 “To assign a track/bus icon” on page 616 “Keyboard navigation” on page 619 “Browser” on page 605 Adding Browser objects to your project To show audio/MIDI content Click the Browse Media button . To import an audio or MIDI file 1. In the Browser, click the Browse Media button . 2. Navigate to the folder that contains the file you want to import. 3. Do one of the following: • To insert into an existing track as a new clip.
Valid destinations for MIDI files You can drag MIDI files to the following locations: • Audio track • Audio clip • MIDI track • MIDI clip • MIDI clip inspector • Empty Track view • Empty Console view • Instrument track To export audio or MIDI clips Drag the clip(s) to the desired location in the Media Browser. Note: The Media Browser will appear automatically if you drag a clip over the Plug-in Browser or Synth Rack Browser.
Valid destinations for track templates You can drag track templates to the following locations: • Audio track • Audio clip • MIDI track • MIDI clip • Audio track inspector • MIDI track inspector • Audio track effects bin • MIDI Track effects bin • Audio Console strip • Audio Console effects bin • MIDI Console strip • MIDI Console effects bin • Empty Track view • Empty Console view • Instrument track • Instrument track inspector • Instrument Console strip To import a project template 1.
To open or import a project file 1. In the Browser, click the Browse Media button . 2. Navigate to the folder that contains the project you want to import tracks from. 3. Do one of the following: • To open a project. Double-click the desired cwp/cwb/wrk/bun file. • To import the project into existing tracks. Drag the desired cwp/cwb/wrk/bun file into an existing track. • To import the project as new tracks. Drag the desired cwp/cwb/wrk/bun file to an empty space in the Track view, below the last track.
To preview MIDI content 1. In the Browser, click the Browse Media button . 2. On the Browser menu, select Auto-Preview. 3. On the Browser menu, point to Synth Preview Output, then select the soft synth you want to preview MIDI through. Note: If there are no synths in the project, go to Insert > Soft Synths and insert the desired soft synth. 4. Navigate to the folder that contains the MIDI content you want to preview, then click the file you want to preview. Note 1: Auto-Preview is enabled by default.
See: “Using the Media Browser” on page 610 “Using the Plug-in Browser” on page 620 “Using the Synth Rack Browser” on page 628 “Using Content Location presets” on page 618 “Keyboard navigation” on page 619 “Browser” on page 605 See also: “To load an FX Chain preset” on page 626 Using Content Location presets The Media Browser allows you to save and recall presets to quickly access your favorite folders.
2. In the Content Location box, select the preset you want to delete. 3. Click the Delete Content Location Preset button . To jump to a specific folder In addition to navigating the Media Browser folder tree to go to a specific folder, you can also type in any arbitrary folder path to instantly jump to a folder. To do so, double-click the Content Location box and type a folder name, including the full path (for example, C:\Cakewalk Content).
See: “Using the Media Browser” on page 610 “Using the Plug-in Browser” on page 620 “Using the Synth Rack Browser” on page 628 “To import an audio or MIDI file” on page 613 “To import a video file” on page 616 “To import a track template” on page 614 “To insert an instrument” on page 624 “Browser” on page 605 Using the Plug-in Browser The Plug-in Browser lets you insert effects, instruments and ReWire devices into your projects. The following plug-in types are supported: • DirectX and VST audio effects.
Plug-in Browser interface Figure 216. Plug-in Browser A B CD E F G H A. Show Plug-in Browser B. Plug-in Layout menu button C. Dock/undock D. Docking options E. Expand/ collapse F. Plug-in Type buttons G. Search filter H. Plug-in list • Show Plug-in Browser • Audio. • MIDI. . Show the Plug-in Browser. Show available DX and VST audio effect plug-ins. Show available MFX MIDI effect plug-ins. • Synth. Show available DXi and VSTi soft synths. • ReWire. Show available ReWire devices.
• . The Plug-in Layout menu lists all layouts stored by Cakewalk Plug-in Manager. Select a layout to change the plug-in list. • Search filter. text string. The search filter allows you to only show plug-in names that includes a specific • Plug-in list. The Plug-Ins list is populated from the currently-selected layout from the Plug-in Layout menu and the plug-in type selected from the Plug-in Type menu.
• Audio FX • MIDI FX 3. Do one of the following: • To insert the effect in a specific location in the effects bin. position in a track/bus effects bin. Drag the effect to the desired • To insert the effect at the end of the effects bin. Drag the effect to an empty track space in the Clips pane, or double-click the effect (only if the selected track type matches the effect type).
• Instrument track • Instrument track inspector • Instrument track effects bin • Instrument Console strip • Instrument Console effects bin To insert an effect into a clip’s effects bin 1. In the Browser, click the PlugIn button to show the Plug-in Browser. 2. Click the button that corresponds to the plug-in type you want to show: • Audio FX • MIDI FX 3. Drag the desired effect to a clip in the Clips pane. To insert an instrument 1. In the Browser, click the PlugIn button 2.
• Audio Console strip • MIDI Console strip • Empty Track view • Empty Console view • Instrument track • Instrument track inspector • Instrument Console strip To insert a ReWire device 1. In the Browser, click the PlugIn button 2. Click the ReWire button to show the Plug-in Browser. . 3. Drag the ReWire device to the Track view or Clips pane. The ReWire device is added to the Synth Rack and a new Instrument track is created. To rename a plug-in 1.
Using FX Chain presets (.fxc) You can save effect chains in SONAR, which can be used in any project. An FX Chain preset stores all the settings of a specific effects bin. This allows you to effortlessly duplicate favorite effect combinations and settings without having to manually insert one effect at a time. FX Chain presets are saved as .fxc files that can be imported from the Plug-in Browser. To save an FX Chain preset 1.
To rename an FX Chain preset 1. In the Browser, click the PlugIn button to show the Plug-in Browser. 2. Under Audio, expand the FX Chain branch. 3. Select the FX Chain, then click the FX Chain name again and type a name.
Using the Synth Rack Browser The Synth Rack view lets you view, insert, delete, and configure your soft synths. You can also mute, solo, and freeze any active instruments in your projects. Each time you insert a soft synth into your project, a new row appears in the Synth Rack view with the name of the soft synth and its current preset. You can select different presets directly from the Synth Rack.
Figure 218. Synth control bar B A C D E F Docked A H B C D E F I J K Undocked G L M A. Connect/disconnect (only when floating or docked at top or bottom) B. Synth name C. Preset picker D. Mute E. Solo F. Freeze/unfreeze G. Automated knobs H. Synth icon I. Automation track J. Automation Read K. Automation Write L. Assign Controls M. Show/Hide Assigned Controls • Show Synth Rack Browser . Show the Synth Rack Browser. • Synth Settings menu.
• Delete Synth. Deletes the selected soft synth or ReWire device from the current project. Note 1: Always close any ReWire applications in their own interfaces before deleting them from SONAR. Note 2: Deleting a soft synth from the Synth Rack view does not delete the tracks associated with the soft synth, but does change the associated MIDI track’s output to the next lowernumbered output. • Enable MIDI Output.
was created with. • Audio Tracks. This submenu lets you choose any available track in the project to record and display the selected synth’s automation data on. • Instrument list. Each inserted instrument in a project appears in the Instrument list, and shows the following controls: Note: Certain controls in the Instrument list are only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked at the bottom of the screen. • Connect/disconnect.
• Automated knobs. These are knobs you create by using the Assigned Controls button. The knobs are displayed below the synth’s control bar in the Synth Rack. Automated knobs are only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked at the bottom.
To mute/solo/freeze an instrument 1. In the Browser, click the Browse Synth Rack button . 2. Click the desired synths Mute, Solo, or Freeze button. To select an instrument preset 1. In the Browser, click the Browse Synth Rack button . 2. Click the desired synth’s preset picker. To access assignable control knobs 1. Make sure the Browser is undocked or docked at the bottom of the screen. 2. In the Browser, click the Browse Synth Rack button . 3.
See: “Using the Media Browser” on page 610 “Using the Plug-in Browser” on page 620 “Using the Synth Rack Browser” on page 628 “To import an audio or MIDI file” on page 613 “To import a video file” on page 616 “To import a track template” on page 614 “To insert an instrument” on page 624 “Keyboard navigation” on page 619 “Browser” on page 605 634 Browser Using the Synth Rack Browser
AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only) SONAR’s AudioSnap engine and tempo analysis features give you unprecedented rhythmic and tempo control over your audio. Employing sophisticated transient detection technology, the AudioSnap engine automatically analyzes all recorded and imported audio files for rhythmic content to determine where the beats are in the music. AudioSnap is completely non-destructive, similar to Groove clips and V-Vocal clips. AudioSnap, V-Vocal, and Groove clips are mutually exclusive.
How does it work? AudioSnap works by finding the transients in audio clips. Transients are the areas in an audio clip where the level increases suddenly. These make good locations to shrink, stretch, or split a clip, without changing its sound quality too drastically. SONAR contains a variety of high-quality stretching algorithms for different kinds of material.
Why would I use it? Here are some common uses for AudioSnap: • Aligning measure lines and tempo to audio or MIDI tracks that were recorded without a metronome (see “Synchronizing audio and the project tempo” on page 656). • Fixing timing errors (see “Fixing timing problems in audio clips” on page 663). • Synchronizing the rhythms of out-of-sync tracks (see “Making multiple clips/tracks groove together” on page 670).
Using global tools on AudioSnap transient markers At the heart of AudioSnap are transient markers. SONAR automatically detects transients for all audio clips in your project. Although you can also edit transient markers with the Select tool, Move tool, Timing tool, Split tool, Freehand tool, Erase tool and Mute tool, this chapter focuses on the Smart tool since it is the easiest way to edit transient markers.
Action On transient marker On clip Double-click -Selects transients from other tracks (from selected clips) that fall within a certain window of time of the transient the user is clicking on. If no clips are selected, only non-hidden tracks are affected. Drag Non-proportional stretch with selected transients. Note: You can drag a marker from either the head or the line of the marker. Drag the line to stretch a marker and drag the head to move a marker. Lasso selects transient markers.
Hotspot Default action Double-click A Drag transient marker line to stretch selected transients (nonproportional stretch) Select all adjacent transient markers in other tracks B Drag transient marker handle (diamond) to move transient marker (non-stretch) C Lasso select transients D Lasso select transients across clips and tracks Table 118.
locked. This will ensure that phase relationships are maintained when quantizing or moving clips across multiple tracks. When using the Smart tool to drag transient markers, all transient markers at exactly the same point in time on selected clips move together as a group. • Save as Groove. This command opens the Define Groove dialog box, which lets you save the groove to a file. The groove can then be applied to other audio or MIDI clips. • Copy as MIDI.
AudioSnap section in the Clip Inspector In addition to the AudioSnap palette, you can also edit a clip’s AudioSnap settings in the Clip Inspector. For details, see “Properties Inspector - Clip Properties” on page 594. Figure 223.
Editing transient markers Transient markers show where the transients of a clip are (areas where the level increases suddenly), and are used to edit the timing of audio clips. AudioSnap finds transients automatically, but the transient markers don’t always appear exactly where you might want them for the kind of editing you want to do. Most AudioSnap commands edit transient markers automatically as a result of an editing operation, but sometimes you achieve the best results by editing the markers manually.
To select a transient marker 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2. Assign the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 3. Click the desired transient marker. The marker is highlighted. To select/deselect all transient markers in a clip 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2. Assign the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 3. Right-click a clip and choose Select Markers > All or Select Markers > None on the pop-up menu.
All transient markers near the same position (within a defined time window) in all selected clips are selected. Note 1: If no clips are selected, transient markers from all clips are eligible to become selected. Note 2: To specify the size of the time window, click the AudioSnap Options button in the AudioSnap palette to open the AudioSnap Options dialog box, then specify the desired Pool Transient Window value.
To move a transient marker (without stretching audio) • Drag the marker handle (diamond). Figure 225. To move a transient marker, drag the marker head (diamond) To drag a transient marker and stretch audio • Drag the marker line. Figure 226. To stretch a transient, drag the marker line When you drag and drop the line of a marker, the marker moves to the place where you drop it, and the audio that is located between the dragged marker and the following marker stretches.
To reset transient markers 1. Select all transient markers you want to reset. 2. Right-click any selected transient marker and select Reset from the pop-up menu. To disable a transient marker • Right-click the marker you want to disable and select Disable from the pop-up menu. To delete a transient marker • Right-click the marker you want to reset and select Delete Marker from the pop-up menu. Note: You can only delete user-created transient markers. To insert a new transient marker 1.
To copy transient markers from one track to another track 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2. Assign the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. The AudioSnap palette appears and all audio clips show transient markers. 3. Select the target clip (the clip that you want to copy markers to) and drag the Threshold slider in the AudioSnap palette until all transient markers are disabled. 4. Select both the source clip (the clip you want to copy markers from) and the target clip. 5.
To navigate to the next/previous transient (TAB to transients) • Do one of the following: • To move the Now Time to the next transient, press TAB. • To move the Now Time to the previous transient, press SHIFT+TAB. Note: TAB to transients is selection-based, which means tabbing will go to the next/previous transient amongst all selected clips. If there is no selection, tabbing operates on the current track. For more information, see “TAB to transients” on page 376.
Transient marker context menu The transient marker context menu appears when you right-click a transient marker. The command you choose from this menu acts on the marker that you right-click, and most commands also act on any markers that are selected. The following table describes each command. Command Description Reset Moves a marker back to its original position. Shortcut for selected markers is CTRL+ALT+R. Disable The marker is ignored. Shortcut for selected markers is CTRL+ALT+D.
“Synchronizing audio and the project tempo” on page 656 “Extracting MIDI timing information from audio” on page 679 “General editing” on page 681 “Using the Pool” on page 689 “Algorithms and rendering” on page 692 Enabling/disabling AudioSnap You can enable/disable AudioSnap processing on a clip-by-clip basis. Transient markers are always available to be edited, but AudioSnap is not active on a clip unless at least one transient marker has been stretched.
Using the AudioSnap palette The AudioSnap palette provides easy access to time stretching and tempo-related tools. Except for the AudioSnap enable/disable command, the AudioSnap palette’s controls apply to the currently selected audio clip or clips. To show the AudioSnap palette • Do one of the following: • On the Views menu, click AudioSnap Palette. • Press A. or 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2. Assign the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 3.
• Split Beats into Clips . This button splits a clip at each transient marker into multiple clips. • Clip Timebase (Absolute or Musical) SONAR: • Musical (default) Time (MIDI Tick). • Absolute (SMPTE). . . / . There are two timebase settings for a clip in Musical Timebase means the clip start position will follow Musical Absolute Timebase means that the clip start time will follow Absolute Time • Average Tempo. This list shows the average tempo candidates: original, 0.5x and 2x.
Timing section • Quantize . This button opens the Quantize dialog box, which has options to quantize AudioSnap Beats and Audio Clip Start Times, and also to set automatic crossfade options. • Extract Groove . This button adds the selected clip’s transients to the Pool (see “Using the Pool” on page 689) and shows vertical Pool lines. To apply the pool (groove) to another clip, select the desired clip and click the Apply Groove button. To clear the Pool, click the Extract Groove button again.
• Online. This choice determines what stretch algorithm is used during real-time playback. The Percussion options works better than the Groove Clip option on percussive material, especially if the stretching is by more than a few beats per minute. For more information about render modes, see “Algorithms and rendering” on page 692. Note: The Online render mode is for preview purposes only during playback.
Synchronizing audio and the project tempo There are many reasons why you may want to synchronize audio clips with the project tempo. The following list presents a few common examples. AudioSnap provides two ways to quickly synchronize audio and the project tempo map: • Applying an audio clip’s internal tempo map to the project’s global tempo map. Use this method if you want the project tempo to match an audio clip’s tempo and have audio beats aligned with the project’s time ruler.
To sync the project tempo to an audio clip 1. Select the audio clip(s) that has the desired tempo map. 2. Press A to open the AudioSnap palette. 3. Click the Set Project Tempo From Clip button on the AudioSnap palette. The clip tempo map is copied to the project tempo map so the tempo maps are identical. Note 1: The Set Project Tempo From Clip drop-down list lets you specify at which resolution the clip’s tempo map should be copied to the project tempo.
The global project tempo map is copied to the clip tempo map so the tempo maps are identical. Note: AudioSnap will always attempt to find the tempo of any clip recorded or imported into SONAR. While several possible tempos are normally generated, in some cases AudioSnap may be unable to detect the correct tempo or may not detect a tempo at all. This can occur if the source material is highly compressed or does not contain transient markers on all actual beats.
Editing a clip’s tempo map Each audio clip has an internal tempo map, which makes it possible to synchronize the audio clip with the project’s global tempo map. SONAR automatically creates a tempo map for each audio clip. In some cases, SONAR can detect the wrong tempo. For example, SONAR might detect a tempo of 120 BPM when the actual tempo is 240 BPM, or a beat may be mapped to the wrong transient. You can easily remap the tempo map, if necessary.
To edit a clip’s tempo map 1. Select the clip or clips you want to edit. 2. Click the Edit clip tempo map button on the AudioSnap palette. A simple tempo map guide appears above the clip, indicating where SONAR has mapped the bars/beats of the clip. 3. If the Average Tempo list does not show the correct tempo, select the correct tempo. 4. If the Beats per measure box does not show the correct number of beats, specify the correct number of beats per measure. 5.
If a beat marker is dragged to a transient marker that is already assigned to a later beat marker, SONAR will automatically re-number all subsequent beat markers accordingly. A beat marker cannot be dragged to an earlier transient marker if that transient is already assigned to a beat marker. 6. To hide the tempo map guide, click the Edit clip tempo map button palette again. on the AudioSnap Tip: You can also enable/disable Edit clip tempo map from the transient marker context menu.
Changing a project’s tempo Changing a whole project’s tempo is simple with AudioSnap, if the tempo change is not drastic. Before you change the global tempo of a project that contains audio, you must first make sure the audio clips are configured to follow tempo changes. After you change the tempo, you may want to bounce some or all of the tracks to new tracks with the Radius algorithms to correct any unwanted change to each track’s sound. To change a project’s tempo 1.
Fixing timing problems in audio clips AudioSnap provides several ways to fix timing errors in audio clips: • You can drag individual beats or groups of beats to new positions. This gives you complete control over where each transient ends up. • You can quantize to a particular note resolution. This can be a very quick way to fix a clip, if your markers are fairly close to where you want them to end up. • You can quantize to another clip’s beats, making the clips share the same groove.
“Synchronizing the rhythms of out-of-sync tracks” on page 670 “Making multiple clips/tracks groove together” on page 670 “Quantizing audio” on page 671 “To quantize audio to the project’s time ruler” on page 671 “To Groove Quantize an audio clip” on page 672 “To quantize an audio clip to another audio clip (Quantize to Pool)” on page 673 Adjusting the timing of a solo performance When adjusting the timing of a solo performance (for example, a single instrument recorded with a single microphone, or a pre-re
Adjusting the timing of a multi-track performance while maintaining phase relationships Editing a multi-track instrument, such as a multi-microphone drum kit or a full band, requires a little more care than editing a solo performance. When stretching or quantizing multi-track audio, it is critical to maintain the phase relationships of the original recording. This can only be achieved if the tracks are stretched at the same exact points in time across all tracks.
Our job is to align the drum hits with the piano hits so that the drum and piano tracks in time all the way through the measure. 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2. Assign the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. Audio clips display transient markers and the AudioSnap palette appears. 3. Select the three drum tracks and make splits right before and right after the area you want to edit. For details, see “To split clips into smaller clips” on page 380. 4.
Figure 231. The Merge and Lock Markers command has copied the same transient markers to all three drum tracks. The drum tracks are now ready to be edited. We want to keep the feel of the piano track, so our goal is align the drum tracks with the piano track, while preserving the phase relationship between the three drum tracks.
Figure 232. The drum and piano hits are aligned The second drum and piano hits are close but not perfect, so we need to fix this single beat. 12. Hold down the CTRL key and double-click any drum transient marker on the second hit. All drum transient markers for the second hit are selected 13. Drag any selected transient markers until it aligns with the second piano hit. All three drum and piano hits are now aligned properly, and the phase relationships between all drum tracks have been preserved.
Figure 233. All three drum and piano hits are perfectly aligned For information about maintaining phase relationships without stretching audio, see “To quantize multi-tracked drums without stretching audio” on page 674.
Synchronizing the rhythms of out-of-sync tracks A common problem arises when two or more clips aren’t quite in sync with each other. You can fix this with AudioSnap if the sync errors aren’t huge. The AudioSnap command that is most helpful in this situation is the Quantize to Pool command. The way it works is you decide which clip has the correct rhythm, you add that clip’s transient markers to the Pool, and then you quantize the other clip’s transient markers to the Pool.
Quantizing audio Quantizing audio is a quick way to tighten up the feel of an audio track. AudioSnap provides several ways to quantize audio: • You can quantize audio to the project’s time ruler. This is useful for tightening up a performance in a project that already has a fixed tempo or varying tempo map. For details, see “To quantize audio to the project’s time ruler” on page 671. • You can copy the feel of one track and apply it to another track.
To Groove Quantize an audio clip The Groove Quantize command aligns transients with a groove that’s on the Clipboard or a preexisting groove file. If you want to copy the timing from another audio clip to the Clipboard, see “To extract MIDI timing from an audio clip” on page 679. 1. Select the audio clip you want to groove quantize. 2. Press A to open the AudioSnap palette. 3. On the Process menu, click Groove Quantize. The Groove Quantize dialog box appears. 4.
Note 2: When snapping audio transients, the following rules apply: • If a Pool exists, audio transients snap to the Pool. • If a Pool does not exists, audio transients snap to transients in the selected tracks. • If there are no selected tracks, audio transients snap to transients in the selected clip. 4. Select the audio tracks that you want to use as the rhythm guide. 5.
See also: “To extract the groove from one clip and apply it to another clip” on page 672 To quantize multi-tracked drums without stretching audio When you fix timing errors in multi-tracked drum parts, you will frequently need to adjust all the drum parts in exactly the same way, because drum parts often contain “bleed”—the sound of other drums in the track of the drum that you are trying to record.
6. Right-click any selected drum track and select Merge and Lock Markers on the pop-up menu. 7. All transient markers on all selected tracks are copied to each drum track, so all drum tracks share identical transient markers. The clip positions are also locked. 8. On the Edit menu, point to Clip Lock and click Lock Position. The clip positions are no longer locked. 9. Select a drum track that has steady beats throughout the song.
12. Click the Split Beats into Clips button on the AudioSnap palette. Each beat is split into a separate clip. Now we can quantize all the clips at the same time. Let’s quantize this example to eighth notes: 13. Select all the clips that you want to quantize. 14. Use the Process > Quantize command to open the Quantize dialog box. 15. In the Duration field, choose Eighth (for this example). 16. Configure the other settings as follows: • Make sure the AudioSnap Beats check box is cleared.
values are set at their default values. 17. Click OK to close the Quantize dialog box. After some processing time, the clip start times move to the eighth note boundaries: Some clips now overlap, and some clips have small gaps between them. Because the Auto XFade Audio Clips check box was enabled, and the XFade and Max Gap values were set at their default values, crossfades have been automatically added between clips, and any gaps that were smaller than the Max Gap value have been filled in.
A A. Crossfades Now the clips line up with eighth note boundaries, no audio has been stretched, and phase relationships have been maintained. For information about maintaining phase relationships when stretching audio, see “Adjusting the timing of a multi-track performance while maintaining phase relationships” on page 665.
Extracting MIDI timing information from audio Extracting MIDI timing information from audio allows you to: • Double an audio rhythm with a MIDI instrument. • Replace sounds in an audio clip (commonly used for drum replacement). • Notate the rhythm of an audio clip. • Align lyrics with an audio rhythm. After you extract the timing information from an audio clip, the timing information is copied to the Clipboard as MIDI note events.
To paste the extracted MIDI timing to a MIDI track 1. Click the track number of a MIDI track to select it. 2. Move the Now Time to the measure where you want the data (we’ll use measure 1). Tip: If you want the MIDI notes to align perfectly with the audio data, press SHIFT+G to move the Now time to the beginning of the selected audio clip. 3. Press CTRL+V to paste the data.
General editing If you want to snap edits in the Clips pane to transient markers, see “Snapping edits to audio beats” on page 681. If you want to split each beat into a separate clip, see “Splitting beats into clips” on page 683. If you want to stretch the duration of an audio clip, see “Slip-stretching audio” on page 687. If you want to automatically create envelope nodes that are aligned with transient markers, see “Adding automation” on page 688.
4. In this example, we’re using the Inline Piano Roll view: to enable it, assign a MIDI track’s Edit Filter to Notes. Zoom in enough to see where the edits need to be. Make sure the Landmark Events button is enabled in the Control Bar’s Snap module. Note: If events do not appear to snap to audio transients, go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Snap to Grid (or right-click the Snap to Grid button Audio Transients check box is selected under Landmarks. ) and make sure the A A.
Splitting beats into clips Clicking the Split Beats Into Clips button on the AudioSnap palette splits a selected AudioSnap-enabled clip into new clips starting at every enabled transient marker. The main reason you might want to do this is to align a clip with a new tempo or quantize it, without stretching the audio. Once you split a clip at its transients, you can move the new clips by dragging or quantizing so that they are aligned the way you want them to be.
To split a clip, quantize it, and fill in the gaps 1. The following picture shows a clip whose transient markers don’t line up with the measure lines: 2. If we quantize it, the audio will stretch and we may or may not like the resulting sound. Let’s try splitting it, and quantizing the clips instead of the transients: click the Split Beats Into Clips button on the AudioSnap palette. The clip splits at the transients, and only the first new clip is still selected: 3.
5. Make sure that Audio Clip Start Times is selected, and that (for this example) Sixteenth is selected in the Duration field. Leave the Auto XFade Audio Clips option unchecked for now, and click OK. Let’s zoom in and look at the quantized clips: 6. The start of each clip now lines up where we want it to, but there are gaps between some of the clips. Let’s undo what we just did (press CTRL+Z), and quantize again.
7. Where the gaps were between clips, we now see crossfades. The default length of the crossfade is 20 milliseconds, but you can change that by entering a number in the XFade ms field in the dialog box. 8. If you don’t want wide gaps to be filled in, you can enter a number of up to 200 milliseconds in the Max Gap field. Any gap that is wider than the number in this field will not be filled in.
Slip-stretching audio You can slip-stretch an audio clip in order to expand or compress its duration. Slip-stretching only works on regular audio clips, not Groove clips or REX loops. To slip-stretch an audio clip 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2. Hold down the CTRL key, move the mouse pointer over the end of the clip until the cursor changes into the slip-stretch icon , then drag the end of the clip to the desired position.
Adding automation If you have an automation envelope on a track, AudioSnap can automatically add nodes to the envelope that align with a selected clip’s transient markers. This makes it easy to add special processing at transient locations. To add nodes at transients 1. Select the audio clip(s) that contain the transient markers you want to use as a guide. 2. Right-click an automation envelope on the clip, and choose Add Nodes at Transient Markers from the pop-up menu.
Using the Pool The Pool is a collection of transient markers that can be extracted as a groove, and also function as snap locations. A transient marker that belongs to the pool is displayed in the Clips pane as a solid line within the parent track, and as a dotted line outside the parent track. Hovering the mouse over a dotted line will display a tooltip containing the parent track and position. To show/hide pool lines 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 2.
To add the Time ruler to the Pool 1. In the Control Bar’s Snap module, set the Musical Time value to the resolution you would like to add to the Pool. 2. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar. 3. Assign the track’s Edit Filter control to Audio Transients. 4. Right-click in the Clips pane and select Pool > Add MBT to pool on the pop-up menu. The current Musical Time snap resolution to the pool, and also displays dotted pool lines in the Clips pane.
For information about groove quantizing an audio clip, see “To Groove Quantize an audio clip” on page 672. For information about quantizing to the Pool, see “To quantize an audio clip to another audio clip (Quantize to Pool)” on page 673.
Algorithms and rendering When you stretch an audio clip, AudioSnap uses a particular formula, or algorithm, to stretch the audio. The best algorithms take the most computing time and power to complete, so if AudioSnap always used the best available algorithms (the iZotope Radius algorithms), you would not be able to play back your clip in a reasonable amount of time to listen to the timing.
The following table describes the available algorithms. Algorithm Description GrooveClip Good all-around algorithm to use while stretching audio Percussion Gives a better sound on percussion clips while stretching audio iZotope Radius Mix Best all-around choice when bouncing to track with audio clips that contain a mix of different sounds iZotope Radius Mix Advanced This choice is similar to iZotope Radius Mix, but exposes two parameters: • Pitch coherence.
To choose render algorithms for an individual clip 1. Select the clip or clips you want to edit. 2. Press A to open the AudioSnap palette. The AudioSnap palette displays the current render mode of the selected clip. If you select multiple clips that have different render modes, the Online and Offline lists display (Multi). 3. In the Applies To list, select Clips. 4. Under Render Mode, select the desired Online and Offline render modes.
See: “Freeze tracks and synths” on page 909 “To bounce multiple audio clips to a new track” on page 836 “To bounce to clips” on page 835 “Using global tools on AudioSnap transient markers” on page 638 “Editing transient markers” on page 643 “Using the AudioSnap palette” on page 652 “Synchronizing audio and the project tempo” on page 656 “Fixing timing problems in audio clips” on page 663 “Extracting MIDI timing information from audio” on page 679 “General editing” on page 681 “Using the Pool” on page 689 A
AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only) Algorithms and rendering
Working with loops and Groove Clips Loops are short digital audio clips which are often designed to be repeated over and over or “looped,” although some loops, called one-shots, are intended to play just once. Groove clips, often used as loops, are digital audio clips that “know” their tempo and pitch information. Groove clips automatically respond to changes in a project’s tempo and can have their root note pitch adjusted using pitch markers.
The Loop Construction view The Loop Construction view is where you create and edit Groove clips. Figure 237. The Loop Construction view The Loop Construction view toolbar has tools for editing slicing markers and controls for previewing loops.
Loop Construction controls The following is a list of the controls in the Loop Construction view, followed by a description. For step-by-step instructions, see the links at the end of this section. Clip menu The Clip menu contains the following commands: • Save Loop. Opens the Save As dialog box. In the Save As dialog box you can save the current loop (Groove clip) as a Riff Wave file, which are compatible with ACIDized loops. You can save Riff Wave files for use with another SONAR project or with ACID.
Controls • Preview . Plays the current loop repeatedly. Click again to stop preview. • Loop. Click the Loop button to loop clips in the Track view by dragging the right side of a clip with your mouse. When Loop is not on, you are able to slip-edit the clip. • Resolution. The slice Resolution control sets the resolution for the creation of markers, or the “slicing” of the looped clip.
(semitone) field adjusts the pitch from C. If you enter “-1” the pitch would be transposed down by one additional semitone to B. Another example: The clip pitch is E. The desired clip pitch is D. If the Follow Project Pitch option is not checked, and a value of “2” is entered in the Pitch (semitones) field, the clip is transposed down two semitones to D from the original pitch of E. • Fine Pitch. The Pitch (fine) field allows you to make tuning adjustments or to transpose the pitch of a clip up to 50 cents.
Audio scaling Audio scaling is the increase or decrease in the size (scale) of the waveform in clip. Audio scaling allows you to make detailed edits by zooming in on the parts of the waveform closest to the zero crossing (silence) while preserving the track size. By showing just the quietest parts of a clip, you can make very precise edits. The Audio Scale Ruler is located on the far left of the Loop Construction view. Figure 238. Audio scale ruler A B A. Audio Scale Ruler B.
Using loops with the Browser The Browser lets you find and import various types of content into your projects, including audio and MIDI loops. The Browser’s Media tab makes it easy to find and import loops. You can preview audio and MIDI files before you import them into your project. If you preview a Groove clip, it plays back at the tempo and in the key of your current project. Audio files can be auditioned through any bus and MIDI files can be auditioned through any soft synth. Figure 239.
To preview audio content 1. In the Browser, click the Browse Media button . 2. On the Browser menu, select Auto-Preview. 3. On the Browser menu, point to Audio Preview Bus, then select the bus you want to preview audio through. 4. Navigate to the folder that contains the audio content you want to preview, then click the file you want to preview. Note: Auto-Preview is enabled by default. If you disable Auto-Preview, you must click the Play button each time you want to preview the selected audio file.
See: “Working with loops” on page 705 “Working with Groove Clip audio” on page 706 “MIDI Groove Clips” on page 715 “Importing Project5 patterns” on page 719 Working with loops You can make any audio clip into a loop by selecting the Looping check box in the Clip Inspector’s Groove Clip section. Once looping is enabled, you can drag out loops to create multiple repetitions.
Working with Groove Clip audio Groove clips are .wav files that behave similarly to Sony Media Software’s ACIDized loops (SONAR also has MIDI Groove clips—see “MIDI Groove Clips” on page 715). Groove clips contain information about the audio content, including the original tempo, original reference pitch, number of beats in the loop, and audio transient information.
Using Groove Clips Groove clips are easy to use because they automatically adjust to your project’s pitch markers and tempo. You can import existing loops or create your own, using the Loop Construction view. To import a Groove Clip into your project 1. Select a Track in the Track view. 2. Set the Now Time to the place you want the clip to begin. 3. Select File > Import > Audio from the menu. The Open dialog box appears. 4. Navigate to a directory that contains Groove clips and select one. 5. Click Open.
Creating and editing Groove Clips Any audio clip can be converted to a Groove clip. Groove clips contain tempo, beat, and pitch information which SONAR uses to stretch and transpose the clips to match the project. Most Groove clips are loop-enabled, meaning that you can use the mouse to drag clip repetitions in the Track view. Groove clips can be either loop-enabled or not, although they usually are. When a Groove clip is loop-enabled, its edges appear beveled.
To set the tempo of a Groove Clip When creating a new Groove clip, SONAR sets the clip’s tempo to the current project tempo. To ensure proper stretching behavior you must set the value in the BPM field to the tempo at which you recorded the clip. The tempo value of a clip can only be changed if the clip is stretch-enabled. Do the following to change the value in the BPM field. • Click the Plus or Minus button to the right of the BPM field until the correct value is displayed.
To transpose a Groove Clip by semitones Follow this procedure to transpose a Groove clip by any number of semitones. 1. Double-click the clip you want to transpose to the project’s pitch. The clip appears in the Loop Construction view. 2. If the Pitch button is enabled, click it to disable it. 3. In the Coarse Pitch field, enter the number of semitones you want to transpose the clip by. A negative number in the Coarse Pitch field transposes a clip down.
Editing slices Each slice (space between the slicing markers) can be adjusted in the Loop Construction view. You can adjust the following slice attributes: • Gain • Pan • Pitch To preview a Groove Clip slice 1. Double-click on a clip to open the Loop Construction view. 2. Click the Loop Construction view Options menu and select Auto Slice Preview On/Off. 3. Click a slice to hear it. To adjust a Groove Clip slice gain 1. In the Loop Construction view, select the slice on which you want to adjust the gain.
Saving Groove Clips as Wave files/ACIDized Wave files Once you have created a Groove clip in SONAR, you can save the clip as a Groove Clip/Wave file, compatible with ACIDized wave files. To save a Groove Clip as a Riff Wave file/ACIDized Wave file 1. If you have not already done so, create a Groove clip. See “Creating and editing Groove Clips” on page 708. 2. In the Loop Construction view, click the Clip menu and select Save Loop. The Save As dialog box appears. 3.
To enable a clip’s Follow Project Pitch option 1. Select the clip and open the Clip Inspector. 2. Select the Clip Inspector’s Groove Clip section and make sure that the Reference Note field is correct. When your project reaches a pitch marker, SONAR transposes each groove clip that has the Follow Project Pitch option enabled by the difference between the clip’s Reference Note and the current Project Pitch.
Working with REX files SONAR supports two types of Groove Clips: • ACIDized Groove Clip • REX-based Groove Clip Like ACIDized WAVE files, REX files are audio files that are designed to be looped and follow the project’s tempo. The time stretching technology that REX files use is well suited for percussive sounds, such as drums. You can import REX files into a SONAR project.
To use pitch markers with REX-based Groove Clips Unlike ACIDized audio loops, REX files do not store the original pitch (root note) value. If you want a pitched REX file to properly follow your project’s pitch markers, you must manually specify the original root note for each REX clip. By default, SONAR assigns a root note value of G#.
For step-by-step information, see the following procedures, and also “Exporting and importing MIDI Groove clips” on page 717. See: “To enable or disable a MIDI clip’s Groove Clip function” on page 716 “To create repetitions of a MIDI Groove Clip” on page 716 “To transpose MIDI Groove Clip” on page 716 “To transpose a MIDI Groove Clip with pitch markers” on page 717 To enable or disable a MIDI clip’s Groove Clip function • Select the clip and press CTRL+L.
To transpose a MIDI Groove Clip with pitch markers Use the same method you use for audio Groove clips: see “Using pitch markers in the Track view” on page 712. See also: “Exporting and importing MIDI Groove clips” on page 717 Exporting and importing MIDI Groove clips You can not export MIDI Groove clips by saving your project as a Standard MIDI File—Standard MIDI Files do not contain MIDI Groove clip data, such as transposition value, etc.
To import MIDI Groove Clips with the File command 1. Move the Now Time to the place where you want to import the clip. 2. Highlight the track you want to import the clip into. 3. Use the File > Import > MIDI command. The Import MIDI dialog box appears, 4. Navigate to a folder where you store MIDI Groove clips. Make sure that the Files of Type field is set to MIDI File. 5. Highlight the file you want to import—the File Info field displays the file’s MIDI Groove clip data, if any. 6.
Importing Project5 patterns Project5 is Cakewalk’s pattern-based soft synth work station that has its own library (pattern bin) full of MIDI and audio patterns, stored on disk. If you have Project5 MIDI patterns on your hard disk, you can import them directly into SONAR. To import a Project5 pattern 1. Move the Now Time to the place where you want to import the pattern. 2. Highlight the track you want to import the pattern into. 3. Use the File > Import > MIDI command.
Working with loops and Groove Clips Importing Project5 patterns
Editing MIDI events and continuous controllers (CC) SONAR lets you edit the events in your projects in dozens of different ways. The Piano Roll view lets you add and edit notes, controllers, and automation data interactively, using a graphic display. SONAR’s many editing commands can improve the quality of recorded performances, filter out certain types of events, and modify the tempos and dynamics of your projects. The Event List view lets you see and modify every detail of your project.
The following table describes the various MIDI clip header indicators. Indicator Description Double-click the clip to open the Piano Roll view. For details, see “The Piano Roll view” on page 724. Double-click the clip to open the Step Sequencer view. For details, see “Step Sequencer view” on page 1937. Double-click the clip to open the Staff view. For details, see “The Staff view” on page 1180. Double-click the clip to open the Event List view. For details, see “The Event List view” on page 788.
Event Inspector The Event Inspector module is available in the Control Bar. The Event Inspector has the following: • Time • Pitch • Velocity • Duration • Channel Figure 241. The Event Inspector module. A C B D E A. Time B. Duration C. Pitch D. Velocity E. Channel To display a note’s properties in the Event Inspector • Select a note. If you select multiple notes, the Event Inspector displays the note value if all selected note values are the same.
Event Inspector Field Valid Values Velocity A velocity value or modifier value are valid in this field. Valid velocity values are 0 through 127. Valid modifier values are +/- 0 through 127. Duration A PPQ value. Channel 1 through 16. Table 125. The Piano Roll view The Piano Roll view displays all notes and other events from one or more MIDI tracks in a grid format that looks much like a player piano roll. Notes are displayed as horizontal bars, and drum notes as diamonds.
Figure 242. The Piano Roll view A H B C D E F G A. Menu B. Drum Grid pane C. Notes pane D. Controller pane E. Key/Pitch pane F. Edit Filter G. Track List pane H.
Note Map pane This pane displays your drum map settings. You can mute or solo individual pitches, and preview individual pitch sounds. For more information about the Note Map Pane, see “The Note Map pane” on page 817. See also: “Drum maps and the Drum Grid pane” on page 807 Drum Grid pane In the Drum Grid pane you can add, delete, and edit notes and note properties in any MIDI track(s) assigned to a drum map. You can also edit controllers in this pane if you choose to hide the Controller pane.
Track List pane The Track List pane is home to a list of all tracks currently displayed in the Piano Roll view. In this pane you can enable and disable editing of a track’s data; mute, solo and arm a track; and show or hide the track’s data in the Notes pane or Drum Grid pane. Track numbers, names and output ports appear in the Track List pane. To show or hide the Track List pane, click the Piano Roll view View menu and choose Show/Hide Track Pane.
Working with multiple tracks in the Piano Roll view You can view as many tracks as you want in the Piano Roll view. When you display several tracks at the same time in the Piano Roll view, you control which track(s) you can see and/or edit by using the buttons in the Track List pane. To show or hide the Track List pane, click the Piano Roll view View menu and choose Show/Hide Track Pane. If you want to edit the data in a track, you must make the track you want to edit the current track.
Display If the notes of two tracks overlap, the notes of the topmost track in the Track List pane appear over the notes of the other track. You can move a track up or down by in the Track List pane by clicking and holding on the track and moving the track to the desired position. All tracks ending in the same digit (2, 12, 22, etc.) share the same color. The default colors can be changed using Edit > Preferences > Customization - Colors.
Note names You can change the instrument definition for the active track in the Piano Roll view. Right-click the piano keys in the Notes pane to open the Note Names dialog box where you can use note names that are defined as part of any instrument definition. For more information about instrument definitions, see “Instrument definitions” on page 1229. To change the active track’s instrument definition 1.
Displaying notes and controllers (Piano Roll view only) The menu across the top of the Piano Roll view lets you quickly hide or show any combination of the data in a MIDI track or in multiple MIDI tracks (see also “Displaying notes and controllers in the Inline Piano Roll view” on page 755). To hide or show data in the Piano Roll view 1.
Adding and editing notes in the Piano Roll You add notes in the Piano Roll view or Inline Piano Roll view by first choosing a note duration in the Control Bar’s Tools module and then dragging in the view with the Smart tool or Freehand tool at the pitch location and time location where you want the note to go. The pitch locations are marked by gray rows for the sharps or flats, and white rows for naturals.
of the Notes pane or the drum map rows in Note Map pane to select all notes of the desired pitch(es). • In the Inline Piano Roll view: SHIFT-click or SHIFT-drag the piano keys on the MIDI Scale to select all notes of the desired pitch(es). To select notes with the Select tool 1. Select the Select tool in the Control Bar. 2.
To select all notes of certain pitches (Inline Piano Roll view only) 1. Zoom the MIDI Scale in far enough to see the keys clearly (left-click and drag on the MIDI Scale). 2. SHIFT-click a piano key to select all the notes of that pitch, or SHIFT-drag through multiple notes to select them. CTRL-clicking to select multiple non-adjacent notes is not possible in the MIDI Scale.
To adjust a MIDI note’s velocity 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool down. • With the Edit tool , position the pointer near the top center of the note, then drag up/ , position the pointer near the top center of the note, then drag up/down. To adjust a MIDI note’s start/end 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2.
To mute/unmute a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , hold down the ALT key and right-click the note. • With the Mute tool , click the note to mute/unmute a single note, or drag over notes to mute/unmute multiple notes. A B C A. Event-Muted (hollow; the note outline uses the Clip Mute color) B. Unmuted events (track color) C. Muted using the Mute tool on the clip (Clip Mute color) To move a MIDI note 1.
To draw a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , drag where you want to insert a new note. • With the Freehand tool , click where you want to insert a new note. Note: Use the Value control in the Tools module to specify the duration for new note events. You can also click an existing Note event to inherit its duration and apply it to new Note events. For details, see “Use note duration value from last touched note” on page 507.
To erase a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , right-click a note to erase a single note, or keep the right mouse button pressed and drag over notes to erase multiple notes. • With the Erase tool multiple notes. , click a note to erase a single note, or drag over notes to erase To split a MIDI note 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. 2.
Piano Roll lasso behavior By default, lasso selecting the top of velocity lines in the Piano Roll's Note pane also automatically selects the corresponding note events. If you don't want velocity lines to affect note selection, you can change the behavior by adding a switch to the Windows registry. Warning: Always back up the Windows registry before making any changes. Only edit the registry if you are comfortable doing so. 1. Click the Start button and select Run. 2.
Piano Roll view snap resolution The Piano Roll view can use its own optional and independent Snap to Grid resolution, separate from the global Snap to Grid resolution. This allows you, for example, to use a specific resolution when working with clips in the Track view, and a different resolution when working with note events in the Piano Roll view. Note: The inline Piano Roll always obeys the global snap resolution.
Figure 245. Independent Piano Roll Snap resolution enabled A B C D A. Piano Roll view Snap resolution (musical time) B. Snap to MIDI events C. Snap to markers D. Enable/ disable independent Snap resolution in the Piano Roll view Show velocity on selected notes (optional) SONAR has an option to show velocities for selected Note events. This option makes it easier to see and edit velocities when many Note events are present.
Selection sensitive velocity drawing If any Note events are selected, velocity painting will only affect those selected Note events. If no Note events are selected, then velocity painting will affect all Note events. Example 1. Painting velocity when some Note events are selected. Only those Note events are changed. Example 2. Painting velocity when no Note events are selected. All Note events are changed.
See: “Clip muting and isolating (clip soloing)” on page 388 “Adding and editing controllers in the Piano Roll” on page 743 Adding and editing controllers in the Piano Roll Controller events (MIDI continuous controllers, pitch wheel, NRPNs, and RPNs) appear in either the Notes pane or the Controller pane, depending on whether you choose to display the Controller pane or not.
Multiple automation controller lanes The Controller pane in the multi-track Piano Roll view (not the inline Piano Roll) is split up into multiple lanes—one lane for each unique event type in the track. You can freely create new lanes to display and edit MIDI data such as velocity, modulation, pitch bend and CCs (Continuous Controllers) and events can be moved and copied between lanes. To show the Controller pane, click the Piano Roll view View menu and choose Show/Hide Controller Pane, or press ALT+C.
Working with MIDI data lanes The Controller pane allows you to display and edit non-note MIDI data, such as velocity, modulation, pitch bend and continuous controllers (CCs), in multiple lanes at the bottom of the Piano Roll view. When you open the Piano Roll view, SONAR will automatically create a separate MIDI data lane for each unique data type that is present in the selected track(s).
To assign an Event Type to a lane 1. Click the lane’s Edit Filter. 2. Select an existing event type in the pop-up menu, or select New Value Type to specify a new event type. The name of the current edit type is displayed in the lane. See: “Displaying notes and controllers (Piano Roll view only)” on page 731 To copy events between lanes When you copy events from one lane to another lane, the MIDI data is transformed to match the edit type in the target lane. 1.
To move events between lanes When you move events from one lane to another lane, the MIDI data is transformed to match the edit type in the target lane. 1. Select the event types you want to move to another lane. See “Selecting controllers” on page 749 for more information. 2. In the Scale pane, right-click the lane you want to move the selected events to. The lane context menu appears. 3. Click Move selected events to this lane. The selected events are moved to the destination track.
appears when you depress the mouse, and constantly reports the controller name, channel, value, and location of the controller value that you are entering. Release the mouse where you want your curve to end. Tip: To draw a straight line, hold the SHIFT key down while you draw. • To add one controller event at a time, click each place that you want to add a controller value.
Selecting controllers To perform many editing procedures on controllers, you first need to select the controller events you want to edit. A selected controller event turns dark when it is selected. You can select a single controller event, multiple controller events of the same type, or all controller events. To select controller events of the same type 1. Click the Edit Filter and select the event type you want to show in the MIDI data lane. 2.
To enable/disable ‘Select Controllers within Note Duration’ Click the Piano Roll view Controllers menu and choose Select Controllers Along With Notes. Note: The state of the Select Controllers Along With Notes option is global and applies to both the Piano Roll view and inline Piano Roll. See: “Working with multiple tracks in the Piano Roll view” on page 728 Piano Roll Microscope mode The Piano Roll Microscope mode makes it much easier to edit MIDI data without constantly needing to change zoom settings.
With Microscope mode turned on, the area under the mouse looks like this: Microscope mode also works with Drum Maps: To enable/disable Microscope mode To enable/disable Microscope mode, do one of the following: • Click the Piano Roll view View menu and choose MIDI Microscope. • Click the Track view View menu and choose MIDI Microscope. • Go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Editing and select the Microscope check box. How Microscope mode works Position.
Zoom Factor (horizontal/time). The microscope will provide some horizontal magnification when the view zoom is such that notes become very narrow. Tip: Use Fast Zoom in combination with Microscope mode if you want to quickly zoom around the current mouse position. See “To zoom using the mouse wheel (Fast Zoom)” on page 346 for more details. Configuring Microscope mode options There are several settings that let you configure the size and zoom level of the microscope.
The Inline Piano Roll view The Inline Piano Roll view lets you edit note and continuous controller events for a single track directly in the Track view. To show a track’s Inline Piano Roll, click the track’s Edit Filter control and choose Notes. If a track uses a Drum Map, the Inline Piano Roll view for that track displays the Drum Map’s note names on the track’s MIDI Scale (see “The MIDI scale” on page 754 for more information).
To hide or show all tracks’ Inline Piano Roll views Hold down the CTRL key and assign any track’s Edit Filter control to Notes. See also: “The MIDI scale” on page 754 “Displaying notes and controllers in the Inline Piano Roll view” on page 755 The MIDI scale MIDI tracks have a control called the MIDI Scale. This control displays a vertical ruler labeled with MIDI values (in 7bit Values mode) or MIDI notes (in Notes mode), giving you a visual guide for editing notes and controllers.
To scroll vertically with the MIDI scale • Right-click the MIDI Scale and drag up or down to scroll. To fit a single track’s content into its Inline Piano Roll view • Right-click the MIDI Scale and choose Fit Content from the pop-up menu. Or • CTRL-double-click the MIDI Scale. To audition and select notes • To audition and select a note, SHIFT-click the note’s pitch in the MIDI Scale.
749. You can zoom in to or out of individual MIDI Tracks by dragging the MIDI Scale up or down. See “The MIDI scale” on page 754 for more information. To edit controller events in the Inline Piano Roll view 1. Click the MIDI track’s Edit Filter control, point to Notes and choose New Value Type to open the MIDI Event Type dialog box. 2. Choose options from the following fields: • Type. Choose the type of controller you want to add (for example, choose Control if you want to edit volume). • Value.
Selecting and editing events SONAR has many editing commands that you can use to modify the events that make up your project. Here are some of the things you can do: • Transpose events, clips, tracks, or an entire project to a different key • Shift events to an earlier or later time • Stretch or shrink material to a different length • Reverse the notes in a clip to create new arrangements • Modify the note velocities The following sections describe these editing commands and how to use them.
Transposing The Process > Transpose command transposes the pitches of selected note events up or down by a fixed number of steps. It does so by changing the MIDI key numbers of note events. Simply enter the number of half-steps—a negative number to transpose down, a positive number to transpose up. SONAR can also perform diatonic transposition, which shifts all the notes up and down the major scale of the current signature by the designated number of steps.
polyphonic), and how long you want to wait for processing to finish: better quality can take a long time if you're processing several tracks. • Formant scaling. Possible values range from -2.000 to 2.000 octaves. Formants give a voice its characteristic sound. You can use the Formant Scaling value to offset the pitch transposition you're applying. For example, if you're transposing the pitch down, you can raise the formant to try and maintain the characteristics of the sound. 6. Click OK when you are done.
Inserting time or measures into a project The Project > Insert Time/Measures command lets you insert any number of blank measures, ticks, seconds, or frames into a project. You can insert the blank measures (or other period of time) into all tracks or into one or more selected tracks. If you insert the blank time into the entire project, all events in each track—markers, meter and key settings, and tempo changes—are shifted automatically by default.
To insert blank time or measures into selected tracks 1. Select the range of time you want to insert by dragging in the Time Ruler. 2. Select one or more tracks by CTRL-clicking on the track numbers. 3. Choose Project > Insert Time/Measures to display the Insert Time/Measures dialog box. 4. If necessary, adjust the time at which blank space will be inserted. 5. If necessary, change the length of time to insert by entering a number and choosing the units you want from the list. 6.
SONAR deletes the time or measures you selected. To delete time when there is no audio or MIDI data in the area you want to delete (or if there is data, but you like to drag and drop): 1. Set the Snap to Grid value to the unit of time you want to delete. For example, if you want to delete whole measures, set the Snap to Grid value to a whole measure. 2. In the Track view, select the clips you want to move. 3.
To stretch or shrink using percentages 1. Select the events you want to change. 2. Choose Process > Length to display the Length dialog box. Figure 249. The Length dialog 3. Choose to change the Start Times and/or Durations of selected notes by checking the boxes. 4. If you want to stretch selected audio clips, check the Stretch Audio box. When this check box is enabled, the following two options become available: • Type. Choose the type of audio data you're stretching.
To stretch or shrink to a specific length 1. Select the events you want to change. 2. Choose Process > Fit to Time to display the Fit to Time dialog box. Figure 250. The Fit to Time dialog 3. Enter the desired end time in the New Thru box. Click Format to switch between MBT and SMPTE format. 4. Choose one of the following: • Tempo Map. Choose this option if you want the tempo to change but not the duration of notes and events.
High-resolution audio boosted by 6 dB when stretched using MPEX When using a sample rate of 88.2 kHz or higher and performing any operation that uses MPEX time/ pitch stretching, the stretched audio will be boosted by 6 dB. Reversing notes in a clip The Process > Retrograde command reverses the order of events in a selection. If one or more clips are selected, then the events within each clip are reversed. If several clips are selected from the same track, then the order of the clips is also reversed.
To scale velocities 1. Select the events whose velocity data you want to change. 2. Choose Process > Scale Velocity to display the Scale Velocity dialog box. Figure 251. The Scale Velocity dialog 3. Enter the starting and ending velocity values. 4. Check the Percentages box if the values are percentages. 5. Click OK when you are done. SONAR alters the velocity of selected events. Changing the timing of a recording When you record a performance, there may be problems you’d like to correct.
Quantizing Quantizing is one of the most important editing functions in SONAR. You use this feature to correct timing errors you make when recording from a MIDI instrument or to adjust the timing of audio clips. Very few musicians are capable of performing in perfect time. As you play, you are likely to strike some notes slightly before or after the beat or to hold some notes slightly longer than you intended. The Quantize commands can help to correct these types of timing mistakes.
Duration As an option, SONAR can adjust the duration of note events so that each note ends one clock tick before the start of the nearest resolution-sized note. This ensures that the notes do not overlap, which can cause problems on some synthesizers. The adjustment may lengthen the duration of some notes and shorten the duration of others. When you use Groove Quantize, the duration adjustment compares the note length to the duration of the sample note in the groove.
Swing = 50% Swing = 66% Swing = 33% Window When you quantize some portion of a project, you might not want to adjust notes that are very far from the grid. The window, or sensitivity, setting lets you choose how close to the resolution grid a note must be located for quantize to move it. A window of 100 percent includes all notes and guarantees that all notes will be shifted to lie exactly on the grid. The window extends half the resolution distance before and after the quantization point.
Other settings If you want, you can restrict the types of events that are affected by the Quantize commands to only notes, lyrics, and audio clips. If you choose this option, SONAR will not modify other events, like controllers. To use the Quantize command 1. Select the material you want to quantize using any of the selection tools and commands. 2. Choose Process > Quantize to display the Quantize dialog box. Figure 252. The Quantize dialog 3.
To use the Groove Quantize command 1. Select the track or clip you want to quantize, using any of the selection tools and commands. 2. Choose Process > Groove Quantize to display the Groove Quantize dialog box. Figure 253. The Groove Quantize dialog 3. Choose a groove file from the Groove File field. 4. Choose a groove pattern from the Groove Pattern field. 5.
6. Click Audition if you want to hear how the quantization will sound; press Stop to stop auditioning the change. 7. Make adjustments as necessary. 8. Optionally, type a name in the Preset field (located at the top of the dialog box) and click the Save button to save your settings. 9. Click OK when you are done. SONAR quantizes the selected MIDI information and audio clips. You can use Undo to restore the material to its original state.
To save a groove pattern 1. Select the music that defines the groove using any of the selection tools and commands. 2. Choose Edit > Copy to place the music onto the Clipboard. 3. Choose Process > Groove Quantize to display the Groove Quantize dialog box. 4. Choose the Clipboard as the groove “Groove File.” 5. Click the Define button to display the Define Groove dialog box. Figure 254. The Define Groove dialog 6. Select an existing groove file, or enter the name for a new groove file. 7.
To delete a groove 1. Choose Process > Groove Quantize to display the Groove Quantize dialog box. 2. Click the Define button to display the Define Groove dialog box. 3. Select the file containing the groove to delete. 4. Select the pattern name of the groove. 5. Click the Delete button, and confirm that you want to delete the groove pattern. 6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for each groove you want to delete. 7. Click Close when you are done to return to the Groove Quantize dialog box.
Fixing a bad verse. Copy a good verse to the Clipboard. Then change the selected range to cover only the bad verse. Perform a groove quantize using the Clipboard contents as the groove source. The rhythms of the two verses then match. Fit Improvisation SONAR lets you record music from a MIDI controller without requiring that you use a fixed tempo. In fact, if you record without using a metronome, you are very likely to end up with a recording that does not fit onto a fixed tempo grid.
You can also use the Set/Measure Beat At Now command to align a freely played MIDI performance with the Time Ruler. To sync the project tempo to freely played MIDI If you have recorded a MIDI track without a metronome, you may want to align the project’s tempo map with the MIDI performance. The Set/Measure Beat At Now command allows you to create new bar lines to fit your project. This command does not stretch audio.
4. Choose Project > Set Measure/Beat at Now to open the Measure Beat/Meter dialog box. 5. Enter the desired measure and beat values, and click OK. Note: SONAR attempts to guess the correct measure/beat, so you usually can just click OK to accept the default values. 6. Move the Now Time to the next desired beat (click the start of the next note). Tip: Press TAB to jump to the next note, or SHIFT+TAB to jump to the previous note. 7.
Snap to Scale When Snap to Scale is enabled, any notes that you draw in the Piano Roll view (or Inline Piano Roll view) stay within the selected scale. Also, any notes that you move with the Select tool stay within the selected scale. When Snap to Scale is enabled, both Piano Roll views display grey rows at the pitch levels that are not in the selected scale. Also, both the Select tool and the Draw tool display a tuning fork icon when you create or modify notes to show that Snap to Scale is enabled.
• In the Track Inspector, click the drop-down arrow in a track’s Scale control, and choose a scale note from the menu that appears. The scale options in the menu contain both factorysupplied scales and ones that you create and/or edit. • In the Piano Roll view, right-click a track’s name in the Track List pane, and choose Scales > (kind of scale) > (name of scale) from the pop-up menu. To create a scale 1.
6. When you’re through choosing scale degrees, click the Close button to save your changes. If you want to delete your scale, just highlight it in the Scale field, and click the Delete button . To edit or delete a scale 1. Open the Scale Manager dialog box (click the drop-down arrow in the Scale menu, and choose Scale Manager from the menu, or the right-click menu in the Track List pane of the Piano Roll view). 2. In the Scale Family field, click the scale family that the desired scale is filed under. 3.
To choose how SONAR handles non-scale notes 1. Open the Snap Settings dialog by clicking the drop-down arrow in the Scale menu, and choosing Snap Settings from the menu that appears. 2. Choose one of the following options: • Adjust to Next, Higher Note. If you choose this option, SONAR moves any non-scale note that you move to the next higher note in the selected scale. • Adjust to Previous, Lower Note.
Event filters When you select individual clips, or select portions of clips by dragging the Time Ruler, you automatically select all the events that fall within the designated time range. Sometimes you need finer control over which events are selected.
Different types of events have different parameters, as shown in the table: This event type Has these parameters Note Pitch, velocity, and duration Key Aftertouch Pitch and pressure value Controller Controller number and value RPN/NRPN RPN/NRPN number and value Patch Change Bank and patch numbers Channel Aftertouch Pressure value Pitch Wheel Value Table 135. The event filter only accepts events that meet all the specified ranges.
Selecting events The Edit > Select > By Filter command is used to refine a selection by applying an event filter to an initial selection. You can use this command any number of times to refine the selection even further. Before using this command, use any of the selection commands and tools to create an initial set of selected event. You can use the Edit > Select > All command to select all events in the current view. The Track view cannot display individual selected events.
Process > Find/Change The Process > Find/Change command is an extremely flexible way of manipulating the data parameters of events. It works something like the search-and-replace function in a word processor but with scaling rather than simple replacement. This command uses two event filters. The first event filter lets you set up your search criteria. The second event filter is used to define the replacement value ranges.
Parameter Search range Replacement range Channel From 1 to 1 From 2 to 2 Changes all events on MIDI channel 1 to MIDI channel 2 Channel From 1 to 16 From 4 to 4 Reassigns all events to MIDI channel 4 Effect Table 137. Controllers, RPNs, NRPNs, and automation data SONAR projects contain a lot more information than the notes and digital audio files that are at the heart of your work.
Controllers Controllers are the MIDI events such as volume, sustain pedal, and pan that you use to change the sound while you're playing. You can enter controller data from within SONAR, or record them from external devices such as MIDI keyboards. Controllers let you control the detail and character of your music. Say you’re playing a guitar sound on your synthesizer, but it sounds lifeless and dull.
Automation data The Track and Console views allow you to record automation data that define changes in volume, pan and many other parameters throughout a project. The Track view allows you to create envelopes to adjust several parameters. For more about automation, see “Automation” on page 1101. Velocity, Pitch Wheel, and Aftertouch SONAR lets you display and edit several other types of data the same way you do controller data.
Figure 258. The Event List view A B C D E F A. Menu B. Track C. This event is selected D. Event time E. Event channel F. Event type The events in the selected tracks are listed one per line, from top to bottom. As you move the highlight through the event list, SONAR updates the Now marker (time display). During playback, the event list scrolls to display the events at the current time.
Event List buttons and overview Each line of the Event List view shows a single event along with all of its parameters. There are many different types of events. All share the following parameters: • The time of the event, displayed in SMPTE (hours:minutes:seconds:frames) format • The time of the event, displayed in MBT (measures:beats:ticks) format • The event type, or kind of event The remaining parameters vary by event type.
Short name Type of event Parameters Shape Events Automation graph segments made up of a solid line between two nodes Change in values, kind of shape, and length in MBT format. Note: Shape events cannot be edited, only deleted.
Selecting events in the Event List view The following table describes how to select events in the Event List view. To do this Do this Select a single event Click on the event. Select multiple, contiguous events Select the first event, hold the SHIFT key down and click the last event. Select multiple, contiguous events using the arrow keys Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT keys while pressing the up or down arrows.
Editing events and event parameters The Event List view lets you add, delete, or change events one by one. You can also print the list of events or audition the events one at a time to see how they sound. You can change the parameters of any event by moving the rectangular highlight to the cell you want to change and doing one of the following: • Type a new value and then press ENTER. • Press the - and + keys on the numeric keypad to decrease or increase values by a small amount.
To delete several events 1. Select the events you want to delete by clicking, dragging, or CTRL or SHIFT-clicking in the first column of the Event List view. 2. Choose Edit > Cut. SONAR deletes the selected events. To print the Event List 1. Choose File > Print Preview to display a preview of the printed event listing. 2. Click the Zoom button (or just click the page) to zoom in and out, and use the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN to review the pages. 3.
SONAR uses the following notation to display flats and sharps in this and other views: Character Meaning b flat # sharp " double flat x double sharp Table 142. MCIcmd events Media Control Interface (MCI) commands are special events that let you control other multimedia hardware and software (e.g., CD-ROM drives, laserdiscs, sound cards, animations, video) during playback. MCI commands are part of the multimedia extensions in Windows.
MIDI effects (MIDI plug-ins) SONAR provides the ability to use plug-in MIDI effects. Using plug-in effects is similar to using the MIDI processing commands off-line. The overall procedure is as follows: • Select the MIDI data to be affected. • Right-click the selected clip(s) and choose Process Effect > MIDI Effects on the pop-up menu. • Set effect parameters (or select a preset if you’ve made one for this purpose). • Click Audition to preview the music with the effect applied.
MIDI effects presets The MIDI effects dialogs support the use of presets. For information about presets, see “Presets and property pages” on page 917. Quantizing Figure 259. MFX Quantize The Quantize command moves events to (or towards) an evenly-spaced timing grid. The quantize effect parameters are as follows: Parameter/Option Meaning Start Times Quantize event start times. Durations Quantize event durations. Resolution The spacing of the grid used for quantization.
Parameter/Option Meaning Offset (Ticks) The offset of the quantization grid from the start of measure boundaries. A value of 0 indicates perfect alignment. Values less than 0 shift the grid points earlier; values greater than 0 shift the grid later. Randomize Causes a random time offset to be added to or subtracted from each new event time. You must also specify the maximum offset, as a percentage of the quantization resolution. Table 144. To quantize MIDI data 1. Select the data to be affected. 2.
Parameter/Option Meaning Delay The delay between successive echo notes. Delay Units The units used to specify the delay. You may specify delay in ticks, in milliseconds, or as a note duration. Tap The delay you specify by tapping the control with the mouse. Swing (%) The distortion of timing used to produce a swing feel to the echo. A value of 0% indicates a straight rendition; negative and positive values produce distortion of the timing grid.
Filtering events Figure 261. MFX Event Filter The Event Filter command lets you remove events from the MIDI data, keeping or passing through only those events that you specify. The Event Filter effect works almost identically to the event filter used by the Edit > Select > By Filter command. For more information, see “Event filters” on page 782. To apply an event filter to MIDI data 1. Select the data to be affected. 2.
Adding Arpeggio Figure 262. MFX Arpeggiator The Arpeggiator command applies an arpeggio to its input and plays it back in real time. You can make it arpeggiate with a swing feel, or straight and staccato or legato, vary its speed and direction, and specify its range. The parameters used to specify the arpeggiator effect are as follows: Parameter/Option Meaning Swing (%) The distortion of timing used to produce a swing feel.
Parameter/Option Meaning Use chord control The chord you specify. Checked specifies that the arpeggiator infers the chord from the notes played in the range. It identifies the chord in the Chord recognized box and uses it to play arpeggios for notes outside the range. Lowest note The MIDI number of the lowest note the arpeggiator uses for chord recognition (0 to 126). Span (Notes) The number of half-steps in the range. Numbers run from 1 to 127.
Analyzing chords Figure 263. MFX Chord Analyzer The Chord Analyzer command analyzes chords. You select the notes to be analyzed in one of SONAR’s windows, then open the Chord analyzer and press the Audition button. The chord appears on the MIDI display and the staff, and its name with possible alternatives appears in the Chords recognized box. You can play the notes on your MIDI input device and have the Chord Analyzer identify the chords in real time. You do not have to set to playback.
Changing velocities with the Velocity effect Figure 264. MFX Velocity The Velocity effect lets you adjust velocities of MIDI notes. You can set velocity values, set scale values, add specific or random offsets, create smooth transitions, and limit the velocity range. The velocity effect options are as follows: Parameter/Option Meaning Set all velocities to X Sets all velocities to the specified value. Change velocities by X Adds a specified increment to all velocities.
Transposing MIDI notes with the Transpose MIDI effect Figure 265. MFX Transpose You can perform simple chromatic or diatonic transpositions, transpose from one key to another, or define your own custom transposition. The transpose options are as follows: Parameter/Option Meaning Interval Specifies chromatic transposition. Transposes notes by the specified number of steps. Diatonic Specifies diatonic transposition. Transposes notes by the specified number of scale steps within the specified scale.
To transpose MIDI data 1. Select the data to be affected. 2. Right-click the selected clip(s) and choose Process Effect > MIDI Effects > Cakewalk FX > Transpose on the pop-up menu. 3. Set the transposition options as described in the table above. 4. Click OK. SONAR transposes the selected data according to the options you specified.
Drum maps and the Drum Grid pane There are several panes in the Piano Roll view designed for use with MIDI drum tracks: the Note Map pane which lists the original pitch values and the mapped values for each note, and the Drum Grid pane which displays your drum tracks (any track assigned to a drum map) and where you can edit your drum tracks.
The basics Drum maps are virtual MIDI ports that you create and edit. Drum maps give you total control over all the MIDI drum sounds you have access to either in the form of software (soft synths) or hardware (external MIDI sound modules). Drum maps in SONAR allow you to do the following: • Re-map note events, for example, map a General MIDI drum kit to a non-General MIDI drum kit.
• Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Drum Map Manager. Or • Click on the Output field of your MIDI drum track and select Drum Map Manager Figure 266. The Drum Map Manager section A B C D E F G A. New Drum Map button B. Delete Drum Map button C. Current Drum Map D. Click to create a new row E. Preset list F. Rows G. Port/Channel pairs Drum maps used in current project This field displays all the currently available drum maps.
Presets Presets can be used to populate the fields in the Drum Map Manager. This field is also used to save new drum maps by entering a name in the field and clicking the Save button. Settings The Settings section is where you map the following for each In Note (source): • In Note. • Out Note. The source MIDI note value. The MIDI note value that plays on the destination sound source. • Name. The user-defined name for the row. • Chn. The channel on which the note is transmitted. • Out Port.
Working in the Drum Map Manager The following table lists several ways of editing settings in the Drum Map Manager. To do this Do this Sort rows Drag and drop a row to a new location Select multiple rows Click a row, hold down the CTRL key while selecting additional rows Change the Output Port for all rows with the same Channel/Port Press CTRL+SHIFT while changing the port. Undo an edit Press the Undo button Table 150.
To open the Map Properties dialog • Double-click on a row in the Note Map pane. Or • Right-click on a row in the Note Map pane and select Map Properties from the menu that appears. See: “The Drum Map Manager” on page 808 “Working in the Drum Map Manager” on page 811 “Creating and editing a drum map” on page 808 Saving a drum map Use the following procedure to save a new or modified drum map: 1. In the Drum Map Manager, enter a name for the new drum map in the Preset field. 2. Click the Save button .
Using drum maps The following topics cover using drum-mapped tracks, including how to display drum tracks in the Drum Grid pane and how to edit note velocities.
Opening a drum map Use the following procedure to open a drum map in the Drum pane: To open a drum map 1. In the Track view, assign the drum map you want to open to a MIDI track. See “Assigning a MIDI track to a drum map” on page 813. 2. Select the MIDI track you just assigned the drum map to and select Views > Piano Roll. To open all tracks assigned to a drum map 1. Select a single track assigned to the drum map. 2. Hold down CTRL+SHIFT while selecting Views > Piano Roll.
Velocity tails In the Drum Grid pane, you have the option of showing the velocity of each note as a series of bars. The higher the bars, the higher the velocity value. Figure 268. Velocity tails can be shown or hidden A B A. Notes with velocity showing B. Notes without velocity showing To display velocity tails in the Drum Grid pane Click the Piano Roll view Notes menu and choose Show Velocity Tails.
To edit multiple note velocities in the Drum Grid editor When you edit multiple notes that have different initial velocities, the velocities are adjusted on a relative basis, so if you reduce a velocity by 50%, all other selected notes have their velocities reduced by the same percentage. For example: you select three notes. The first has a velocity of 100, the second a velocity of 50, and the third a velocity of 30. You click and drag the velocity of the first note down to 50.
The Note Map pane The Note Map pane displays the current drum map. In the Note Map pane each row represents a pitch. The Note In pitch is the recorded pitch. You map the recorded pitch to whatever pitch you want using the Note Out pitch setting. You can also change the name of the mapped note and mute or solo the mapped note.
To change the Note Out setting The Note Out setting is the actual note you hear when the Note In value is played. To change the Note Out setting, use the following procedure: 1. In the Note Map pane, double-click on the appropriate row. The Map Properties dialog box appears. 2. In the Map Properties dialog box, enter a new value in the Note Out field and press the ENTER key, or use the +/- buttons to change the value and press the ENTER key. To change multiple Note Out settings 1.
The Drum Grid pane The Drum Grid pane is where you edit your drum tracks. The Drum Grid pane is the top pane in the Piano Roll view and opens automatically when you open a MIDI drum track. The Drum Grid pane is for MIDI drum tracks what the Note pane is for other MIDI tracks. In the Drum Grid pane you can add, delete and edit notes and note properties. You can edit controllers in this pane if you hide the Controller pane.
Drum maps and the Drum Grid pane The Drum Grid pane
Editing audio The Track view lets you edit and arrange audio clips. You can perform basic tasks such as cut, copy, paste, and move; apply simple audio processing such as gain change, fades, and equalization; and use sophisticated audio effects such as stereo chorus and reverb. The Track view lets you see your audio clips on a timeline, arranged by track, to help you visualize the organization of your project’s audio data.
Digital audio fundamentals Digital audio is a numeric representation of sound; it is sound stored as numbers. In order to understand what the numbers mean, you need to start with the basic principles of acoustics, the science of sound.
Example—a guitar string To understand the process better, let's take a closer look at a guitar string. When a finger picks a guitar string, the entire string starts to move back and forth at a certain rate. This rate is called the frequency of the vibration. Because a single back and forth motion is called a cycle, we use a measure of frequency called cycles per second, or cps. This measure is also known as Hertz, abbreviated Hz.
of course; the laws of physics are not quite so simple. In fact, the string vibrates not only at its entire length, but at one-half its length, one-third, one-fourth, one-fifth, and so on. These additional vibrations (overtones) occur at a rate faster than the rate of the original vibration (the fundamental frequency), but are usually weaker in strength. Our ear doesn't hear each frequency of vibration individually, however.
Waveforms A sound wave can be represented in many different ways: as a mathematical formula, as a series of numbers, or graphically as a waveform. A waveform displays the size, or amplitude, of the vibration as a function of time.
The three waveforms shown above are quite different from one another, both in appearance and sound. Each has its own characteristic shape, or envelope, and each has its own complex combination of frequency components, which can change across the duration of the sound. The center line of a waveform is the zero line; it corresponds to the rest position (displacement of 0) of the original vibrating object. (A waveform for perfect silence would be a horizontal line at zero.
Recording a sound To record digital audio, your computer monitors the electrical signal generated by a microphone (or some other electroacoustical device). Because the signal is caused by a sound, the signal strength varies in direct proportion to the sound’s waveform. The computer measures and saves the strength of the electrical signal from the microphone, thus recording the waveform. There are two important aspects of this measuring process.
The decibel scale In acoustics, the decibel (dB) scale is a scale for measuring the relative loudness of two sounds. For example, environmental noise is often measured as follows: L = 20 log (p/p0) where L is the sound pressure level (in dB), p is the sound pressure amplitude, and p0 is a reference amplitude of 20 micropascals (less than one billionth of atmospheric pressure).
Managing audio data Because of the great size of audio data, SONAR uses an intelligent scheme for storing audio clips on disk to conserve disk space and minimize the time it takes to load and save data. Audio data is not stored directly in your project file, but rather in separate files in a special directory. For more information, see “Audio file management” on page 1283. You can export your project in MP3, WMA, or Wave format.
To do this Do this Select clips between two markers Click between the markers Remove all selections Click in an empty area outside of any clip Table 151.
Moving, copying, pasting and deleting audio clips Clips can be cut, copied, pasted, and deleted with Edit menu commands, or moved and copied with drag-and-drop techniques. For more information, see “Arranging and editing” on page 329. Audio scaling Audio scaling is the increase or decrease in the size (scale) of the waveform in a track or bus.
the waveform is zoomed in by a factor of 10. Note: The Audio Scale Ruler display reflects the type of audio clip directly beneath it. If it is a stereo waveform, the Audio Scale Ruler appears in stereo (one for each channel). If it is a mono clip it appears in mono. Also, the Audio Scale Ruler only displays numbers when it is above a certain height. If you cannot see the Audio Scale Ruler, increase the size of your track or bus. To change the Audio Scale Display option 1.
To do this Do this Increase to maximum scale Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT keys and click the Vertical Zoom In button. When you hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys and position your cursor over the Vertical Zoom In button, your cursor looks like this: Decrease to minimum scale Hold down the CTRL and SHIFT keys and click the Vertical Zoom Out button. When you hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys and position your cursor over the Vertical Zoom Out button, your cursor looks like this: Table 153.
To scale a single track or bus using the Audio Scale ruler • In the track in which you want to change the audio scale, click in the Audio Scale Ruler and drag. Drag up to increase the audio scaling. Drag down to decrease the audio scaling. To show or hide the Audio Scale ruler Click the Track view View menu, point to Display and choose Show Audio Scale. Splitting audio clips You can split long audio clips into shorter ones.
SONAR splits the audio clip according to your specifications. Each new clip has the same name as the original clip. Note: A shortcut to split a selected clip is to move the Now time to where you want to split it, and press S on your computer keyboard. Bouncing to clips Individual audio clips in the same track can be combined into a single clip with the Bounce to Clip(s) command. Note 1: Like any clips, slip-edited clips can be combined with other clips using the Bounce to Clip(s) command.
To bounce multiple audio clips to a new track 1. Select the clips to be combined in the Track view. 2. Click the Track view Tracks menu and choose Bounce to Track(s). The Bounce to Track(s) dialog box appears. 3. Select the track you want to bounce to in the Destination field. 4. Select other options in the Mixdown Audio/Bounce to Track(s) dialog box and click OK. The clips are combined into a single clip on the destination track. Empty space between clips is filled with silence in the new clip.
Basic audio processing Audio processing commands let you modify audio data according to some rule or algorithm. The rule can be as simple as reversing the audio data or boosting it by a certain factor, or as complex as performing a Fourier analysis and selectively amplifying or attenuating sounds at certain frequencies. Audio processing commands can work on whole, partial and non-contiguous clips. For example, suppose you want to make certain words in a vocal passage softer.
Using the Normalize and Gain commands SONAR provides several commands to boost or cut the volume of audio data. The Process > Apply Effect > Normalize command, and the Process > Apply Effect > Gain commands are used to control the volume of selected audio data, in decibels. For more information about the decibel scale, see “The decibel scale” on page 828. The Normalize command “normalizes” the audio data: it boosts the volume until the maximum amplitude is reached somewhere in the data.
5. If you want to invert the left channel phase, click the Invert left-channel phase button . If you want to invert the right-channel phase, click the Invert right-channel phase button in the New Right Channel section. 6. If you want to remove center material (usually where the vocal track is), set the New Left Channel-From Left slider and the New Right Channel-From Right slider to 100%, and set the New Left Channel-From Right slider and the New Right Channel-From Left slider to -INF. 7.
Advanced audio processing SONAR provides a number of advanced audio processing commands for power users. Among these are commands to apply fades and crossfades. See: “Removing silence” on page 840 “Applying fades and crossfades offline” on page 843 “Removing DC offset” on page 842 Removing silence The Remove Silence command detects sections of audio that fall below a given loudness threshold, and replaces those sections with absolute silence.
Parameter Meaning Attack Time (ms) The value in this field is the interval of time after the volume reaches the Open Level for the gate to fully open. Opening the gate gradually produces a fade-in effect instead of an instant on-off sound. Hold Time (ms) The minimum time for the gate to stay open. Hold Time is useful when you’ve set high open and close levels, for example, when your source signal is very loud.
Removing DC offset Some models of audio hardware produce a DC offset while recording, which is caused by electrical mismatches between the audio hardware and the input device or instrument. Although imperceptible, DC offset may cause problems in further stages of sound processing. Note: An easy way to spot DC offset is to zoom in to a silent section of your sound file. If the silent waveform matches the centerline in the waveform display, your file does not contain DC offset.
Applying fades and crossfades offline SONAR provides several commands for applying gradual volume changes to audio data. The first command, Fade/Envelope, lets you fade-in or fade-out, and lets you choose an envelope, a curve that governs the rate of the fade. The starting envelope can be linear (straight line), exponential, or inverse exponential. You can change the shape of the envelope before applying the fade.
To apply a fade to audio data 1. Select the audio data to be affected. 2. Choose Process > Apply Effect > Fade/Envelope to open the Fade/Envelope dialog box. 3. Select an envelope from the drop-down list. Figure 270. The Fade/Envelope dialog 4. If desired, manipulate the curve as described in the table above. 5. Click OK. SONAR applies the fade to the selected audio data. To crossfade two overlapping clips 1. Select two overlapping audio clips.
Figure 271. The Crossfade dialog 4. If desired, manipulate the curve as described in the table above. You can manipulate only the curve pertaining to the first of the two overlapping clips; the second curve is automatically adjusted so that the two curves constantly add up to 100%. 5. Click OK. SONAR applies the two fades to the selected data. See “Slip-editing (non-destructive editing)” on page 426 for information on non-destructive editing.
Audio effects (audio plug-ins) SONAR provides the ability to use plug-in audio effects. Some audio plug-in effects are supplied with SONAR. Others can be purchased from third-party software manufacturers, and appear automatically in SONAR’s menus once they are installed on your system. If you need help when using a plug-in, press the F1 key on your computer keyboard to open the plug-in’s help file. Please note that third-party plug-ins may not have a help file.
3. If desired, select the option to delete the effects after applying them. 4. Click OK. If you do not delete the effects from each track after applying them, they remain active. Note: Applying effects can be undone, but the effects are not then re-patched in the effects bin. See also: “Destructive audio effects processing” on page 847 Destructive audio effects processing You can also directly apply an audio effect to an audio clip. Right-click the clip and select an effect from the Process Effect menu.
Editing audio Audio effects (audio plug-ins)
Software instruments SONAR’s Synth Rack (the Synth tab in the Browser) makes inserting a soft synth or ReWire instrument a one-step process, and makes viewing and configuring these instruments simple. In the Synth Rack you can insert and delete synths, create control knobs to control and/or automate parameters, scroll through patches and presets, mute, solo, freeze, and choose what track to display automation data on. You can easily control all of your soft synths from one view.
Synth Rack To open the Synth Rack, open the Browser and click the Synth button . The Synth Rack lets you view, insert, delete, and configure your soft synths. You can also mute, solo, and freeze any or all of them from this view. Each time you insert a soft synth into your project, a new row appears in the Synth Rack with the name of the soft synth and its current preset. You can select different presets from the view.
For more information about the Synth Rack, see “Using the Synth Rack Browser” on page 628.
Synth tracks Using a soft synth introduces a third kind of track to your project alongside audio and MIDI tracks. A synth track functions much like an audio track, but with a few differences: • A synth track’s input is always a synth or a ReWire device, which means you cannot record audio or enable input monitoring from another source on that track. • A synth track can display a waveform preview of its output.
Inserting soft synths In order to play a soft synth from a MIDI controller or with recorded MIDI data, you need to have at least one synth track that lists the soft synth in its Input field, and at least one MIDI track that lists the soft synth in its Output field. The data from the MIDI track feeds the synth track and plays the soft synth. If you’re playing the soft synth with a MIDI controller, the MIDI track that’s feeding the synth track must have the focus (lighter color).
These Tracks: MIDI Source check box. • If you want to create a single synth track that acts as an output for Output 1 of the soft synth, check the Create These Tracks: First Synth Audio Output check box. • If you want to create separate synth tracks for each of the soft synth’s outputs, check the Create These Tracks: All Synth Audio Outputs check box. • If you want to use existing MIDI and audio tracks to play the soft synth, uncheck all of the Create These Tracks options.
To insert a soft synth in an effects bin 1. In either the Track view, Track Inspector or Console view, right-click the effects bin of an unused audio track or bus. Note: If you patch a soft synth into a bus that has no audio track assigned to it, the soft synth does not sound. Always use a bus that has at least one audio track sending data to it. The plug-in menu appears. 2. Under Soft Synths, choose the name of a soft synth.
Using instrument tracks SONAR has a track type called instrument track, which makes it very simple to work with soft synths. An instrument track is essentially two tracks—a MIDI track and an audio track, both associated with the same soft synth—contained in a single track strip. An instrument track allows you to control the MIDI data that is sent to a soft synth and the audio signal that is returned from the soft synth.
Figure 275. Instrument track strip Instrument track controls Because an instrument track is a hybrid between an audio and a MIDI track, an instrument track strip contains both audio and MIDI controls. The instrument track strip exposes MIDI input and audio output controls. Internally, the MIDI output is assigned to the soft synth’s MIDI input, and the audio input is assigned to the soft synth’s main output.
Control type Audio MIDI MIDI Channel X Bank X Patch X Time+ X Pitch+ X Sends X Snap to scale X Effects bin X Meter X Track scale (When track is frozen) X Table 159. Editing in the Clips pane By default, MIDI clips are displayed and can be edited in the Clips pane. MIDI track and clip envelopes are not available. If an instrument track is frozen, audio clips are displayed and can be edited in the Clips pane. Audio track and clip envelopes are also available.
Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks You can split an instrument track into separate audio and MIDI tracks. The audio and MIDI tracks will remain assigned to the same soft synth. • Click the Track view Tracks menu and choose Split Instrument Track. The instrument track is converted to separate audio and MIDI tracks, both assigned to the soft synth.
Synth Rack icons Each Synth Rack strip displays a synth icon so that you can easily tell one synth from another when the rack contains multiple synths. Icons have the same image format and file location as track icons, and use the same commands to show or hide the icons. Synth Rack Icons are enabled in SONAR by default, and the default icon for each synth is track_icon_dxi_large.bmp. The Synth Rack only displays large format icons, fixed at 48x48 pixels.
Playing a soft synth There are several ways to play a soft synth: • You can record MIDI data and use the soft synth as a playback device. Note: WDM or ASIO drivers do not improve performance when you play back recorded MIDI data—the improvement comes only when you play a soft synth in real time from an external MIDI controller or keyboard. • You can play the soft synth in real time from a MIDI controller or keyboard. To avoid excessive latency, your sound card must be using a WDM or ASIO driver.
To play a soft synth from a MIDI controller 1. Make sure your controller is set to local off. 2. Make sure that the Audio Engine button in the Control Bar’s Transport module is enabled. 3. Insert a soft synth into your project (see “Inserting soft synths” on page 853, if necessary). Note: If you patch a soft synth into a bus that has no audio track assigned to it, the soft synth does not sound. Always use a bus that has at least one audio track sending data to it. 4.
lower-numbered option. SONAR does not delete the affected tracks. Note: If you’re using a ReWire instrument and not a soft synth, always close the ReWire instrument’s interface before you delete the instrument from SONAR, or before you close SONAR.
Multi-port soft synths A multi-port soft synth allows you the option of using a different synth track for every output that the soft synth has. This allows you to use different plug-in effects for each sound (or in some cases, group of sounds) that a soft synth produces. For example, if a soft synth can produce 16 sounds at the same time, and has 4 outputs, you can send any of the 16 sounds out through any of 4 different outputs, giving you a choice of 4 different plug-in configurations for that soft synth.
3. In the Destination field, choose a new or pre-existing track to put the new audio data on. 4. If you’ve saved presets from previous bounce operations, you can choose a preset from the Preset field. 5. In the Source Category field, choose Tracks. 6. In the Channel Format field, choose mono if you want a mono track, stereo if you want a stereo track, and split mono if you want to create separate mono tracks. 7.
Using the Assignable Controls feature You can create knobs on the Synth Rack to control any of a synth’s automatable parameters (each knob learns what parameter to control when you create the knob). This makes it easy to adjust the controls that you use most often on a particular synth, and also lets you record automation from the Synth Rack. After you create some control knobs, the next time you insert the same synth, you can choose to display the same control knobs that you used previously.
The Synth Rack displays knobs for the controls you selected, with the each knob’s name displayed below each knob. Now you can adjust some of the synth’s parameters by moving the appropriate knob in the Synth Rack. See also: “Recording a soft synth’s MIDI output” on page 869 “Automating controls from the Synth Rack” on page 867 “Displaying Synth Rack automation” on page 867 Automating controls from the Synth Rack Note: Your synth’s manufacturer determines which controls (if any) you can automate.
Remote control of the Synth Rack Once you create some control knobs on the Synth Rack, you can assign knobs or sliders on your MIDI controller to control the Synth Rack knobs. See “Using remote control” on page 956 for more information. Drawing soft synth automation in the Clips pane Some synths have controls that you can automate by drawing envelopes in the Track view.
Soft synth MIDI output support Some soft synths produce MIDI output as well as audio output. You can now record the MIDI output of both VST and DirectX instruments that have this feature. Recording a soft synth’s MIDI output SONAR allows you to record the MIDI output of a synth onto another MIDI track in your project. This can be convenient if your synth creates arpeggios, drum patterns, or other MIDI data that you want to edit as a MIDI clip.
ReWire SONAR can send MIDI events to any object in a ReWire client application on as many MIDI channels as the client application makes available.
• You can use SONAR’s automation functions on both synth and MIDI tracks that the ReWire application uses. • Muting or soloing a synth track that a ReWire device uses automatically mutes or solos the MIDI track that feeds that synth track. Muting or soloing a MIDI track that a ReWire device uses will mute or solo the corresponding synth track only if there is only one MIDI track feeding that synth track. • You must always close your ReWire application(s) before you close SONAR.
• If you want to create separate synth tracks for each of the ReWire Instrument’s outputs, check the Create These Tracks: All Synth Audio Outputs check box. • If you want to use existing MIDI and audio tracks to play the ReWire Instrument, uncheck all of the Create These Tracks options. SONAR adds the ReWire Instrument to the audio track Input and MIDI track Output menus.
To use separate synth tracks for each ReWire device 1. Open SONAR, insert a ReWire instrument, and choose the All Synth Audio Outputs option in the Create These Tracks field of the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box. Make sure you choose to open the Synth window, and click OK. SONAR inserts the ReWire instrument and creates multiple synth tracks. 2. In your ReWire application, assign the devices you want to use to the outputs or channels you want to use.
Mixing down ReWire instruments To either mix down or bounce ReWire instruments to new audio tracks, use the same procedures as for synths. See also: “Automating ReWire instruments” on page 874 “ReWire troubleshooting guide” on page 874 “Inserting a ReWire instrument” on page 871 Automating ReWire instruments You can automate audio and MIDI tracks that are patched to ReWire instruments the same ways you can automate any of SONAR’s audio and MIDI tracks.
MIDI - Devices, and then select that MIDI Input from whatever menu your ReWire application has for that purpose. If you have multiple inputs on your MIDI interface, simply select different ones for SONAR and your ReWire application. ReWire and fast forwarding in SONAR When there is a ReWire application loaded into a SONAR project, the SONAR Fast Forward button/ command only works if there is a clip at the end of the SONAR project or if Stop at Project End is not checked.
Stand-alone synths Some soft synths can be run independently of SONAR and do not need to be inserted to the Synth Rack or an effects bin to use. After you install this kind of synth and restart your computer, the name of the synth’s MIDI driver appears in SONAR’s MIDI Devices dialog box under Outputs.
Recording a stand-alone synth There are several ways to record a stand-alone synth: • You can use the synth’s wave capture function, if it has one. See your synth’s documentation for a procedure. Make a note of where the resulting captured Wave file is stored, and then you can import the file into SONAR by using the File > Import > Audio command. • You can connect your sound card’s outputs to your sound card’s inputs, either internally or externally, depending on your sound card’s design.
Software instruments Stand-alone synths
Mixing SONAR lets you mix your projects with tremendous control and flexibility. The extensive bussing controls, support for DX and VST plug-ins, built-in EQ’s, automation, remote control, metering, grouping, and freeze features let you design your own style of mixing, with your own workflow. (Automation is covered in a separate chapter.) After you finish mixing a project, you can export the project in a variety of audio file formats to create a CD master or to publish your work on the Internet.
“Preparing audio for distribution” on page 963 “Burning audio CDs” on page 974 “Freeze tracks and synths” on page 909 See also: “ProChannel (Producer and Studio only)” on page 999 880 Mixing
Preparing to mix The Console view, Track view and Track Inspector contain all the controls you need to mix your project. To open the Console view, choose Views > Console or press ALT+2. To open the Inspector, choose Views > Inspector or press I. The Track view is always open. Note: You can control all sliders and knobs in the Console and Track Views by hovering over them with the mouse and manipulating the mouse wheel. Figure 277. The Console view B C A D E F A. Console view menu B.
contains track channel strips, the middle pane contains bus channel strips, and the right pane contains main channel strips. You can drag the pane splitter bars to resize the panes. • Channel strips. Each track, bus and main in the project is represented by its own vertical channel strip. Use the channel strip controls to mix and process tracks, buses and mains. For details, see “Channel strips” on page 1974. • Modules. Controls in channel strips are grouped into modules that can be shown or hidden.
Configuring the Console and Track views The Console and Track view can be reconfigured in a variety of ways. You can: • Choose the tracks that you want to see • Adjust the display of audio meters and clip indicators • Change the number of buses • Set control snap-to positions • Insert new tracks • Name tracks and buses Note: The Console view has additional controls to configure its appearance. See “Console view” on page 1971 for more information.
To hide a bus or track • Right-click on the module and choose Hide Track or Hide Bus. To show or hide meters in the Track view • Click the Track view Options menu, point to Meter Options and select one of the following options: • Track Record Meters. Displays record meters for any armed track. • Track Playback Meters. Displays playback meters. • Bus Meters. Displays meters in buses. For more information about metering options, see “Changing the meters’ display” on page 901.
To insert a new track 1. Right-click in the Console view or on the header of a track in the Track view. 2. Choose Insert Audio Track or Insert MIDI Track. SONAR adds a new track to the project. To rename a track or bus 1. In the Console view, click on the module name. In the Track view double-click on the Track name. 2. Type a new name. 3. Press ENTER. If you rename a track, the new name is copied to the Track view.
Mixing MIDI SONAR gives you many tools to control your MIDI mix. When your MIDI tracks sound the way you want them to, there are several ways to convert them to audio (see “Converting MIDI to audio” on page 887). See: “Mixing a MIDI track” on page 886 “Converting MIDI to audio” on page 887 Mixing a MIDI track All MIDI track controls are available in the Track Inspector. A subset of all MIDI track controls are available in the Console view and Track view.
The Volume fader displays the level from a scale of 0 (minimum) to 127 (maximum). The Pan knob displays the pan value on a scale that ranges from 100% Left to 100% Right with center represented by a C.
Signal flow Clip Input Audio clip Hardware input Soft Synth input Clip mute Clip fades Clip envelopes/ Clip Mute regions Input meter (record) Region FX Clip effects bin Track Input Gain Phase/Interleave Playback Meter (pre fader/pre effects bin) ProChannel Effects bin Pre fader sends are affected by M-S buttons unless you change the LinkPFSendMute Aud.ini option.
You control the mixing and playback of an audio track as follows: To do this Do this Add a real-time audio effect to the track Right-click in the effects bin and select an effect from the list (for more information, see “Using real-time effects” on page 913“). Remove an effect Select the effect and press DELETE or right-click and select Delete.
Sidechaining signal flow Track 1 effects bin FX Track 1 Output Sidechainable FX Sidechain input Track 2 Output / Send Bus Output / Send See also: “Sidechaining” on page 923 “Signal flow” on page 888 “External Insert signal flow” on page 928 890 Mixing Signal flow Sum Bus Hardware Output
Routing and mixing digital audio Any audio track can be tapped, before or after the track volume control, and sent to one or more buses. A bus can tap any number of audio tracks. Each track’s data passes through the track’s send level knob on its way to the bus. This is shown in the following figure. A B C D A. Pre-fader: output level to Bus 1 is not affected by the track’s volume fader B. This track is routed to Bus 1 and Bus 2 C. Send enable button: must be lit to send track data to bus D.
Stereo buses Buses are useful for mixing together different audio tracks (in stereo) and applying effects to the mix. You can mix the tracks at different volume levels by adjusting each track’s bus send level. Buses output to either other buses or to a main out. You control the bus as follows: To do this Do this Send audio data from an audio track to the bus In an audio track, press the Bus Send Enable button corresponding to the bus, or choose the bus as an output for the track.
For more information about using buses and sends, see www.cakewalk.com/Tips/MixMast/ AuxBus.aspx. Surround buses Surround buses are useful for mixing and adding effects to create a surround mix. To patch a track through a bus 1. Open the Console view (Views > Console View) or the Track Inspector (Views > Inspector). 2. If you want to add effects to the bus, right-click in the effects bin of a bus (if it is not in use already) and choose an effect from the effects pop-up menu.
Track selection controls are labeled with track numbers, while bus selection controls are labeled with letters (A-Z, AA-AZ, etc.). Figure 278. Bus selection control A A. Bus letter To do this Do this Select a bus Click the bus letter in the Track view or Console view. The bus is selected, and all other buses—except the current bus—are deselected. When a bus is selected, both the bus letter and all the data in the bus appear highlighted.
Main outs Each enabled hardware channel has a main out channel strip in the Console view. Main outs are the final destination for all of your audio in SONAR. Main outs accept input from both tracks and buses. Main outs contain both a left channel and a right channel Volume fader, which allows you to adjust the level of each channel independently. You can link the two faders to move them as a group. Figure 279. Track Inspector controls for mains A B C D E A. Mute B. Link channels C. Volume D. Meter E.
Insert Send Assistant The Insert Send Assistant makes it fast and easy to create headphone mixes, effect buses and insert sends to new or existing buses. To open the Insert Send Assistant • Right-click on a track or bus and select Insert Send > Insert Send Assistant from the pop-up menu. The Insert Send Assistant dialog box opens. Figure 280. The Insert Send Assistant dialog The Insert Send Assistant dialog box has the following options: Send to Existing Bus.
Pre Fader. When Pre Fader is selected, the send signal is before the channel volume fader. As a result, the send level going to the bus does not change when the channel fader changes. Pre Fader is preferred when you want to create separate mixes, such as unique headphone mixes for different performers. By default, the send signal is post fader and comes after the channel volume fader. As a result, the send level going to the bus changes when the channel fader changes.
To insert a send to a new stereo bus 1. Right-click on a track or bus and select Insert Send > Insert Send Assistant from the pop-up menu. The Insert Send Assistant dialog box opens. 2. Under New Bus Options, select Stereo and specify any other desired options (see “New bus options” on page 897). 3. Click OK to close the Insert Send Assistant dialog box. A new send is inserted and assigned to the new bus. To insert a send to a new surround bus 1.
To insert a send on multiple tracks simultaneously 1. Select all the tracks that you want to insert a send on. 2. Right-click any selected track and select Insert Send > Insert Send Assistant from the pop-up menu. The Insert Send Assistant dialog box opens. 3. Under New Bus Options, select Stereo or Surround and specify any other desired options (see “New bus options” on page 897). 4. Click OK to close the Insert Send Assistant dialog box.
What the meters measure The following table summarizes what each kind of meter measures.
To show or hide individual meters on tracks or buses • Right-click the track or bus to display the pop-up menu, and check or uncheck the appropriate show meter option. See also: “What the meters measure” on page 900 “Changing the meters’ display” on page 901 Changing the meters’ display You control the range and kind of units that the various meters display in the Track view, Track Inspector and Console view. The meters in each view can be configured independently.
Menu option What it does Show Bus Peak Markers (Track view only) See “Peak markers” on page 906) Reset All Meters If a track clips, its meter shows a red clipping indicator. Click this button to reset the clipping indicator to its non-clipping state. Peak Choosing this option causes the meter to display the highest amplitude in the signal that occurs in a complete cycle of a frequency.
Enabling mono on a bus/main will affect upstream meters If you make a bus or main out mono by toggling its Mono/Stereo switch, any “upstream” meters— that is, meters on any tracks or buses that are assigned to the mono bus/main out—from the bus/ main out will also display as mono. Note: This only affects the meter display, not any audio that is bounced or exported.
Segmented and non-segmented meters You can display meters as segmented (the default) or non-segmented meters. A B A. Segmented meter B. Non-segmented meter To display segmented or non-segmented meters 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Audio Meters. 2. Under Segmented Meters, select Track view or Console view to show segmented meters, or clear the check boxes to show non-segmented meters. For more information, see “Customization - Colors” on page 1838.
To adjust the meter performance, go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Audio Meters and follow these guidelines: To do this Do this Increase or decrease meter refresh rates Adjust the Refresh rate field. Valid values are from 25 to 250 milliseconds. Change the decay rate (the amount of time the meter display stays at its peak) Adjust the Decay Rate value. Valid values are from 1 to 150 milliseconds.
MIDI activity indicators Each MIDI track displays a MIDI playback meter in the Track view, Track Inspector and Console view. The MIDI meter consists of two sections: • MIDI Activity Indicator. The MIDI Activity Indicator lights up whenever a MIDI event is encountered in the track. • MIDI Velocity Meter. The MIDI Velocity Meter shows the greatest current note velocity encountered during playback. A A B B A. MIDI Activity Indicator B.
To hide or show peak markers globally • Click the Track view Options menu, point to Meter Options and select Show Track Peak Markers or Show Bus Peak Markers. To hide or show peak markers on an individual track or bus • Right-click the track or bus, and choose Show Peak Marker from the pop-up menu. To jump to a peak marker • Right-click the numeric peak display in the track/bus header strip, and choose Go To Peak from the context menu (see the following figure).
Waveform preview for buses and synth tracks You can choose to display a waveform for the audio output of a bus or synth track. When you enable the display function, the amplitude of a bus’ or synth track’s audio signal is graphed in real time as a waveform. The waveform turns red wherever clipping is occurring. Waveform preview allows you to visualize a mix and verify levels over the duration of a project, easily detecting peaks and other level problems that may require attention.
Freeze tracks and synths The Freeze feature allows you to temporarily bounce your track, including soft synths and effects, to reduce the amount of CPU power needed. The Freeze feature also works for synths patched in the Synth Rack. The following are the available commands for track freezing: • Freeze Track. Bounces the audio in the track to a new audio clip or clips, applies any effects, and disables the effects bin. • Unfreeze Track.
To Freeze a track Do one of the following: • In the Track view, click the track’s Freeze button . • Right-click on a track and select Freeze > Freeze Track from the menu that appears. SONAR bounces the audio in the track to a new audio clip or clips, applies any effects, and disables the effects bin. To Unfreeze a track Do one of the following: • In the Track view, click the track’s Freeze button . • Right-click on a track and select Freeze > Unfreeze Track from the menu that appears.
SONAR bounces the synth’s audio data to the synth track. SONAR disables the synth’s output, and disables the effects bin on the synth track. Note 1: If a soft synth has been inserted to an audio track’s effects bin, the Freeze/Unfreeze button is not present in the Synth Rack for that synth. To freeze that synth, right-click the track or the synth’s MIDI track and choose Freeze > Freeze Synth from the menu that appears. Note 2: A MIDI track can only be frozen if it is routed to a software instrument.
To Quick Freeze a synth Do one of the following: • Click any associated track’s Freeze button . • Right-click a quick unfrozen synth track or synth MIDI track, and choose Freeze > Quick Freeze Synth from the menu that appears. • In the Synth Rack, click the Freeze/Unfreeze button Synth from the menu that appears.
Using real-time effects You can use plug-in effects non-destructively, in real time (to apply effects offline, see “Applying audio effects” on page 950), from the Track view, Track Inspector and Console view. You can also hear your plug-in effects in real time on any live instruments you are recording—just make sure Input Monitoring is enabled (see “Input monitoring” on page 296). You can also insert effects directly on clips (see “Effects on clips” on page 921).
“Applying MIDI effects” on page 950 “Bypassing effects globally” on page 920 “Using the Plug-in Browser” on page 620 “Effects chains” on page 932 Effects parameters Each effect in an effects patch point has its own independent set of parameter values. For example, you can apply a short reverb in one track and a long reverb in another track.
A B A. An effects bin in a track in the Console view B. An effects bin in a bus in the Console view Here’s how to insert and configure effects: To do this Do this Add a real-time effect to a MIDI track, audio track, synth track or bus. Right-click in the effects bin of the track or bus you want to add the effect to, and select an effect from the pop-up menu. Change the order in which effects are used. Drag an effect up or down in the effects bin. Edit an effect’s parameters.
When you place an effect in an effects bin, an abbreviated name is used to describe the effect. Sometimes the limited space makes it impossible to identify the effect. If this occurs, simply rest the cursor over the effect for a second or two, and a tooltip will pop up to display the full name of the effect. Effects in effects bins display “ticks” that tell you whether the effect is outputting a mono, stereo, or surround signal: A A. Mono indicator A A. Stereo indicator A A. Surround indicator (in 5.
Look-ahead processing at high latencies Some plug-ins, such as the Sonitus:fx Multiband and other dynamics processors, use a look-ahead buffer mechanism, which results in a short delay being introduced to the output signal when the plug-in is used in real-time. SONAR’s automatic delay compensation (ADC) takes care of any delays, but you may experience some anomalies when using such a plug-in to process the output of a DXi-especially if SONAR is configured to use a high mixing latency.
The following table tells you how to use presets. To do this Do this Load a preset Do either of the following: • Click the drop-down arrow on the right side of the Presets menu, and click the name of the preset in the drop-down menu. • Click the left or right side of the Prev/Next button to load the previous or next preset in the menu. You can click the button repeatedly to step through the menu. Save the current settings as a preset If you’re using: • A VST factory preset.
• Event List • Automation read and write buttons. These buttons enable or disable automation playback and recording for the plug-in’s parameters. See “Automation” on page 1101 for more information. • Keystrokes button. Enabling this button sends all keystrokes to a particular instance of a plugin when the plug-in’s property page has focus. To solo track/bus from plug-in window When tweaking an effect, it is often desirable to only hear the audio that is passing through the effect.
Bypassing effects globally SONAR allows you to globally bypass all audio effects in a project. You can also choose to only bypass effects of a specific category (track, bus or clip). With global effects bypass, you can: • Quickly compare (A/B) a dry versus a wet mix. • Temporarily bypass all inline plug-in delay compensation (PDC) effects in order to avoid delay compensation induced latency while tracking virtual instruments or input monitored tracks. • Temporarily reduce CPU consumption.
To globally bypass all track, bus or clip effects 1. Determine which type of effects you want to bypass (track, bus or clip), and make sure at least one corresponding effects bin is visible. 2. Right-click the effects bin and select Bypass Bins Of This Type from the pop-up menu. All effects bins of the same type as the source effects bin are globally bypassed. To restore the bins to their original state, simply toggle the state of the Bypass Bins Of This Type option.
To open or close the effects bin on a clip • To open a clip’s effects bin, click the FX icon, or right-click the FX icon and select Open Clip Effects Bin from the pop-up menu. • To close a clip’s effects bin, click the X icon that’s in the upper left corner of the clip’s effects bin, or click anywhere outside of the effects bin. To delete, bypass, move, copy, or re-order a clip effect • To delete an effect, right-click the effect name and choose Delete from the pop-up menu.
Sidechaining SONAR supports multi-input plug-ins, which are typically sidechain plug-ins that have two inputs: a primary input and a sidechain input. When SONAR detects such a plug-in in an effects bin, a virtual output port is created for each extra input exposed by the plug-in. Audio track, Bus and Send outputs can be routed to sidechain inputs. Sidechaining is typically used with compressors to limit one signal depending on the signal level of another.
Sidechaining signal flow Track 1 effects bin FX Track 1 Output Sidechainable FX Bus Sidechain input Hardware Output Track 2 Output / Send Sum Bus Output / Send See also: “Signal flow” on page 888 To assign a track/bus/send output to a sidechain input 1. Insert the sidechain-capable plug-in in a track or bus effects bin (see “Adding effects” on page 227).
Bouncing audio with sidechain plug-ins In order to render a sidechain input as part of a mix when bouncing audio, you must select all tracks that contribute to the sidechain input. See: “Bouncing/freezing with sidechain plug-ins” on page 962 “Bouncing audio with sidechain plug-ins” on page 925 “Bouncing tracks” on page 958 “Bouncing to clips” on page 835 Freeze and sidechain inputs Freeze does not consider sidechain inputs because Freeze only works on a single audio track at a time.
External Insert plug-in The purpose of the External Insert plug-in is to route audio to and from existing I/O ports in SONAR, allowing an external audio device to be effectively patched into any effects bin. This allows you to seamlessly incorporate your favorite outboard gear in a SONAR project.
Delay Measurement. This control shows the last measured round-trip delay through your audio hardware. Click the control to initiate a new measurement. Manual Delay Offset. The center control displays and resets the manual delay offset. The buttons to the left decrease the manual offset by 1 or 10 samples. The buttons to the right increase the manual offset by 1 or 10 samples. All delay buttons are disabled during playback.
Figure 284. External Insert signal flow External Insert plug-in Bus Track/Bus output Hardware input (mono or stereo) Send Return Out External FX Hardware output In Automatable parameters The External Insert plug-in exposes the following automatable parameters: • Send Gain • Return Gain • Phase Invert • Left Mute • Right Mute • Mono See: “Automating effects” on page 1136 To use an external effect in a SONAR project 1. Make sure your external gear is connected to your audio interface and turned on.
The round-trip time for the signal to return is measured and displayed on the button. This is the delay that will be compensated for in SONAR to keep the track in sync with the rest of the project. For information about testing the delay measurement, see “Testing the delay measurement” on page 929 and “When to measure the delay” on page 930. Note: Time-based effects such as reverb and delay can artificially increase the latency measurement.
The round-trip time for the signal to return is measured and displayed on the button. 10. Press Play in SONAR again. You should hear the track play significantly quieter and thinner sounding. 11. To confirm if the delay is measured as accurately as possible, adjust the manual offset by one sample in either direction. Press Play after each adjustment and note if the sound gets louder or quieter. In almost all cases, the sound will be quietest with no manual offset.
• If you collaborate with other SONAR users, it will be impossible for other users to get the same sound as you unless they have the exact same outboard gear with exactly the same settings. • You may want to use that outboard gear for something else - either in an External Insert on another track, or for any other use in your studio. • There is no way to use the same piece of outboard gear on different projects with different settings.
Effects chains SONAR lets you save and load audio effect plug-in chain presets called FX Chain. An FX Chain can be nested within effects bins, renamed, moved between tracks, buses and clip effects bins or saved to disk as FX Chain presets. Figure 285. An FX Chain is a container that can include multiple audio plug-ins. FX Chain container Audio effect 1 Audio effect 2 Audio effect 3, etc. Figure 286. FX Chain. A B A. FX Chain container in effects bin B.
Using FX Chain presets FX Chain presets can be used in track, clip and bus effects bins. One or many FX Chain containers can reside in a single effects bin, but you can not nest an FX Chain container inside other FX Chain containers. Figure 287. To create a new FX Chain, drag an FX Chain preset from the Browser’s Audio tab to an audio track or audio clip effects bin. Figure 288. Double-click an FX Chain container to open the FX Chain property page. A B A. FX Chain container in effects bin B.
To create a new FX Chain container 1. Right-click an effects bin and select FX Chain on the pop-up menu. A new FX Chain container is inserted and its property page appears. 2. Insert the desired plug-ins in the FX Chain container by doing one of the following: • Right-click the open FX Chain container and select the desired plug-ins from the pop-up menu. • Drag audio plug-ins from the Browser’s Plug-in tab to an FX Chain to append to it.
FX Chain property page controls Figure 290. FX Chain controls. B A C K D L E F G H I J A. Effects Chain name (double-click to edit) B. Bypass Effects Chain C. Input level D. Input meter E. Scroll plug-in list left F. Click button to bypass/un-bypass plug-in G. List of effects in chain (double-click to open plugin; drag to reorder) H. Assignable rotary (right-click to assign) I. Assignable button (right-click to assign) J. Scroll plug-in list right K. Output level L.
To rename an FX Chain container 1. Right-click the FX Chain container in an effects bin and choose Rename on the pop-up menu. 2. Type a new name and press ENTER. To save an FX Chain preset Do one of the following: • To save an effects bin as an FX Chain preset, right-click any blank space in the effects bin and choose Save as FX Chain Preset on the pop-up menu. Specify a preset name and location in the Save FX Chain Preset dialog box.
To delete an FX Chain container Do one of the following: • To delete an entire FX Chain container, select the FX Chain container in the effects bin and press the DELETE key. • To delete an entire FX Chain container, right-click the FX Chain container in an effects bin and choose Delete on the pop-up menu. • To delete an individual plug-in within the FX Chain, double-click the FX Chain container to open the FX Chain bin, then select the plug-in and press the DELETE key.
To automate FX Chain plug-ins Effects in an FX Chain can be automated just like other effects in an effects bin. Parameter names for plug-ins that reside within an FX Chain container are listed in submenu's prefixed by the associated FX Chain name. You can also use ACT to control the FX Chain’s input level, output level and assignable knobs and buttons. For details, see “ACT” on page 1346. For information about automating effects, see “Automating effects” on page 1136. To rename an FX Chain preset 1.
To add/remove an assignable knob or button Right-click the FX Chain property page and choose one of the following commands on the pop-up menu: • Add knob. Add a new assignable knob, up to a total of 6 knobs. • Add button. Add a new assignable button, up to a total of 6 knobs. • Remove control. Remove the assignable control. • Learn knob/button. The FX Chain is put into a learning mode and will 'listen' to controls touched on the plug-ins in the FX Chain.
knob or button. • Start. The start value for the destination parameter, specified as a percentage (0.00% to 100.00%). • End. The end value for the destination parameter, specified as a percentage (0.00% to 100.00%). You can also set Start and End values automatically. For details, see “To set parameter value range automatically” on page 940. To set parameter value range manually 1.
To map an assignable knob or button to a plug-in parameter 1. Right-click an assignable knob or button in the FX Chain property page and choose Edit control on the pop-up menu to open the Control Properties dialog box. 2. Specify an automatable plug-in parameter in the Destination list. You can specify up to four parameters for each knob and button. Figure 293. Specify up to four automatable plug-in parameters for each assignable control.
Customizing the FX Chain UI You can change the colors and graphics that are displayed in each FX Chain. To do so, right-click the FX Chain property page and click Customize UI on the pop-up menu to open the Settings dialog box. Figure 294. Use the Settings dialog box to customize the appearance of the FX Chain property page. A B C D E F G A. Background image B. Preset background image C. Fader cap image D. Button image E. Rotary image F. Preset text color G.
Figure 295. FX Chain UI. A B C D D E F G A. Background image B. Display image C. Preset text color D. Fader cap image E. Rotary image F. Button image G. Label text color For details about the options in the Settings dialog, see “Settings dialog” on page 1914.
Organizing plug-ins Once you have more than a few plug-in effects and/or soft synths installed on your computer, you might want to organize the way they appear in the various plug-in and synth menus that you use. The Cakewalk Plug-in Manager is a powerful tool to organize your plug-in menus. Open the Plug-in Manager by using the Utilities > Cakewalk Plug-in Manager command, and display the Plug-in Manager’s help file by pressing F1.
To remove a folder from the VST Scan Folder(s) list 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - VST Settings. 2. Under VST Scan Folder(s), select the folder you want to remove, then click the Remove button. To set options for all plug-ins in a folder 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - VST Settings. 2. Under VST Scan Folder(s), select the folder you want to set options for, then click the Folder Defaults button. 3.
The only reason to enable Serialize Host Access would be for a plug-in that has thread safety problems leading to crashes or glitches when changing plug-in presets. • Enable mono processing. When enabled, this option replicates the audio signal from the first channel to the left and right channel, effectively forcing the output of VST to be mono. • Translate Bank/Program Changes. When enabled, this option translates MIDI program change messages into VST preset changes.
To run a scan 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - VST Settings. 2. Under VST Scan, click the Scan VST Folders button. To set all VST plug-ins to folder defaults 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - VST Settings. 2. Under VST Scan, click the Reset All VST Plug-ins button. The next time you scan, SONAR will set all plug-ins in your VST Scan folders to your folder default settings. To set options for individual VST plug-ins 1.
Using the per-track EQ Note: The per-track EQ is only available in the base version of SONAR X3. SONAR X3 Studio and SONAR X3 Producer include the ProChannel QuadCurve Equalizer (see “QuadCurve Equalizer module” on page 1019). SONAR has a 4-band EQ patched into each audio track by default. You can adjust these EQ’s in the Console view and the Track Inspector. You can show or hide the EQ plot, and open the EQ interface to access all EQ controls.
To show or hide the EQ in all audio tracks • In the Console view, click the Modules menu and choose EQ Plot. • In the Track Inspector, click the Display button and choose EQ Plot. To enable or disable the EQ in a track or bus • Double-click the EQ plot to open the EQ interface, then enable/disable the desired bands. To configure the EQ • Double-click the track’s EQ plot to open the Sonitus fx: EQ property page. Please see the Sonitus fx: EQ online Help for detailed information.
Applying audio effects You can destructively apply audio effects for one or more tracks. When you are pleased with the audio effects you have patched into a track, you can apply the effects to the track. Applying effects to a track saves resources, allowing you to include additional tracks and/or effects Note: When applied effects are undone, they are not re-patched in the effects bin(s). To apply multiple audio effects offline 1.
Using control groups SONAR lets you link faders, knobs, or buttons in the Track view, Track Inspector and Console view into groups. Groups are collections of controls whose movements are linked together. For example: • Two Volume faders or controls can be grouped so that when you increase or decrease the volume of one track, the volume of the other track changes in exactly the same way.
Custom groups let you set the range of motion for each control in the group by entering a starting and ending value. As any one control in the group is moved from its starting position to its ending position, the other controls in the group exercise their full range of motion. When you have defined a custom group, you can adjust the starting and ending position of each control using the Group Settings dialog box or using pop-up menus on the controls in the group.
To set the group type to Relative or Absolute 1. Right-click on any control in the group and choose Group Manager to display the Group Manager dialog box. Figure 298. The Group Manager dialog 2. Choose Absolute or Relative as the group type and click OK. SONAR uses the type to determine the range of motion for the group’s controls. To create a custom group 1. Right-click on any control in the group and choose Group Manager to display the Group Manager dialog box. 2. Choose Custom as the group type.
To adjust the End Value of a control 1. Set the control to the desired ending value. 2. Right click on the control. 3. Choose Value > Set End = Current. SONAR sets the end value of the control. The Set Start = Current and Set End = Current commands set the range of motion that a grouped control moves through as the other members of the group move through their starting and ending values.
• Input Monitor/Echo • Automation Read • Automation Write • Input • Output • Trim/Vel+ • Pan • Phase Invert • Mono/Stereo Interleave • Volume • FX insert • Send insert • Send controls • Send destination • Clear peak meter • Input pan • Channel • Bank • Patch • Expand/collapse Take lanes • Expand/collapse Automation lanes • Meter scale • Track color • ProChannel: • Expand/collapse • Pre/Post • Bypass • Insert module • Remove module • Replace module • Collapse all modules in a track See: “Using control groups
Using remote control This section explains how to assign knobs or sliders on a MIDI controller to control specific parameters on specific tracks. If you have a control surface with groups of faders such as a Tascam US-428 or CM Labs MotorMix, see “External devices” on page 1323. SONAR‘s Remote Control function lets you use a MIDI device to remotely control knobs, buttons, and sliders in the Track and Console views.
To set up remote control for a knob, button, or fader 1. Right-click on the control and choose Remote Control from the pop-up menu. 2. Choose the remote control type, as described in the table above. 3. Set the note or controller number if applicable. 4. Set the MIDI Channel field to the channel that your controller sends out. 5. Click OK. You can now work the control from your MIDI device.
Bouncing tracks The Track view Tracks > Bounce to Track(s) command lets you combine one or more audio tracks into a submix. A submix can be a mono track, a stereo track or several mono tracks that contain the mixture of the original tracks, preserving the volume, pan, and effects for each track.
Figure 299. The Bounce to Track(s) dialog 5. Select the first destination track for the mixdown. 6. If you’ve saved a preset configuration for the Bounce to Tracks(s) dialog box, select it now in the Preset window. 7. In the Source Category field, select the source you want to use for your bounced track(s) from the following options: • Tracks. Choosing this option creates new separate tracks for each track you highlight in the Source Buses/Tracks field.
• In the Mix Enables field, choose the elements you want to include in the mixdown. If you want to exclude muted tracks and/or include only soloed tracks, make sure Track Mute/Solo is checked. Make sure Fast Bounce is checked, otherwise the bounce process will take as long as it takes to play your selected track data in real time. Usually, you also want to check 64-bit Mix Engine. This option lets you turn on the 64-bit mix engine temporarily while you bounce your tracks.
When Fast Bounce is disabled When Fast Bounce is disabled, the bounce is performed in real-time by actually playing back the project audibly in similar fashion to standard playback. In real-time bounce mode, all audio hardware inputs and outputs are active in order to allow I/O to external hardware inserts. If you manually stop playback during the bounce operation, SONAR will prompt you if you want to keep or cancel the bounce.
Bouncing/freezing with sidechain plug-ins Sidechain inputs are not automatically included when you bounce a selection. If you want to bounce the output of a single track that contains a sidechain plug-in, the easiest solution is to also select all tracks that contribute to the plug-in’s sidechain input, and do a bounce with Fast Bounce disabled and the Source Category set to “Tracks”. Note: Freezing a track with sidechain inputs will not include the sidechain input.
Preparing audio for distribution The File > Export Audio command exports your project as a new file or files that you can burn to a CD, or distribute via the Web or email. In addition, SONAR Producer allows you to export surroundencoded files (see “Exporting surround mixes” on page 998).
Format Definition RAW Rarely used, a RAW file can contain audio in any codec but is usually used with PCM audio data. OMF The Open Media Format, created by AVID Technology, is designed to port a project to other applications or platforms. OMF files preserve tracks, clip positions, slip edits and some other project attributes depending on which application is writing or reading the OMF file. Table 171.
8. In the Source Category field, select one of the following options: • Tracks. Choosing this option creates a separate file for each track that you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Buses. Choosing this option creates a separate file for each bus that you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Main Outputs. Choosing this option creates a separate file for each main output that you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Entire Mix.
If you chose Broadcast Wave as the export format, the following information is stored in the file(s): • Description. A brief description of the contents of the Broadcast wave. Limited to 256 characters. • Originator. The author of the Broadcast wave. This information is taken from the Author field in the “File Info dialog” on page 1736. • Originator Reference. A unique reference identifier created by SONAR. • Origination Date. The date the file was created. • Origination Time.
12. Select the bit depth that you want the exported file to use. If your source file is 16 and you export to 24, you get more precision for any audio effects in the mix (and a larger file). If your source file is 24 and you export to 16, you lose some sound definition, but you get some of it back if the Dithering option is on in the Edit > Preferences > Audio - Playback and Recording dialog box (see “Dithering” on page 973 for more information). 13.
select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Entire Mix. Choosing this option creates one file for your entire mix. 9. In the Source Buses/Tracks field, choose the buses or tracks you want to use as a source to create your mix. If you chose Tracks in the Source Category field, only tracks will show up as choices in this field. 10. In the Channel Format field, select one of the following options: • Stereo. • Mono. All exported tracks and clips are mixed down to a stereo file or files.
Exporting tracks with no selection If the source category is Tracks when you bounce or export audio with no selection in, each wave file will be exactly the same duration as the original source track. Encoding options After clicking the Export button, an additional dialog box will appear showing Extra Encoding Options. These options typically determine the bit depth, endian-ness (the byte ordering in memory used to represent the data), and an encoding type within the major file format. Figure 300.
AIFF (Apple/SGI) (extension “aif”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32 bit PCM • Unsigned 8 bit PCM • 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law • IMA ADPCM • GSM 6.
• U-Law • A-Law FLAC (FLAC Lossless Audio Codec) (extension “flac”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM RAW (Headerless audio file) (extension “raw”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32 bit PCM • Unsigned 8 bit PCM • 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law SD2 (Sound Designer II) (extension “sd2”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM W64 (Sony Wave-64) (extension “w64”) • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32
WAV (Microsoft) (extension “wav”) • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32 bit PCM • Unsigned 8 bit PCM • 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law • IMA ADPCM • Microsoft ADPCM • GSM 6.10 • 32kbs G721 ADPCM Exporting OMF files OMF (Open Media Format) files are designed for cross-platform compatibility. For more information about the OMF format, see “Importing OMF projects” on page 322.
has to do a separate export operation for each Groove Clip in the track, which is very timeconsuming. If you only have one Groove Clip in a track, and you have rolled out numerous repetitions of the clip, SONAR exports a single clip that is the length of the original clip and all the repetitions, which is not a time-consuming operation. 7. Audio Format. Ask your engineer what format the studio uses, Windows (RIFF Wave) or Mac (AIFC). 8. Click the Save button. 9. SONAR exports the project as an OMF file.
• Pow-r 1. Noise-shaped dither. Advantages: less CPU-intensive than Pow-r types 2 and 3, lower perceived loudness than Rectangular or Triangular. Disadvantages: less noise shaping than Pow-r types 2 and 3, not recommended for operations where dither will be applied successively (e.g. bounce and freeze). • Pow-r 2. Noise-shaped dither. Advantages: lowest perceived loudness, highest quality settings, recommended for audio export.
Surround Mixing (Producer and Studio only) SONAR fully supports surround mixing (the base version of SONAR can open surround projects created in Producer and Studio, converting them to stereo). SONAR can create finished surround mixes in all popular surround formats, including Windows Media 9 Pro. You can use a joystick to control surround panning if you want.
Surround basics Surround sound is a common name for various techniques for positioning audio in reference to the listener. Whereas regular stereo is limited to left/right positioning, within a relatively narrow field, surround sound opens possibilities of positioning an audio source anywhere around the listener. Surround sound comes in many formats. The differences between the formats are in three areas: • The number of speakers. This varies from 3.2 all the way to 8.1. • The angles of the speakers.
Using surround format templates A Surround Format template specifies the number of speakers and the order in which the speakers are arranged. There are several different surround formats, including LCRS, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1, with 5.1 being most common. The number after the decimal point refers to the number of Low Frequency Effect (LFE) speakers. However, there are even different flavors of 5.1. The different flavors specify in which order the speakers are arranged, and the speaker angles.
A project can include multiple surround buses, but all surround buses in a project use the same surround format (5.1, 7.1, etc.). The project’s surround format is based on one of the following Surround Format templates: • 2.0 • 2.1 • LCR • LRC+LFE • LRS • LFS+LFE • Matrix UHJ • QUAD • 4.1 (SMPTE/ITU) • Quad+LFE • PanAmbio 4.1 • LCRS • Surround (SMPTE/ITU) • Surround Media • LCRS+LFE • 5.1 (Standard 3/2) • 5.1 (Film/Alternative) • 5.1 (Music/Alternative) • 5.1 (SMPTE/ITU) • 6.0 (Hexagon) • 6.
• 8.0 (Octagon) • 8.0 (Film/Alternative) • 8.0 (Music/Alternative) • 8.1 (Film/Alternative) • 8.1 (Music/Alternative) • 8.1 (SMPTE/ITU) 5.1 (SMPTE/ITU) is the default template. The Surround Format templates are hard-coded, and cannot be deleted. However, you can freely assign any enabled audio output port to any surround channel, and save the configuration as a preset. Surround settings are per project. Surround speaker assignments default to unique audio output channels when you choose a new template.
To choose a surround format and set sound card outputs 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Surround. 2. Select a format from the Surround Format drop-down. The diagram to the right of the Surround Format menu changes to illustrate the speaker placement of the format that you chose. 3. In the Output column, assign each channel to a sound card output. Note: Consumer-grade sound cards, such as Audigy or SoundBlaster, typically reserve output 4 for the LFE channel. Check your sound card manual for details.
Routing in surround Tracks can send output to a surround bus, the Surround Main, or a hardware output. If a track is routed to a surround bus or the Surround Main, it has surround meters and a surround panner. You can route any track or bus to another bus, the Surround Main or a hardware out. However, you are prevented from creating a signal loop by routing the signal back into a bus that is already in the signal flow. The following table lists how each of these routing options affects the signal.
Downmixing Downmixing is a way of previewing your surround project in stereo only. There are various cases where surround is not available and it may be that someone plays your project in stereo only. A radio broadcast is a good example. Downmixing is a valuable tool for determining if your project will sound good in stereo. However, you can export your project in stereo, and SONAR uses your downmix settings to create your exported file.
5. If you want to export your stereo mix, use the File > Export > Audio command. This command obeys your downmix settings. See: “Panning in surround” on page 983 Panning in surround Unlike stereo panning which sends sound to left and right speakers, surround panning means sending sound to multiple speakers at points along a circle. When a track/bus/send is assigned to a surround bus, the Pan control turns into a multi-dimensional surround panner. The surround panner comes in four sizes: • Micro.
The small and large panners are always synchronized; the large panner simply provides increased resolution when you adjust the surround pan position. Note 1: Surround panning is not available for tracks/sends that are routed to non-surround buses. Note 2: If the track/bus/send is reassigned to a stereo bus, any surround automation will be orphaned, but will automatically reconnect if the track/bus/send is later assigned back to a surround bus.
Figure 303. Medium Surround Panner The large surround panner has some sliders at the bottom that the medium surround panner doesn’t have, except for the LFE Send slider, which the medium panner has. Except for the sliders, the large and medium surround panners have the following controls: • Angle and Focus marker. A small sphere that you can drag in any direction to both control and display the following two parameters: • Angle.
To open the large surround panner • Right-click the small surround panner or the pan control in a track, and choose Open Surround Panner from the pop-up menu. Or • Select a track and choose Views > Surround Panner, or press ALT+SHIFT+9. Or • Double-click outside the Surround Panner circle. Or • Press ENTER when the panner has focus. To change the angle • In either the large or small surround panner, drag the Angle and Focus marker to the left or right.
To change the LFE send level • In either the large or small surround panner, drag the LFE slider. Note: Double-clicking any surround panner control will reset the control to its default value, which for the LFE control is -INF. To solo or unsolo the LFE channel • In the large surround panner, click the LFE Solo button.
Keyboard shortcuts The following shortcuts allow you to control a surround panner from the keyboard: Shortcut Function ALT+drag Constrains to angle ALT+SHIFT+drag Constrains to angle at 100% focus CTRL+SHIFT+drag Constrains to focus only SHIFT+click Sets panner point to the point that you click (large and medium panners only) SHIFT+drag controls (Angle, Width, etc.
Automating surround panning You can arm or disarm for automation all the controls in a surround panner by clicking any control in the surround panner (except LFE Solo), and choosing Write Enable from the pop-up menu. Potential 'pops' when using surround automation (SONAR Producer only) If you record Angle surround pan automation, please note that a pop may occur as the angle parameter jumps from 0 degrees to 180 degrees.
4. In the Control Bar’s ACT module, select Joystick Panner in the drop-down menu, then click the Controller/Surface Properties button . 5. In the Joystick Panner dialog box, select button 1 in the Buttons field, and then select Engage Pan Mode in the Button Actions field. 6. Now select Button 2, and select Engage Pan Nav Mode in the Button Actions field. 7.
Bass management A bass management system takes all the frequencies below a certain frequency (normally 80Hz) from the main channels, and the signal from the LFE channel, and mixes them together into the speaker that is best equipped to handle them. This is usually a subwoofer, but sometimes the left and right front speakers are used if a subwoofer isn’t available.
Surround effects SONAR lets you use your existing stereo or mono effects as surround effects. SONAR does this through the SurroundBridge, which automatically sets up your existing mono & stereo plug-ins so you can patch them into surround buses (buses, not tracks).
Figure 305. Surround Bridge tab A B A. Surround Bridge tab B. Link Automation Controls See: “Effect property pages” on page 993 “Effect presets” on page 994 “How to patch and configure surround effects” on page 994 Effect property pages A single property page controls all instances of an effect that is patched into a surround bus. The effect’s property page displays a different tab for each instance of the effect.
Effect presets You can use existing (non-surround) effects presets when you patch an effect to a surround bus— selecting a non-surround preset sets all of a plug-in’s instances to the settings of the preset; selecting a surround preset sets each instance’s parameters individually, according to the information stored in the preset.
To unlink individual effect parameters from other effect instances 1. In the property page of an effect that’s patched into a surround bus, click the Link Automation controls button so it is disabled. 2. Make some adjustments to the automatable parameters you want to unlink (non-automatable parameters are not linked together). You can select parameters on any tab. SONAR will automatically capture which controls you change and unlink them from the corresponding controls for the other surround channels. 3.
To disable an instance • On the SurroundBridge tab of the effect’s property page, uncheck the Enable check box of the plug-in you want to disable. The instance’s tab becomes grayed-out when you do this. You can reenable the instance by rechecking the check box. The Enable check box is a separate bypass system from the Bypass button that is on the instance’s individual property tab. Disabling an instance by using the Enable check box lightens the CPU load by taking the instance out of the processing path.
Importing surround mixes SONAR imports multi-channel (surround) files as a group of mono files. If the files contain information that labels the speaker location of each channel in the file, SONAR copies these labels to the clips in your audio tracks, but does not pan the tracks according to these labels. This is because you may not have your SONAR project set to the same multi-channel format as the imported project.
Exporting surround mixes You can export your surround mixes as multi-channel PCM wave files, or as Windows Media Pro files. To export a surround multi-channel file 1. Use the File > Export > Audio command to open the Export Audio dialog box. 2. Type a name for your file. 3. In the Files of Type field, choose one of the following: • If you want to create a multi-channel wave file, choose RIFF Wave. • If you want to create a multi-channel Windows Media file, choose Windows Media Advanced Streaming Format. 4.
ProChannel (Producer and Studio only) ProChannel features a collection of audio processing modules that can be dynamically added, removed, and reordered per audio track, Instrument track and bus in the Inspector and Console view. Combining compression, equalization, and tube saturation modeling in one convenient processor, ProChannel is designed to make it fast and easy to enhance any track or bus. Figure 306. ProChannel provides compressor, equalizer and tube saturation processing for each channel.
SONAR X3 includes the following ProChannel modules: • Compressor (Producer only). The Compressor modules let you limit the dynamic range and balance the overall level. Compression makes the loud parts of the signal quieter, resulting in a more even level. SONAR includes two different compressor modules: • PC76 U-Type Channel Compressor. This is the default mode when using ProChannel on a track. This mode is meticulously modelled after one of the most renowned and famous solidstate (F.E.T.
• FX Chain. The FX Chain module lets you save and load audio effect plug-in chain presets called FX Chain. The FX Chain module can be used as an effects bin that can be inserted between other ProChannel modules. For details, see “FX Chain module” on page 1031. • BREVERB SONAR ProChannel. The BREVERB SONAR ProChannel module by Overloud provides world-class studio reverb. Dozens of professional presets are included. SONAR includes both VST and ProChannel versions of BREVERB SONAR.
To expand/collapse ProChannel in the Console view Click the Expand/Collapse button in the Inspector or Console view. To close all instances of ProChannel, hold down the CTRL key and click any Expand/Collapse button . Note: When expanding ProChannel in the Console view, ProChannel extends to the right of the channel strip.
Using ProChannel To enable/disable a module In the expanded ProChannel, click the module’s enable/disable button . Note: The more ProChannel modules you enable, the more CPU resources are required from your computer. To insert a module Do one of the following: • Click the Insert Module button in the Inspector and choose a module on the pop-up menu. • Right-click a module header or blank space in ProChannel and select Insert Module on the popup menu. Figure 307.
To reorder a module The signal flows from top to bottom. Click a module’s gripper and drag the module up/down to the desired position. Figure 308. Drag a module’s gripper up/down to reorder the signal chain. To select a module Click a module to make it the active module. The active module is shaded slightly. You can use ACT to control parameters in the active module, and all context menu commands operate on the active module when right-clicking an empty space in ProChannel.
To enable/disable a band, click the band’s region in the graph. To change the plot resolution globally, right-click any QuadCurve Equalizer graph in the Console view and choose the desired resolution on the pop-up menu. The resolutions are as follows: • Auto (graph scales dynamically) • 6 dB • 12 dB • 18 dB Figure 309. QuadCurve Equalizer graph. A B C D A. Low band B. Low-Mid band C. Mid-High band D. High band To sidechain the ProChannel compressor 1. Add the PC4K S-Type Bus Compressor module. 2.
To use presets Do one of the following: • To load an existing preset, click the Load Preset button file. and navigate to the desired preset • To save a new preset or overwrite the current preset, click the Save Preset button name, then click Save. , type a Note: To see the Load Preset and Save Preset buttons in the Inspector and collapsed Console view strips, hover the mouse over the Preset control. Figure 311. Use presets to save and recall favorite settings. A B C A. Current preset B.
ProChannel compatibility with SONAR X3 base version ProChannel is only included with SONAR X3 Producer and Studio, not with the base version of SONAR X3. If a project was created in Producer or Studio and loaded into the base version of SONAR X3, the project might sound different because ProChannel is not available. However, if you resave the project in the base version of SONAR X3, all ProChannel settings will be persisted and available if you later load the project into Producer or Studio again.
ProChannel modules and controls ProChannel can be displayed either collapsed or expanded in the Inspector and Console view. When collapsed, only a subset of all available controls are visible. Note: When expanding ProChannel in the Inspector, ProChannel fills the entire width of the Inspector. When expanding ProChannel in the Console view, ProChannel extends to the right of the channel strip. Figure 312. ProChannel can be displayed collapsed or expanded in the Inspector and Console view.
ProChannel controls (collapsed) Figure 313. ProChannel (collapsed) B C D E A F A. Pre/Post B. Global input meter C. Expand/collapse ProChannel D. Preset E. Global On/Off F. QuadCurve Equalizer graph By default, ProChannel is collapsed and only shows a subset of all available controls. When collapsed, ProChannel shows the following controls: • Expand/Collapse . Expands/collapses the ProChannel module. • Preset. Shows selected preset name.
ProChannel controls (expanded) Figure 314. ProChannel (expanded). A B C D E F A. Selected track B. Selected track’s expanded ProChannel C. Presets D. Compressor E. Equalizer F.
When expanded, ProChannel exposes the following controls: • Collapse . Collapses the ProChannel module. • Preset. Shows selected preset name. For details, see “Presets” on page 1012. • Insert Module (Inspector only). Lets you insert a new module from a pop-up menu. See also “To replace a module” on page 1003. • Gripper. Drag up/down to reorder the module. • Icon. Each module category has its own unique icon. For details, see “Module categories” on page 1013. • Name. Module name. • Clipping LED.
Presets ProChannel includes several presets to get you started. However, because all audio material is different, the real power and fun is to experiment with the controls to come up with settings that suit the audio material you are working with. ProChannel presets are saved to disk as *.pcp files. By default, presets are stored in the \ProChannel presets folder. To change to the default preset folder, go to Edit > Preferences > File - Folder Locations. Figure 316.
Module categories Modules are arranged by category in the Insert Module pop-up menu, and each module displays its category icon. The following categories are available: Category Module icon Type of processor Frequency EQ, pitch shift, etc. Dynamics Compressor, gate, expander, etc. Simulation Tape saturation, etc. Distortion Distortion, drive, etc. Time Delay, reverb, etc. Modulation Chorus, flanger, phaser, vibrato, tremolo, etc. Imaging Stereo spread, etc. Analysis Spectrum analyzer, etc.
PC76 U-Type Channel Compressor module (Producer only) Figure 317. PC76 U-Type Channel Compressor. A B C G D H E I F A. Clipping LED B. Compressor enable/disable C. VU meter D. Release E. Output level F. Dry/Wet level G. Attack H. Input level I. Ratio This is the default compressor module when using ProChannel on a track. This module is meticulously modelled after one of the most renowned and famous solid-state (F.E.T.) compressors that is used in professional studios and recordings.
20 dB to +40 dB, and the default value is -0.2 dB. Tip: The PC76 U-Type Channel Compressor does not have a dedicated threshold control, but instead has a fixed threshold level and uses the Input control to determine the relative threshold as well as the total amount of gain reduction.
See: “ProChannel (Producer and Studio only)” on page 999 “Using ProChannel” on page 1003 “ProChannel modules and controls” on page 1008 “PC4K S-Type Bus Compressor module (Producer only)” on page 1016 “QuadCurve Equalizer module” on page 1019 “Tube Saturation module (Producer only)” on page 1026 “Console Emulator module (Producer only)” on page 1027 “FX Chain module” on page 1031 “Tape Emulator module (Producer only)” on page 1039 PC4K S-Type Bus Compressor module (Producer only) Figure 318.
• Compressor enable/disable • VU meter. . Enables/disables the PC4K S-Type Bus Compressor module. Shows the amount of gain reduction. • Thresh. Sets the level at which compression occurs. If the input signal level is below the threshold, no compression takes place. If the threshold level is reached, compression (i.e. automatic gain reduction) occurs, reducing the gain of the input signal according to the Ratio, Attack and Release settings.
is a kick drum, or to reduce the level of music whenever a speaker talks (often used for background music in radio- and television programs). Audio track, Bus and Send outputs can be routed to sidechain inputs. The Sidechain sections contains the following controls: • On/Off. Enables/disables the compressor’s sidechain input as an audio output destination in all Track/Bus/Send Output controls. • High Pass. kHz. Applies a High Pass filter to the sidechain input. The valid range is OFF to 2 • Dry/Wet.
QuadCurve Equalizer module The QuadCurve Equalizer module allows you to fine tune the frequency spectrum of your tracks. The QuadCurve Equalizer module can be displayed in either full size or compact size. The compact module hides the Frequency, Q and Level controls for the Low, Low-Mid, Mid-High and High bands. You may want to show the compact size if ProChannel is too tall to show all its controls in the Inspector or Console view. • To show/hide compact mode in the Inspector.
filter enable/disable N. High Pass filter slope (Q) O. Gloss enable/disable P. Low Pass filter slope (Q) Q. Low Pass filter enable/disable Figure 320. The equalizer has six bands. A B E C D F A. Low band (red) B. Low-Mid band (yellow) C. Mid-High band (green) D. High band (blue) E. High Pass filter (black) F. Low Pass filter (black) The QuadCurve Equalizer module contains the following controls: • Clipping LED. Shows if the input signal to the QuadCurve Equalizer module is clipping.
interaction between Q and Level settings. The styles are as follows: Style Description Recommended for Hybrid Provides an unsymmetrical curve that • is very versatile. The curve is similar to E-Type when boosting frequencies, but • has constant Q response in when cutting frequencies. Suitable for gentle fill EQ when boosting, while also accurately modifying troublesome resonance frequencies when cutting.
• To adjust parameters with finer precision, hold down the SHIFT key while dragging. • To enable/disable a band, click the band’s region in the graph. • To change the plot resolution globally, right-click any small QuadCurve Equalizer graph in the Console view and choose the desired resolution on the pop-up menu. The resolutions are as follows: • Auto (graph scales dynamically) • 6 dB • 12 dB • 18 dB • Band enable/disable. Enables/disables the Low , Low-Mid , Mid-High and High bands.
the Low band boosts or attenuates a range of frequencies around a central point in a bell shape. In Low Shelf mode, the Low band boosts or attenuates the set frequency and all frequencies below it. • High band filter type. Toggles the High band between Bell and High Shelf mode. In Bell mode, the High band boosts or attenuates a range of frequencies around a central point in a bell shape. In High Shelf mode, the High band boosts or attenuates the set frequency and all frequencies above it.
QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel (Producer only) The QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel provides a larger interface for interacting with the EQ controls. The fly-out panel supports multi-touch and has an integrated FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) spectrum analyzer. The QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel can be accessed from the ProChannel in the Inspector or Console view. Figure 321. QuadCurve EQ fly-out panel. A B C D E FG A. Click to open fly-out panel B. Input meter C. EQ plot D.
To close the fly-out panel Do one of the following: • Click anywhere outside the fly-out panel, such as the Clips pane. • Click the X button in the top right corner of the fly-out panel. Note: The following gestures do not close the fly-out panel: • • • • Clicking in the fly-out panel’s parent ProChannel module. Clicking in the parent track’s channel strip in the Track view or Console view. Clicking in the time ruler. Clicking in the Control Bar.
Tube Saturation module (Producer only) Figure 322. Tube Saturation module. A B C D E F G A. Clipping LED B. Tube saturation enable/disable C. Activity indicator D. Input gain E. Drive (level) F. Output gain G. Saturation type The Tube Saturation module contains the following controls: • Saturation type. Select the desired type of tube saturation: • Type 1. Type 1 provides pure tube emulation. • Type 2. Type 2 is a dual-tube emulation.
“QuadCurve Equalizer module” on page 1019 “Console Emulator module (Producer only)” on page 1027 “FX Chain module” on page 1031 “Tape Emulator module (Producer only)” on page 1039 Console Emulator module (Producer only) Figure 323. Console Emulator module. A B S-Type N-Type A-Type C H D E F G A. Clipping LED B. Console Emulator enable/disable C. Emulation mode D. Output VU meters (left and right channels) E. Trim (not available in bus module) F. Drive G. Tolerance H.
• Crosstalk on stereo buses. Just like an analog console, the overall sound character is the sum of all the separate processing stages. Depending on the console type and settings, some of the benefits you may experience include: • A wider sound stage. • Increased sense of spatial cohesion. • More depth and definition. • A bit more warmth and aggression. • Easier to balance levels across tracks. Controls There are two versions of the Console Emulator module: • Console Emulator Channel.
• Clipping LED. Shows if the input signal to the Console Emulator module is clipping. If there is any distortion in the ProChannel signal chain, the clipping LEDs let you identify where the clipping occurs. • Console Emulator enable/disable . Enables/disables the Console Emulator module. • Output VU meters. These meters are calibrated to function responsively, just like real-world meters.
How to use the Console Emulator To get the full benefit of console emulation, you typically want to add the Console Emulator module to all audio tracks and buses across your project. The audible results may appear subtle when first using the Console Emulator module. In fact, you may not hear any difference at all at first. This is especially true if you insert the Console Emulator module after you have already mixed a song. The effect is subtle when listening to individual tracks or buses.
FX Chain module The FX Chain module allows you to use FX Chains (see “Effects chains” on page 932) and individual audio effects within the ProChannel signal flow. The FX Chain module can be used as an effects bin that can be inserted between other ProChannel modules. An FX Chain is a container that can include multiple audio plug-ins. Assignable knobs and buttons can control automatable plug-in parameters in the FX Chain. An FX Chain preset can store up to six assignable knobs and six assignable buttons.
• Effects page. The Effects page shows a list of all plug-ins that are included in the current FX Chain preset. The signal flows from top to bottom. Drag to reorder plug-ins, and right-click to add/ remove plug-ins. You can bypass individual plug-ins by clicking the small bypass toggle to the left of the plug-in name. Note: Unlike the FX Chain plug-in (see “Effects chains” on page 932), all buttons and knobs in the ProChannel FX Chain module are always visible when showing the Controls page.
Figure 326. To create a new FX Chain, drag an FX Chain preset from the Browser’s Audio tab to an audio track or audio clip effects bin. To add an effect to the current FX Chain Do one of the following: • On the Effects page, right-click the effects bin, point to Audio FX and choose the desired audio effect on the pop-up menu. • From the Plug-in tab of the Browser, under Audio FX, drag the desired effect the FX Chain module’s Effects page.
To enable a knob or button for automation writing Right-click the control and choose Write Enable Automation on the pop-up menu. To enable a knob or button for automation playback Right-click the control and choose Read Enable Control on the pop-up menu. To reset a knob or button to its default value Double-click the control. To open an effect’s property page Double-click the effect name on the Effects page.
The Control Properties dialog box contains the following settings: • Name. The name of the assignable control, shown as the label. • Position. The “slot” position of the control, from left to right. • Destination. Choose up to four automatable plug-in parameters to control with the assignable knob or button. • Start. The start value for the destination parameter, specified as a percentage (0.00% to 100.00%). • End. The end value for the destination parameter, specified as a percentage (0.00% to 100.00%).
To set the default parameter value 1. Adjust a knob or button in the FX Chain module to the desired default position. 2. Right-click the knob or button and choose Set Default Value on the pop-up menu. When you double-click the knob or button, it returns to its default value. Note: If multiple parameters are assigned to the knob or button, the default value will be 0.5. To map an assignable knob or button to a plug-in parameter 1.
Customizing the FX Chain UI You can change the colors and graphics that are displayed in each FX Chain. To do so, right-click the FX Chain module and click Customize UI on the pop-up menu to open the Settings dialog box. Figure 329. Use the Settings dialog box to customize the appearance of the FX Chain module. A B C D A. Background image B. Preset background image C. Preset text color D. Label text color The Settings dialog box contains the following settings: • Background Image.
Figure 330. FX Chain UI. A B C D A. Preset Background Image B. Preset Text Color C. Label Text Color D. Background Image Note: The Fader Cap, Button Image, and Rotary Image settings can not be customized from the FX Chain module. To customize all images, create the FX Chain preset in a track’s effects bin (see “Effects chains” on page 932 and “Customizing the FX Chain UI” on page 942), then load the FX Chain preset into ProChannel. See also: “Using FX Chain presets (.
Tape Emulator module (Producer only) Figure 331. Tape Emulator module. A B C G D H E F A. Clipping LED B. Tape Emulator enable/disable C. Rec level (input gain) D. Noise (tape hiss) E. Tape speed F. Bias G. Stereo link H. Playback level The Tape Emulator module emulates the sonic characteristics of analog tape recordings, and provides extensive control with adjustable tape speed, bias and noise parameters. Digital audio is often accused of lacking “character”.
What is tape saturation? Tape saturation occurs when you try to record too loud and varying signal levels onto magnetic tape for it to accurately reproduce, whereby the input signal is no longer directly proportional to the recorded signal. During playback, the tape reproduces less energy than was originally there, which is the saturation effect. Recording engineers often experience this as a result of trying to record a signal that is loud enough to overcome ever-present tape hiss.
See: “ProChannel (Producer and Studio only)” on page 999 “Using ProChannel” on page 1003 “ProChannel modules and controls” on page 1008 “PC76 U-Type Channel Compressor module (Producer only)” on page 1014 “PC4K S-Type Bus Compressor module (Producer only)” on page 1016 “QuadCurve Equalizer module” on page 1019 “Tube Saturation module (Producer only)” on page 1026 “FX Chain module” on page 1031 ProChannel (Producer and Studio only) 1041
ProChannel (Producer and Studio only)
Using Region FX SONAR provides several ways to add effects to audio data. You can add plug-in effects to a track effects bins to process the entire track. You can also add plug-ins to clip effects bins to only process individual clips. For even greater precision, you can apply special processing to specific audio regions. These effects are called Region FX. Any ARA-compatible VST3 audio plug-in will be available as a Region FX in SONAR, and will be listed in the Track view Region FX menu.
To create a Region FX clip 1. Select an audio region or clip you wish to process with an ARA plug-in. To select a region on the timeline, use the Smart tool or Select tool and drag across the bottom part of the clip(s). To select an entire clip, simply click the clip. For details, see “Selecting clips” on page 350. 2. In the Track view, click the Region FX menu, click the name of the desired ARA plug-in (for example, Melodyne), then select Create Region FX.
To open a Region FX editor To open the interface of a Region FX, do one of the following: • Double-click the Region FX clip. • Right-click the Region FX clip, and select Region FX > [name of ARA plug-in] > Open Editor. The Region FX plug-in interface appears in the MultiDock view. To bypass or unbypass all Region FX in a project Do one of the following: • In the Track view, click the Region FX menu and select Bypass All Region FX.
See: “ARA Audio Random Access” on page 1046 “Melodyne (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1048 “Using Melodyne” on page 1049 “V-Vocal Region FX clips” on page 1063 “V-Vocal Editor” on page 1065 ARA Audio Random Access What is ARA? ARA (Audio Random Access) is an extension of the VST plug-in interface, which allows ARAcompatible VST plug-ins to be closely integrated in host programs like SONAR.
To use an ARA plug-in ARA-compatible VST3 plug-ins are listed in the Track view Region FX menu. 1. Select an audio region or clip you wish to process with an ARA plug-in. To select a region on the and drag across the bottom part of the clip(s). timeline, use the Smart tool or Select tool To select an entire clip, simply click the clip. For details, see “Selecting clips” on page 350. 2.
Melodyne (Producer and Studio only) Melodyne essential is part of Celemony’s one-track product family, and offers basic editing of pitch and timing with the same high sound quality as Celemony’s flagship version Melodyne Editor. With Melodyne, you can: • Correct off-key vocals and out-of-tune melodic instruments. • Create harmonies. • Fix timing errors in melodic and rhythmic material. • Convert audio to MIDI. Double an audio track on a MIDI instrument.
When working with complex rhythmic or polyphonic audio material, Melodyne essential separates the notes into beats. Notes that occur on the same beat can be edited as a group in the shape of a Melodyne “blob”. Figure 332. Each note in Melodyne is called a “blob”. This section describes how to use Melodyne in SONAR.
“To correct pitch automatically by macro” on page 1056 “To correct timing automatically by macro” on page 1057 “To snap notes to a pitch grid” on page 1058 “To snap to a specific scale” on page 1058 “To make a Melodyne clip follow tempo changes in SONAR” on page 1059 “To create harmonies” on page 1059 “To convert audio to MIDI” on page 1060 “To set the Now time in Melodyne” on page 1061 “To start/stop playback in Melodyne” on page 1061 “To adjust loop points in Melodyne” on page 1061 “To toggle looping on/o
Figure 333. Select the audio clip or region you want to edit in Melodyne. Figure 334. The Melodyne editor opens in the MultiDock view. Note: Although you can insert an ARA-compatible plug-in in a clip effect bin, doing so will not provide all the ARA benefits of using the plug-in as a Region FX.
To open the Melodyne editor To open the interface of a Region FX, do one of the following: • Double-click the Region FX clip. • Right-click the Region FX clip, and select Region FX > Melodyne > Open Editor. The Region FX plug-in interface appears in the MultiDock view. Melodyne algorithms and note detection When you create a Melodyne Region FX clip, Melodyne analyses the audio data to determine the best algorithm to use for displaying and playing back the audio.
Note: Polyphonic editing is only available in Melodyne editor with the patented DNA Direct Note Access technology. In Melodyne assistant and essential, the algorithm for polyphonic material is present but disabled in the Algorithm menu. This is because you can still open and play back projects that were created with Melodyne editor and contain polyphonic material, and in such cases, Melodyne automatically selects the polyphonic algorithm.
To modify pitch and timing with the Main tool Melodyne's Main tool is similar to SONAR's Smart tool in that it is context-sensitive and has different functions depending upon its position relative to a note. Similar to a clip in SONAR, each note (or “blob”) in Melodyne has several hotspots that you can click to modify the blob. To display these hotspots, select View > Show Blob Info in Melodyne. Melodyne now displays thin lines to identify the various hotspots when you point to a blob.
Hotspot Default action D • • Click to select blob. Drag left/right to adjust the note length (the end of the note moves while the beginning remains anchored; any adjacent note is also stretched/compressed by the same amount). E • • Drag to lasso select. Double-click to start/stop playback. Table 181. +ALT Using the Main tool on Melodyne blobs (Continued) You can also adjust the selected blob(s) with the following keyboard shortcuts.
To correct pitch automatically by macro 1. Select the region or clip you want to edit. 2. Convert the selection to a Melodyne Region FX clip. For details, see “To create a Melodyne Region FX clip” on page 1050. 3. In Melodyne, select the notes you wish to edit. If no notes are selected, all notes will be edited. 4. Click the Correct Pitch button to open the macro controls. 5.
To correct timing automatically by macro 1. Select the region or clip you want to edit. 2. Convert the selection to a Melodyne Region FX clip. For details, see “To create a Melodyne Region FX clip” on page 1050. 3. On Melodyne’s View menu, select Show Intended Notes. The Melodyne editing area now shows the actual starting position of each note, along with a gray frame that indicates the intended starting position. 4. In Melodyne, select the notes you wish to edit.
To snap notes to a pitch grid Melodyne can change the pitch of notes either continuously, or force the notes to snap to any scale. To specify how notes should snap, click the small arrow button above the pitch ruler and select the desired snap options on the pop-up menu. To snap to a specific scale 1. Click the small arrow button above the pitch ruler and select Scale Editor > Selection and Master Tuning on the pop-up menu. Two new columns appear in the pitch ruler.
To make a Melodyne clip follow tempo changes in SONAR Do one of the following: • Select the Melodyne Region FX clip, then select Region FX > Melodyne > Follow Host Tempo on the Track view menu. • Right-click the Melodyne Region FX clip and select Region FX > Melodyne > Follow Host Tempo on the pop-up menu. The Melodyne Region FX clip will now obey any tempo changes in the project. Note: You cannot slip-stretch a Melodyne Region FX clip when the Follow Host Tempo option is enabled. To create harmonies 1.
To convert audio to MIDI Do one of the following: • Simply drag the Melodyne Region FX clip to a MIDI or instrument track. • Select the Melodyne Region FX clip, then select Region FX > Melodyne > Copy MIDI Events on the Track view menu. You can then paste the data to a MIDI or instrument track. • Right-click the Melodyne Region FX clip and select Region FX > Melodyne > Copy MIDI Events on the pop-up menu. You can then paste the data to a MIDI or instrument track.
To set the Now time in Melodyne Click in the top part of the Melodyne time ruler. SONAR’s time follows along. To start/stop playback in Melodyne Do one of the following: • Press the SPACEBAR key. • Double-click any empty area in Melodyne. • Double-click in the upper half of the time-ruler in Melodyne. To adjust loop points in Melodyne Do one of the following: • To create a loop region, drag in the lower part of the Melodyne time ruler. • To adjust the loop region, drag the loop handles in the time ruler.
To toggle looping on/off Double-click the lower part of the Melodyne time ruler. Figure 337. You can adjust loop regions and playback in either SONAR or Melodyne. A B C D E F G A B C D A. Now time B. Loop start (drag to adjust) C. Loop region (drag to move; double-click in Melodyne to enable/ disable looping) D. Loop end (drag to adjust) E. SONAR time ruler F. Melodyne time ruler (click to change Now time, double-click in the upper half to start/stop playback) G.
V-Vocal Region FX clips Note: V-Vocal has been replaced with Celemony Melodyne essential (see “Melodyne (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1048) in SONAR X3 and later. However, if you also have a previous version of SONAR Producer or Studio installed that supports V-Vocal, then V-Vocal will also be exposed in SONAR X3 and later. V-Vocal is a vocal processor that integrates Roland’s VariPhrase technology into SONAR.
To open a V-Vocal interface • If the V-Vocal interface of the clip you want to edit is not open, right-click the V-Vocal Region FX clip and choose Region FX > V-Vocal > Open Editor from the Clips pane pop-up menu. You can also double-click the V-Vocal Region FX clip or press SHIFT+V. To move, edit, or copy a V-Vocal Region FX clip • Use standard editing commands (nudge, drag-and-drop, slip-edit, etc.) to move, edit, or copy the clip.
V-Vocal Editor Note: V-Vocal has been replaced with Celemony Melodyne essential (see “Melodyne (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1048) in SONAR X3 and later. However, if you also have a previous version of SONAR Producer or Studio installed that supports V-Vocal, then V-Vocal will also be exposed in SONAR X3 and later. V-Vocal is a vocal processor that does pitch correction on notes and phrases, corrects timing, edits formants and dynamics, and can add vibrato.
Description of interface components • Edit mode. Select the parameter you want to edit: pitch, time, formant, or dynamics. • Zoom. Continuous horizontal or vertical zooming by dragging the center vertically or horizontally. If you drag the center while pressing the SHIFT key, you can restrict the zoom direction to horizontal or vertical. Zoom in or out incrementally by clicking any of the four arrows. Double-clicking the center shows the overall clip. • AutoScroll.
• Rectangle zoom . For selecting an area to zoom in to. Drag a border around the area you want to zoom to. Overall area is displayed by double clicking. See: “Playing back V-Vocal Region FX clips” on page 1067 Playing back V-Vocal Region FX clips You can play back V-Vocal Region FX clips by clicking the buttons at the top of the V-Vocal interface. Besides playing the V-Vocal Region FX clip, you can mute it, solo it, loop it, and rewind it.
Pitch editing Pitch editing requires that the Pitch button in the Edit Mode section is enabled. Here’s a description of the interface in pitch editing mode: • The yellow line is the edited Pitch curve and this line is the actual sounding pitch. • The red line is the original Pitch curve and this line cannot be edited. • The green dot is a Node. Nodes are automatically assigned to the start and end of the edited region.
About pitch correction The key for making manipulated sound more natural is using the parameters in the Pitch Correction section: Note, Vibrato and Sense. Functions for each parameter are as follows: • Note. Controls the ratio of pitch shifting to the nearest scale note. With a value of 100, each section is completely shifting to the nearest scale note. • Vibrato. As the value increases, the vibrato depth gets narrower. At a value of 100, Vibrato is completely eliminated. • Sense.
To correct pitch 1. Select the region you want to correct by using the Arrow tool. 2. Select the notes that you want the selected region to become by clicking notes on the Keyboard button. The selected notes should be light blue. The deselected notes are dark blue. When you click the Correct button, the selected area conforms to the light blue notes on the keyboard. You can also click the note names in the Select Pitch Correction field to select notes.
To edit vibrato 1. Move the Vibrato/LFO tool over the vibrato segment that you want to edit. The cursor displays a double-arrow icon when it is ready to edit vibrato: . 2. Drag the vibrato segment vertically to edit amplitude, or horizontally to edit frequency. Tip: • Holding the CTRL key down while you drag restricts vibrato editing to amplitude only. • Holding the SHIFT key down while you drag restricts vibrato editing to frequency only. To fade-in vibrato 1.
Editing formants A rough definition of formants is that they are vowel sounds. To edit formants with V-Vocal, the Formant button in the Edit Mode section must be enabled. Here’s a picture of the V-Vocal interface in formant mode: The red line in the graph is the formant line. The red dots on the line are nodes. To shift the formant of a region 1. Use the Arrow tool to select the region you want to shift. 2. Drag the red line in the region up or down.
See: “Editing dynamics” on page 1073 Editing dynamics The basic procedures for editing dynamics with V-Vocal are the same as for formant editing, except that dynamics are represented by a yellow line, and you must have the Dynamics button enabled in the Edit Mode section. See: “Context menu” on page 1073 Context menu If you right-click the graph, the V-Vocal context menu appears. The menu has the following commands: • Undo. Use this command to undo your last editing action.
phrases; this detection method will create more accurate center pitches for styles containing fast variations of pitch. This method, however, may divide a single vibrato section into multiple pitches. • LFO Pen Type. Select the type of the waves of vibrato added by the Vibrato tool. See: “Keyboard shortcuts” on page 1075 “V-Vocal pitch-to-MIDI” on page 1074 V-Vocal pitch-to-MIDI V-Vocal is able to convert pitch to MIDI.
Keyboard shortcuts The following table lists the V-Vocal keyboard shortcuts.
Command Shortcut Redo CTRL+SHIFT+Z Cancel drag gesture ESC Select All CTRL+A Select None CTRL+SHIFT+A Return selection to default settings DELETE Solo track / Show/hide waveform in Pitch edit mode SHIFT+W Go to/Center cursor G Scroll up/down UP/DOWN ARROW keys; PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN Scroll left/right LEFT/RIGHT ARROW keys Table 183.
Sharing your songs on SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online music sharing service that allows you to upload and share your music with others online. SONAR has integrated support for uploading audio to the SoundCloud service. SoundCloud offers many ways to share your sounds online, including: • Host your sounds on SoundCloud.com. • Share your sounds on many of the most popular social networking Web sites, including Facebook and Twitter, making it easy to promote your music.
See: “The Cakewalk SoundCloud interface” on page 1078 “Uploading audio to SoundCloud” on page 1083 “To share your music on Facebook and Twitter” on page 1085 “Troubleshooting” on page 1087 The Cakewalk SoundCloud interface The integrated Cakewalk SoundCloud application enables you to upload sounds, artwork, and metadata to the SoundCloud service directly from SONAR. Before you can upload your music to SoundCloud, you must grant SONAR access to your SoundCloud account.
To authenticate your SoundCloud account with SONAR In order for SONAR to upload audio files to your SoundCloud account, you must first authenticate your SoundCloud account with SONAR. To do so, do one of the following: • If you do not have a SoundCloud account: 1. In Cakewalk SoundCloud, click Not a member yet? Sign up for free here. Your default Internet browser opens the sign up page on SoundCloud.com. 2.
Figure 340. Cakewalk SoundCloud interface (after authentication) A B C H I J D K L E M N O P Q R S T F G A. Launch SoundCloud.com in your default web browser B. Disconnect account C. Account connection status and account name D. Artwork E. Add/remove artwork F. Share G. Cancel H. Help I. Title J. File location K. Genre L. Tags M. Description N. License O. Track Type P. Make original downloadable Q. Make this track private R. Message S. Share on Facebook T.
• Tags. Specify searchable keywords to help other SoundCloud users find your audio files. This field is optional, and you can specify multiple keywords by separating each word with a comma or space. • Description. Specify an optional description of the audio file. • License. Specify an optional license setting for the audio file.
from SoundCloud. • Make track private. When you upload a track to SoundCloud, you have two options for how you want to share it with other users. By default, your audio file is “public”, which means anyone can listen to your track. If you prefer to have complete control over who has access to your tracks and who doesn't, select the Make track private option. A “private” track is only available to specific users you give access to.
See: “Sharing your songs on SoundCloud” on page 1077 “Uploading audio to SoundCloud” on page 1083 “To share your music on Facebook and Twitter” on page 1085 “Troubleshooting” on page 1087 Uploading audio to SoundCloud SONAR lets you easily mix down and upload the current project directly to SoundCloud, or you can choose to upload an existing audio file. Cakewalk SoundCloud lets you upload one audio file at a time. Multiple audio files can be uploaded directly from the SoundCloud web site.
The Share with SoundCloud dialog box appears and shows a progress bar along with the name of the file that is being uploaded. To cancel the upload, click the Cancel button. The Upload Successful dialog box appears when the file has been uploaded successfully. Click the displayed link to view the uploaded file on SoundCloud.com. The Upload Failed dialog box appears if the upload is not successful. There are various reasons why an upload may have failed.
To share existing audio files with SoundCloud 1. Go to Utilities > Share with SoundCloud to open Cakewalk SoundCloud. 2. Click the Browse button and select the audio file you want to upload. SoundCloud supports MP3, WAVE, FLAC, OGG, AIFF, MP2 and AAC files. 3. Specify the desired settings in Cakewalk SoundCloud. 4. Click Share. The Share with SoundCloud dialog box appears and shows a progress bar along with the name of the file that is being uploaded. To cancel the upload, click the Cancel button.
Figure 341. Cakewalk SoundCloud sharing options A B C A. Message B. Share on Facebook (click Setup to configure) C. Share on Twitter (click Setup to configure) Note: If you have multiple Facebook and/or Twitter accounts that you would like to send push notifications to, you can link to multiple Facebook and Twitter accounts via the account management tools at SoundCloud.com.
Troubleshooting If you are having a problem with uploading music to SoundCloud, don’t panic. This section lists some common problems and how to solve them. Confirm your SoundCloud account settings Make sure that your provided the correct e-mail address and password when authenticating SONAR with your SoundCloud account. If you cannot remember your username or password, you can request this information to be sent to you by going to http://soundcloud.com.
Sharing your songs on SoundCloud Troubleshooting
Sharing and backing up your projects on Gobbler Gobbler is a secure cloud based asset cataloging, backup and collaboration service built for media creators. SONAR has integrated support for uploading to the Gobbler service. Gobbler provides an easy and reliable way to exchange and back up your SONAR projects. You can send files, mixes or entire projects directly from the SONAR interface. You can back up individual projects, or multiple projects spread across multiple hard drives.
The Gobbler interface The integrated Gobbler module in SONAR’s Control Bar enables you to back up and share projects on the cloud-based Gobbler service directly from SONAR. To show/hide the Gobbler module Right-click the Control Bar and select Gobbler Module. Figure 342. The Gobbler module. A A. Connect to Gobbler The first time you click the Connect to Gobbler button in the Gobbler module, you will be asked to either create a new Gobbler account, or provide your existing Gobbler login information.
After you have signed in to the Gobbler service, the Gobbler module controls become activated. Figure 344. The Gobbler module. A B C D E A. Connect to Gobbler B. Auto Backup current project C. Storage indicator D. Send project or files E. Notifications from Gobbler The Gobbler module contains the following controls: • Connect to Gobbler . disconnect from Gobbler. Connect to the Gobbler cloud based service. Click again to • Auto Backup .
Uploading files to Gobbler Note: Only projects saved in SONAR X3 or later will guarantee that Gobbler is able to find all associated files. If you have older projects that you want to back up, first resave the projects in SONAR X3 or later before you back them up to Gobbler.
Tip: If you want to back up multiple projects to Gobbler, use the standalone Gobbler desktop program to select the desired projects on your hard drive(s). To restore a backed up project from Gobbler 1. Open the Gobbler desktop program. 2. Under LIBRARY, select Files in Gobbler. 3. Right-click the file you want to restore and select Download on the pop-up menu. 4. In the Browse For Folder dialog box, specify where you want to store the file, then click OK. The file will download to your local computer.
When you send a SONAR project file, Gobbler will collect all of the referenced media files in the project. You can specify the following options by clicking the Settings icon next to the project name, which opens the Options pane: • Project Folder. When selected, Gobbler will send the entire contents of the project folder, including alternate project files, orphaned audio files and other documents. When not selected, Gobbler will send only the current project file and its related media.
To export and share an audio file on Gobbler 1. Select the audio track(s) you want to share on Gobbler. You can also drag in the time ruler to select a specific time region. 2. Go to File > Export > Audio to open the Export Audio dialog box. 3. In the Files of type list, select the desired file format. 4. Under Bounce Settings, select the desired settings, such as channel format, sample rate and bit depth. 5. Enter a name in the File name box.
6. Select the Send with Gobbler check box. 7. Click Export. SONAR exports the selected audio to the specified format, then launches the Gobbler Send Files dialog box. 8. Enter the recipient’s e-mail address and add an optional description, then click Send. To cancel the upload, click the Cancel button. Tip: If you want to share multiple audio files, drag each file or folder to the Gobbler Send Files dialog box, or use the standalone Gobbler desktop program to share files.
To export and share a video file on Gobbler 1. Open the video project you want to share on Gobbler. 2. Go to File > Export > Video to open the Export Video dialog box. 3. In the File Name field, type a name for the new video file. 4. In the Save as Type field, select the desired file format. 5. Click Encoding Options and select the desired settings. 6. Select the Send with Gobbler check box. 7. Click Save. SONAR exports the video to the specified format, then launches the Gobbler Send Files dialog box.
8. Enter the recipient’s e-mail address and add an optional description, then click Send. To cancel the upload, click the Cancel button. Tip: If you want to share multiple video files, drag each file or folder to the Gobbler Send Files dialog box, or use the standalone Gobbler desktop program to share files.
Receiving files from another Gobbler user 1. After someone has sent you a file on Gobbler, click the Notifications from Gobbler button in the Control Bar’s Gobbler module (or open the Gobbler desktop program and click Received Files). 2. Select the desired notification message, then click the hyperlink for the file you want to download 3. In the Browse For Folder dialog box, specify where you want to download the file(s), then click OK.
Troubleshooting If you are having a problem with uploading music to Gobbler, don’t panic. This section lists some common problems and how to solve them. Confirm your Gobbler account settings Make sure that your provided the correct e-mail address and password when signing in to your Gobbler account. If you cannot remember your username or password, you can request this information to be sent to you by going to www.gobbler.com.
Automation SONAR has a very sophisticated automation system that lets you record fader moves and parameter changes with a mouse or control surface during playback in real time, or edit automation graphically offline. Automation means to record the movement of a fader, knob, or other control so that the next time you play your project, that control moves automatically. This allows you to dynamically change parameters over the course of a project’s timeline.
See: “Quick automation guide” on page 1103 “Automation methods” on page 1104 “Automation write modes” on page 1105 “Automation time base” on page 1107 “Automation Read and Automation Write buttons” on page 1108 “Recording individual fader or knob movements” on page 1109 “Automation lanes” on page 1111 “Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 “Automating track and bus mute” on page 1130 “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131 “Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes” on page 1134 “Snaps
Quick automation guide The following table summarizes Console and Track view automation. What you can automate Parameters you can automate How you can automate them Individual tracks Gain, pan, mute, bus send gain, bus send balance, MIDI controllers, MIDI chorus and reverb, pitch wheel, channel aftertouch, RPN and NRPN. Draw envelopes in the Clips pane, record the fader movements, or take a snapshot. Buses Input gain and pan, output gain and pan.
“Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 “Automating track and bus mute” on page 1130 “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131 “Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes” on page 1134 “Snapshots” on page 1135 “Automating effects” on page 1136 “Recording automation data from an external controller” on page 1138 Automation methods There are several ways to automate controls in the Track view, Track Inspector and Console view: • Recording the movements of individual faders, knobs, or contro
“Automating effects” on page 1136 “Recording automation data from an external controller” on page 1138 Automation write modes There are three modes available when writing automation: Overwrite, Touch, and Latch. The following table describes each mode. Mode Description Parameters affected Overwrite Overwrite mode overwrites any existing automation data for the currently armed parameter while the transport is rolling, even if you don’t touch the parameter. Any previous automation is erased.
Note 2: All automation write modes obey the Auto Punch region. For details, see “Punch recording” on page 305. To specify a track’s automation write mode Select the track. Click the Track button at the top of the Inspector pane, or press CTRL+SHIFT+I. In the Track Inspector’s Automation section, click Write Mode and select Overwrite, Touch, or Latch. For details, see “Automation section” on page 604. Tip: You can use a Quick Group to assign multiple selected tracks to the same automation write mode.
Automation time base You can specify what happens to existing automation envelopes when you change the project’s tempo. Automation can be locked to absolute time or musical time. You specify the automation time base in the Track Properties Inspector’s Automation section. The two Time Base options are as follows: • Musical (M:B:T). If the track is set to the Musical time base, the automation’s M:B:T position stays constant, and its Absolute position shifts. • Absolute.
Automation Read and Automation Write buttons SONAR has buttons to enable/disable automation playback (the Automation Read buttons automation writing (the Automation Write buttons ) and ) on the following modules: • Tracks • Buses • Plug-in property pages • Clip effects property pages (Automation Read button only) In addition, SONAR has right-click commands to enable/disable automation playback and writing for individual parameters.
See “Recording individual fader or knob movements” on page 1109 for more information.
3. Move the armed parameter control(s). 4. Stop playback or recording. After you record the automation data, SONAR draws a graph of it (an envelope) in the Clips pane, which you can edit with the mouse by adding and dragging nodes (see the rest of this chapter). Once you record automation data in a track, the widget that you automated displays an indicator to show that automation has been applied. You can also group controls, so that automating one control automates all the controls in the group.
Automation lanes Automation lanes are an alternative method of viewing automation envelopes on tracks and buses. Automation envelopes can be displayed in the parent track, or in indented lanes below the parent track. Figure 345. Automation lanes. A B A. Parent track B. Automation lanes While the parent track can show multiple clips and automation envelopes simultaneously, each Automation lane displays only a single automation envelope.
Figure 346. You can expand and collapse Automation lanes for each track and bus. A B A. Automation lanes expanded B. Automation lanes collapsed Note: Clip automation is performed in Take lanes, not Automation lanes. For details, see “Take lanes” on page 381.
“Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes” on page 1134 “Snapshots” on page 1135 “Automating effects” on page 1136 “Recording automation data from an external controller” on page 1138 Automation lane controls Most of the controls in Automation lanes are identical to the controls found in tracks. Figure 347. Automation lane controls. A B C D E F G H A. Expand/collapse Automation lanes B. Select lane C. Remove lane D. Insert new lane E. Read Automation enable/disable F.
MIDI tracks: 1. Existing automation (priorities are same as 2-8) 2. Volume 3. Pan 4. Automated Mute 5. Expression 6. Chorus 7. Reverb 8. Arpeggiator; first parameter to last 9. MIDI envelope selection dialog An automatable parameter can be visible in an Automation lane, or in the parent track, but not in both locations simultaneously. If you choose to display an envelope in an Automation lane, that envelope will no longer be shown in the parent track, and vice versa.
“Automation lanes” on page 1111 “Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 “Automating track and bus mute” on page 1130 “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131 “Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes” on page 1134 “Snapshots” on page 1135 “Automating effects” on page 1136 “Recording automation data from an external controller” on page 1138 Using Automation lanes To show/hide a track’s Automation lanes Click a track’s Expand/collapse Automation lanes button .
9. MIDI envelope selection dialog Tip: To show/hide Automation lanes in the current track, press SHIFT+A. The Expand/collapse Automation Lanes button has three states: • Collapsed, with no existing lanes. The button is not highlighted . • Collapsed, with at least one existing lane. The button has a soft blue glow • Expanded. The button is solid blue . . To insert a new Automation lane 1. Click a track’s Expand/collapse Automation lanes button. 2.
To assign a parameter to an Automation lane Do one of the following: • Click the Automation lane’s Edit Filter, point to Automation, and select the desired track automation parameter. Created envelopes are displayed in bold text at the top of the menu, and automation parameters that are assigned to other Automation lanes are dimmed. • Hold down the SHIFT key and select a track parameter in the parent track’s Edit Filter.
To resize lanes Move the mouse pointer over the gap below a lane until the cursor looks like this down to resize the lane to your liking. , then drag up or When you resize a lane, all other lanes in the same track/bus automatically inherit the same height. Figure 349. Drag the splitter bar up/down to resize lanes. To edit track automation in a lane 1. Click a track’s Expand/collapse Automation lanes button. 2.
“Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 “Automating track and bus mute” on page 1130 “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131 “Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes” on page 1134 “Snapshots” on page 1135 “Automating effects” on page 1136 “Recording automation data from an external controller” on page 1138 Creating and editing automation envelopes You can create automation envelopes for tracks, buses, clips and plug-ins.
See: “To insert a new automation envelope” on page 1121 “To select automation” on page 1121 “To move automation” on page 1122 “To add envelope nodes” on page 1122 “To move envelope nodes” on page 1123 “To snap nodes vertically” on page 1123 “To reset envelope nodes” on page 1123 “To raise/lower selected envelope nodes” on page 1124 “To raise/lower an envelope across a time range” on page 1124 “To raise/lower an audio Clip Gain envelope” on page 1124 “To draw automation freehand” on page 1125 “To draw a stra
To insert a new automation envelope In the Track view, click the track’s Edit Filter control and select the desired parameter on the pop-up menu. The envelope appears in the Clips pane as a straight, dotted line in the envelope’s individual color, with a node (very small circle) at the beginning. When you move the cursor over the envelope, a vertical, double-ended arrow appears under it with the name and current value of the envelope in a box next to the cursor.
To move automation 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Do one of the following: • With the Move tool , position the pointer over the envelope segment you want to move, then drag the segment to the desired location. • With the Edit tool , position the pointer over the envelope segment you want to move, then drag the segment to the desired location. To add envelope nodes 1.
To move envelope nodes 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Do one of the following: • With the Smart tool , drag the node to the desired location. • With the Move tool , drag the node to the desired location. • With the Edit tool , drag the node to the desired location. When dragging an envelope node, the tooltip shows the current value and the delta value for the change.
To reset an envelope to the current value 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Move the Now time to where the envelope’s value is to your liking. 3. Right-click the envelope and choose Clear All on the pop-up menu. SONAR resets the envelope to the current value. To raise/lower selected envelope nodes 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2.
Note: Clip envelopes can be adjusted in the parent track or in a Take lane. To draw automation freehand 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. With the Freehand tool , drag to insert envelope nodes and segments. To draw a straight line 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2.
To draw automation patterns 1. Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 2. Select the desired pattern tool: Sine Pattern tool tool , Saw Pattern tool , Triangle Pattern tool , or Random Pattern tool , Square Pattern . 3. Set the Snap to Grid to the desired length of each cycle of the shape you want to draw.
3. With the Freehand tool , drag to insert envelope nodes and segments. Note: MIDI envelopes you create in the Piano Roll Notes pane and MIDI envelopes you create in the Track view Clips pane are actually separate envelopes, even if they control the same parameter. Both kinds of envelopes are visible in the Clips pane, and should generally not be used to control the same parameter.
To copy an envelope 1. In the Track view or the Clips pane, select the track or clip that has the envelope you want to copy. If you want to copy all the automation data in the track, select the whole track. 2. Press CTRL+ALT+C or use the Edit > Copy Special command. The Copy dialog box appears. 3. Choose Clip Automation and/or Track/Bus Automation. Note 1: The basic Edit > Copy (CTRL+C) and Edit > Paste (CTRL+V) commands only apply to the data type that is selected in the track’s Edit Filter.
Automation editing mouse cursors The mouse pointer provides helpful information when editing automation envelopes. The mouse pointer informs you if you are moving a single node, multiple nodes, a line segment, or a time selection. The following table shows the various mouse cursors. Mouse cursor Description Move a single envelope node Move multiple selected envelope nodes Move an envelope line segment Adjust selected envelope region up/down Table 186.
Automating track and bus mute The Mute buttons in the Track view, Track Inspector and Console view work in two ways: • You can record or draw automation for each Mute button, and the automation data controls the buttons. • You can click a Mute button while playback is in progress and manually override any automation data for that button. A track’s Mute button can display the muted or unmuted status of either the automation envelope or of manual muting.
“Recording individual fader or knob movements” on page 1109 “Automation lanes” on page 1111 “Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131 “Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes” on page 1134 “Snapshots” on page 1135 “Automating effects” on page 1136 “Recording automation data from an external controller” on page 1138 Envelope mode and Offset mode There are two modes which control how your volume faders, pan faders, bus send faders, and bus send pan
To enable/disable Offset mode Do one of the following: • Click the Offset mode button in the Control Bar’s Mix module. • Press O. In Offset mode, all controls that can be offset appear with a plus sign. For example Vol+.
To open non-SONAR envelope display on a percentage scale You can globally configure the placement of 0 dB for your envelopes in the Clips pane. The default placement in the Clips pane of 0 dB is roughly 1/3 from the top of the clip. You can change the position of 0 dB in all envelopes to the middle of the clip. There are several advantages when using the Envelope Display on a Percentage Scale option: • It makes it easier to tell if there have been any changes. • There is a finer resolution around 0 dB.
Converting MIDI controllers to envelopes MIDI controllers you edit in the Piano Roll view and MIDI envelopes you create in the Track view Clips pane are actually separate data, even if they control the same parameter. Both kinds of envelopes are visible in the Clips pane, and should generally not be used to control the same parameter.
Snapshots A snapshot is a setting or group of settings that SONAR’s controls snap to when your project reaches a certain Now Time. You set all the controls to the values you want, and then create a snapshot of these settings at a particular Now Time. This approach is useful, for example, when your project contains a variety of distinct sections and you want to make a sudden change in one or more settings between the sections. To create a snapshot of a track or bus parameter 1.
Automating effects SONAR allows you to automate plug-ins, giving you real-time control over dozens of effects parameters. See also: “Recording individual fader or knob movements” on page 1109 “Using control groups” on page 951 Note: When using automatable effects, the CPU meter may fluctuate rapidly within a few percentage points. This is normal behavior.
All the envelopes that you checked appear in the track or bus you were working in. You can edit them just like any other envelopes.
Recording automation data from an external controller You can record automation data from an external controller or a MIDI keyboard. To record automation data from an external controller 1. In either the Track view or Console view, right-click the control or knob that you want to control externally, and choose Remote Control from the pop-up menu. The Remote Control dialog box appears. 2.
See also: “Automation” on page 1101 “Quick automation guide” on page 1103 “Automation methods” on page 1104 “Automation write modes” on page 1105 “Automation time base” on page 1107 “Automation Read and Automation Write buttons” on page 1108 “Recording individual fader or knob movements” on page 1109 “Automation lanes” on page 1111 “Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 “Automating track and bus mute” on page 1130 “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131 “Converting MIDI controllers to
Automation Recording automation data from an external controller
Window management SONAR offers a lot of flexibility in the way you can arrange windows on your screen. This allows you to adjust the viewing and editing space to suit your own needs. The following options are just some of the ways you can arrange windows: • Dock the Control Bar, Inspector and Browser to one of SONAR’s edges. For details, see “Docking windows” on page 1142. • Dock windows in the MultiDock. You can have as many views open in tabbed format as you want.
“Locking views” on page 1152 “Tiling windows” on page 1153 “Screensets” on page 1154 “X-Ray” on page 1159 “View reference” on page 1921 See also: “Zoom controls” on page 85 Docking windows By docking windows, you can keep frequently-used windows open but out of the way while working on a project. You can dock windows and panes in two different areas in SONAR: • Top/bottom/left/right edge. SONAR’s edges. The Control Bar, Inspector and Browser can be docked along • MultiDock.
• Inspector (default) • Browser Figure 352. You can dock most windows and panes at the top, bottom, left and right of SONAR’s interface. A E B C D A. Control Bar B. Track and Clip Inspectors C. MultiDock (Piano Roll view shown) D. Track view E. Browser When dragging the Control Bar, Inspector, Browser, MultiDock and other views towards any edge, a colored rectangle indicates a valid drop location. Figure 353. A colored rectangle indicates a valid drop location.
To dock/undock the Control Bar Right-click the Control Bar and select one of the following commands: • Dock Control Bar at Top. Select this option to dock the Control Bar above the Track view. • Dock Control Bar at Bottom. Select this option to dock the Control Bar below the Track view. • Undock Control Bar. Select this option to undock the Control Bar. Tip: You can click any blank area in the Control Bar and drag the Control Bar to the desired position.
To dock/undock the Browser To dock, do one of the following: • Click the Docking Options button and select Dock at Right, Dock at Left or Dock in MultiDock. • Click any blank space at the top of the Browser and drag the Browser to the desired position. To undock, do one of the following: • Click the Dock/Undock button . • Click the Docking Options button and select Undock. • Click any blank space at the top of the Browser and drag the Browser to the desired position. Figure 355.
MultiDock The MultiDock is a container that can host one or more views. The MultiDock allows you to have frequently-used windows open in a centralized location, without obscuring the Track view. Instead of placing each view in its own window, you can group views by docking them in the MultiDock. In the MultiDock, each docked window is in its own tab with its own close button. The MultiDock appears automatically when you dock a view below the Track view.
When you drag a window towards the bottom of the Track view, a colored rectangle indicates that the window will be docked in the MultiDock when you release the mouse button. Figure 358. When you drag a window onto the MultiDock, a colored rectangle indicates that it is a valid drop location. To dock a window Do one of the following: • Drag the window to the MultiDock. • Click the view’s Docking Options menu, and choose Dock in MultiDock.
To close a window in the MultiDock Do one of the following: • Click the tab’s X button. • Right-click the window’s tab, and choose Close from the pop-up menu. If you close the last remaining tab, the MultiDock closes automatically. Figure 360. To close a window, click the tab’s X button. To navigate between docked windows Do one of the following: • Click the desired tab. • Hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys and press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW key. To resize the MultiDock Drag the splitter bar up/down.
To expand/collapse the MultiDock Click the Expand/Collapse button in the bottom right corner. Figure 362. MultiDock docking controls. A B C A. Dock/undock B. Docking options C. Expand/collapse To dock/undock the MultiDock To dock, do one of the following: • Click the Dock/Undock button . • Click the Docking Options menu and choose Dock at Top or Dock at Bottom. • Drag the MultiDock to the top or bottom of the screen.
To maximize/restore the MultiDock (when undocked) Double-click the MultiDock title bar. See also: “Window management” on page 1141 “Docking windows” on page 1142 “Floating views and using dual video monitors” on page 1150 “Locking views” on page 1152 “Tiling windows” on page 1153 “Screensets” on page 1154 “X-Ray” on page 1159 “View reference” on page 1921 Floating views and using dual video monitors When a view is float enabled, you can move it outside of the confines of SONAR.
To float a view 1. Open the view you want to float. 2. Click the view’s icon located in the upper left corner of the view and choose Enable Floating. A A. Piano Roll view icon 3. Move the view wherever you want.
Locking views By default SONAR allows only one instance of each view, but you can lock the contents of most views, preserving the current view by forcing a new instance of the view to appear if necessary. Locking views is the only way you can have multiple instances of the same view open. Only the Track and Console views cannot be locked. To lock/unlock a view Do one of the following: • Click the upper left corner of a window, and choose Lock Contents from the pop-up menu.
Tiling windows If you want to view more than one project or window at a time, you can tile the windows. To tile windows 1. If the window you want to tile is docked in the MultiDock, drag the tab out of the MultiDock to undock the window. 2. Disable floating for any windows you want to tile (click the icon located in the upper left corner of the window and select Disable Floating). 3. Do one of the following: • Choose Window > Cascade. • Choose Window > Tile in Rows. • Choose Window > Tile in Columns.
Screensets A screenset is a snapshot of the current layout of various views and windows in a project, including which windows are open, their size, position, zoom level and whether they are docked or floating. You can create up to 10 screensets per project and freely switch between screensets at any time. Figure 363. Screensets allow you to instantly switch between different window layouts. Screenset 1 Screenset 2 Screenset 3... One of the 10 available screensets is always active.
Screensets are saved per project, and you can import screensets from other projects. Screensets can be updated, renamed, duplicated and locked to prevent further changes. By default, SONAR has 10 custom window layouts assigned to screensets 1-10, but you can update and rename the default screensets to suit your own work style.
• Lock/Unlock Current Screenset. Lock the current screenset to prevent any modifications. See “To prevent the current screenset from being modified” on page 1157. • Rename Current Screenset. Rename the current screenset. See “To name or rename the current screenset” on page 1157. • Duplicate Current Screenset to. Copy the current screenset to another screenset location (1 to 0). Select the target screenset location from the submenu. The selected target screenset becomes the current screenset.
To name or rename the current screenset 1. Make sure the Screenset module is visible in the Control Bar. 2. Click the Screenset menu and select Rename Current Screenset. The Rename Screenset dialog box opens. 3. Type a new name and click OK. Note: You can not rename a locked screenset. To prevent the current screenset from being modified 1. Make sure the Screenset module is visible in the Control Bar. 2. Click the Screenset menu and select Lock/Unlock Current Screenset.
To duplicate the current screenset SONAR can store up to 10 screensets per project. You can copy the current screenset to any other preset location in the same project. To do so: 1. Make sure the Screenset module is visible in the Control Bar. 2. Do one of the following: • On the Screenset menu, point to Duplicate Current Screenset to, then select the desired screenset location (1 through 0). • Hold down the CTRL key and press the number key that corresponds to the target screenset location (1 through 0).
X-Ray The X-Ray Windows feature eliminates the need to constantly minimize, move, or close windows in order to work in other windows. It works by decreasing the opacity of the current window enough so that you can see and work with the window that’s behind the current window. You activate the feature by pressing SHIFT+X when the mouse cursor is over a window you want to x-ray.
To use X-Ray windows 1. Use the Edit > Preferences command to open the Preferences dialog box, click Customization - Display and make sure the Enable X-Ray check box is selected. 2. Make sure that the view windows you want to X-Ray are in the Floating-enabled state. To check this, click the view or fx icon that’s in the upper left corner of a window, and select Enable Floating from the drop-down menu. If Disable Floating is in the menu, then the Floating option is already enabled.
To exclude a plug-in from X-Ray capability, follow these steps: 1. Use the Utilities > Cakewalk Plug- in Manager command to open the Cakewalk Plug-in Manager. 2. In the Plug-in Categories window, select the plug-in category to exclude. 3. In the Registered Plug-ins window, select the plug-in to exclude. 4. If the plug-in is a DirectX effect or an MFX, write down (or select and copy) the CLSID value that’s in the CLSID field at the bottom of the dialog box.
See also: “Window management” on page 1141 “Docking windows” on page 1142 “MultiDock” on page 1146 “Floating views and using dual video monitors” on page 1150 “Locking views” on page 1152 “Tiling windows” on page 1153 “Screensets” on page 1154 “View reference” on page 1921 1162 Window management X-Ray
Templates and key bindings A template is a special file that is used as a pattern to create similar project files. You might create a template file that defines a particular musical ensemble (say, a string quartet) or a particular studio configuration (MIDI instruments, audio outputs, and so on). Templates make it fast and easy to create and configure new projects. A key binding lets you associate SONAR commands with keys on your MIDI or computer keyboard.
Templates Template files make it easy to create new projects with certain predefined settings. To create a template file, create a new project file and arrange the project settings the way you want, then save the project as a template file. Template files have a file extension of .cwt. When you create a new project, you can use the template as the basis for the new project. SONAR looks for template files in a particular folder on your hard disk. By default, this folder is the program folder.
To create a template 1. Create a new file using the File > New command. 2. Add tracks. 3. Set one or more parameters to be the way you want. 4. Choose File > Save As to display the Save As dialog box. 5. Choose Template from the Save as Type list. 6. Enter a template file name and click Save. SONAR saves the template file. To create a new project from a template 1. Choose File > New to display the New Project File dialog box. The list contains the names of all existing templates. 2.
To create the example template file 1. Choose File > New to create a new project file. 2. Insert 16 MIDI tracks. 3. In the Ch drop-down menu of track 10, enter 10. The drum machine responds to channel 10. For consistency, the drums can be placed on track 10. 4. The second synthesizer responds to channels 1 through 8. These can be placed on tracks 1 through 8. For each track, enter the corresponding channel number using the Ch drop-down menu for each track.
Key bindings Key bindings let you associate SONAR commands with keys on both your MIDI keyboard and your computer keyboard. This makes it easy for you to access specific features more quickly and efficiently.
To create a key binding using the computer keyboard 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts (make sure the Advanced option is selected at the bottom of the Preferences dialog box). 2. Check Computer in the Type of Keys list. 3. To quickly scroll to the key or key combination you want, click the Locate Key button, and then press the key or keys you want to use. 4. Highlight the key combination you want to use in the Key list. Keys on the number pad appear as Num “n.
8. Repeat steps 5 through 7 for all the keys you want to bind. 9. If you want to save these key bindings for other sessions, make sure that the Save Changes for Next Session check box is checked. 10. Click OK when you are done. SONAR assigns the key(s) you chose. To disable MIDI key bindings, uncheck the Enable box in the Key Bindings dialog box. To search for key bindings 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts. 2. In the Search box, type the text you want to search for.
Exporting key bindings Clicking the Export button in the Key Bindings dialog box allows you to export the current set of key bindings, so that they are available when you want to switch key bindings. To export key bindings 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts. 2. Click the Export button to open the Export Key Bindings dialog box. 3. Navigate to the folder where you want to save the key bindings. 4. Type a name for the key bindings. 5. Click Save.
Multi-touch Windows 8 features support for multi-touch displays. Multi-touch allows you to use one or more fingers as an input device to complement the mouse and keyboard. Touch gestures can be used for navigating and manipulating objects. SONAR provides an enhanced user experience on touchcapable devices, with intuitive gestures that increase productivity: • Adjust knobs, faders and buttons. • Scroll and zoom in the Track view. • Scroll both horizontally and vertically in the Console view.
Using touch gestures A gesture is a quick movement of one or more fingers on a screen that the computer interprets as a command, rather than as a mouse movement. Multi-touch manipulations use multiple contact points simultaneously. For example, you can adjust multiple faders in the Console view simultaneously, or trigger multiple cells in the Matrix view. SONAR supports many touch gestures, as described in the following table.
Gesture Description Spread Touch surface with two fingers close together on the screen and move them apart. Drag Move fingertip over surface without losing contact. Scroll Move one finger up or down, or left and right, across the touchscreen. Note: Scrolling supports inertia, so if you scroll quickly and let go it will continue scrolling and gradually come to a halt. Table 189.
Matrix view touch gestures You can use the following touch gestures to control the Matrix view. Function Gesture Trigger a cell Tap the cell’s Play circle Trigger a column Tap a column header Mute a row Tap the row’s Mute button Solo a row Tap the row’s Solo button Stop all cells Tap the Panic button Toggle record Tap the Record button Reorder cells Press a cell and drag to the desired location Scroll left or right Swipe left or right Scroll up or down Swipe up or down Table 190.
Track view multi-touch gestures You can use the following multi-touch gestures to control the Track view. Function Gesture Zoom in or out vertically Pinch or spread up/down Zoom in or out horizontally Pinch or spread left/right Move loop start/end positions Tap and drag loop start/end markers Toggle mute Tap Mute button Toggle solo Tap Solo button Table 192.
Control Bar touch gestures You can use the following touch gestures to control the Control Bar. Function Gesture Toggle Play Tap Play button Toggle Stop Tap Stop button Toggle Record Tap Record button Return to zero Tap RTZ button Move Now Time Tap the time ruler Table 194. Control Bar multi-touch gestures See: “Control Bar overview” on page 537 Browser touch gestures You can use the following touch gestures to control the Browser.
QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel touch gestures You can use the following touch gestures to control the graph in the QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel. Function Gesture Adjust gain or frequency Drag a node Adjust Q Pinch or spread a node left/right Table 196.
Multi-touch
Notation and lyrics This section describes three SONAR views that are used to edit the music notation and lyrics of your project. • SONAR’s Staff view lets you work with your composition in a standard musical staff, guitar tablature and a virtual guitar fretboard. You can add, move, and delete notes with your mouse or with your computer keyboard. You can add chord names, guitar chord grids, expression marks, hairpin symbols, pedal marks, and lyrics.
The Staff view The Staff view is composed of a Staff pane and a Fretboard. When you first open the Staff view, you may see only the Staff and not the Fretboard. Resize the Staff view by dragging its edges until you can see everything easily. When you save your file, whatever size the Staff view is will be the way it appears the next time you open the file. The Staff pane displays MIDI note events as musical notation. For some musicians, this may be the most familiar and comfortable view in which to work.
Opening the Staff view There are several ways to open the Staff view: • In the Track view, select the MIDI tracks you want to see, then choose Views > Staff View, or press ALT+7. • Right-click on a track in the Clips pane and choose Views > Staff View on the pop-up menu. You can always change the tracks that are displayed: in the Staff view, click the Track menu, choose Pick Tracks and select the tracks you want. You can display one or more tracks.
The Staff pane right-click menu The Staff pane right-click menu offers the following editing options: Menu command Result MIDI Effects Opens the MIDI Effects submenu. See “MIDI effects (MIDI plug-ins)” on page 796 for more information. Layout Opens the Staff View Layout dialog box. Regenerate Tablature Opens the Regenerate Tablature dialog box. “Regenerate TAB” on page 1210 for more information. Export to ASCII TAB Saves the track in TAB format with the extension .TXT.
To change the Staff pane layout 1. Click the Staff view Edit menu and choose Layout to open the Staff View Layout dialog box. 2. Select a track from the list (if the track you want to edit is not in the list, click the Tracks menu and choose Pick Tracks, then select the desired track). The Clef option shows the track’s clef. 3. Select a new clef from the list. 4. If you select Treble/Bass, select a Split point. 5.
See: “Editing notes and chords from the Fretboard” on page 1212 “Fretboard pop-up menu” on page 1184 “Moving notes from within the Fretboard” on page 1191 “MIDI Channels and the Fretboard” on page 1198 “To display notes on the Fretboard using their MIDI channels” on page 1199 “To edit a chord symbol” on page 1201 “Tablature settings” on page 1208 “Changing Fretboard texture and orientation” on page 1209 “Quick TAB” on page 1210 “Regenerate TAB” on page 1210 “Entering notes from the TAB staff” on page 1211 “
To change the Staff view layout 1. Click the Staff view Edit menu and choose Layout to open the Staff View Layout dialog box. Figure 366. The Staff View Layout dialog 2. Select a track from the list (if the track you want to edit is not in the list, click the Tracks menu and choose Pick Tracks, then select the desired track). The Clef option shows the track’s clef. 3. Select a new clef from the list. 4. If you select Treble/Bass, select a Split point. C5 represents middle C. 5.
Basic musical editing The global tools let you edit a project by manipulating the elements of standard music notation. Using these tools, you can create and edit notes, chord symbols (guitar fretboards), pedal marks, expression marks, hairpins, and lyrics. When drawing events in the Staff view, the staff is shaded to indicate where the current event type can be drawn. Events can only be drawn where the background is white. Figure 367. The selected event type can only be drawn where the background is white.
See: “Inserting notes on the staff” on page 1187 “Inserting notes with the Fretboard” on page 1188 “Selecting notes” on page 1189 “Moving, copying, and deleting notes on the staff” on page 1190 “Moving notes from within the Fretboard” on page 1191 “Auditioning” on page 1192 “Changing note properties” on page 1192 “Deglitch dialog” on page 1194 “Working with triplets” on page 1195 “Beaming of rests” on page 1195 “Changing the way notes are displayed” on page 1196 “Using enharmonic spellings” on page 1197 “MI
To insert a note on the staff 1. Disable the View > Fill Durations and View > Trim Durations options in the Staff view menu, if desired (this is usually the best way when you’re entering notes). 2. Click the Staff view View menu and choose Display Resolution, then choose a resolution that’s as small or slightly smaller than the smallest note you plan to enter. 3. Select the Draw Freehand tool in the Control Bar. 4. Select a note duration in the Control Bar’s Tools module.
Selecting notes Use the Select tool in the Control Bar to make selections. Selection methods in the Staff view are similar to those in other views.
Moving, copying, and deleting notes on the staff Selections can be cut, copied, pasted, and deleted with Edit menu commands. The techniques are similar to those used in other views. Selections can also be dragged and dropped to copy or move them. To keep track of your current position while dragging, you can keep an eye on the time and pitch locator in the upper-right corner of the Staff view. Notes can be dragged horizontally, to a new time, or vertically, to a new pitch or staff.
Moving notes from within the Fretboard You can drag notes displayed in the fretboard horizontally along each string to change their pitch. They always change in the chromatic scale. You can not drag notes from one string to another. To change the pitch of a single note in the Fretboard 1. Click in the Time Ruler to set the Now time to the time of the note you want to change. 2. Select the Select tool or Draw tool in the Control Bar. 3. Drag the note along the string to a new fret.
Auditioning Sometimes it is useful to listen to your music slowly, note-by-note, rather than at full speed. For example, you may need to locate a bad note, or you may be trying to learn the correct fingering for a difficult passage. The Staff view has two features that let you audition your composition at reduced speed: Scrub and Step Play. The Scrub tool lets you drag a vertical bar over the staff, playing the notes as it goes. You can scrub backward or forward at any speed.
Property Meaning Fret The fret at which the note is played on the neck String The string on which the note is played Table 201. To edit a note’s properties 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar and double-click the note to open the Note Properties dialog box. Figure 368. The Note Properties dialog 2. Edit the note’s properties, as described in the table. 3. Click OK. SONAR changes the note’s parameters and redraws the note if necessary.
Deglitch dialog When recording MIDI guitar, even the best players occasionally play unintended notes. The Deglitch feature allows you to filter out the softest, shortest, and highest notes in the file. There are three filters in the Deglitch dialog: Pitch With the Pitch filter you can set the maximum pitch allowed in the track. If a MIDI event has a higher pitch than the maximum you set, it is removed. Velocity With the Velocity filter you can set a minimum velocity allowed in the track.
Working with triplets The Staff view places certain limitations on the use of triplets. The limitations are: • Triplets must occur in full sets of three. • All three steps in a triplet must be notes (no rests) of the same basic duration. • There can be no ties in or out of, or within the triplet. In most cases, the Staff view can recognize triplets in MIDI data. However, the slight timing inaccuracies inherent in live performances can complicate the detection of triplets.
Changing the way notes are displayed Unlike musical notation programs, SONAR uses the MIDI events themselves as the permanent representation of the music; thus, the Staff view is only an interpretation of a MIDI performance. MIDI notes do not always correspond exactly to notes on a staff. Whereas a staff defines precise grid-like starting times and durations for notes, a MIDI note can start at any arbitrary time during the project, and last for any length of time.
Using enharmonic spellings Any musical note can be referred to by several different names. For example, C#3 and Db3 identify the same pitch, as do G#4 and Ab4. The most appropriate name depends upon the current key signature, but can also depend on musical context. SONAR uses a set of rules to automatically add accidentals (sharps, flats and naturals) to notes based on the current key signature. These rules cover the most common musical situations and usually lead to pleasing results.
Accidental Character Example Double flat “ C”5 Double sharp x Cx5 Displays as Table 203. To change a note’s enharmonic spelling 1. Select the Smart tool in the Control Bar and double-click the note to open the Note Properties dialog box. 2. In the Pitch textbox, type a new spelling for the note. 3. Click OK. SONAR displays the note with the new enharmonic spelling.
To display notes on the Fretboard using their MIDI channels 1. Set your MIDI guitar to transmit on 6 consecutive channels. This is often referred to as “MONO” mode. Refer to your MIDI Guitar device documentation for more information. 2. Select and Arm a track. 3. If you want the data from all 6 strings to be recorded to a single track, set the Input to OMNI. If you want each string on a separate track, you need to set up each individual track to record on the corresponding MIDI channel.
Chords and marks The Staff view lets you add and edit chord symbols, dynamic markings, hairpin symbols, and pedal events. Like notes, these symbols are placed in the score with the Draw Freehand tool. They can be selected, cut, copied, pasted, deleted, and dragged and dropped. With the exception of pedal marks, though, these symbols have no audible effect; they serve only to enhance and clarify the printed score.
To add a chord symbol 1. Select the Draw Freehand tool in the Control Bar. 2. Click the Chords button in the Staff view. 3. Position the pointer above the staff (the pointer changes to a pencil when you are in a legal position). 4. Click to place a chord symbol. SONAR inserts a copy of the most recently added chord (by default, C). You can then edit the symbol to display the chord you want. To move a chord symbol 1. Select the Draw Freehand tool in the Control Bar. 2.
Figure 371. The Chord Properties dialog 4. Click OK. The Staff view displays the chord with the new properties, moving it to a new time if necessary. To add a guitar chord grid 1. Right-click the chord symbol to open the Chord Properties dialog box. 2.
To manage the chord library 1. Right-click the chord symbol to open the Chord Properties dialog box. 2. Follow the instructions in the table: To do this Do this Add a chord to the library Select a group, enter a name in the Name box, enter a guitar grid (if desired), and click Save. Delete a chord from the current group Select the chord from the list and click Delete. Add a new group Type a name for the group in the Group textbox and click Save.
accel. - - - Expression text is italicized in the Staff view. Standard dynamic markings also appear bold. To add an expression mark 1. Select the Draw Freehand tool in the Control Bar. 2. Click the Expression button in the Staff view. 3. Position the pointer below the lowest note in the staff. (The pointer changes to a pencil when you are in a legal position.) 4. Click to open an insertion box. 5. Type the expression mark text. Press ESC to abort the operation. 6.
Adding hairpin symbols Some musical phrases vary dynamically, increasing or decreasing in loudness for dramatic effect. SONAR lets you insert traditional crescendo and diminuendo hairpin symbols that convey this information to a performer, as shown here: If the track is split into treble/bass staves, hairpin symbols are allowed only below the treble staff. To add a hairpin symbol 1. Select the Draw Freehand tool in the Control Bar. 2. Click the Hairpin button in the Staff view. 3.
Adding pedal marks Pedal marks traditionally indicate where the sustain pedal of a piano is to be pressed and for how long. With SONAR, you can achieve the same effect by inserting a pair of symbols indicating when the sustain pedal controller is to be turned on (down) and when it is to be turned off (up). Unlike chord symbols, expression marks, and hairpin symbols, each pedal symbol corresponds to a MIDI event.
To edit a pedal event 1. Right-click the pedal symbol (pedal down or pedal up) to open the Pedal Event Parameters dialog box. Figure 373. The Pedal Properties dialog box. 2. Edit the pedal event parameters, as described in the table above. 3. Click OK. SONAR changes the pedal event parameters, including moving the symbol to a new time if necessary.
Tablature The Staff view can display guitar or bass MIDI tracks as tablature. You can generate and edit tablature or enter notes on either the fretboard or on the tablature staff to create a new track. You can export tablature to an ASCII file for printing or distribution on the Web.
display changes to reflect the settings in these two parameters. • MIDI Channel. This uses the event's MIDI channel to determine which string the note should be displayed on. When MIDI Channel is selected, the user chooses which series of MIDI Channels should be considered. This is useful for MIDI guitarists that record parts in MONO mode, where each string transmits on a different MIDI channel. (Values: 1 - 11).
Quick TAB SONAR quickly creates a tablature based on standard fingering patterns. After you try the quick version, you can customize the tablature to your liking. To create a quick TAB 1. Open a file that contains a MIDI guitar track. 2. In the Track view, select the track number of the track you want to display tablature for. 3. Select Views > Staff View. The Staff view appears, displaying a fretboard and the notation of your MIDI track.
SONAR regenerates a TAB based on your specifications. If notes are out of the range you specified, SONAR displays them as close to that range as possible. Entering notes from the TAB staff You can enter notes or chords directly from the TAB staff. To enter notes from the TAB staff 1. Open the Staff View. 2. Click the Staff view Edit menu and choose Quick TAB. 3. Press CTRL+HOME to move the Now Time to the start of the project. 4. Select the desired note duration in the Control Bar’s Tools module. 5.
4. You can drag the notes to different strings by holding down the ALT key while you drag. If the notes you are moving won't play on the strings you are dragging them to, you won't be able to move them. To export to an ASCII TAB file 1. Select the track you want to export. 2. Open the Staff view. 3. Click the Staff view Print menu and choose Export to ASCII TAB. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. Enter a file name in the File name field. 5. Click OK. SONAR saves the track with the file extension .txt.
5. If you are entering a chord, continue clicking notes at the same Now Time. To move ahead, press SHIFT+RIGHT ARROW and click a new note duration in the Control Bar’s Tools module, if desired. You can delete a note right after you enter it by pressing CTRL+Z, or at any time by selecting the Erase tool in the Control Bar and clicking the note in the notation or TAB staffs.
Setting up a percussion track Before you use the percussion capabilities of the Staff view, your percussion track should be set up correctly. This will allow you to hear the proper sounds when placing notes and during playback, and will allow you to see the correct percussion instrument names rather than generic note names in the Piano Roll view, Event List view, and Percussion Notation dialog box. To set up a percussion track 1. Select the track so it appears in the Track Inspector. 2.
To assign a percussion staff or line to a track 1. Click the Staff view Edit menu and choose Layout to open the Staff View Layout dialog box. 2. Select your percussion track from the list. 3. Select Percussion Staff or Percussion Line from the Clef drop-down list. 4. Click Percussion Settings to set up the appearance of percussion notes (see “To set up a track’s percussion notation key” on page 1215). 5. Click Close. SONAR changes the track’s clef to the selected percussion clef.
Ghost strokes In percussion notation, parentheses around a note mean that it is a ghost stroke, played very lightly and barely heard. SONAR supports ghost strokes by displaying parentheses around any percussion note event with velocity less than 32 (a fixed, arbitrary threshold). If necessary, you can adjust the Vel+ parameter of the track and the velocities of the individual notes to effectively move this threshold without changing the way the note sounds.
Number Trade names Genre usage 2 or 3 Regular, Common, or Ordinary Sheet music for concertos and classics 4 Peter Folios, works for organ, etc. 5 Large middle Band/wind ensemble music; sheet music 6 Small middle Chorals; condensed sheet music 7 Cadenza Pocket editions; cues in piano parts; military marches 8 Pearl Thematic advertisement; ossia Table 210. To print a score 1. Make sure the Staff view is the current window. 2. Choose File > Print Preview. 3.
Export to MusicXML (Producer only) SONAR lets you export notation to the MusicXML format, which can be used in other notation programs such as Finale and Sibelius. MusicXML serves as a functional standard for saving notation data in a better way than MIDI. Note: SONAR can export MusicXML files, but can not import MusicXML files. To import scores into SONAR, first export them to a standard MIDI file, then import the MIDI file into SONAR.
The Meter/Key view The Meter/Key view lets you enter meter and key changes at measure boundaries. Meter and key changes affect all tracks. See: “What Is meter?” on page 1219 “What Is key?” on page 1220 “Opening the Meter/Key view” on page 1220 “Adding and editing meter/key changes” on page 1221 “Music notation for non-concert-key instruments” on page 1222 What Is meter? The meter—also known as the time signature—describes how to divide time into rhythmic pulses.
What Is key? In musical terms, a key is a system of related notes based on the tonic (the base pitch) of a major or minor scale. A key signature is a group of sharps or flats placed immediately to the right of the clef sign. The key signature tells a performer that certain notes are to be systematically raised or lowered. There are fifteen different key signatures—seven with sharps, seven with flats, and one without either.
Property Meaning At Measure The measure where the meter/key change takes place. Beats per Measure The number of beats per measure, the upper number in the time signature. Beat Value The note length of a beat, the lower number in the time signature. 2 corresponds to a half note, 4 to a quarter note, 8 to an eighth note, etc. Key Signature The key signature. Table 211. Adding and editing meter/key changes The Meter/Key view displays a list of all the meter/key changes in the project.
To delete a meter/key change 1. Select the meter/key change to be deleted from the list. 2. Select additional meter/key changes by using SHIFT-click and CTRL-click. 3. Click Delete . SONAR removes the meter/key change from the project. You cannot delete the first meter/key change from measure 1 of a project. To move a meter/key change 1. Select the meter/key change to be moved. 2. Click Add . 3. Edit the Measure parameter to the meter/key change’s new measure. 4. Click OK. 5.
To notate a Bb trumpet part 1. Record or enter the notes using the pitches that the musician who will be reading the part needs to see. For example, if the non-transposing instruments are playing in the key of C, a Bb trumpet player needs to see the notes a whole step higher—the key of D. The instrument itself sounds a whole step lower than concert pitch, so when a Bb trumpet plays in the key of D, it sounds in the key of C.
Working with lyrics SONAR lets you create, edit, and display lyrics, the words and syllables associated with notes in a track. Lyrics can be the words to a song, the text of a vocal passage, a narration to be read along with the music, cues of some type, or text totally unrelated to the music. Each word or syllable in the lyrics must be associated with a note in a MIDI track. Each MIDI track can have its own lyrics.
Adding and editing lyrics in the Staff view The Staff view displays lyrics below their associated track. If the track is split into treble/bass staves, lyrics are aligned with notes in both staves, but are displayed below the treble staff. When a lyric word or syllable spans multiple notes, a trailing underline or series of regularly spaced hyphens is automatically drawn, following conventional lyric notation practice. To add lyrics to a track 1. Select the Draw Freehand tool in the Control Bar. 2.
Opening the Lyrics view There are three ways to open the Lyrics view: • In the Track view, select the track whose lyrics you want to see, then choose Views > Lyrics • Right-click a clip in the Clips pane and choose Views > Lyrics from the menu • Press ALT+SHIFT+1 To select the track whose lyrics you want to see, click the Lyrics view Tracks menu and choose Pick Tracks, then select the desired track and click OK.
To enter lyrics in the Lyrics view 1. Click in the upper left corner of the view to position the cursor at the start of the text. 2. Follow the instructions in the table: To do this Do this Enter a word or syllable Type it End a word or syllable and move to the next note Type a space or hyphen Break a line for easier viewing Press ENTER Table 213.
Notation and lyrics Working with lyrics
Instrument definitions Instrument definitions are a powerful feature of SONAR that makes it easier for you to find the banks, patches, and controllers of your MIDI instruments. An instrument definition is a file that contains the names of the banks, patches, note names, bank select method, and controllers of an instrument. Instrument definitions for many popular MIDI instruments are included with SONAR or are available on the Cakewalk web site (www.cakewalk.com).
“Assigning the Bank Select method” on page 1240 “Assigning patch names” on page 1241 “Assigning note names” on page 1243 “Assigning controller, RPN, and NRPN names” on page 1245 Assigning instruments SONAR lets you assign a MIDI instrument definition to each available MIDI output and channel. The assignments you make determine the MIDI bank names, patch names, note names, and controller names that you see during your SONAR session.
To assign instrument definitions to MIDI outputs and channels 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Instruments. Figure 375. The Instruments section 2. Select one or more MIDI outputs and channels from the Output/Channel list (use SHIFT-click and CTRL-click to select multiple outputs and channels). You can also drag through a bunch of channels to select them.
To clear instrument assignments 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Instruments. 2. Select the MIDI outputs and channels whose assignments you want to remove from the Output/ Channel list. 3. Choose from the Uses Instrument list. A black line connects the two lists. 4. Click OK when you are done. You don’t really clear instrument assignments—you reassign them to use the default (General MIDI) instrument definition.
Importing instrument definitions When you install SONAR, a few common instrument definitions are already set up for you and ready to use. SONAR also includes several hundred additional instrument definitions that you can import. These instrument definitions are stored in text files in your SONAR folder, organized largely by manufacturer. For example, all the instrument definitions for Roland gear are stored in the Roland.ins file; all the instrument definitions for Yamaha gear are stored in the Yamaha.
Creating instrument definitions SONAR lets you create and edit instrument definitions.
Figure 376. The Define Instruments and Names dialog A B A. The Instruments tree B. The Names tree The Define Instruments and Names dialog box contains two trees: • The Instruments tree in the left half of the dialog box lists all defined instruments and their characteristics • The Names tree in the right half of the dialog box shows all the resources you use to define an instrument You expand or collapse the folders and lists in each tree by clicking on the + or - key shown to the left of each item.
• Names for Non-Registered Parameter Numbers (NRPNs) The instrument definitions organize all names (patches, notes, controllers, RPNs, and NRPNs) into lists. You may be able to define a new instrument using existing name lists. For example, two models of synthesizers made by a particular manufacturer may have identical patch name lists but use different NRPNs.
To export an instrument definition 1. In the Define Instruments and Names dialog box, right-click an Instrument name in the Instrument tree and choose Export from the menu to display the Export Instrument Definition dialog box. 2. If you don’t want to save the file in the folder that’s listed in the Save In field, navigate to the folder in which you do want to save the file. 3. Enter a file name and click Save. SONAR saves the file, with the filename extension .ins.
Creating and editing patch name and other lists You can create and edit the various lists in the Names tree that make up each instrument definition. Patch name, note name, and controller name lists can contain up to 128 entries, numbered 0 through 127. RPN and NRPN name lists can contain up to 16,384 entries, numbered 0 through 16,383.
Copying name lists You can easily create new lists that are similar to other lists. For example, suppose you want to create a new patch name list called NewList that is almost identical to the General MIDI patch list, but with one or two small changes. Here’s how you proceed: • Create a new patch name list in the Patch Names folder of the Names tree called, for example, NewList. • Drag the new list onto the General MIDI list in the Names tree.
Assigning the Bank Select method Your synthesizer uses one of four bank select methods to switch back and forth between banks of sounds. To find the method used for your instrument, check the instrument’s User’s Guide or the manufacturer’s web site.
To change the Bank Select method 1. Highlight and expand the instrument in the Instrument tree. 2. Expand the Bank Select Method branch in the Names tree. 3. Drag the desired bank select method from the Names tree to the Instrument tree.
To add a bank or change the patch names for a bank 1. Drag a patch name list from the Names tree to the Patch Names for Banks folder of the instrument you’re editing in the Instrument tree. 2. Enter a bank number, or enter -1 to indicate that this list of patch names should be used as the default. SONAR displays the updated banks and patch name lists. If necessary, SONAR adds a new bank to the instrument definition. To remove a bank or patch name list 1.
Assigning note names Each patch may have a list of up to 128 names for notes. Usually, note names are labels for percussion instruments. For example, the pitch C3 may really be “Kick Drum,” and D3 may be “Snare.” Because a drum machine may provide different drum kits for each patch, SONAR lets you specify a different list of note names for each patch. The Piano Roll and Event List views show you these note names. You can assign a note name list to each patch.
To change the note names for a patch 1. Drag a note name list from the Names tree onto the Note Names for Patches folder of the instrument and bank you’re editing in the Instruments tree. 2. Enter the patch number that should use these note names, or enter -1 to indicate that this list of note names should be used as the default. SONAR displays the updated patch and note name lists. If necessary, SONAR adds a new patch to the instrument definition. To remove a note name list 1.
Assigning controller, RPN, and NRPN names SONAR lets each instrument have its own lists of controller names, RPN names, and NRPN names. There is always exactly one list of each type per instrument. To see the controller, RPN, and NRPN name lists • Expand the instrument definition by clicking the PLUS (+) sign next to the instrument name. A B C D A. Instrument name B. Controller name list C. RPN name list D. NRPN name list To change the controller, RPN, or NRPN name list 1.
SONAR flags in instrument definitions SONAR has several flags that you can use in instrument definition files for use with specific instrument definitions. UsesNotesAsControllers=n Some MIDI devices, certain mixers for example, use MIDI Note events instead of Continuous Controller events for automation. It is often desirable to treat the Note events as Controller events in order for them to obey the “Zero Controllers When Play Stops” and “Patch/Controller Searchback Before Play Starts” settings.
Instrument definition tutorial The following tutorial takes you through the process of setting up an instrument definition for a Roland keyboard so that the bank and patch names, including any self-created sounds, read the same in SONAR as they do on the display screen of your keyboard instrument.
instrument definitions currently loaded into SONAR, and determines the list of instruments that appears in the Assign Instruments dialog box. Next topic: “Start of tutorial” on page 1248 Start of tutorial Let’s say you have a Roland XP-10 and you want SONAR to display all of its patch names from all of its banks, including any self-created sounds you add to it. Let’s start by importing the names of the built-in banks and patches that the XP-10 has. To import a Roland instrument definition 1.
Let’s check some of our bank and patch lists to see if they match up with what we see on the screen of the XP-10. On the XP-10, let’s look at the Vari 1 bank: if we look at tone (tone means the same as patch) #005 in the Vari 1 bank on the XP-10, we see that it is called Detuned EP1.
Checking bank numbers You can calculate bank numbers by using the methods described in “Assigning the Bank Select method” on page 1240, but you might find it easier to use the following method: To check the bank numbers 1. Set up a MIDI track to record from your MIDI keyboard or module. 2. Click the Record button to start recording, and change banks on your keyboard. 3. Stop recording, and open the Event List view. 4.
System exclusive data SONAR’s System Exclusive (Sysx) librarian provides you with 8192 banks in which to hold MIDI System Exclusive messages. A bank is a storage area plus some associated parameters such as a destination output and an optional description. Each bank can hold any number of messages; the amount of data it can hold is limited only by available memory. The banks are saved in the SONAR project file. Each bank can also be saved as a .syx file. Figure 377.
What is System Exclusive? System Exclusive data is MIDI’s way of letting each synthesizer manufacturer transmit private data about its products. A System Exclusive message has a manufacturer ID; the rest of the message is completely proprietary and varies for each manufacturer, even for each of its products. SONAR does not understand what this data means; it simply can hold onto it for you.
“Real-time recording of System Exclusive messages” on page 1260 “Sysx echo” on page 1261 “Sending Sysx banks at startup” on page 1254 “Sysx .ini file settings” on page 1262 “Troubleshooting” on page 1263 Using the System Exclusive view The System Exclusive view has a list box for a maximum of 256 Sysx banks, plus a toolbar of buttons. Most of the buttons affect whatever bank you have selected in the list. Certain buttons will be disabled if the selected bank is empty.
Sending Sysx banks at startup You can tell SONAR to send certain Sysx banks to your instrument(s) each time you open the project file that the banks are in. To send Sysx banks at startup 1. In the Sysx view, select a bank that you want to send to an instrument when you open the current project. SONAR highlights the bank you select. 2. Click the Sysx view Settings menu and choose Auto Send on/off. A check mark appears next to the bank name in the Auto column to show that the bank is marked for auto-sending.
Importing, creating, and dumping Sysx banks There are several ways to get a sysx bank into SONAR: • You can import (load) an external .syx file. • You can edit an empty bank to create a new bank from scratch. • You can dump a bank into SONAR from the synthesizer itself. To import a Sysx bank into a project 1. In the Sysx view, select an empty bank to import the new bank into (unless you want to add to or overwrite an existing bank). 2. Click the Sysx view File menu and choose Open.
To dump a Sysx bank into SONAR 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Playback and Recording and make sure the System Exclusive check box is selected. If it isn’t, SONAR won’t receive System Exclusive messages. 2. In the Sysx view, select an empty bank to dump the new bank into (unless you want to add to or overwrite an existing bank). 3. Click the Sysx view File menu and choose Receive. The Receive System Exclusive dialog box appears, which contains a list of Dump Request Macros (DRMs).
may have answered a DRM prompt incorrectly. Click Cancel. If any data were received, you will see the number of bytes in the bank list. 6. Once the bytes received count stops increasing, you can click Done to tell SONAR to stop receiving. However, if your synthesizer also displays a message when the instrument is finished sending a bank, wait until that message says the transmission is finished before you click Done. The currently selected bank now holds the received Sysx data.
Editing Sysx banks Editing a Sysx bank is very similar to creating one. To edit a Sysx bank 1. In the Sysx view, select the bank you want to edit, and click Edit > Edit Data (or double-click the selected bank). The Edit System Exclusive Bytes dialog box appears. 2. Edit your message(s). Each message in the window must begin with F0 and end with F7 (that’s F zero and F seven). See your instrument’s manual for the messages you can create. 3.
then load the bank again. This is also a good way to copy one bank to another in the same project file. • Clear. Delete the selected Sysx bank. Edit menu • Edit Data. Although SONAR’s Sysx features are designed mainly to store System Exclusive data for you, you can edit the bytes of shorter messages in hex format (many of the more popular synthesizers have special patch-editing programs available that let you edit data using sliders and other tools rather than raw hex data).
Transmitting banks during playback SONAR has a special meta-event, Sysx Bank, that lets you play a System Exclusive bank at a specified time in your project. You can use a Sysx meta-event to send any of the 8192 available Sysx banks at any time in a sequence. To do this, you have to insert a new event in the Event List using the INSERT key on the computer keyboard. Next you have to double-click Event Kind and change it to System Exclusive.
event is on, make sure that the Output field of the track is set to the output that the MIDI instrument you want to send Sysx data to is on. See also: “Sysx echo” on page 1261 “Troubleshooting” on page 1263 Sysx echo You can configure SONAR to echo received System Exclusive messages to output devices. To echo Sysx messages 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Playback and Recording and select the Echo System Exclusive check box. 2. Select the MIDI ports you want to echo System Exclusive messages on. 3.
Sysx .ini file settings The TTSseq.ini initialization file contains settings that govern the sending and receiving of System Exclusive information. If you are experiencing difficulties using Sysx, you will probably be able to correct the problem by adjusting these settings. The options described below occur in the [Options] section of the TTSseq.ini file. You can edit this file using the Windows Notepad. Every time you add or change one or more lines in TTSseq.
Troubleshooting SONAR is not receiving Sysx messages • Make sure all your devices are connected correctly. • Make sure you have the right MIDI Input selected in Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Devices. • Make sure that your instrument is set up to transmit System Exclusive data. Sysx bank names don't show when I open a file Sysx bank names are only saved in .cwp and .cwb files (not in .mid files).
The line in TTSseq.ini that reads SysxDelayAfterF7=n enables SONAR to introduce a delay between each Sysx message so that the instrument has some time to respond to the message. Setting n to be 1 enables the delay. The line SysxSendDelayMsecs=n lets you control how many milliseconds the delay is, where n is the number of milliseconds that the delay lasts. Roland equipment Some Roland equipment—notably, the GR-1 and GR-50 Guitar Synthesizers—have problems receiving Sysx packets in fast succession.
Synchronizing your gear Your computer is often used with other equipment: sound cards, MIDI equipment, and digital tape decks or other digital recording tools. All these devices can have their own built-in clocks or timing mechanisms. When several pieces of equipment are used together, it’s important that they operate in synchronization. For this to happen, all the equipment must rely on the same source of clock or timing information.
Synchronization overview SONAR supports several different types of synchronization, which rely on a variety of different clock sources: Clock source Timing is determined by Internal The clock on the computer motherboard Audio The clock on the computer’s sound card MIDI Sync The clock on an external MIDI device SMPTE/MIDI Time Code (MTC) A time code signal (in SMPTE or some other format) recorded on some external medium or generated and sent by SONAR Table 218.
The Sync module contains the following controls: • SMPTE/MTC format. Select the time code format. The following frame rates are supported: • 23.976 frames per second (FPS). Typically used with H.264/MPEG-4 AVC video. • 24 frames per second (FPS). Used for theatrical film worldwide. Any film in North America or Japan uses this setting. • 25 FPS. Used for PAL/SECAM video and some film in countries that use 50 Hz wall electricity. This is the setting to use when synchronizing to any European video format.
You can also choose the sync mode as follows: 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Clock. 2. Under Source, select the desired clock source. 3. Click OK. The clock source and the type of synchronization that is used are options that are stored as part of your project files. For example, one of your projects might be set up to use the internal clock; a second might use the Audio clock and MIDI Sync with SONAR as the master timing source; and another might use SMPTE/MTC Sync as the clock source.
To use the Internal clock source Do one of the following: • Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Clock and select Internal. • In the Control Bar’s Sync module, click the Sync Type button and choose Internal Sync on the pop-up menu. Figure 379. The Sync module. A. SMPTE/MTC format B. Incoming timecode C. Sync type To use the Audio clock source Do one of the following: • Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Clock and select Audio.
MIDI synchronization MIDI Synchronization, or MIDI Sync, is usually used to synchronize SONAR with drum machines, stand-alone MIDI hardware sequencers, and sequencers built into MIDI keyboards. SONAR can slave to MIDI Sync, and can send MIDI Sync on multiple output ports. When MIDI devices are synched, the master device sends messages to all other devices to start and stop playback and to keep all the devices in sync. To change the tempo of a project, you adjust the tempo on the master device.
SONAR as the slave When SONAR is slaved to an external MIDI device, the following changes occur: • When you click the Play or Record button, a message (Waiting for MIDI Sync) is displayed in the status bar. When you start your external device, SONAR will follow. • If you change the tempo using an external device, the SMPTE time code display in SONAR will be incorrect. • SONAR will not transmit MIDI Start, Continue, Stop, and Clock messages. • Digital audio will play back, but not necessarily in sync.
SONAR as the master There are several options, found in Edit > Preferences > Project - MIDI, which you can use when SONAR is the MIDI Sync master device: Option What it’s for Transmit MIDI Start/Continue/ Stop/Clock Choosing this option causes SONAR to tell the slave when to start, when to continue, when to stop, and what timing data to go by (SONAR’s).
Using MIDI Sync with drum machines The most flexible way to use a MIDI drum machine is to record the notes it generates into SONAR, then use that machine as a MIDI playback device. This lets you edit, cut, paste, and copy your drum parts like any other clip. You can use MIDI Sync to record the notes from the drum machine into SONAR as follows: 1. Use the drum machine’s pattern-composing facilities to compose your drum part. 2. Configure the drum machine to be a slave device that receives MIDI Sync messages.
SMPTE/MIDI time code synchronization SMPTE/MIDI Time Code Sync (SMPTE/MTC) is another method of synchronization that lets SONAR act as a master or slave to external devices. SONAR can send or receive SMPTE/MTC messages to or from external devices that can generate or receive MTC. SONAR can send MTC on multiple output ports simultaneously. SMPTE/MTC is a position and timing reference that indicates the current location in the project and how quickly the project should be playing.
External Timecodes Cakewalk Setting Description 29.97 frames per second non 29.97 FPS NDF drop-frame NTSC non-broadcast and short length video in North America and Japan. Some music projects. This setting synchronizes the video perfectly with SONAR, but the sequencer position displayed in the Now Time and Big Time displays will gradually drift and become incorrect over long periods of time. The audio and MIDI synchronization to the external device will not be affected by this discrepancy. 29.
To use SONAR as the master MTC generator 1. Configure the clocks on each external device that you want to synchronize to receive SMPTE/ MTC. Make sure they’re connected to MIDI outputs from your computer or MIDI interface. 2. In the Control Bar’s Sync module, click the Sync Type button and choose Internal Sync or Audio Sync on the pop-up menu. 3. Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - MIDI. 4. Select the Transmit MTC check box (you can also click the Transmit MTC Sync button the Sync module). in 5.
6. Click the MIDI - Devices page (Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Devices). 7. Make sure that your MIDI interface is highlighted in the Inputs list. If your interface also has a Sync driver, highlight that as well, then click OK. When SONAR is the slave, here’s how things work: • SONAR monitors for a SMPTE/MTC signal. You are able to perform other action in SONAR while waiting for the signal. • Start playback on the external device.
Playing digital audio under SMPTE/MTC sync SONAR gives you two choices for controlling audio playback when using time SMPTE/MTC Sync: Option How it works Trigger and freewheel Audio event playback is started (or triggered) at the exact time code, but then the audio plays at its own internal rate (or freewheels). When audio freewheels, it can gradually drift from the time code due to variations in the time code signal.
SMPTE/MTC sync and full chase lock When using SMPTE/MTC Sync with full chase lock, the first time you play any audio the pitch may fluctuate wildly for up to 30 seconds. Also, you may occasionally note the pitch of the audio sounding consistently high or low pitch. A simple analogy makes this behavior easy to understand: Synchronizing audio to SMPTE/MTC is a lot like trying to get even and stay neck-and-neck with another car on the freeway.
Troubleshooting SMPTE/MTC sync The most common problems with SMPTE/MTC Sync, and ways to correct or avoid them, are shown in the following table. Problem What to do The tape is striped incorrectly Check the tape stripe using your time code generator and, if necessary, restripe the tape. The MIDI interface isn’t producing MIDI Time Code Use utility programs that come with your MIDI interface to make sure that the time code stripe is being received (sometimes you must enable a Time Code Sync option).
MIDI Machine Control (MMC) MIDI Machine Control (MMC) is a protocol that controls an MMC-equipped remote device via MIDI. SONAR lets you use MMC to start and stop playback and recording on remote MIDI devices such as tape decks, video recorders, and even other software packages. If you have several MMCcontrollable devices in your studio, assign each a unique Unit ID so that MMC commands can be addressed to a particular device. MMC is very powerful when used with MIDI Time Code sync.
Synchronizing your gear MIDI Machine Control (MMC)
Audio file management Project files in SONAR do not contain the digital audio itself. A SONAR project file (.cwp) references the audio contained in the project, so care must be taken when backing up your digital audio projects. This section covers file management, including backing up your projects.
The Project Files dialog SONAR projects, extension .cwp, contain all your project information with the exception of your digital audio data. This data is stored in a separate folder or folders. You can opt to save the audio data for all of your projects in a single audio folder, or create multiple folders. The Project Files dialog box lists all of your project’s audio files and their location. This dialog box is a valuable tool for managing your audio files.
Project files and bundle Files SONAR project files contain various project settings, any MIDI data, and references which “point” to audio clip data. The audio data (and video data) itself is not saved in a project file. To save audio as well, save your project as a Bundle file (extension .cwb). Bundle files contain everything that a project file contains in addition to the digital audio. Bundle files are useful for backing up projects and for burning onto removable media, like a blank CD or DVD.
project, or to create a new folder, enter a new folder pathname in the Location field. • Use the Browse button to the right of the Audio Path field to select a destination folder for the project’s audio data, or to create a new folder, enter a new folder pathname in the Audio Path field. OR If you want to store the project in the Cakewalk Projects folder, and its audio in the Global Audio Folder, uncheck the Store Project Audio in its Own Folder option. 5. Click OK.
3. Click OK when you are done. 4. Use the Windows Explorer or some other program to move all audio files from the old Global Audio Folder to the new Global Audio Folder. All new audio files will be stored in the new Global Audio Folder, unless you decide to use perproject audio. Tip: It is safer, but more time-consuming, to first save the all projects as bundle files, change the Global Audio Folder, then open the bundle files.
To save an existing project using per-project audio You may have older files that are not using per-project audio folders. If you want to save these files using a per-project audio folder, use the following procedure: 1. Make sure the User Per-Project Audio Folders option is selected in Edit > Preferences > File - Audio Data. 2. Open the project whose audio you want to store using per-project audio. 3. Select File > Save As. The Save As dialog box appears. 4. If you want, change the name of your project. 5.
To change handling of imported files Use the following procedure to allow or disallow file sharing between projects: 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - Audio Data. 2. Check the Always Copy Imported Audio Files option to create copies of all imported audio clips as a default. Or Uncheck the Always Copy Imported Audio Files option to reference imported audio from its current location.
Backing up projects with digital audio There are several ways to back up your projects in SONAR. You can use per-project audio folders to keep all a project’s audio in its own folder, use the Consolidate Project Audio command to create a backup copy of all your project’s audio, or you can save a project as a bundle file (.cwb). The following table lists several backup methods.
6. Using Windows Explorer, copy the project folder and its contents, including the project’s audio folder, to its backup location (CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, another hard drive, network drive, etc.). You have now created a copy of your project. It is a good idea to open the project once you have backed it up to confirm that all audio loads properly. To create a backup using the Consolidate Project Audio command Use this procedure to backup a project that has multiple audio folders: 1.
Deleting unused audio files The Utilities > Clean Audio Folder command is used to delete digital audio files in an audio folder if they are no longer used by any of your projects. You should use this command from time to time to free up disk space. This command searches your entire system for project files, and then compiles a list of all the audio files in a specified folder that are not in use by any of these projects. You can then choose to delete these audio files.
Improving audio performance Digital audio presents several challenges: it is large, using enormous amounts of disk space, especially at higher sampling rates and bit-depths, and it is CPU-intensive. Added to this mix is the wide variety of audio hardware available today. This section covers some common problems with recording and playback and how to configure your computer and audio hardware for optimum performance.
System configuration This section covers optimizing your system configuration to work with SONAR. See: “The Wave Profiler” on page 1294 “Enabling and disabling audio devices” on page 1295 “Sampling rates” on page 1296 “Bit depths and float resolution” on page 1297 The Wave Profiler The Wave Profiler is a utility that analyzes the sound cards in your computer and determines the best DMA (Direct Memory Access) settings for communicating with SONAR.
To manually run the Wave Profiler 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings. 2. Click Wave Profiler. The Wave Profiler examines each of your sound cards in turn, makes default settings in the Preferences dialog box, and displays the name of each sound card and the sample rates that each card supports. Enabling and disabling audio devices Your computer may have several installed devices like FAX modems and software synthesizers that Windows recognizes as sound cards containing audio drivers.
Sampling rates SONAR supports all common sampling rates. Only one sampling rate is allowed per project. It’s usually better not to change the sampling rate of a project, because this involves exporting your tracks one at a time, and then importing them at the new sampling rate. During this process you lose clip boundaries, envelopes, and other separate data that is mixed into the exported tracks. To set the sampling rate for new projects 1.
Bit depths and float resolution SONAR supports all common bit depths, including 64. SONAR’s 32-bit mixing provides full floatingpoint resolution for extended dynamic range, and precise audio processing. For maximum dynamic range and precision, you can also choose 64-bit mixing (go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings and select the 64-bit Double Precision Engine check box). SONAR can import, export, play back, and render 64-bit float files.
Bit depths for playback Most sound cards can play audio at 16-bit or 24-bit resolution, with a few sound cards supporting 18bit and 20-bit resolution. When your project contains files with different bit depths SONAR plays them at the bit depth that your sound card is currently set to. Because SONAR can play projects that contain files of different bit depths, you don’t have to convert 16-bit files to 24 bits to play them with other 24-bit files, saving significant storage space.
Bit depths for recording You can choose the bit depth of newly-recorded files in SONAR, and you can change this value at any time. The Transport module in the Control Bar shows the project sampling rate and the current record bit depth setting. The choices for the recording bit depth setting are 16, 24, 32, and 64. At present, no devices can record at 32-bit or 64-bit resolution, so you don’t need to choose these options yet.
Bit depths for exporting audio You can choose the bit depth of exported files from SONAR. Unless you are burning a CD or DVD, or are concerned about storage space, you can export files at 32 bits (or even 64) to preserve the precision of any audio processing that was done to the files. To choose an exporting bit depth 1. Use the File > Export > Audio command to open the Export Audio dialog box. 2. In the Bit Depth field, select the desired number. 3. Choose other options and click OK.
verify the settings you made in the Preferences dialog box, and click the Wave Profiler button again. When you can successfully run the Wave Profiler without an audio driver error, proceed to the next step. 5. Create a new project (File > New command). The Normal option is fine for this. 6. Import the mixed down audio by using the File > Import Audio command. 7. Confirm the bit depth and sample rate of the imported audio by using the File > Info command, and clicking File Stats.
Improving performance with digital audio When a project contains many tracks of digital audio or when many real-time effects are in use, your computer may have difficulty keeping up during playback. When this occurs, you'll hear portions of the audio drop out, stutter, or pop. Or maybe your project responds slowly to real-time effects and volume changes. In an extreme case audio playback may stop altogether. If you experience a dropout, a dialog box appears with suggestions for fixing the problem.
Approach How it works Apply some audio effects offline If you are happy with your real-time effects, consider using the Process > Apply Effect > Audio Effects command to apply those effects offline. Then remove those effects from real-time use and free up lots of CPU power. Archive unused audio tracks Audio tracks that are muted continue to place a load on your processor. To lessen the burden and free up cycles to handle more audio, archive all unused audio tracks.
Digital audio files and storage Digital audio requires a large amount of disk storage. The following table shows the disk space requirements in megabytes for a single minute of digital audio in mono and stereo at various sampling rates. Sampling rate 16 bit 24 bit 11 kHz Mono 1.3 MB per minute 1.9 MB per minute 11 kHz Stereo 2.5 MB per minute 3.8 MB per minute 22 kHz Mono 2.8 MB per minute 3.8 MB per minute 22 kHz Stereo 5.0 MB per minute 7.6 MB per minute 44.1 kHz Mono 5.0 MB per minute 7.
Mixing latency SONAR has a Buffer Size slider in Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings to set mixing latency. Mixing latency is the amount of time SONAR allocates to prepare a buffer full of audio data for playback. Lower latency settings add processing time because of the need to refill the smaller data buffers more often. You may need to use the slider to increase mixing latency under the following conditions: • You use lots of real-time effects, and you hear dropouts.
Some drivers change the reported sample position based on how long a buffer switch took to complete and this can cause problems since SONAR expects the reported position to be in sync with the number of buffers actually streamed. This Aud.ini variable defaults to 0. Minimize driver state changes SONAR has an option to not reset audio devices each time playback or recording starts. This option minimizes device state transitions in response to transport operations.
CPU meter/Disk meter/Dropout indicator SONAR has several tools to help you identify and correct audio problems, including the CPU meter and Disk meter in the Control Bar’s Performance module, and the Dropout indicator in the Transport module. Figure 381. The Transport module. The Dropout Indicator appears whenever your project requires more resources than your CPU, main memory, and disk can supply. For details, see “Dropouts and other audio problems” on page 1311. Figure 382. The Performance module.
the time SONAR is taking to complete each cycle of disk input/output. A red icon indicates very high data activity. • Disk Space meter. Shows the amount of available space on the drive where your wave data directory is located. The tooltip shows the actual remaining disk space on your audio disk. • Memory Usage (RAM) meter. Shows the total memory (RAM) usage by your computer, not just by SONAR.
Reduce GUI updates to improve playback performance SONAR has a CPU conservation mode that reduces the number of GUI updates with no effect on actual playback quality and rendering. This maximizes CPU resources for the audio engine and can be useful while playing projects that consume a lot of CPU, to help avoid dropouts. Like the Scroll Lock key, the Pause key now works as a special GUI throttle toggle key.
came with your sound card. You should also check the web page www.cakewalk.com/Support/ Docs/sound cardTips.html to see if any information is available there regarding configuration of your particular sound card in Cakewalk. When in doubt, leave these settings disabled. (These settings are only relevant when working with sound cards at >16 bits-per-sample. You can ignore them when operating at normal 16-bit depth.
Dropouts and other audio problems If your SONAR application suddenly stops producing audio while in the midst of recording or playback, you've very likely experienced a “dropout.” Sometimes instead of a dropout, you may experience a “stutter” during playback (a small section of audio repeats itself once or twice before normal playback resumes).
The CPU is being interrupted by “background” activities having nothing to do with audio Turn off these other activities, so your CPU can process audio without interruption: • Turn off the Microsoft Office FastFind option if present on your system. • Don't use any scheduled background tasks (e.g., tasks which are part of the Windows Plus package, or which you have scheduled yourself using the Windows Task Scheduler utility). • Discontinue use of any networking or communications applications on your computer.
follow any special card-specific operating instructions listed there. • Re-test audio recording/playback. If problem(s) persist, go to the Next Step. The “I/O Buffer Size” may not be well matched to your hard disk SONAR may be reading and writing audio data to/from your hard disk in chunks that are either too large or too small for your particular hard disk's characteristics.
• Defragment your hard disk. If you have more than one hard disk in your computer, identify the disk which contains the SONAR Data directory (this is where your projects’ audio clips are stored.) To defragment the hard disk, exit SONAR first. Then, select Start > Programs > System Tools > Accessories > Disk Defragmenter. We recommend that you backup your hard disk before defragmenting it.
To disable the hardware acceleration on your graphics card: Launch Control panel (Start > Settings > Control panel). Double-click the Display icon. Select the Settings tab. Click on the Advanced Properties button. Select the Performance tab. Move the slider for Hardware Acceleration one notch at a time toward ‘none’ and re-test your recording/playback after each such adjustment. If problem(s) persist, leave the slider at ‘none’ and proceed with the next step.
• If you have a card based on the S3 chipset (S3, Inc. provides graphics chips for other manufacturers; consult your card manufacturer’s Web site to see if that card is S3-based): Open the System.ini file in Notepad (or any text editor). In the section called [display], make sure the following line is present: BusThrottle=1 Edit as necessary, and save the file. Restart Windows. • If problem(s) persist, continue with the next step.
Your project may simply be too “complex” for your computer Your computer may not have enough processing power to deal with all of the tracks, clips, and realtime effects used in your project. You can upgrade your computer hardware (see “Upgrade your computer hardware: more RAM, a faster CPU, and a faster disk drive” on page 1317) or you can simplify your project’s content so it demands less processing power.
Help is available on the Microsoft Technical Support Web page at www.microsoft.com/Support. Click on the Support Online link and search for the phrase Troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility Mode on Hard Disks. This problem can arise when installing a new hard disk in your computer; if Windows cannot find a suitable driver for the disk, it installs a generic driver and operates in Compatibility Mode.
This option allows waveform pictures to be computed in the background while audio playback is in progress. Most modern computers should be able to handle this load with no problems. Note that work is only done while new pictures are actually being computed—once the pictures are finished rendering there is no overhead. • In Cakewalk.ini: In the [WinCake] section: ProgressiveWavePictures=1 [default] This option enables progressive display of waveform pictures.
Using audio devices in Windows 7 SONAR introduces several enhancements for communicating with audio devices in Windows 7, including: • Support for WASAPI, which is the new standard for audio in Windows 7 and future Windows operating systems. • MMCSS task profile support. • Optimized WaveRT streaming.
Exclusive mode requires exclusive access to the audio device. Another program will not be able to use the audio device simultaneously with SONAR. Tip: If you select Share Drivers With Other Programs in Edit > Preferences > Audio Playback and Recording, SONAR will relinquish control of the audio device when the program loses Windows focus. To enable WASAPI mode in SONAR 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Playback and Recording. 2. In the Driver Mode list, select WASAPI. 3.
WaveRT updates SONAR supports WaveRT in two ways: WDM driver mode. WaveRT event mode access is available in SONAR when you are using WDM as a driver mode and a WaveRT capable audio device is detected. A [WaveRT] suffix is added to the driver name in this case. WASAPI driver mode. Event mode WaveRT drivers are automatically listed and available in WASAPI mode.
External devices SONAR can be controlled by a wide range of MIDI controllers and external MIDI devices. SONAR also contains two generic controller/surface plug-ins (the ACT MIDI Controller plug-in, and the Cakewalk Generic Surface Plug-in), which allow you to use almost any MIDI controller or controller/ surface with SONAR. You can also control certain external devices from SONAR by using StudioWare or OPT (Open Plug-in Technology) panels. SONAR allows you to control soft synths as well as effect plug-ins.
Roland A-PRO controllers SONAR has a custom controller/surface plug-in that allows a Roland A-PRO controller to control SONAR track, bus, and plug-in parameters (both effects and synths). This includes support for ACT (Active Controller Technology), which lets you use your controller to adjust plug-in parameters on whatever plug-in currently has focus. Figure 384.
To enable the Roland A-PRO MIDI drivers 1. Follow your A-PRO MIDI keyboard controller’s instructions for physically connecting the surface to your computer. 2. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Devices. 3. Select A-PRO 2 in both the Inputs and Outputs lists. 4. Click OK. To connect a Roland A-PRO to SONAR 1. Follow your A-PRO MIDI keyboard controller’s instructions for physically connecting the surface to your computer. 2. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Control Surfaces. 3.
1344 for more information) in SONAR’s interface. Open the A-PRO property page by double-clicking the WAI display or by choosing A-PRO from the Utilities menu. Once the Roland A-PRO property page is open, press F1 on your computer keyboard to open the Help file for the property page.
5. In the Input Port and Output Port fields, select which MIDI input and output ports the controller/ surface uses. Note 1: You may need to read the documentation for your controller/surface to find out which MIDI input driver your controller/surface uses to control software applications.
Synchronizing channel strips between SONAR and control surfaces SONAR allows control surfaces to display all channel strips in a project, or only the channel strips that are visible in the Track view or Console view. 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Control Surfaces. 2. Under Control Strips Visible in, click one of the following: • Track View. view. The controller/surface matches the channel strips that are visible in the Track • Console View.
To disconnect a controller/surface from SONAR 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Control Surfaces. 2. In the Controller/Surface column, click the name of the controller/surface that you want to disconnect. 3. Click the Delete button , which deletes the name of the controller/surface that you selected. 4. Click Close. Control surface refresh rate Control surfaces are refreshed by posting a windows message every 75 milliseconds.
ACT MIDI Controller plug-in The ACT MIDI Controller plug-in can be configured to support any generic MIDI controller (controller/surface), such as the JL Cooper FaderMaster, Peavey PC-1600, and Kenton Control Freak. Generic controllers/surfaces typically have 8-16 strips of faders/knobs/buttons, are nonmotorized, and can often be configured to transmit any MIDI message (continuous controllers, NRPNs, Sysx, etc.). The ACT MIDI Controller supports ACT.
To load default mappings • In the Presets list, select the name of your controller/surface. If your controller/surface does not have a preset, select the Default preset, and see “Assigning controls on your controller/surface to cells in the ACT MIDI property page” on page 1332. Important: After you load the preset for your controller/surface, look at the Comments field on the Options tab of the ACT MIDI Controller property page.
Assigning controls on your controller/surface to cells in the ACT MIDI property page Each cell or field on the Controllers tab of the ACT MIDI Controller property page lists the SONAR or plug-in parameter that is currently controlled by that cell. However, if your controller/surface does not have a preset, no knobs or sliders on your controller/surface will be assigned to that cell, or the knobs may be assigned in a pattern that you don’t prefer.
Cakewalk Generic Surface plug-in The Cakewalk Generic Surface Plug-in supports both ACT and WAI. See “The WAI display” on page 1344, and “ACT” on page 1346 for more information.
See: “Assigning faders and knobs to control SONAR parameters” on page 1334 “ACT” on page 1346 Assigning faders and knobs to control SONAR parameters The Cakewalk Generic Surface property page has separate sections that control track parameters (the Track Parameters section), plug-in parameters (the ACT Controls section), and global parameters (the Global Parameters section). To configure track parameters 1.
To Use ACT with the Cakewalk Generic Surface 1. Make sure you have completed the following preliminary steps: • Successfully connected your controller/surface to SONAR (if necessary, see “Setting up control surfaces” on page 1326). • Opened the Cakewalk Generic Surface property page (if necessary, see “To open the Cakewalk Generic Surface property page” on page 1333). 2. In the ACT Controls section of the Cakewalk Generic Surface property page are radio buttons 1-9 and A-G.
Assigning Forward and Rewind buttons The Forward and Rewind assignments are special cases in the Cakewalk Generic Surface property page. When you click select either of these parameters, notice that Literally/Toggle field becomes grayed-out, and the On/Off fields become available. This is because the Forward and Rewind commands both require two different MIDI messages to function: one MIDI message to turn the operation on, and a different message to turn the operation off.
Controlling different tracks or groups of tracks The Cakewalk Generic Surface plug-in can control anywhere from 1-32 tracks simultaneously, as specified by whatever number you fill in the Number of Track Strips field in the Cakewalk Generic Surface property page. There is always at least one track being controlled, referred to as the Base Track. The Number of Track Strips value refers to the base track plus ‘n’ number of additional tracks.
The Cakewalk Generic Surface property page The Cakewalk Generic Surface property page appears when you click the Open Control Surface Plug-in button in the ACT module while Cakewalk Generic Surface appears in the drop-down menu. The Cakewalk Generic Control controller/surface plug-in must be enabled first, however (see “Setting up control surfaces” on page 1326, if necessary). The property page contains the following sections: BaseTrack This section contains 2 buttons on either side of a number field.
Use ACT or Strip Params This section lets you decide whether your controller/surface is controlling track parameters, plug-in parameters, or both. Note: It’s possible to use the same control on your controller/surface to control both a track parameter and a plug-in parameter. It’s not usually a good idea to control both at the same time. This section has the following controls: • ACT Enable radio button. Lets you assign a control on your controller/surface to enable or disable the ACT Enable check box.
MIDI Message for the Current SONAR Parameter This section is where you can choose a specific kind of MIDI message to control whatever parameter is selected in the Track Parameters, ACT Controls (including the ACT Enable check box), or Global Parameters sections. Most of the time you don’t need to choose, because the Learn button fills in the fields automatically. Choose from the following options: • None. Click this button to disable control of the selected parameter. • Learn.
• Sysx Low Byte First. Selecting this option tells SONAR that the significant data in the incoming Sysx message is in the form of two bytes, with the low byte first. The Sysx Low Byte First option has the following structure: F0 ? LO HI ? F7. • Starts With. Fill in the string that your controller/surface sends in Sysx messages that precedes the significant data. • Ends With. Fill in the string that your controller/surface sends in Sysx messages that follows the significant data. • Sysx Trigger.
Global Parameters This section let's you assign buttons and knobs to control SONAR’s transport. The parameters you can control are: • Play • Stop • Forward >> • Rewind << • Record • Write Automation • Jog <- (previous measure) • Jog -> (next measure) • Move 1 Left. This parameter changes the currently-controlled track to the next lower-numbered track. • Move Bank Left. This parameter changes the currently-controlled bank of tracks to the next lower-numbered bank of tracks. • Move 1 Right.
Euphonix EuCon control surface support SONAR supports the Euphonix EuCon protocol, which allows SONAR to be controlled by Euphonix surfaces such as the MC and CM408 series. To enable EuCon support in SONAR 1. Follow your Euphonix surface’s instructions for physically connecting the Euphonix surface to your computer and configure the Euphonix software. 2. In SONAR, go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Control Surfaces. 3. Click the Add Controller/Surface button dialog box.
The WAI display The WAI display (short for Where Am I) is a group of colored markers to show you which tracks and/ or buses are currently being controlled by which controller/surface. Each controller/surface uses different colored markers. In the following picture controller/surface 1 (blue markers) is controlling tracks 2-5, and controller/ surface 2 (red markers) is controlling tracks 7-14.
A B A. Red markers B. Blue markers The following table describes how you can use WAI markers. To do this Do this Change the group of tracks or buses that a controller/surface controls Drag the WAI markers from one group of tracks to another group, or from one group of buses to another group. Or Right-click in the WAI strip, and choose Move > [name of controller/surface] > here from the pop-up menu.
ACT Active Controller Technology (ACT) allows you to control whatever plug-in effect or soft synth currently has focus. The controller/surface mappings for a particular plug-in work the same on each instance of that plug-in, whenever that instance has focus. You can change the focus to a particular plug-in by clicking either the plug-in’s interface, or its name in an effects bin.
5. If you want to control only this instance of the plug-in with your controller/surface, enable the Lock check box in the ACT MIDI Controller property page, or enable the ACT Lock button in the Control Bar’s ACT module. 6. If you are not locking the controller/surface to a single instance of a plug-in, put the focus on another plug-in, if desired, and adjust its parameters. To edit the default ACT mappings 1.
To import ACT data 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Control Surfaces. 2. Click the Import ACT Data button to open the Import dialog box. 3. Navigate to an XML file that contains ACT Learn data, select the file, and click Open. If duplicate plug-in entries are encountered during import, SONAR will ask if you want to overwrite the existing plug-in settings. The options are: Yes, Yes All, No, No All. Select one of the answers. SONAR imports the ACT data you requested.
Working with StudioWare StudioWare panels are software interfaces to external MIDI devices such as samplers, keyboards, automatable mixers, and effects units. These interfaces allow you to manipulate the controls on any external MIDI device from graphical controls on your screen. The changes you make to these controls can even be recorded and then played back as part of your project.
Panel name What it’s for Novation Super Bass Station Rack Panel for controlling the settings of the Novation SuperBassStation rack version Roland GS Control panel providing parameter manipulation for any GS-compatible synth Roland VS-880 Provides parameter and transport control for the Roland VS-880 digital audio workstation Tascam RC-808 Control Interface modeled after the Tascam RC-808 remote control unit, used with the DA-38, DA-88, and DA-98 multitrack recorders Yamaha ProMix 01 Provides para
MMC General MIDI There are a variety of ways to adjust the values of buttons, sliders, and knobs: External devices Working with StudioWare 1351
To change this Do this The status of a button Click on the button The value of a slider Click on the desired slider position to move the slider to that position, or drag the slider to the desired position The value of a knob Click along the outer edge of the knob to move the knob to that position, or drag the outer edge of the knob in a circular motion to set the desired position Table 231.
To create a group of controls 1. Select any control by clicking on it with the mouse. 2. Hold down the CTRL key and click on one or more additional controls. SONAR creates a group from the selected controls. To remove controls from a group Hold down the CTRL key and click on any control in the group. SONAR removes the control from the group. To adjust a single control in a group Hold down the SHIFT key and drag the control to a new value.
To set faders that are always the same distance apart, set the ranges something like this: Fader Starting value Ending value #1 0 63 #2 64 127 Table 233. To set faders to move over different ranges of values, set them something like this: Fader Starting value Ending value #1 0 127 #2 0 100 Table 234.
The latter approach is most useful when you want to create smooth transitions from one section to another. For example, you could slowly add modulation to a MIDI piano or move the faders on a digital mixing console. Once you record these changes, they will play back along with your project automatically. StudioWare lets you record and re-record automation data as many times as necessary. When you record new movements for a control, any old events for that control are replaced by the newer ones.
If you record a snapshot of control positions on a track that contains linked clips, the clips remain linked, and the snapshot applies to all copies of the linked clip. If you are not happy with the automation data you recorded, you can always use the Edit > Undo command to remove it. The automation data you record using a StudioWare panel can be displayed and edited using either the Notes pane in the Piano Roll view or the Event List view.
6. When you are done, click 7. Click the or press the SPACEBAR to stop playback. button in the StudioWare toolbar to turn off real-time recording. SONAR records the control changes that you entered while playback was in progress. Control settings The controls in a StudioWare panel are designed to send and receive various types of MIDI information.
External devices Working with StudioWare
Using CAL Cakewalk Application Language (CAL) is an event-processing language that you use to extend SONAR with custom editing commands. See: “Running CAL programs” on page 1359 “Sample CAL files” on page 1360 Running CAL programs To interrupt a CAL program while it is running, press the ESC (Escape) key. Press OK to confirm that you want to interrupt the CAL program. As a rule, you shouldn’t interrupt a CAL program in this way unless you suspect it is stuck in an infinite loop. To open a CAL program 1.
Sample CAL files The following is a description of the sample CAL programs that come with SONAR. You can use these programs as is or modify them to suit your own needs. See: “SPLIT NOTE TO TRACKS.cal” on page 1360 “SPLIT CHANNEL TO TRACKS.cal” on page 1360 “RANDOM TIME.cal” on page 1360 “THIN CONTROLLER DATA.cal” on page 1361 “THIN CHANNEL AFTERTOUCH.cal” on page 1361 “THIN PITCH WHEEL.cal” on page 1361 “MAJOR CHORD.cal, MINOR CHORD.cal” on page 1361 SPLIT NOTE TO TRACKS.
THIN CONTROLLER DATA.cal This thins continuous Controller data. It prompts you for two numbers. • The number of the Controller that you want to thin. For example, MIDI assigns the Volume controller to number 7. • A thinning factor. For example, if you specify the number 3, the program deletes every third Controller event of the kind you’ve specified. This program never deletes Controllers with the values 0, 64, or 127, because the goal is to thin the data without destroying the fundamental shape of it.
Using CAL Sample CAL files
Troubleshooting If you’re having a problem with SONAR, don’t panic. This chapter lists some common problems and how to solve them. If you don’t find an answer here, there are two other important places to look for help: • Check the ReadMe file that came with your software. It contains additional information that wasn’t available when this online Help was written. To view the ReadMe file, select Help > View README. • Visit our support Web site at www.cakewalk.
Frequently asked questions “Installation Error: DeleteFile Failed; code 5 Access Denied” on page 1365 “Setting up an internal audio card” on page 1366 “Configuring an audio interface” on page 1367 “Audio dropouts or crashes during playback” on page 1368 “My MP3 encoder stopped working” on page 1368 “When I play a file I don't hear anything (MIDI project)” on page 1369 “I can't record from my MIDI device” on page 1370 “I can't record any audio” on page 1371 “I hear an echo when I record” on page 1371 “Dropou
Installation Error: DeleteFile Failed; code 5 Access Denied If you are using Windows 7 and your user account has limited privileges, you may see the following error message when installing SONAR: “DeleteFile failed; code 5 access denied”. To resolve the issue, restart your computer, and log in with another administrative user account, then install SONAR. If you are already logged in as the Administrator, you will need to run the SONAR installer manually as Admin: 1.
Setting up an internal audio card Some internal audio cards need to have a cable connected to their audio input in order for the drivers to work properly. If this applies to your internal audio card and you don’t have access to a microphone with an 1/8 inch cable, then you can use any 1/8 inch connection to force the audio card into displaying the drivers correctly. If the drivers are not available in SONAR, try plugging a simple pair of headphones into the mic or line input before starting SONAR.
Configuring an audio interface Before configuring your audio interface, make sure you have installed the latest drivers (can normally be obtained from the manufacturer's Web site). If you are using a USB Interface, ensure that it is plugged directly to the computer and not into a USB hub or external hard drive. You can find setup guides for many popular audio devices at www.cakewalk.com/support/ hardwaresetup.
Audio dropouts or crashes during playback Symptom: After several seconds of playback, the audio begins to cut out, although the transport appears to keep rolling. Solutions: • Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings and increase the value of the Buffer Size slider, or adjust the hardware buffer size in the ASIO Panel. • Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Sync and Caching and increase the Playback I/O Buffer Size (KB) and Record I/O Buffer Size (KB) values. Try settings of 512, 1024, or 2048 KB.
When I play a file I don't hear anything (MIDI project) Symptom: When you attempt to play back a project (.cwp) or a MIDI file (.mid), the playback meters move and the timeline scrolls, but there is no sound from the speakers or headphones. Solution: The project only contains MIDI data and needs to be routed to a software synth (Insert > Soft Synths), a hardware synthesizer, or the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth. 1. Go to Insert > Soft Synth > DirectX > Cakewalk TTS-1.
I can't record from my MIDI device Symptom: When you play notes on your MIDI instrument while recording on a MIDI track, nothing is recorded. Solutions: • You may have no MIDI input device selected. Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Devices and select the correct input and output devices. • Your MIDI cables may be connected incorrectly. Check to make sure that the MIDI output of your keyboard is connected to the input port on your MIDI interface.
I can't record any audio Symptom: The Record button is lit and the transport is moving, but nothing is being recorded. Solutions: • You may not have selected the correct recording device. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio Driver Settings and make sure Record Timing Master is set to the input you are using. Make sure Playback Timing Master is set to the same device that your speakers or headphones are plugged into. • You have not set up SONAR to record audio.
• On the track where you want to disable input monitoring, click the track’s Input Echo button so that it is in the Off position: More “Frequently asked questions” on page 1364. Dropouts happen at high bit-depths or high sample rates If you are hearing consistent dropouts/clicks in your audio and if your project contains high bit depth (32/64 bit) or high sample rate audio (88.2K or higher), it may be indicative of a too small I/O buffer size. If so, try doubling the I/O buffer size to 512.
The default value of the ExtraPluginBufs variable is 0. 3. Change the value of ExtraPluginBufs to 1. 4. Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box, then try to insert the effect that caused the dropout. If you still experience a dropout, change the value of ExtraPluginBufs to 2. Continue to double the value of this variable until you reach 128 (4, 8, 16, 32, etc.). If a value of 128 does not fix the problem, it is time to try something else.
SONAR's File Recovery Mode offers a means to help recover data from damaged project files. To use File Recovery mode Do one of the following: • If you are opening a file from the Most Recently Used files list in the File menu, hold down the SHIFT key while selecting file name. • If you are opening the file from the Open dialog box, select the file in the dialog box and hold down the SHIFT key while clicking the OK button.
No sound from my software instrument/synth Symptom: I have inserted a soft synth but when I play notes on my MIDI keyboard I don't hear anything. Solutions: • Make sure that the Instrument track, MIDI track, or audio track are not muted. • Make sure the MIDI notes are in the right range for the synth's patch. • Make sure that your MIDI/Instrument Track has its input assigned to the correct MIDI port. • Make sure that SONAR’s audio engine is engaged.
VST plug-ins appear in SONAR via the integrated VST scanner. If you have installed VST plug-ins to a common location, like the folders listed earlier, you may not need to take any additional steps. If the new plug still does not appear, you will need to point SONAR's VST scanner to the exact directory where your new VST plug-in is installed. To do so: 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File - VST Settings. 2.
My waveforms are gone, but I still hear audio; it says Busy in the corner of the clip If your audio clips are labeled “Busy”, the waveform display has not finished drawing yet, or may be corrupt. To force SONAR to redraw waveforms in the current project, perform the following steps: 1. Press CTRL+A to select all clips. 2. Right-click any selected clip and select Associated Audio Files on the pop-up menu (or press SHIFT+K). 3.
Bouncing tracks takes a long time By default, SONAR uses a buffer for bouncing tracks that is the same size as the (Mixing Latency) Buffer Size value that you set in Edit > Preferences > Audio - Driver Settings. But with some projects, especially ones that use certain soft synths, the bounce buffer needs to have its own value. To change the BounceBufSizeMsec value 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Configuration File. 2.
Plug-in windows flicker or don't display properly X-Ray is not compatible with plug-ins that use DirectDraw to create their windows, such as many recent plug-ins by Waves. If a plug-in is not compatible with X-Ray, the plug-in's window will either flicker or not display properly. If you have any plug-ins that are affected by this, you can exclude the plug-in(s) from X-Ray by following these instructions: 1. Open the Cakewalk Plug-in Manager (Utilities > Cakewalk Plug-in Manager). 2.
I get a Burn Error or No Drive is Detected error when burning a CD directly from SONAR 1. Start SONAR and open the project you are attempting to burn to a CD. 2. Go to Edit > Select All to select the entire project. 3. Go to File > Export Audio to open the Export Audio dialog box. 4. Set Sample Rate to 44100. 5. Set Bit Depth to 16. 6. Type a name in the File name field. 7. Select the Add to Audio CD Track List check box. 8. Click Export. 9. Go to Utilities > Burn Audio CD.
Known issues The following topics cover known issues in SONAR. “Session Drummer 3 performance (Producer only)” on page 1381 “Session Drummer 2 issues (Studio only)” on page 1381 “HLP files cannot be opened in Windows 7” on page 1382 “TTS-1 DXi does not support 88.
RPN events stop Session Drummer 2 audio output If a MIDI track that is routed to Session Drummer 2 is transmitting RPN events, Session Drummer 2 will no longer output audio. To fix this, open the Session Drummer 2 property page, click the VST Preset Options button next to the preset controls, then select Plug-in Properties. Finally, enable Do not intercept NRPNs and click OK.
Plug-in delay compensation re-sync Some plug-ins such as iZotope Ozone 4 and various UAD plug-ins, change their internal delay (PDC) dynamically when certain parameters are modified, presets are changed or internal plug-in routing is changed. When a plug-in changes its internal delay, SONAR X3 will detect this and resync all tracks in the project to this new delay value. While this is done you may hear a momentary interruption in playing audio.
Backwards compatibility SONAR X3 can load projects from any previous versions of SONAR, but projects that are saved in SONAR X3 cannot be re-opened in SONAR 1.x or SONAR 2.x. In case you need to open a preSONAR X3 project in an earlier version of SONAR, it is recommended that you always create a backup copy of the original project before you re-save the project in SONAR X3.
Re-saving a SONAR X3 project file in an older version may permanently remove the project data described above. Template files saved from SONAR X3 will not load in earlier versions of SONAR. This is because of changes made to SONAR's view persistence code in SONAR X3. See: “Known issues” on page 1381 “Troubleshooting” on page 1363 Windows 7 In WASAPI mode if you set the audio latency lower than 4 milliseconds, you will get an error message that the audio device does not support the current format.
Troubleshooting Known issues
Hardware setup This appendix contains additional details on configuring your equipment for use with SONAR. See: “Connect your MIDI equipment” on page 1387 “Set up to record digital audio” on page 1390 Connect your MIDI equipment If you are using a MIDI interface (such as an MPU-401 or Sound Blaster MIDI option) with an external MIDI keyboard, you need to connect the equipment using MIDI cables. It is possible to connect your equipment in some rather complex ways that may cause problems.
If your keyboard has a MIDI Thru jack If your keyboard has three MIDI jacks—In, Out, and Thru—then use the following diagram. If you are using a 15-pin joystick adapter cable that splits into two MIDI cables: • Connect the 15-pin jack to your computer’s joystick port. • Connect the In cable to your instrument’s MIDI Out jack. • Connect the Out cable to your instrument’s MIDI In jack.
If your keyboard doesn’t have a MIDI Thru jack If your keyboard has only two MIDI jacks—In and Out—or if you have only one keyboard, use the following diagrams instead: Each MIDI device should be set to a unique MIDI channel or range of channels to avoid notedoubling. Refer to the manuals for your MIDI devices for information on how to set their MIDI channels.
Set up to record digital audio In general, the inputs of sound cards take 1/8 inch stereo mini-jacks. Sound cards usually have two inputs—one for line level inputs and the other for microphones (at mic level). The line level input is stereo; the mic input could be either stereo or mono. If your final output does not terminate in a 1/8 inch jack (and it probably doesn’t), you will need an adapter to plug it into your sound card.
Electric guitar through effects rack You can also plug an electric guitar into an effects rack, then send the output of the rack to the sound card’s input, as shown in the following diagram: Rack effects units Rack FX Rack FX Rack FX To sound card line input (stereo) Rack FX 1/4 inch instrument cable RCA to 1/8 inch adapter (stereo) 1/4 inch to RCA adapter (x2) This diagram assumes that the output of the rack is at line level.
Microphone direct-In Microphones can be plugged into the sound card’s mic input. Some inexpensive microphones are made especially for use with sound cards and come equipped with 1/8 inch jacks. However, better quality microphones take better quality cables, which do not terminate in 1/8 inch jacks.
Mixer You can connect a mixer to the sound card with a setup of the following kind: From sound card line output to inputs #1 & 2 From Aux Bus #1 & 2 to sound card line input Stereo Amplifier Main mixer outs to power amp 1/4 inch instrument cable to input #3 Note: If your mixer has buses, use them! This helps to avoid feedback.
Hardware setup Set up to record digital audio
MIDI files The Standard MIDI file format is a file interchange format defined by the MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA). The purpose of the format is to allow for the exchange of MIDI data between different programs. Any program that can read and write MIDI files has a common language with which to talk to other MIDI software. The compact size of MIDI music files makes them particularly useful for delivering music online.
A disadvantage of MIDI files is that the way the file sounds on playback varies based upon the sound reproduction hardware you are using. The same project sounds very different on two different synthesizers or two different sound cards. Another problem is that the Standard MIDI File specification leaves some details open to interpretation by software and hardware manufacturers. To save a project as a Standard MIDI file or RIFF MIDI file 1. Choose File > Save As to display the Save As dialog box. 2.
Supported MIDI file meta-events MIDI files can contain meta-events. The types of meta-events that SONAR supports are listed in the following table. MIDI File Meta-event How it is represented in SONAR Meter and key signature Meter/key signature map entry Tempo Tempo change General text Track name General text in the conductor track of a Format 1 file Markers view markers Track name Track name Port number (format 1) Port assignments are maintained.
Special handling of GM, GS, and XG MIDI files General MIDI compatibility of a song file is indicated by the presence of a special System Exclusive message at the beginning of the song. When SONAR finds a GM, GS or XG reset message, it assumes that you would like to work within the GM Score Production guidelines. This causes SONAR to use special timing for program change information when writing MIDI Files, and allows it to search more aggressively for track parameters when reading MIDI files.
If you plan to publish your songs If you plan to publish your own songs, we encourage you to follow the General MIDI authoring guidelines. These guidelines are quite detailed about the exact layout of many types of song data, and a complete discussion of them can be found on the World Wide Web at www.midi.org. However, SONAR can help you to conform with the GM guidelines if you follow these practices: • Always save your master copy of any work in progress in SONAR project (.cwp) file format.
MIDI files
Initialization files Many Windows applications, as well as Windows itself, use files to store information about your preferences and configuration. Often applications store values to these files when you make selections in the program using menus or dialog boxes. However, you can also change these files directly. In some cases, there is no way to change the settings in the application, and changing the file directly is the only way.
Initialization files This appendix documents three initialization files, which are stored in the SONAR program folder (by default, C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\SONAR X3. • Cakewalk.ini • TTSseq.ini • Aud.ini To view and edit the Cakewalk.ini file, choose Edit > Preferences > File - Initialization File. To view and edit the Audi.ini file, choose Edit > Preferences > Audio - Configuration File. You can use Windows Notepad to open and alter any of the three files. There are several other .
Initialization file format Initialization files all follow a common format. They are divided into sections whose names appear in the file in brackets, like this: [Section Name] Within each section, variables are of the form: = For example, the DrawPlayingAudio variable belongs in the [Wincake] section in Cakewalk.ini, and determines whether the audio waveform is redrawn or not when the display is scrolling during playback. If the value is 0 (FALSE), then the waveforms are not redrawn.
The following section lists the different variables you can change in Cakewalk.ini. Variable Type Default value There are two variables that control the behavior of using a control surface jog wheel to change SONAR’s Now time: JogPosTimer is the period of the now time throttle. When a jog message comes in, SONAR sets the transport time immediately but will not set the transport time again for this length of time. During the time, SONAR just remembers the latest jog time received.
Variable Type Default value What it does WavePreviewInputBuffers=< 1-4> Integer 4 This variable allows control of the number of Waveform preview input buffers. The input buffers allow more efficient access to the recorded meter history on disk, and greatly speeds up performance access to previews while zooming and scrolling the clips view when waveform preview is active. You can control the actual number of history page buffers with this variable.
Variable Type Default value What it does PanicStrength=<0 or 1> Boolean 0 (controller 123 only) The Panic/Reset button stops playback and turns off any stuck notes. There are two ways a MIDI note can be turned off: By a note-off message (n=1) or by MIDI controller number 123 (all notes off). By default, Panic uses controller 123 only (n=0).
Variable Type Default value What it does VelocityAsBargraph= <0 or 1> Boolean 0 By default, note velocity tails are displayed as thin vertical lines in the Piano Roll view, and the color is the same as note events. If “Notes/ Velocity” is not the current edit type, this color will be slightly lightened.
Variable Type Default value What it does ShowClipShadow= <0 or 1> Boolean 0 By default, a drop shadow is not displayed on clips in the Track view. To always display a drop shadow on clips, add this to the [Wincake] section: ShowClipShadow=1 PauseDuringSave= <0 or 1> f Boolean 0 By default, when saving a project file during playback, SONAR saves the file asynchronously while playback continues.
Variable Type Default value What it does CtrlSurfaceRefreshMS= <50 - 5000> Integer 75 You may want to increase the value of this Cakewalk.ini variable if you are experiencing sluggish UI responsiveness when using a control surface and playing back high CPU projects. Also, if you are using a control surface that is not bi-directional, the surface does not need to be refreshed at all and you can safely increase the value.
Variable Type Default value What it does TransparentClipNames= <0 or 1> Boolean 0 SONAR can write Clip Names with an alpha channel such that the waveform behind the clip name can be seen. To enable this effect, set the value to 1. SmallIconHeight Integer 32 This variable specifies the small track icon size. By default, small icons are 32x32 pixels. LargeIconHeight Integer 48 This variable specifies the large track icon size. By default, large icons are 48x48 pixels.
Variable Type Default value What it does EnablePluginCancelButton= <0 or 1> Boolean 0 In SONAR 4.0.2 and earlier, opening the property page of a VST plug-in during playback could result in a slight disruption in playback. The cause for this problem has its roots in the little Cancel button that sits in the top right corner of the plug-in's property page.
TTSSEQ.INI The TTSseq.ini file can only be changed using Windows Notepad. Variables in the [Options] section Variable Type Default value What it does ChaseDelay= Integer 20 (2 seconds) This line specifies the sync chase delay in 1/10 seconds. During SMPTE/MTC sync, when the position is determined, playback begins at a later time to allow for setup. This line specifies the delay amount. If this value is too long, you always have to wait after starting playback before SONAR locks.
Variable Type Default value What it does LyricTrack= Integer 3 (track 4) This line specifies which track is to contain lyrics from Type 0 Standard MIDI files. A zero means track 1, a 1 means track 2, and so on. MMCDelayMsecs= Integer 100 This setting specifies the minimum amount of time that must elapse between any two MMC commands. Some MMC gear, including the Fostex MTC-1 and the Tascam SY-88, can get confused unless there is at least a 10-millisecond delay after every MMC command.
Variable Type Default value What it does IgnoreMidiInTimeStamps= <0 or 1> Boolean 0 (disable) This line determines whether or not SONAR ignores any MIDI time stamping that a MIDI driver does. If you’re experiencing increasing delays between the time you play a MIDI note on a controller and the time you hear SONAR echo it, setting this line to 1 may help. Also, if you find that SONAR is recording MIDI data at a different time from when the data was played, setting this line to 1 may help.
Variable Type Default value What it does SysxSendPacketSize= Integer 1024 This line specifies the number of bytes between Sysx transmit delays. Sysx bytes are transmitted in packets, with a 1/18 second delay between each packet. Setting this value smaller will help slower MIDI devices (synthesizers, etc.) avoid overflowing their internal buffers.
AUD.INI To edit Aud.ini, do the following: 1. Go to Edit > Preferences > Audio - Configuration File. 2. Under Configuration Settings, click Edit Config File. The Aud.ini file opens in the default Windows text editor. 3. Edit Aud.ini as desired. 4. Save Aud.ini and close the Windows text editor. 5. Click Reload Config Settings to reload the current audio configuration settings from Aud.ini. Variables in AUD.
Variable Type Default Value What it does ComputePicturesWhilePlaying=< Boolean 1 or 0> 1 This option allows waveform pictures to be computed in the background while audio playback is in progress. Most modern computers should be able to handle this load with no problems. Note that work is only done while new pictures are actually being computed—once the pictures are finished rendering there is no overhead.
Variable Type Default Value What it does GapDezipperUsec=<0-1000> Integer 500 The audio engine will now render a smooth fade in whenever audio playback is interrupted and there is a abrupt transition in gain. The purpose of doing this is to dezipper (smooth out) the gain transition due to the discontinuity. For example, if you click on the time ruler to jump to a new time location during playback, the engine will smoothly render the transition to the new gain level as a fade in.
Variable Type Default Value What it does DefaultEqPosition=<0 or 1> Boolean 0 The integrated channel EQ is pre effects bin by default, but you can change the position of any channel EQ by right-clicking the EQ plot and choosing the desired position from the context menu. The DefaultEqPosition Aud.ini variable lets you specify the default EQ position for all new tracks/buses. This variable lives in the [Aud] section of Aud.ini, and legal values are: 0 (pre FX) or 1 (post FX).
Variable Type Default Value What it does ShowMultiChannelInputs = <0 or 1> Boolean 1 This is a line in the Wave section of the Aud.ini file that specifies whether SONAR uses multichannel audio devices as multiple stereo pairs or just a single stereo pair. ShowMultiChannelOutputs= <0 or 1> Boolean 1 This is a line in the Wave section of the Aud.ini file that specifies whether SONAR uses multichannel audio devices as multiple stereo pairs or just a single stereo pair.
Variable Type Default Value What it does ThreadSchedulingModel= <0 - 2> Integer 1 This variable goes in the [Wave] section and controls the interaction of the main audio thread and worker threads on multiprocessor systems when the Use Multiprocessing Engine option is enabled. Depending on the system, a particular model may result in less glitching and better overall performance. The values are as follows: 0 = Same as previous versions of SONAR. 1 = (default) Better thread balance.
Initialization files Initialization file format
New features in SONAR X3 SONAR X3 has many new features (some features are in SONAR Producer and Studio only).
SONAR X3 base program enhancements There are three editions of SONAR X3: • SONAR X3 (base version) • SONAR X3 Studio (base version plus additional features) • SONAR X3 Producer (Studio version plus additional features) All editions support unlimited audio, MIDI and Instrument tracks, and unlimited instruments and effects sends per project.
Background scanning allows SONAR to launch much faster, and you can begin working on a project without having to wait for the scan to finish. Any newly-installed VST plug-ins are also detected automatically without having to restart SONAR. The background scan is efficient and intelligent, and only scans changes to your VST folders instead of scanning all plug-ins. See: “File - VST Settings” on page 1812. VST3 support In addition to VST2 plug-ins, SONAR also supports VST3 audio effects and instruments.
Automatically migrate VST2 plug-ins to VST3 when available If you have both VST2 and VST3 versions of a plug-in, you can instruct SONAR to automatically upgrade to the VST3 version when loading a project that uses VST2 plug-ins. To do so, go to Edit > Preferences > File - VST Settings and select Replace VST2 Plug-ins When Opening Projects in the VST Migration section. You can also select Hide Related VST2 Plug-ins if you no longer wish to see the corresponding VST2 plug-ins in SONAR’s plug-in menus.
MIDI out Some VST audio effects and instruments can generate MIDI events. SONAR fully supports these plug-ins by exposing a Enable MIDI Out option. This option is enabled by default for supported VST plug-ins, and can be configured in the VST Plug-In Properties dialog box. To open the VST Plug-In Properties dialog box, do one of the following: • Click the VST button in the plug-in property page toolbar, then select Plug-In Properties on the drop-down menu.
The Browser status bar shows detailed information about the selected plug-in, including plug-in type, vendor and version number. Unlimited number of plug-ins in menus Previous versions of SONAR would list up to 735 audio plug-ins and 255 soft synths in plug-in menus. Any additional plug-ins that exceeded this limit would not be visible in menus unless you used Plug-in Manager to create a custom plug-in menu layout.
Region FX SONAR provides several ways to add effects to audio data. You can add plug-in effects to a track effects bins to process the entire track. You can also add plug-ins to clip effects bins to only process individual clips. For even greater precision, you can apply special processing to specific audio regions. These effects are called Region FX. Any ARA-compatible VST3 audio plug-in will be available as a Region FX in SONAR, and will be listed in the Track view Region FX menu.
ARA Audio Random Access support What is ARA? ARA (Audio Random Access) is an extension of the VST plug-in interface, which allows ARAcompatible VST plug-ins to be closely integrated in host programs like SONAR. ARA is not a new competing plug-in format, but simply an optional extension to the VST format that has to be supported by both the host program and plug-in. SONAR supports ARA via VST3 plug-ins.
To use an ARA plug-in ARA-compatible VST3 plug-ins are listed in the Track view Region FX menu. 1. Select an audio region or clip you wish to process with an ARA plug-in. To select a region on the and drag across the bottom part of the clip(s). timeline, use the Smart tool or Select tool To select an entire clip, simply click the clip. For details, see “Selecting clips” on page 350. 2.
Pitch correction: Celemony Melodyne essential (Producer and Studio only) Melodyne essential is part of Celemony’s one-track product family, and offers basic editing of pitch and timing with the same high sound quality as Celemony’s flagship version Melodyne editor. With Melodyne, you can: • Correct off-key vocals and out-of-tune melodic instruments. • Fix timing errors in melodic and rhythmic material. • Create harmonies. • Convert audio to MIDI.
Audio-to-MIDI conversion You can drag an audio clip from SONAR’s Browser to a MIDI or Instrument track, and the audio data will automatically be converted to a MIDI clip. SONAR uses the Melodyne engine to analyze and convert the audio data to MIDI data. You can also drag a Melodyne Region FX clip or any audio clip to a MIDI or Instrument track, and the audio data will be converted to a MIDI clip. For details, see “To convert audio to MIDI” on page 1060. Figure 389.
Take lane and comping enhancements Comping and Take lanes have been drastically enhanced in SONAR X3. It is easier and faster than ever to create a final composite take from multiple takes. • Record multiple takes with the new Comping record mode. • Quickly isolate the takes you want to keep. • Use the enhanced Smart tool or new dedicated Comping tool. • Automatically apply editable crossfades between takes. • Easily audition individual takes or entire Take lanes.
New default Comping record mode SONAR X3 introduces a new record mode called Comping, which is the default mode. In this mode, existing data on the track is not heard during recording. When a recording is done, the newly recorded material is heard and all other takes are time-muted for the duration of the new material. The Record button in the Control Bar’s Transport module looks like enabled. To change record modes, right-click the Record button.
Comp clip When showing multiple Take lanes, the parent track shows a Comp clip that is a visual representation of all overlapping unmuted takes in the track, but no audio or MIDI data actually exists in a Comp clip. A track can contain multiple Comp clips if there are time gaps between takes. In addition to editing individual takes, you can also perform various editing operations directly on a Comp clip, and the edits will propagate down to the underlying takes.
New global Comping tool The new global Comping tool lets you quickly isolate takes in Take lanes. Simply click a take to isolate the take, or drag to make a time selection, and SONAR automatically mutes all other overlapping takes in the same track. Clips are split, if necessary, in order to be isolated or muted. The mouse pointer looks like the Smart tool when comping operations are possible. You can comp with either or Comping tool . Figure 391. Click the take you want to isolate.
When you use the Smart tool or Comping tool to isolate and mute/unmute, SONAR will automatically “heal” any split clips if possible in order to reduce the number of clips. You can simply focus on identifying the regions you want to hear (isolate), and SONAR will automatically split, mute/ unmute, and heal clips. Figure 392. Drag to select the region you want to isolate. Figure 393. SONAR splits and mutes takes in order to define the isolate/mute regions.
Figure 394. Drag to isolate another region, and SONAR automatically heals previous splits, if necessary. You can also manually heal abutting healable clips. To do so, select the clips, then hold down the CTRL key and clip one of the selected clips. For details, see “Clip muting and isolating (clip soloing)” on page 388 and “Isolating (clip soloing)” on page 390. No overlapping clips can exist on the same Take lane Two clips cannot overlap on the same Take lane.
Speed comping You can quickly audition each take by itself and select only the takes you want to keep. To do so: 1. Select a take you want to audition. 2. Press SHIFT+SPACEBAR to start audition playback. Audition will loop continuously. You will see temporary Loop markers in the time ruler. 3. Press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW key to audition the next or previous take. Take lanes are numbered sequentially, with the most recent take on top.
4. When you identify your favorite take, press the ENTER key to isolate the take and mute all other overlapping takes. SONAR will automatically split and mute other takes as necessary. 5. Press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW key to move to other takes along the timeline. 6. Repeat steps 3-4 until you have completed the comping. Tip: If you want to audition takes in context with other tracks, enable Dim Solo mode in the Control Bar’s Mix module. For details, see “Dim Solo mode” on page 205.
Streamlined crossfades between takes When splitting clips as a result of comping, SONAR automatically adds a short crossfade between abutting takes. You can manually adjust the duration of each crossfade by dragging the crossfade up/down in either the Comp clip or in a Take lane. To adjust a crossfade duration, position the mouse pointer near the bottom where two clips abut. When the mouse pointer looks like duration.
Dragging clips between tracks and lanes The following rules apply when dragging clips to other tracks: • When dragging multiple clips from separate source tracks or Take lanes: • All dragged data remains in position relative to each other. • Overwrites happen when dropped. • If there are not enough Take lanes to accommodate the data, the drop preview is clamped until a valid track/lane that accommodates all the lanes is hovered over.
Toast notifications Toast notifications are messages that appear at the bottom of the screen. SONAR uses toast notifications to inform you of relevant, time-sensitive information. Clicking a toast notification provides quick access to related content in SONAR. Figure 395.
QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel (Producer only) The QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel provides a larger interface for interacting with the EQ controls. The fly-out panel supports multi-touch and has an integrated FFT spectrum analyzer. The QuadCurve Equalizer fly-out panel can be accessed from the ProChannel in the Inspector or Console view. Figure 396. QuadCurve EQ fly-out panel. To open the fly-out panel Do one of the following: • In the ProChannel, click the QuadCurve Equalizer module’s Zoom button .
To close the fly-out panel Do one of the following: • Click anywhere outside the fly-out panel, such as the Clips pane. • Click the X button in the top right corner of the fly-out panel. Note: The following gestures do not close the fly-out panel: • • • • Clicking in the fly-out panel’s parent ProChannel module. Clicking in the parent track’s channel strip in the Track view or Console view. Clicking in the time ruler. Clicking in the Control Bar.
Skylight enhancements Smooth vertical scrolling in Track view The vertical scrolling resolution has been increased in the Track view. When scrolling vertically, tracks no longer snap to track strip boundaries. Tracks can now be scrolled partially into view. Figure 397. Smooth vertical scrolling. Misc. UI enhancements • Muted clips are now dimmed, and no longer display a Mute icon.
Media Browser enhancements Dynamic content location presets Content Location presets in the Media Browser now follow any folders you specify under Edit > Preferences > File - Folder Locations. The new Project Audio Folder preset shows the audio folder for the current project. For details, see “Using the Media Browser” on page 610 and “Using Content Location presets” on page 618.
Track color customization Each channel strip in the Track view, Console view and Inspector can have a custom color tint, which allows you to color-code your tracks and clips for better project organization. Figure 398. Click a track’s Track Color bar to assign a custom track color. A A A. Track Color bar For details, see “Customizing track/bus colors” on page 234.
YouTube Publisher You can publish audio and video directly to YouTube from within SONAR. You must have an existing YouTube account before you can use this feature. If you do not already have a YouTube account, you can sign up for a free account at www.youtube.com. To publish audio to YouTube 1. Open the SONAR project you want to publish to YouTube. 2. Go to File > Export > Audio. 3. In the Files of type list, select YouTube Publish. 4. Enter a file name in the File name box. 5. Click Export.
Cakewalk YouTube Publisher interface Figure 399. Cakewalk YouTube Publisher Cakewalk YouTube Publisher contains the following controls: • Account (required). Enter your YouTube account name or e-mail address. • Password. Enter your YouTube account password. • Save Login Credentials. settings for future use. Select this check box to remember the Account and Password • Title (required). Enter a name for the video. • Description. Type a description of the video. • Private.
• Video preview image. The preview image shows a frame of the video. If you are uploading an audio-only project, you can drag an image to the preview display in order to load a new image. • Load Image (Only for audio export). When uploading an audio-only project, you can load a static image to be used for video frames. This option is unavailable when uploading video projects. • Test Video. Click to show a preview of the video in the default media player. • Upload. Upload the video to YouTube. • Cancel.
Overloud Tape Emulator ProChannel module (Producer only) Figure 400. ProChannel Tape Emulator module The Tape Emulator module by Overloud lets you add the analog warmth and richness of magnetic tape saturation to your digital mixes. For details, see “Tape Emulator module (Producer only)” on page 1039.
Tone2 BiFilter2 (Producer only) Figure 401. BiFilter2 BiFilter2 is a powerful high-end quality stereo filter module, which features dual multimode filters with 47 unique and different sounding filter types, plus 8 distortion types, FM, AM, wave shaping, bit crushing, resampling, comb filtering, vocal filtering, EQ, and reverb. The high precision display shows the frequency response of the filter in realtime. For more information, see the BiFilter2 online Help.
XLN Audio Addictive Drums (Producer only) Figure 402. XLN Audio Addictive Drums Addictive Drums is one of the most powerful and popular drum soft synths in the world, and can be heard on countless hit songs and albums. Addictive Drums includes 3 pristine drum kits (Tama Starclassic, Sonor Designer, and DW Collectors Series), 100+ producer presets and thousands of MIDI beats and fills played by professional drummers in different styles, tempos and feels.
AAS Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition (Producer only) Figure 403. AAS Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition by Applied Acoustics Systems is an extremely versatile electric piano instrument that delivers authentic Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds. Highlights: • Custom presets. • Classic Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos. • Real-time controls over hammer hardness, tine color and decay, damper noise, and pickup placement.
AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition (Producer only) Figure 404. AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition (Producer only) AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition by Applied Acoustics Systems is an extremely convincing acoustic guitar synthesizer designed to allow anyone to easily create realistic nylon- and steel-string guitar tracks. Use your MIDI keyboard or MIDI loops to add acoustic guitar to your productions.
• Extensive chord library containing basic and extended chords available in movable root and movable lowest voicings. • Advanced playing technique vocabulary, including down- and up-strokes, slides and bends, hammer-ons and pull-offs, palm muting, muffled strings, and arpeggios. For more information, see the AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition online Help. See: “New features in SONAR X3” on page 1423 Nomad Factory Blue Tubes bundle (Producer and Studio only) Figure 405.
Nomad Factory BlueVerb DRV-2080 (Producer and Studio only) Figure 406. Nomad Factory BlueVerb DRV-2080 The BlueVerb DRV-2080 from Nomad Factory is a vintage-style studio reverb designed to recreate the qualities of digital reverbs from the 1980s. It includes individual two-band equalization, as well as ambiance, decay RT60 and pre-delay controls. Use it to sweeten mono or stereo tracks, or add dimension to an entire mix. For more information, see the BlueVerb DRV-2080 online Help.
Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Analog TrackBox (Producer and Studio only) Figure 407. Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Analog TrackBox The Blue Tubes Analog Trackbox from Nomad Factory is a vintage-style analog channel strip featuring single-triode to dual-triode tube emulation, gate/expander, compressor, and equalizer.
Gobbler integration Gobbler is a secure cloud based asset cataloging, backup and collaboration service built for media creators. Gobbler provides an easy and reliable way to exchange and back up your SONAR projects. You can send files, mixes or entire sessions directly from the SONAR interface. Gobbler helps to keep your files secure, and provide access to them from anywhere with an Internet connection. Figure 408. The Control Bar’s Gobbler module. A C B D E A. Connect to Gobbler B.
Misc. enhancements Default to ASIO audio device On first launch, SONAR will attempt to detect and configure an ASIO audio device. If no ASIO devices are found, MME mode will be used by default for playback and recording. See also: “ASIO drivers” on page 1305 “Audio - Playback and Recording” on page 1786 Always Stream Audio Through FX option The Play Effect Tails After Stopping global option has been replaced with a new Always Stream Audio Through FX option.
New features in SONAR X3 Misc.
The search filter allows you to only show screen elements that include a specific text string in the name. Note: The search filter is applied to the current Color Category. Select the All Colors color category if you want to search all available screen elements. Figure 409. Type a word in the Search box to filter the color list See: “New features in SONAR X3” on page 1423 1464 New features in SONAR X3 Misc.
Comparison The following table highlights the key differences between SONAR X3, SONAR X3 Studio and SONAR X3 Producer.
Product Comparison SONAR X3 SONAR X3 Studio SONAR X3 Producer FX Chain UI customizing x x x External Insert x x AudioSnap 2.
Product Comparison SONAR X3 SONAR X3 Studio SONAR X3 Producer Sonitus fx: Gate x x x Sonitus fx: Modulator x x x Sonitus fx: Multiband x x x Sonitus fx: Surround x x x x x Sonitus fx: Surround Compressor Sonitus fx: Wah Wah x x x Sonitus fx:Phase x x x x x Channel Tools TH2 SONAR x x TH2 Producer x TL-64 Tube Leveler x TS-64 Transient Shaper x BiFilter2 x BREVERB SONAR x LP-64 EQ x x LP-64 Multiband x x Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Bundle x x Nomad Factory B
Product Comparison SONAR X3 SONAR X3 Studio SONAR X3 Producer MFX Echo/Delay x x x MFX Event Filter x x x MFX Quantize x x x MFX Transpose x x x Cakewalk Sound Center x x x Cakewalk TTS-1 x x x LE Pro Instruments Dimension Dreamstation DXi (32-bit Only) x x x DropZone x x x Roland Groove Synth x x x Session Drummer 3 x x x Square I x x x Studio Instruments Suite x x x Cyclone x x Pentagon I x x PSYN II x x Rapture x Rapture LE x RXP REX Pla
Product Comparison SONAR X3 SONAR X3 Studio SONAR X3 Producer Expansion Packs for Dimension Pro Digital Sound Factory V2 Classic Keys x Hollywood Edge FX x Dimension Pro Expansion Pack 1 x Dimension Pro Expansion Pack 2 x Classic Sounds for Dimension Pro x Audio Loops, MIDI Clips & Projects 500 MB REX Loopmasters x 500 MB REX/WAV Sample Magic x 210 MB WAV XMIX x MIDI Groove Clips x Tutorial Projects x Artist demo projects x Table 245.
Comparison
Included plug-ins The following is a list of audio, MIDI and instrument plug-ins that are included with SONAR. For detailed information about a specific plug-in, see the plug-in’s online Help.
Channel strips, stereo & panning “Channel Tools” on page 1477 “Nomad Factory Blue Tubes bundle (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1480 “ProChannel (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1483 “PX-64 Percussion Strip (Producer only)” on page 1484 “VX-64 Vocal Strip (Producer only)” on page 1496 Delays & modulation “Classic Phaser” on page 1477 “Multivoice Chorus/Flanger” on page 1480 “Nomad Factory Blue Tubes bundle (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1480 “Sonitus fx: Delay” on page 1486 “Sonitus fx: Modulato
Reverbs “BREVERB SONAR (Producer only)” on page 1476 “Nomad Factory BlueVerb DRV-2080 (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1481 “Perfect Space (32-bit Only) (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1482 “Sonitus fx: Reverb” on page 1490 “StudioVerb 2” on page 1492 Signal analysis “ProChannel (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1483 Specialty effects “Alias Factor” on page 1475 “Tone2 BiFilter2 (Producer only)” on page 1494 “HF Exciter” on page 1478 “Modfilter” on page 1479 “Nomad Factory Blue Tubes bundle (Prod
Instruments “AAS Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition (Producer only)” on page 1501 “AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition (Producer only)” on page 1502 “Cakewalk Sound Center” on page 1503 “Cakewalk TTS-1” on page 1504 “Cyclone” on page 1504 “Dimension LE Synth with Garritan Pocket Orchestra (Studio only)” on page 1505 “Dimension Pro (Producer only)” on page 1506 “DreamStation DXi2 (32-bit only)” on page 1506 “DropZone” on page 1507 “Pentagon I” on page 1507 “PSYN II” on page 1508 “Rapture (Producer only
Audio effects Alias Factor Figure 410. Alias Factor Alias Factor combines bit crushing and low pass filtering in a unique way, allowing you to decimate your audio to create tones as varied as vintage samplers, cell phones, or old video games. Decimator effects are nothing new, but Alias Factor generates this effect using a special technique that generates aliasing without the unwanted harsh effects provided by other options, offering sounds that are grainy in a “smooth” and organic way.
• Look-ahead peak detection prevents clipping • Program Dependent Release minimizes pumping • Dynamic waveform displays of input vs. output • Stereo peak and RMS input/output meters • Operation at sampling rates up to 192 kHz • 64-bit double precision signal path • VST Automation For more information, see the Boost 11 Peak Limiter online Help. BREVERB SONAR (Producer only) Figure 412. BREVERB SONAR BREVERB SONAR by Overloud provides world-class studio reverb.
Channel Tools Figure 413. Channel Tools The Channel Tools plug-in provides easy and powerful channel processing for gain, Mid-Side decoding, delay and stereo panning. Channel Tools is ideal for enhancing and adjusting stereo separation for stereo tracks and full mixes. With Channel Tools you can: • Use intuitive controls to easily place the left and right channels individually anywhere in the stereo space. • Automatically decode Mid-Side channel recordings.
Compressor/Gate Figure 415. Stereo Compressor/Gate Stereo Compressor/Gate combines a compressor and a gate into a single effect, so you can increase the overall dynamic level of an audio signal, without distorting the loud parts, and without excessively boosting low-level noise. You can manually trigger the gate via MIDI, which makes it simple to produce stuttering effects. For more information, see the Stereo Compressor/Gate online Help. HF Exciter Figure 416.
original audio material. In other words, the sound is literally “pulled apart” in time, often resulting in loss of sonic clarity and crispness. With LP-64 EQ linear-phase processing, the integrity of your audio is maintained for all frequencies, at all times—no unintended coloration, cancellations, comb filtering, or muddy transients. When a host application, such as SONAR, compensates for the plugin’s overall latency, the resulting linear-phase output is referred to as “zero-phase”.
Multivoice Chorus/Flanger Figure 420. Multivoice Chorus/Flanger Chorus/Flanger lets you add depth and thickness to the signal. The EQ section in the feedback path allows you to create some truly unique sounds. For more information, see the Multivoice Chorus/Flanger online Help. Nomad Factory Blue Tubes bundle (Producer and Studio only) Figure 421.
Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Analog TrackBox (Producer and Studio only) Figure 422. Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Analog TrackBox The Blue Tubes Analog Trackbox from Nomad Factory is a vintage-style analog channel strip featuring single-triode to dual-triode tube emulation, gate/expander, compressor, and equalizer.
ambiance, decay RT60 and pre-delay controls. Use it to sweeten mono or stereo tracks, or add dimension to an entire mix. For more information, see the BlueVerb DRV-2080 online Help. Para-Q Figure 424. Para-Q Para-Q is a two-band true parametric EQ that can be used to boost or attenuate generally high or low bands of the signal. It consumes very little processing power, which allows you to use it on many tracks simultaneously. For more information, see the Para-Q online Help.
complete representation of how the space reacts to all frequencies. Use IRs of this type to change your project’s performance location without moving an inch. Convolution is not limited to emulating pre-existing spaces, though. In fact, you can use absolutely any sound (drums, claps, screams, towel snaps, etc.) to manipulate your source audio. With creative convolving, you can achieve very interesting filter, reverb and delay effects.
PX-64 Percussion Strip (Producer only) Figure 427. PX-64 Percussion Strip PX-64 Percussion Strip is a multi-functional plug-in that combines a series of effects specifically optimized and streamlined for drum and percussion processing. Combining transient shaping, compression, expansion, equalization, delay and tube saturation in one convenient plug-in, PX-64 Percussion Strip is designed to make it fast and easy to enhance any drum or percussion track.
Sonitus fx: Surround Compressor (Producer and Studio only) Figure 429. Sonitus fx: Surround Compressor The Sonitus Surround Compressor is an enhanced, surround-capable version of the Sonitus:fx Compressor plug-in. The Surround Compressor is comprised of four stereo compressors.
Sonitus fx: Delay Figure 430. Sonitus fx: Delay fx:delay is an advanced stereo delay with tempo sync. For more information, see the Sonitus fx: Delay online Help. Sonitus fx: EQ Figure 431. Sonitus fx: EQ fx:equalizer is a 6-band parametric equalizer with selectable filter types for each band and frequency response graph.
music and sound. They let you use different filtering techniques to attenuate, cut or boost a specific frequency or a range of frequencies, allowing you the shape the overall characteristics of the audio signal. For more information, see the Sonitus fx: EQ online Help. Sonitus fx: Gate Figure 432. Sonitus fx: Gate fx:gate is a dynamic gate with side-chain filtering and lookahead. The fx:gate plug-in has wide variety of uses.
Sonitus fx: Modulator Figure 433. Sonitus fx: Modulator fx:modulator combines six time-varying modulation effects into one integrated plug-in. For more information, see the Sonitus fx: Modulator online Help. Sonitus fx: Multiband Figure 434. Sonitus fx: Multiband fx:multiband is a 5 band variable knee compressor with both normal and vintage compression modes and output limiter.
Using a multiband compressor has many advantages over using a traditional (“single band”) compressor when it is used on audio signals containing complex harmonic material like a complete music mix. • “Pumping” is virtually eliminated. “Pumping” is a phenomenon that is noticed when music with a heavy bass beat is run through a standard compressor; the mids and highs seem to vary in amplitude or “pump” to the beat.
Sonitus fx: Reverb Figure 436. Sonitus fx: Reverb Reverb or reverberation is the effect of resounding echoes in a room or other enclosed acoustic environment. Reverb can be seen as a series of echoes so dense that they can't be told apart from each other. fx:reverb emulates the phenomenon of sound being reflected off walls in a virtual room, and allows you to add reverb that resembles the character, decay and frequency response of various environments.
Sonitus fx: Surround Figure 437. Sonitus fx: Surround fx:surround is a surround sound panner with built-in Doppler and attenuation rendering for distance and velocity effects, joystick control and graphical path editing. For more information, see the Sonitus fx: Surround online Help. Sonitus fx: WahWah Figure 438. Sonitus fx: WahWah fx:wahwah is a guitar effect emulator. A classic guitar effect, the wahwah stomp box became an instant hit when it was introduced in 1966.
fx:wahwah is a digital adaptation of the analog designs, and is modeled after real-life wahwah stomp boxes like the Morley Pro Series Distortion Wah, Jim Dunlop Crybaby Model GCB-95 and Model JH1 (Jimi Hendrix). For more information, see the Sonitus fx: Wah Wah online Help. StudioVerb 2 Figure 439. StudioVerb2 Studioverb2 provides very dense and warm reverberation with 32-bit floating point implementation.
TH2 Producer amp simulator (Producer only) Figure 441. TH2 Producer TH2 Producer by Overloud provides realistic guitar amp models from clean to crushing distortion. This special edition includes 10 amplifier models, 10 cabinet models, 10 stomp box effects models, 3 microphone models, delay and reverb master effects and dozens of presets. Easily build or modify your own signal path. For more information, see the TH2 Producer online Help. TH2 SONAR amp simulator (Studio and base version only) Figure 442.
This special edition includes 10 amplifier models, 10 cabinet models, 3 microphone models, and dozens of presets. Easily build or modify your own signal path. For more information, see the TH2 SONAR online Help. TL-64 Tube Leveler (Producer and Studio only) Figure 443. TL-64 Tube Leveler The TL-64 Tube Leveler plug-in is a preamp/processor that employs advanced analog vacuum-tube circuit modeling, which allows you to apply ultra-high-quality analog warmth and saturation to tracks and mixes.
TS-64 Transient Shaper (Producer and Studio only) Figure 445. TS-64 Transient Shaper The TS-64 Transient Shaper plug-in provides powerful control over the dynamics of audio tracks and mixes. In a musical context, the term transient refers to a sudden increase in sound output that occurs for a short period of time. For example, the attack portion of a drum hit is a transient.
VX-64 Vocal Strip (Producer only) Figure 446. VX-64 Vocal Strip VX-64 Vocal Strip is a multi-functional plug-in that combines a series of effects specifically optimized and streamlined for vocal processing. Combining compression, expansion, equalization, deessing, doubling, delay and tube saturation in one convenient plug-in, VX-64 Vocal Strip is designed to make it fast an easy to enhance any vocal track.
MIDI effects MFX Arpeggiator Figure 447. MFX Arpeggiator The Arpeggiator command applies an arpeggio to its input and plays it back in real time. You can make it arpeggiate with a swing feel, or straight and staccato or legato, vary its speed and direction, and specify its range. MFX Change Velocity Figure 448. MFX Velocity The Velocity effect lets you adjust velocities of MIDI notes.
MFX Chord Analyzer Figure 449. MFX Chord Analyzer The Chord Analyzer command analyzes chords. You select the notes to be analyzed in one of SONAR’s windows, then open the Chord analyzer and press the Audition button. The chord appears on the MIDI display and the staff, and its name with possible alternatives appears in the Chords recognized box. You can play the notes on your MIDI input device and have the Chord Analyzer identify the chords in real time. You do not have to set to playback.
MFX Event Filter Figure 451. MFX Event Filter The Event Filter command lets you remove events from the MIDI data, keeping or passing through only those events that you specify. The Event Filter effect works almost identically to the event filter used by the Edit > Select > By Filter command. For more information, see “Event filters” on page 782. MFX Quantize Figure 452. MFX Quantize The Quantize command moves events to (or towards) an evenly-spaced timing grid.
MFX Transpose Figure 453. MFX Transpose The Process > MIDI Effects > Cakewalk FX > Transpose command is a flexible transposition feature. You can perform simple chromatic or diatonic transpositions, transpose from one key to another, or define your own custom transposition.
Instruments AAS Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition (Producer only) Figure 454. AAS Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition Lounge Lizard Session SONAR Edition by Applied Acoustics Systems is an extremely versatile electric piano instrument that delivers authentic Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds. Highlights: • Custom presets. • Classic Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos. • Real-time controls over hammer hardness, tine color and decay, damper noise, and pickup placement.
AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition (Producer only) Figure 455. AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition (Producer only) AAS Strum Acoustic Session SONAR Edition by Applied Acoustics Systems is an extremely convincing acoustic guitar synthesizer designed to allow anyone to easily create realistic nylon- and steel-string guitar tracks. Use your MIDI keyboard or MIDI loops to add acoustic guitar to your productions.
Cakewalk Sound Center Figure 456. Cakewalk Sound Center Cakewalk Sound Center is a simple and intuitive playback synth that lets you quickly find, preview and play sound programs. You can browse programs by categories and subcategories, and even search for patches by name. Finding the right sounds for your songs has never been easier. You can also rate your favorite programs and sort programs by rating. For more information, see the Cakewalk Sound Center online Help.
Cakewalk TTS-1 Figure 457. Cakewalk TTS-1 Cakewalk TTS-1 is a GM2 (General MIDI 2) compatible, multi-timbral, multi-output, software synthesizer featuring a newly developed software synthesis engine, with 256 sounds and 9 drum sets built in. For more information, see the Cakewalk TTS-1 online Help. Cyclone Figure 458.
The Cyclone DXi is a 16-part phrase sampler with beat-matching and extensive loop editing capabilities. With Cyclone you can trigger different loops of different tempos and Cyclone will automatically play them back at the same tempo, in sync with little or no signal degradation. Cyclone is similar to a software-based sampler in that you can trigger the pads from the mouse, a MIDI keyboard, or from MIDI data in a track; the difference is that is works with entire loops or phrases, similar to Dr.
Dimension Pro (Producer only) Figure 460. Dimension Pro At Dimension's is a powerful sample-playback engine paired with advanced synthesis capabilities. It draws on a comprehensive library of sounds covering every aspect of contemporary music. Dimension is also expandable, meaning more sounds can be added to the instrument via expansion packs, or user multisamples based on standard PCM wave files.
• A maximum of 16 voices polyphony. • Linear frequency modulation, Hard synchronization, Ring modulation, Distortion. For more information, see the DreamStation DXi2 online Help. DropZone Figure 462. DropZone There’s no easier way to add your own style to a track. Just drag and drop a sample into DropZone, and make it part of your beat. It is the ideal synth for creating remixes or for building the perfect hook for your song.
PSYN II Figure 464. PSYN II PSYN is a very powerful virtual analog synthesizer, which recreates sounds of old analog and vintage synthesizers. Four oscillators with up to four waveforms each plus noise, a sub oscillator, several modulation capabilities, two filters, five envelope generators, three low frequency oscillators and a very flexible modulation array are the resources PSYN offers, combined with full automation and a powerful MIDI Learn mode. For more information, see the PSYN II online Help.
Rapture is perfect for performing and designing the modern synthesized sounds igniting today’s pop, dance, and electronic music. Rapture is a wavetable synthesizer with advanced sound manipulation capabilities, well suited for electronica-related music styles. A comprehensive Modulation Matrix provides expressive control and a unique Step Generator provides an intuitive interface for the creation of rhythmic parameter changes. For more information, see the Rapture online Help.
RXP REX Player Figure 468. RXP RXP DXi is a virtual instrument that plays REX files. The REX file format stipulates that audio slices play back individually, usually via MIDI. This allows arbitrary playback of slices and conformation of loops to the host tempo map. For more information, see the RXP online Help. Session Drummer 3 Figure 469. Session Drummer 3 Session Drummer 3 is a professional drum sampler and pattern player.
Samples can be of any bit depth (8 to 32-bit), any sample rate, and either mono or stereo. Each sample in a multisample can be a standard PCM Windows Wave file (.wav), an Apple audio format (.aiff) or a compressed file in the standard, high-quality, open and royalty-free ogg-vorbis format (.ogg). Alternatively, it is possible to open multisample definition files (.sfz) or individual samples by dragging them to an instrument pad. Session Drummer 3 features include: • MIDI pattern playback.
Square I Figure 471. Square I The warmness and classic sound of the vintage analog synthesizers, combined with the fidelity and precision of a VST instrument. For more information, see the Square I online Help. Studio Instruments Bass Guitar Figure 472. Studio Instruments Bass Guitar Bass Guitar accurately replicates the sound of a classic electric bass guitar sound and features a highly-detailed user interface as well as simple but powerful controls.
Studio Instruments Drum Kit Figure 473. Studio Instruments Drum Kit Drum Kit accurately replicates the sound of its real-world counterpart and features a highly-detailed user interface as well as simple but powerful controls. It uses Cakewalk’s patented and acclaimed Expression Engine technology, an anti-aliased, real-time sound production system for multi-sample audio playback. For more information, see the Studio Instruments Drum Kit online Help.
Studio Instruments Electric Piano Figure 474. Studio Instruments Electric Piano Electric Piano accurately recreates the classic Fender Rhodes electric piano sound and features a highly-detailed user interface as well as simple but powerful controls. It uses Cakewalk’s patented and acclaimed Expression Engine technology, an anti-aliased, real-time sound production system for multi-sample audio playback. For more information, see the Studio Instruments Electric Piano online Help.
patented and acclaimed Expression Engine technology, an anti-aliased, real-time sound production system for multi-sample audio playback. For more information, see the Studio Instruments String Section online Help. True Pianos (x86, x64) (Producer only) Figure 476.
XLN Audio Addictive Drums (Producer only) Figure 477. XLN Audio Addictive Drums Addictive Drums is one of the most powerful and popular drum soft synths in the world, and can be heard on countless hit songs and albums. Addictive Drums includes 3 pristine drum kits (Tama Starclassic, Sonor Designer, and DW Collectors Series), 100+ producer presets and thousands of MIDI beats and fills played by professional drummers in different styles, tempos and feels.
Z3ta+ (Producer and Studio only) Figure 478. Z3TA+ Z3TA+ is an award-winning analog-style synthesizer with incredible sound shaping capabilities. The exclusive bandlimited Waveshaping technology makes Z3TA+ one the best and most respected synths in the industry. Whether you’re looking for lush, warm pads, slowly evolving atmospheres, searing leads or sparkling FM sounds, Z3TA+ delivers the goods, and includes hundreds of professional presets. For more information, see the Z3TA+ online Help.
Included plug-ins Instruments
Cyclone The following figure illustrates the Cyclone DXi views and controls. Figure 479. Cyclone D E F G H I A J K L B M N C O P Q A. Import Sound Bank B. Loops C. Key Map view tab D. Export Sound Bank E. Trash button F. Play button G. Stop button H. Auto Preview button I. Pad J. Pad Group K. Volume knob L. Pan knob M. Sync button N. Loop button O. Track handles P. Selected pad Q.
See: “Cyclone toolbar” on page 1520 “Pad groups” on page 1521 “Pad inspector” on page 1522 “Loop view and Key Map view” on page 1524 “Pad editor” on page 1524 “Slice inspector” on page 1525 “Using Cyclone” on page 1525 Cyclone toolbar The following graphic shows each of Cyclone’s toolbar buttons: A B C D E F A. Import Sound Bank B. Export Sound Bank C. Trash D. Auto Preview E. Stop F. Preview The following table describes each of Cyclone’s buttons.
Pad groups The following graphic shows a close-up of a Cyclone pad group: A B G C H D E F A. Pad B. Volume C. Load D. Mute E. Solo F. Sync G. Pan H. Loop A Pad Group in Cyclone has the following controls: Control Description Pad The trigger for playing a loop. Volume knob Adjusts the volume of the Pad Group. The volume value is displayed in the Pad Inspector. Pan knob Adjusts the pan of the Pad Group. The pan value is displayed in the Pad Inspector.
Pad inspector The Pad Inspector has additional pad group controls: C A D B A. Click to enable tails for current track B. Click to force Cyclone to follow SONAR’s Pitch markers C. Select an audio output D. Click to toggle on/off Latch mode In the Pad Inspector there are the following controls: Control Description Output You can select from one of 16 audio outputs or use the Mix Only setting to use the Master out. MIDI In You can set which MIDI channel the pad group responds to.
Control Description Tails The tails feature extends the “tail” or decay of a slice which may otherwise have ended prematurely, drowned out by the next slice. This is particularly useful when you substitute a longer slice with a shorter one leaving room for a tail to sound. Latch The Latch option gives you a second mode for triggering pads. In Latch mode, a Groove Clip plays continuously when triggered until it is triggered again.
Loop view and Key Map view The Loop view displays the content of the loop you have selected in the Loop bin. If the loop is an ACIDized loop, the loop’s transient markers separate the file’s slices. From the Loop view, you can drag a slice onto an event in the Pad Editor. Figure 480. Loop view A B A. Click to open the Key Map view B. Slices The Key Map view shares the same space in Cyclone as the Loop view.
Slice inspector The Slice Inspector has pitch, gain and pan offset controls. You can change the pitch of the slices in a loop to change the melody of the loop. If you want to edit multiple slices at the same time, select multiple slices by SHIFT-selecting them and adjust the controls you want. Using Cyclone Cyclone is a multi-output synth, and you launch it the same way you launch other synth’s: by inserting it into a SONAR project.
To load loops into Cyclone • Click the folder icon that’s on the Loop bin to display the Open dialog box. Select a loop and click Open. Cyclone loads the loop into the Loop bin. OR • Click a folder icon that’s on a particular Pad that you want to load a loop into. When the Open dialog box appears, select a loop and click Open. Cyclone loads the loop into both the Pad where you clicked the folder icon and the Loop bin. OR • Drag a loop into Cyclone from SONAR‘s Clips pane or Media Browser view.
To assign a loop to a pad • Drag a loop from the Loop bin to a Pad. OR • Click a folder icon that’s on a particular Pad that you want to load a loop into. When the Open dialog box appears, select a loop and click Open. Cyclone loads the loop into both the Pad where you clicked the folder icon and the Loop bin. OR • Drag a loop onto a Pad from SONAR‘s Clips pane or Media Browser view. You can assign one loop per Pad.
To play a pad with recorded MIDI data 1. Record some MIDI data into a SONAR MIDI track. 2. In the MIDI track’s Output field, choose Cyclone. Cyclone must have been already inserted into the project in order for it to appear as a choice in the Output field. 3. In the MIDI track’s Ch field, choose the number of the Cyclone Pad that you want to trigger with this MIDI track.
To import a sound bank 1. Click the Import Sound Bank button on the Cyclone toolbar. The Open dialog box appears. 2. Navigate to the directory where you saved your Sound Bank, select it and click OK. Cyclone loads the loops and associated settings that make up the Sound Bank you loaded. To clear the contents of a project • Click the Trash icon in the Cyclone toolbar. Cyclone deletes all loops from your project. Mixing down Cyclone You mix down a Cyclone session the same ways you mix down any synth.
To change the length of a track • Drag the Track Length marker to the right or left to lengthen or shorten the track, respectively. You can include empty space in your track. If you depress the Loop button for that Pad (track), the track loops continuously between the beginning of the track and the Track Length marker. To set the number of divisions for a slice You can set the number of divisions in each slice. This controls how exact the placement of your slices is within the Pad Editor.
Keyboard shortcuts in Cyclone The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts in Cyclone and explains what they do. Keyboard Shortcut Description SHIFT select Hold the SHIFT key to select multiple slices in the Pad Editor. SHIFT drag Hold the SHIFT key while dragging to maintain a slice’s time. CTRL drag Hold the CTRL key while dragging to copy a slice. SHIFT CTRL drag Hold the SHIFT and CTRL keys simultaneously while dragging to copy the slice and maintain the slice’s time.
Cyclone Using Cyclone
Menu reference File > New The File > New command opens the “New Project File dialog” on page 1767 box where you choose a template for a new file. See “New Project File dialog” on page 1767 for more information. See also: “You can create your own template files and use them as the basis for other new projects. For more information, see “Templates” on page 1164.” on page 269 File > Open The File > Open command opens the Open dialog box. Use the Open dialog box to open an existing project.
File > Save The File > Save command saves the current project. If multiple projects are open, the project with the focus is saved. For more information, see “Saving your work” on page 325. File > Save As The File > Save As command opens the Save As dialog box where you can save a project with the name, directory, and format you specify. The formats available are: • Normal. Also known as a Project file (extension .cwp) • Bundle. • Template. Contains all the audio and MIDI data (extension .
• Audio files (extensions .au and .snd) The sampling rate for a project is set based on your default sampling rate. If the sampling rate from the wave file does not match the sampling rate in your project, then it will be converted to the current project’s sampling rate. See: “Importing audio CD Tracks” on page 321 File > Import > Audio CD The File > Import > Audio CD command lets you import tracks from audio CD’s into any track of a project. Any number of CD tracks can be imported.
File > Export > Audio The File > Export > Audio command lets you save and export your projects as MP3 files and other types of formats. For more information about the File > Export > Audio command, see “Preparing audio for distribution” on page 963. See also: “Routing and mixing digital audio” on page 891 File > Export > Video Use the File > Export > Video command to combine the audio data and any video data in your SONAR project into an .avi file, Windows Media Video file, or QuickTime file.
see “Working with track templates” on page 337. File > Print The File > Print command opens your system’s “Print dialog” on page 1867 box. File > Print Preview The File > Print Preview command opens the SONAR Print window, where you can view your document before you print it. File > Print Setup The File > Print Setup command opens your system’s Print Setup dialog box. File > Send The File > Send command opens a blank email message and attaches the current project.
Edit > Undo The Edit > Undo command reverses your last action. Successive Undoes cancel preceding actions in reverse order. To redo the action, see “Edit > Redo” on page 1538. Edit > Redo The Edit > Redo command cancels a just-previous Undo command. Edit > History The Edit > History command opens the “Undo History dialog” on page 1898, which displays a history of your editing actions.
Edit > Select > All AudioSnap/Stretched Clips The Edit > Select > All AudioSnap/Stretched Clips command selects all AudioSnap and stretched audio clips. See: “AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only)” on page 635 “Selecting clips” on page 350 Edit > Select > By Filter The Edit > Select > By Filter command lets you change a selection to keep only events with the criteria you specify. For more information, see “Searching for events” on page 781.
Edit > Select > Thru = Now The Edit > Select > Thru = Now command lets you specify the Now time as the time through which a selection extends. The From and Thru times you select appear in the Control Bar’s Select module in the From and Thru fields. If you select a whole measure, the Thru time is the start of the next measure, which actually makes it a “to” time and not a “through” time.
Edit > Cut The Edit > Cut command lets you remove from the project and put on the Clipboard any selected objects. If you want to specify what to cut, use the Edit > Cut Special command instead to open the “Cut dialog” on page 1715. You can paste the contents of the Clipboard elsewhere. See “Edit > Paste” on page 1542.
Edit > Copy Special The Edit > Copy Special command lets you put on the Clipboard any selected objects. You can specify the kinds of objects to copy in the “Copy dialog” on page 1712. You can paste the contents of the Clipboard elsewhere. See “Edit > Paste” on page 1542. To remove rather than copy objects, see “Edit > Cut” on page 1541. To make copies of linked clips, see “Splitting and combining clips” on page 379.
“Importing material from another SONAR project” on page 321 “Importing MIDI files” on page 324 Edit > Delete The Edit > Delete command removes selected objects from the project. It doesn't put them on the Clipboard, so they can not be subsequently pasted. If you want to specify what to delete, use the Edit > Delete Special command instead to open the “Delete dialog” on page 1719. For more information, see “To delete clips” on page 356.
Groove Clip Looping The Groove Clip Looping command enables a selected audio clip’s looping capabilities. When you enable these capabilities, you can make unlimited copies of the clip by dragging its start or end points to the left or right, respectively. When a clip’s looping capabilities are enabled, the clip’s corners are beveled instead of sharp. If the clip’s looping capabilities are already enabled, the same command turns them off.
Views > Control Bar The Views > Control Bar command shows/hides the Control Bar. See also: “Control Bar overview” on page 537 Views > Track View The Views > Track View command displays the Track view. See also: “Track view” on page 1922 Views > Browser Select Views > Browser to open the Browser view. You can preview and import files using the Browser view, without having to leave your work environment. For more information, see “Browser” on page 2013.
The Console view contains all the controls you need to mix your project. For more information about the Console view, see “Console view” on page 1971. See also: “Preparing to mix” on page 881 Views > Piano Roll View Open the Piano Roll view with the Views > Piano Roll View command. The Piano Roll view displays all MIDI notes and events from one or more tracks in a grid format that looks much like a player piano roll. Notes are displayed as horizontal bars, and drum notes as diamonds.
Views > Staff Open the Staff view by using the Views > Staff View command. The Staff view contains the Staff pane and the Fretboard. The Staff pane displays MIDI note events as musical notation, and the Fretboard displays MIDI notes as markers on a guitar fretboard. The Staff view provides many features that make it possible for you to compose, edit, and print music. For more information, see “The Staff view” on page 1180.
Views > Event List Open the Event List view with the Views > Event List command. The Event List view shows events in a list format. You can insert, delete, or modify any kind of event, including notes, pitch-wheel data, velocity, MIDI controllers, patch changes, wave files, lyrics, text strings, MCI commands, System Exclusive meta-events, and more. See: “The Event List view” on page 788 Views > Lyrics Open the Lyrics view by using the Views > Lyrics command. The Lyric view lets you edit a track's lyrics.
Views > Markers Open the Markers view with the Views > Markers command. The Markers view lets you add, move, rename, or delete “Marker” on page 2054 (labels) for places in your song. The markers make it easier to move from one point to another. For more information about the Markers view, see “Markers view” on page 2008. See “Creating and using markers” on page 372. Views > Tempo Open the Tempo view by using the Views > Tempo command. The Tempo view provides a graphic display of the tempo.
Views > Surround Panner Open the Surround Panner by using the Views > Surround Panner command. The Surround Panner allows you to control the output levels for each of your outputs. For more information, see “Panning in surround” on page 983. Views > Icons > Show Icons This global command hides or shows icons in all applicable views. Views > Icons > Track View > Show Icons This command hides or shows icons in the Track view, if the global command to show icons is not enabled.
Views > Icons > Track View > Show in Strip This command hides or shows icons in the track strips of the Track view. Views > Icons > Track Inspector > Show Icons This command hides or shows icons in the Track Inspector. Views > Icons > Track Inspector > Show Large Icons This command displays icons in the Track Inspector in large format. Views > Icons > Track Inspector > Show Small Icons This command displays icons in the Track Inspector in small format.
Views > Icons > Synth Rack > Show Large Icons This command hides or shows icons in the Synth Rack in large format. Views > Screensets > Screenset 1 Select screenset 1. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 2 Select screenset 2. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 3 Select screenset 3. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 4 Select screenset 4.
Views > Screensets > Screenset 5 Select screenset 5. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 6 Select screenset 6. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 7 Select screenset 7. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 8 Select screenset 8. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Screenset 9 Select screenset 9.
Views > Screensets > Screenset 10 Select screenset 10. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Revert Current Screenset Revert the current screenset to its last saved state before the project was saved. See “To revert the current screenset to its last saved state” on page 1158. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Lock/Unlock Current Screenset Lock the current screenset to prevent any modifications.
Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 1 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 1. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 2 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 2. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 3 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 3.
Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 5 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 5. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 6 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 6. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 7 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 7.
Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 9 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 9. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Duplicate Current Screenset to > Screenset 10 Duplicate the current screenset to screenset 10. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 Views > Screensets > Import Screensets Import screensets from another open project. Any locked screensets in the current project are not overwritten.
Insert > Soft Synth The Insert > Soft Synth command displays a submenu of all installed soft synths. Clicking the name of one of the synths either displays the Insert Synth Options dialog box, or inserts a synth into your project if you unchecked the dialog’s Ask This Every Time option previously. See: “Inserting soft synths” on page 853 Insert > Soft Synth > Plug-in Layouts > Manage Layouts The Insert > Soft Synth > Plug-in Layouts > Manage Layouts command opens the Cakewalk Plug-in Manager.
Insert > Track Template The Insert > Track Template command opens the Import Track Templates dialog box. For more information about track templates, see “Working with track templates” on page 337. Insert > Stereo Bus The Insert > Stereo Bus command, which you can also find by right-clicking an empty area of the Bus pane in the Track view or Console view, inserts a stereo bus into the empty space of the Bus pane.
Process > Apply Effect > Audio Effects The Process > Apply Effect > Audio Effects command (which is greyed-out if you’re not currently using any audio effects) opens the Apply Audio Effects dialog box. Applying an audio effect means that the audio data that you apply the effect to is permanently altered to sound like it would if it was flowing through an effects processor in real time. Applying an effect saves a lot of your processor’s power for other tasks that must be done in real time.
Process > Apply Effect > Extract Timing Use the Process > Apply Effect > Extract Timing command to extract the timing from selected clips. The clip’s groove is extracted and vertical Pool lines are displayed to indicate the extracted transients.
Process > Apply Effect > Fade/Envelope The Process > Apply Effect > Fade/Envelope command lets you specify accurately the shape of a fade for a selection, clip, or track. You can specify one of the following curves, which the “Fade/ Envelope dialog” on page 1734 displays for you: • Exponential Fade In • Exponential Fade Out • Inverse Exponential Fade In • Inverse Exponential Fade Out • Linear Fade In • Linear Fade Out Alternately you can manipulate any curve in the dialog box to look exactly as you want.
Process > Apply Effect > Reverse The Process > Apply Effect > Reverse command reverses audio data, making it play backwards. You may want to do this to obtain unusual sounds for special effects. See also: “Reversing audio data” on page 839 Process > Quantize The Process > Quantize command opens the “Quantize dialog” on page 1870. This command adjusts the start time and duration of selected notes so that they line up with a fixed size grid.
Process > Transpose The Process > Transpose command transposes the pitches of note events up or down by a fixed number of half-steps. It does so by changing the MIDI key numbers of note events and by pitchshifting audio clips. Simply enter the number of half-steps in the Amount field of the Transpose dialog box--a negative number to transpose down, a positive number to transpose up.
Process > Nudge > Right 1 The Process > Nudge > Right 1 command moves a selected clip to the right by any of three increments that you set in the Nudge 1 section in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Nudge. You can assign a hotkey shortcut for this command. For more information, see “Nudge” on page 366.
Process > Nudge > Up The Process > Nudge > Up command moves a selected clip up a track at a time in the Track view or a note up a pitch at a time in the Piano Roll view. For more information, see “Nudge” on page 366. Process > Nudge > Down The Process > Nudge > Down command moves a selected clip down a track at a time in the Track view or a note down a pitch at a time in the Piano Roll view. For more information, see “Nudge” on page 366.
Process > Length The Process > Length command can be used to stretch or shrink a portion of a project. Process > Length lets you stretch or shrink the selection by a fixed percentage and makes the adjustment by altering the individual events. A value of 200 percent, for example, stretches the selection to twice its original length, while a value of 50 percent shrinks the selection to half its original length. This command offers the option to stretch audio clips along with the MIDI information.
Process > Retrograde The Process > Retrograde command reverses the order of events in a selection. If one or more clips are selected, then the events within each clip are reversed. If several clips are selected from the same track, then the order of the clips is also reversed. You could use this command, for example, to take a scale or other long run of notes and reverse the order in which they are played. The Process > Retrograde command does not reverse the contents of audio clips.
Process > Fit Improvisation SONAR lets you record music from a MIDI controller without requiring that you use a fixed tempo. But if you record without using a metronome, you are very likely to end up with a recording that does not fit onto a fixed tempo grid. The Process > Fit Improvisation command lets you take a recording and create a tempo map (with measure and beat boundaries) that fits what you played.
Project > Insert Meter/Key Change Use the Project > Insert Meter/Key Change command to insert a meter change and/or a key change. See “Adding and editing meter/key changes” on page 1221. Project > Insert Tempo Change The Project > Insert Tempo Change command opens the “Tempo dialog” on page 1894. For more information, see “Changing tempos” on page 418. See: “To insert a tempo change” on page 419.
Project > Set Default Groove Clip Pitch The Project > Set Default Groove Clip Pitch submenu lets you specify the default pitch that Groove Clips should follow when the clip’s Follow Project Pitch option is enabled. Groove clips do not follow your project's key. Groove Clips follow the project pitch that is specified in the Default Groove Clip Pitch dialog box, in addition to any pitch markers in the Time Ruler.
Utilities > Clean Audio Folder Use the Utilities > Clean Audio Folder command to delete digital audio files from an audio data directory that are no longer used by any of your projects. You should use this command from time to time to free up disk space. Important: Make sure that all of your important project (.cwp and .wrk) files are stored in your local hard disk(s) before using this command.
Utilities > Burn Audio CD The Utilities > Burn Audio CD command lets you burn your tracks to an audio CD that you can play in any standard CD player. For more information about the Utilities > Burn Audio CD command, see “Audio CD Burner dialog” on page 1696. Utilities > CWAF Tool The Utilities > CWAF Tool command opens the Cakewalk Audio Finder Tool, which lets you locate audio files that are used in your SONAR projects.
Time Ruler Format > H:M:S:F The Time Ruler Format > H:M:S:F: command, which is also available from the Clips pane pop-up menu, changes the unit of measurement in the time ruler to “H:M:S:F” on page 2052 units. Time Ruler Format > Samples The Time Ruler Format > Samples command, which is also available from the Clips pane pop-up menu, changes the unit of measurement in the time ruler to samples.
Window > Arrange Icons Use the Window > Arrange Icons command to arrange the icons for minimized windows at the bottom of the main window. Help > Keyboard Shortcuts Note: A plus sign (+) indicates that both keys must be held down at the same time. For example, CTRL+F6.
Basic shortcuts Command Shortcut Show Track view ALT+1 Show/hide Control Bar C Show/hide Inspector I Show/hide Clip Properties Inspector SHIFT+I Show/hide Track Properties Inspector CTRL+SHIFT+I Show/hide ProChannel CTRL+I Show/hide Browser B Expand/collapse MultiDock D Maximize/restore MultiDock SHIFT+D Close current floating window CTRL+F4 Show Tools HUD T Show AudioSnap Palette A Zoom in horizontally CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Zoom out horizontally CTRL+LEFT ARROW Full Screen mode on
Menu command shortcuts Command Shortcut Online Help F1 File > New CTRL+N File > Open CTRL+O File > Save CTRL+S File > Print CTRL+P Edit > Undo CTRL+Z Edit > Redo CTRL+SHIFT+Z Edit > Select > All CTRL+A Edit > Select > None CTRL+SHIFT+A Edit > Cut CTRL+X Edit > Cut Special CTRL+ALT+X Edit > Copy CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT Edit > Copy Special CTRL+ALT+C Edit > Paste CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT Edit > Paste Special CTRL+ALT+V Project > Insert Marker M View Undo (zoom) ALT+Z View Redo
View shortcuts Command Shortcut Control Bar C Inspector I Browser B Track view ALT+1 Console view ALT+2 Piano Roll view ALT+3 Step Sequencer ALT+4 Matrix view ALT+5 Staff view ALT+6 Loop Construction view ALT+7 Event List view ALT+8 Lyrics view ALT+SHIFT+1 Video view ALT+SHIFT+2 Big Time view ALT+SHIFT+3 Markers view ALT+SHIFT+4 Tempo view ALT+SHIFT+5 Meter/Key view ALT+SHIFT+6 Sysx view ALT+SHIFT+7 Navigator view ALT+SHIFT+8 Surround Panner ALT+SHIFT+9 Table 252.
Track view shortcuts Command Shortcut Show Track view ALT+1 Insert new track INSERT Show/hide Bus pane SHIFT+B Show/hide Video Thumbnail pane V Show/hide Navigator pane ALT+N Show/hide Aim Assist line X Resize all tracks vertically to fit in window F Resize and zoom tracks to see entire project SHIFT+F Show and fit selection CTRL+ALT+H Fit content CTRL+F Manage track visibility H Show only selected tracks CTRL+SHIFT+H Hide selected tracks CTRL+H Show all tracks SHIFT+H Open/Cl
Command Shortcut Zoom in on current track’s audio waveforms CTRL+ALT+UP ARROW Zoom out on current track’s audio waveforms CTRL+ALT+DOWN ARROW Zoom current track in vertically CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Zoom current track out vertically CTRL+SHIFT+UP ARROW Zoom in on all audio waveforms and MIDI notes ALT+UP ARROW Increase current track height CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW Decrease current track height CTRL+SHIFT+UP ARROW Scale audio waveform in all audio tracks and MIDI notes in all MIDI tracks ALT+UP/D
Transport shortcuts Command Shortcut Record R Step Record on/off SHIFT+R RTZ W Play/Stop SPACEBAR Stop with Now marker CTRL+SPACEBAR Toggle ‘On stop, rewind to Now marker’ on/off CTRL+W Audition selection SHIFT+SPACEBAR Go to time G Go to selection start (From time) SHIFT+G Go to next marker CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN Go to previous marker CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE UP Record metronome on/off F3 Playback metronome on/off CTRL+F3 Open Metronome settings SHIFT+F3 Loop on/off L Set Measure/Beat
Record shortcuts Command Shortcut Record R Step Record on/off SHIFT+R Arm all tracks for recording CTRL+R Toggle Track Arm for selected track ALT+R Record metronome on/off F3 Table 255.
Command Shortcut Set half note duration CTRL+SHIFT+2 Set quarter note duration CTRL+SHIFT+4 Set eight note duration CTRL+SHIFT+8 Set sixteenth note duration CTRL+SHIFT+6 Set thirty-second note duration CTRL+SHIFT+3 Table 256.
Nudge shortcuts Command Shortcut Nudge Left 1 Numeric Keypad 1 Nudge Down Numeric Keypad 2 Nudge Right 1 Numeric Keypad 3 Nudge Left 2 Numeric Keypad 4 Nudge Settings Numeric Keypad 5 Nudge Right 2 Numeric Keypad 6 Nudge Left 3 Numeric Keypad 7 Nudge Right 3 Numeric Keypad 8 Table 259.
Command Shortcut Copy current Screenset to Screenset 3 CTRL+3 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 4 CTRL+4 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 5 CTRL+5 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 6 CTRL+6 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 7 CTRL+7 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 8 CTRL+8 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 9 CTRL+9 Copy current Screenset to Screenset 10 CTRL+0 Table 260.
Clip shortcuts Command Shortcut Mute clip K Groove Clip looping enable/disable CTRL+L Open Associated Audio Files dialog SHIFT+K Lock Clip Position and Data CTRL+K Open clip effects bin ALT+K Add selected clips to new clip group [ Remove selected clips from clip group SHIFT+[ Create Melodyne Region FX clip CTRL+M Table 263.
Quantize shortcuts Command Shortcut Open Quantize dialog Q Open Input Quantize settings SHIFT+Q Input Quantize on/off CTRL+Q Table 266. Quantize keyboard shortcuts V-Vocal shortcuts Command Shortcut Open V-Vocal Editor SHIFT+V Create V-Vocal Region FX clip SHIFT+V Note: All V-Vocal shortcuts in the Editor itself are listed in the V-Vocal help file. Table 267.
Step Sequencer shortcuts Command Shortcut Open the Step Sequencer ALT+4 Insert a new row above the selected row INSERT Delete the active row DELETE Move focus to the previous control LEFT ARROW Move focus to the next control RIGHT ARROW When there are multiple strips, move focus to the same control on the previous row UP ARROW When there are multiple strips, move focus to the same control on the next row DOWN ARROW When focus is on a control in the steps pane, move focus to the strips pane
Surround Panner (large) shortcuts Command Shortcut Constrains to angle ALT+drag Constrains to angle at 100% focus ALT+SHIFT+drag Constrains to focus only CTRL+SHIFT+drag Sets panner point to the point that you click (large and medium panners only) SHIFT+click Fine resolution SHIFT+drag controls (Angle, Width, etc.
Play List shortcuts Command Shortcut Enable/disable the Play List E Skip to the next song N Loop the Play List continuously R Add a song A or INSERT Remove the selected song D or DELETE Specify a delay before the next song plays W Keep the Play List on top of other views T Table 270. Play List shortcuts Help > SONAR Online > Support The Help > SONAR Online > Support command opens your web browser to the SONAR Support Web page.
Help > Troubleshooting > Problems with registration The Help > Troubleshooting > Problems with registration command opens your web browser to the Product Registration FAQ page on the Cakewalk Web site. Help > Troubleshooting > Frequently asked questions The Help > Troubleshooting > Frequently asked questions command opens your web browser to the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Cakewalk Web site.
Help > Register Online The Help > Register Online command opens Cakewalk's online form so you can register your new product. Help > Time Trial Activator The Help > Time Trial Activator command opens the Time Trial Activator dialog box. If you have an evaluation version of SONAR and need to extend the evaluation period, this dialog box allows you to enter the activation code that a Cakewalk representative can give you.
Set Start = Current This command, which you find by right-clicking a fader, button, or knob in the Track or Console views, lets you adjust the start value of a control. This command, together with the Set End = Current command, only functions when you use custom grouping. These two commands set the range that a grouped control moves through when the members of its group move through their starting and ending values.
Hide Module This command allows you to hide track and bus modules in the Console view. You find the command by right-clicking in the Console view in three different areas: • For track modules, right-click in the grey area above a track’s Phase button. • For buses, right-click in the grey area between the Send and Return knobs. To redisplay modules, see “To choose the tracks that are displayed using the Track Manager” on page 883, and “Configuring the Console and Track views” on page 883.
42 dB Range This command, which you find by right-clicking any audio meter in the Track view or Console view, changes the range that the meter measures to 42 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899. 24 dB Range This command, which you find by right-clicking any audio meter in the Track view or Console view, changes the range that the meter measures to 24 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899.
Set Loop Points This command, which you find by right-clicking in the “Time ruler” on page 2059, sets the Loop From time to the start time of the selection, and the Loop Thru time to the end time of the selection. For more information about looping, see “Looping” on page 194. Select Loop Region This command, which you find by right-clicking in the “Time ruler” on page 2059, sets the selection start and end times to the Loop From and Loop Thru times.
Select Punch Region This command, which you find by right-clicking in the “Time ruler” on page 2059, sets the selection start and end times to the Punch In and Punch Out times. For more information about punch recording, see “Punch recording” on page 305. Jump This command causes an automation envelope to make a 90 degree “jump” when it reaches the next node. See: “Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119 Linear This command draws a straight line between two nodes.
Drag and Drop Options The Drag and Drop Options command opens the “Customization - Editing (Advanced)” on page 1858 section in the Preferences dialog box. Associated Audio Files This command opens the Associated Audio Files dialog box. For more information, see “Associated Audio Files dialog” on page 1708. Mirror Fretboard This command displays the Staff view’s fretboard with low strings at the top and high strings at the bottom.
Maple Hi This command changes the fretboard to appear as if made of maple in high resolution. Maple Lo This command changes the fretboard to appear as if made of maple in low resolution. Animate This command, which you find by right-clicking in the Video view, enables or disables video playback. Disabling video playback frees your computer to process more audio data, if your project has too much data to process efficiently.
Stretch to Window This command, which you find by right-clicking in the Video view, stretches the video to fill the Video view. For more information about video, see “Video playback, import, and export” on page 251. Preserve Aspect Ratio This command, which you find by right-clicking in the Video view, stretches the video as much as possible while preserving the original aspect ratio. For more information about video, see “Video playback, import, and export” on page 251.
Time Display Format > Frames This command, which you find by right-clicking in the Video view, changes the video view’s time display to frame. For more information about video, see “Video playback, import, and export” on page 251. Time Display Format > None This command, which you find by right-clicking in the Video view, hides the video view’s time display. For more information about video, see “Video playback, import, and export” on page 251.
Add Node This command, which you find by right-clicking an envelope in the Track view, adds a node to the envelope that you clicked. For more information about envelopes, see “Automation” on page 1101. Reset Node This command returns a node to its default value. For example a pan node would return to 0% C. Delete Node This command deletes the node over which you have right-clicked.
Zoom tool This command enables the Zoom tool feature. For more information about the Zoom tool feature, see “Displaying clips” on page 341. For more information about displaying tracks, see “Configuring the Console and Track views” on page 883. See: “Zoom tool” on page 504 Previous Zoom This command returns the Track view to the previous zoom level. For more information about displaying tracks, see “Configuring the Console and Track views” on page 883.
Output Bus Meters When selected with a check mark, output bus meters are displayed. When unchecked, output bus meters are not displayed. Record Meter Options > Peak Available in the Playback Meter Options, Record Meter Options, and Mains Meter Options submenus, this command sets the meter to Peak. For more information about Peak meter display, see “Metering” on page 899.
Record Meter Options > Lock Peaks This command when checked and the Hold Peaks is also checked causes the peak to be locked at its highest point on the meter until the end of playback or recording. Playback Meter Options > Peak Available in the Playback Meter Options, Record Meter Options, and Mains Meter Options submenus, this command sets the meter to show peaks. For more information about Peak meter display, see “Metering” on page 899.
Playback Meter Options > Lock Peaks This command when checked and the Hold Peaks is also checked causes the peak to be locked at its highest point on the meter until the end of playback or recording. Output Bus Meter Options > Peak Available in the Playback Meter Options, Record Meter Options, and Mains Meter Options submenus, this command sets the meter to show peaks. For more information about Peak meter display, see “Metering” on page 899.
Output Bus Meter Options > Lock Peaks This command when checked and the Hold Peaks is also checked causes the peak to be locked at its highest point on the meter until the end of playback or recording. Playback Meter Options > Pre Fader This command sets the meter to measure the volume level in the signal path prior to entering the fader. Output Bus Meter Options > Pre Fader This command sets the meter to measure the volume level in the signal path prior to entering the fader.
dB This command sets the Audio Scaling ruler to display the dB level of the waveform being shown. Zoom Factor This command sets the Audio Scaling ruler to display the zoom factor (a multiple of the default zoom level, i.e. a zoom factor of 10 shows the waveform at 10 times the detail) of the waveform being shown. Show and Fit Selection This command zooms vertically and horizontally in the Track view to fit just the selected clips. Show only Selected Tracks Hides all tracks which are not selected.
Redo View Change Negates the last Undo View Change command. Create Track Envelopes Using Linear Shapes This command, when checked, causes newly inserted envelopes to have a node at both the beginning and end of the track. If unchecked, an envelope appears as a dotted line with no active nodes. Snap to Grid Click this button to turn Snap to Grid on or off. See: “Defining and using the Snap Grid” on page 370 Select tool Use this to select data.
Draw tool Use this to draw data or events. See: “Freehand tool” on page 486 Open Clip Effects Bin This command opens the clip effects bin. See: “Effects on clips” on page 921 Insert New Track(s) or Bus(es) Click this button to choose from a variety of insertion options. You can insert a single audio or MIDI track, multiple tracks, a track folder, a track template, or a single stereo or surround (SONAR Producer only) bus.
Mute tool This button activates the Mute tool, which allows you to mute and unmute individual clips. Set options for this tool by clicking the small down arrow to the right of the button. The Mute tool allows you to edit multiple clips simultaneously, including clips in clip groups. See: “Clip muting and isolating (clip soloing)” on page 388 “Mute tool” on page 499 Exclusive Solo This button enables Exclusive Solo mode.
Add MBT to Pool This command adds the time ruler to the Pool. Tip: In the Control Bar’s Snap module, set the Musical Time value to the resolution you would like to add to the Pool. See: “Using the Pool” on page 689 “AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only)” on page 635 Quantize to Pool This command opens the Quantize to AudioSnap Pool dialog box, which lets you quantize audio beats to the Pool.
[Track view] View > Navigator Show/Hide Use this command to show or hide the Navigator pane in the Track view. The keyboard shortcut for hiding or showing the Navigator pane is ALT+N. See: “Using the Navigator view” on page 348 [Track view] View > Video Thumbnail Show/Hide This command toggles on or off the display of the Video Thumbnails track. The Video Thumbnails track can be displayed even if there is no video in your project. You can also show or hide the this track by pressing V on your keyboard.
[Track view] View > Display > Display Ghosted Data Use this command to show or hide all data types, regardless of which data type is selected in a track’s Edit Filter control. All but the selected data type will be shaded, or “ghosted”. This allows you to see all data types in context while editing a specific data type. [Track view] View > Display > Display Track Separators Enabling this option causes SONAR to display a horizontal line in the Clips pane between each track.
[Track view] View > Display > Vertical Grid Lines > None Enabling this option causes SONAR to not display vertical grid lines in the Clips pane. [Track view] View > Display > Vertical Grid Lines > Behind Clips Enabling this option causes SONAR to display vertical lines in the Clips pane that are one measure apart. Vertical grid lines are displayed, but clips will draw on top of them, so clip contents will not be obstructed.
View > MIDI Microscope This command activates Piano Roll Microscope mode. When Microscope mode is enabled, a transparent rounded square centered on the mouse cursor shows a zoomed in region of the Piano Roll data underneath it. See: “Piano Roll Microscope mode” on page 750 [Track view] View > View Undo This command returns the Track view to the previous zoom level (undo zoom). For more information about displaying tracks, see “Configuring the Console and Track views” on page 883.
[Track view] Options > Crossfade Type > Default Fade-In Curve > Linear This command sets as a default a linear, or steady fade-in curve when dragging the beginning of a clip. For more information about crossfades, see “Fades and crossfades” on page 430. [Track view] Options > Crossfade Type > Default Fade-In Curve > Slow Curve This command sets as a default a slow fade-in curve when dragging the beginning of a clip. For more information about crossfades, see “Fades and crossfades” on page 430.
[Track view] Options > Crossfade Type > Default Fade-Out Curve > Fast Curve This command sets as a default a fast fade-out curve when dragging the end of a clip. For more information about crossfades, see “Fades and crossfades” on page 430. [Track view] Options > Crossfade Type > Default Crossfade Curves > Linear Out - Linear In This command sets as default a crossfade in which the first clip fades out at a steady rate and the second clip fades in at a steady rate.
[Track view] Options > Crossfade Type > Default Crossfade Curves > Slow Out - Fast In This command sets as default a crossfade in which the first clip fades out slowly and the second clip fades in fast. For more information about crossfades, see “Fades and crossfades” on page 430. [Track view] Options > Crossfade Type > Default Crossfade Curves > Linear Out - Fast In This command sets as default a crossfade in which the first clip fades out at a steady rate and the second clip fades in fast.
[Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Left Click Sets Now Enabling this option allows you to set the Now Time by left-clicking a location in the Clips pane. [Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Right Click Sets Now Enabling this option allows you to set the Now Time by right-clicking a location in the Clips pane. [Track view] Options > Click Behavior > Left Click Locks Scroll Enabling this option prevents the Clips pane from scrolling horizontally during playback while you edit data.
[Track view] Options > Click Behavior > DoubleClick > MIDI Clips > Piano Roll View Enabling this option causes the Piano Roll view to open when you double-click a MIDI clip. [Track view] Options > Click Behavior > DoubleClick > MIDI Clips > Inline Piano Roll View Enabling this option causes the Inline Piano Roll view to open when you double-click a MIDI clip.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Bus Meters Show or hide bus meters. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Horizontal Meters Show horizontal meters in the Track view. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Vertical Meters Show vertical meters in the Track view. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Show Numeric Peak Values Show or hide peak values in each track’s header. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Show Track Peak Markers Show or hide peak markers for tracks.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Reset All Meters Reset all meters and clear any clipping indicators. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Record Meter Options > Peak This command sets the meter to Peak. For more information about Peak meter display, see “Metering” on page 899. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Record Meter Options > RMS This command sets the meter to RMS. For more information about RMS meter display, see “Metering” on page 899.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Record Meter Options > -24 dB This command changes the range that record meters measure to 24 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Record Meter Options > -42 dB This command changes the range that record meters measure to 42 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Record Meter Options > Show Labels This command toggles on/off labels on record meters. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Record Meter Options > Hold Peaks This command causes a meter to hold the most recent peak for a short time. The peak volume level recorded by the meter is marked by a small white line which remains for a moment if lock peaks is not checked or until the end of playback or recording if Lock Peaks is checked.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > Peak + RMS This command sets the meter to Peak + RMS. For more information about Peak + RMS meter display, see “Metering” on page 899. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > Pre Fader This command sets the meter to measure the volume level in the signal path prior to entering the fader.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > -42 dB This command changes the range that track playback meters measure to 42 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > -60 dB This command changes the range that track playback meters measure to 60 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Track Meter Options > Hold Peaks This command causes a meter to hold the most recent peak for a short time. The peak volume level recorded by the meter is marked by a small white line which remains for a moment if lock peaks is not checked or until the end of playback or recording if Lock Peaks is checked.
Options > Pre Fader This command sets the meter to measure the volume level in the signal path prior to entering the fader. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Bus Meter Options > Post Fader This command sets the meter to measure the volume level in the signal path after exiting the fader. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Bus Meter Options > Pre Fader Post FX This command sets the meter to measure the volume level in the signal path after the effects bin and prior to the fader.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Bus Meter Options > -60 dB This command changes the range that bus meters measure to 60 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899. [Track view] Options > Meter Options > Bus Meter Options > -78 dB This command changes the range that bus meters measure to 78 dB. For more information about meters, see “Metering” on page 899.
[Track view] Options > Meter Options > Bus Meter Options > Lock Peaks This command when checked and the Hold Peaks is also checked causes the peak to be locked at its highest point on the meter until the end of playback or recording. [Track view] Options > Drag and Drop Options The Drag and Drop Options command opens the Drag and Drop Options dialog box. [Track view] Options > Mouse Wheel Zoom Options The Mouse Wheel Zoom Options command opens the Mouse Wheel Zoom Options dialog box.
[Track view] Options > Stop at Project End When this option is checked, playback will automatically stop after the last event in the project is reached. When this option is unchecked, playback will continue beyond the end of the project and playback can also be started in an empty project. Make Instrument Track If an existing audio track and MIDI track are assigned to the same software instrument, you can convert the two tracks into a single instrument track (only available for MIDI tracks).
[Track view] Tracks > Wipe Track(s) The Tracks > Wipe Track(s) command deletes track contents but leaves track properties intact. SONAR does not put wiped information on the Clipboard for later copying. For more information about the Wipe Track(s) command, see “Erasing tracks” on page 337. [Track view] Tracks > Copy Track Name(s) to Clip Name(s) This command copies track names to clips in corresponding tracks. [Track view] Tracks > Hide Track(s) This command hides all selected tracks.
[Track view] Tracks > Selected Track Input Series The Selected Track Input Series command opens the Assign Series of Inputs dialog box. Use this command to assign a series of consecutive mono input ports to the selected audio tracks. For details, see “To assign different audio input ports to multiple tracks” on page 222 and “Assign Series of Inputs dialog” on page 1696. [Track view] Tracks > Selected Track Inputs The Selected Track Inputs command opens the Track Inputs dialog box.
[Track view] Clips > Bounce to Clip(s) This command lets you combine selected audio clips into a single clip. Note: Like any clips, slip-edited clips can be combined with other clips using the Bounce to Clip(s) command. When a slip-edited clip is combined with another clip, any slip-edited data (audio or MIDI events that are cropped from view) is overwritten. For more information, see “Splitting and combining clips” on page 379, and “Bouncing to clips” on page 835.
[Track view] Clips > Remove from Clip Group This command removes all selected clips from any clip group they may belong to. Tip: To select only a single clip in a group, hold down the SHIFT key and click the clip that you want to remove from the group. See: “Clip groups” on page 361: [Track view] Clips > Revert Original Time Stamp This command moves all selected clips back to their original SMPTE time position.
This command unlinks the selected step sequencer clips, allowing each clip to be edited separately from each other. See: “To unlink copied Step Sequencer clips” on page 1966 [Track view] Clips > Convert MIDI Clip(s) to Step Sequencer This command lets you convert any selected MIDI clip to a step sequencer clip.
Show/Hide Velocity Tails Show or hide the velocity tails on MIDI notes in all tracks that are using Drum Maps. Show Velocity on Selected Notes Only This option lets you show velocities for selected Note events only. This makes it easier to see and edit velocities when many Note events are present. It also makes it easier to change the velocity for individual Note events that are stacked (such as chords). Show All Controllers Show all controllers in all displayed tracks.
Hide Muted Clips By default, events in muted MIDI clips are shown in the Piano Roll view. SONAR provides an option to exclude muted clips from displaying in the Piano Roll view. [Track view] Region FX > Melodyne > Create Region FX This command converts the selected audio region to a Melodyne Region FX clip. For more information about Melodyne, see “Melodyne (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1048.
[Track view] Region FX > Melodyne > Follow Host Tempo When this option is enabled, the Melodyne Region FX clip will follow future changes to SONAR’s tempo map. Note: It is not possible to slip-stretch Region FX clips that have the Follow Host Tempo option enabled. For more information about Melodyne, see “Melodyne (Producer and Studio only)” on page 1048. [Track view] Region FX > Melodyne > Copy MIDI Events Convert the selected Melodyne Region FX clip to MIDI data, and copy to the clipboard.
[Track view] Region FX > V-Vocal > Open Editor This command opens the V-Vocal interface. V-Vocal is a vocal processor that corrects pitch, formants, timing, and can add vibrato. For more information about V-Vocal Region FX clips, see “V-Vocal Region FX clips” on page 1063. [Track view] Region FX > V-Vocal > Bypass Selected Region FX This command bypasses or unbypasses all selected V-Vocal Region FX clips. For more information about V-Vocal Region FX clips, see “V-Vocal Region FX clips” on page 1063.
Set project tempo from clip This command copies the clip’s tempo map to the project’s global tempo map. This allows the project’s measure boundaries to align with the audio clip. Whenever the project’s tempo map is generated from a clip, the clip’s Lock Position property is enabled automatically.
[Piano Roll] View > Show/Hide Drum Pane Use this command to show or hide the Drum pane in the Piano Roll view. [Piano Roll] View > Show Vertical Gridlines Use this command to show or hide vertical grid lines in the Piano Roll view. [Piano Roll] View > Grid Resolution > Quarter The Quarter option creates grid lines in the Drum Grid pane at quarter note intervals.
[Piano Roll] View > Grid Resolution > Sixteenth Triplet The Sixteenth Triplet option creates grid lines in the Drum Grid pane at sixteenth note triplet intervals (three lines per eighth note). [Piano Roll] View > Grid Resolution > 32nd The 32nd option creates grid lines in the Drum Grid pane at 32nd note intervals. [Piano Roll] View > Grid Resolution > 32nd Triplet The 32nd Triplet option creates grid lines in the Drum Grid pane at 16th note triplet intervals (three lines per 32nd note).
Show Previous Track(s) This command displays the previous track or group of tracks. Show All Tracks Show all tracks that are open in the current view. Hide All Tracks Hide all tracks that are open in the current view. Invert Tracks Invert the visibility state of all tracks that are open in the current view. [Staff view] Print > Export to ASCII Tab This command opens the “Save As dialog” on page 1879, where you can set the name and location for an ASCII text file of a track’s tablature.
[Staff view] Edit > Quick TAB SONAR quickly creates a tablature based on standard fingering patterns. After you try the quick version, you can customize the tablature to your liking. For details, see “Quick TAB” on page 1210. [Staff view] Edit > Regenerate TAB The Regenerate TAB command generates a new TAB staff in the Staff pane. For details, see “Regenerate TAB” on page 1210. [Staff view] Edit > Play Previous Clicking this button plays the previous note from the Now time.
[Staff view] View > Display Resolution > 1/16 This option sets sixteenth notes as the smallest note duration that will display in the Staff view. Any note events that are smaller than a sixteenth note will automatically display as a sixteenth note. [Staff view] View > Display Resolution > 1/32 This option sets 32nd notes as the smallest note duration that will display in the Staff view. Any note events that are smaller than a 32nd note will automatically display as a 32nd note.
[Console view] Strips > Audio Show/hide audio tracks. [Console view] Strips > MIDI Show/hide MIDI tracks. [Console view] Strips > Instrument Show/hide Instrument tracks. [Console view] Strips > Muted Show/hide muted tracks. [Console view] Strips > Archived Show/hide archived tracks. [Console view] Strips > Frozen Show/hide frozen tracks. [Console view] Strips > Widen All Strips Show wide channel strips. [Console view] Strips > Narrow All Strips Show narrow channel strips.
[Event List view] View > Event Manager To open the “Event Manager dialog” on page 1724: • Right-click in the Event List view and choose Event Manager from the pop-up menu. OR • Click the Event List view View menu and choose Event Manager. In the Event Manager you select which types of event to display in the Event List view. Check the events you want to see in the Events List view. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967.
[Event List view] View > Pitch Wheel This option shows or hides all pitch wheel events. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967. [Event List view] View > RPN This option shows or hides all RPN events. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967. [Event List view] View > NRPN This option shows or hides all NRPN events. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967.
[Event List view] View > Lyrics This option shows or hides all lyric events. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967. [Event List view] View > MCI This option shows or hides all MCI commands. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967. [Event List view] View > Audio This option shows or hides all audio clips. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967.
[Event List view] View > Chords This option shows or hides all chord events. For more information about the Event List view, see “Event List view” on page 1967. [Event List view] Tracks > Show cropped This option allows you to show or hide events that are outside of slip-edited clip boundaries. [Lyrics view] Fonts > Font A Selects the first font. By default, this is a small font useful for editing. [Lyrics view] Fonts > Font B Selects the second font.
[Sysx view] File > Open Load a .syx file into the selected Sysx bank. [Sysx view] File > Send Transmit the current bank’s System Exclusive message. If nothing seems to happen, make sure you have correctly set the output. This command is disabled if the current bank is empty. [Sysx view] File > Send All Transmit all non-empty Sysx banks. [Sysx view] File > Receive Dump data from a synthesizer into the selected Sysx bank.
[Sysx view] Edit > Edit Data Although SONAR’s Sysx features are designed mainly to store System Exclusive data for you, you can edit the bytes of shorter messages in hex format (many of the more popular synthesizers have special patch-editing programs available that let you edit data using sliders and other tools rather than raw hex data).
Left Click Positions Rectangle When Left Click Positions Rectangle is selected, clicking in the Navigator view re-positions the track rectangle. See: “Using the Navigator view” on page 348 Horz Zoom Level 1 The Horz Zoom Level 1 command selects horizontal zoom level 1 in the Navigator view. See: “Using the Navigator view” on page 348 Horz Zoom Level 2 The Horz Zoom Level 2 command selects horizontal zoom level 2 in the Navigator view.
Horz Zoom Level 4 The Horz Zoom Level 4 command selects horizontal zoom level 4 in the Navigator view. See: “Using the Navigator view” on page 348 Horz Zoom Level 5 The Horz Zoom Level 5 command selects horizontal zoom level 5 in the Navigator view. See: “Using the Navigator view” on page 348 Horz Zoom to Project The Horz Zoom to Project command shows the entire project in the Navigator view.
Track Height Tall The Track Height Short command makes track heights appear tall in the Navigator view. See: “Using the Navigator view” on page 348 Insert Module The Insert Module command inserts a new module in the channel’s ProChannel. See: “To insert a module” on page 1003 Remove Module The Remove Module command removes the selected ProChannel module. See: “To remove a module” on page 1003 Replace Module The Replace Module command lets you replace the selected ProChannel module with another module.
Post-FX bin The Post-FX Bin toggle switches the ProChannel’s signal from prior to the channel’s effects bin or after the channel’s effects bin. See: “To route ProChannel pre-effects bin or post-effects bin” on page 1004 Set Modules as Default for Tracks The Set Modules as Default for Tracks command stores the current ProChannel configuration as the default for new tracks.
Add button The Add button command adds a new assignable button in the FX Chain’s property page. See: “To add/remove an assignable knob or button” on page 939 Edit control The Edit control command opens the Control Properties dialog box, which lets you configure the selected control. See: “To customize an assignable control” on page 939 “To map an assignable knob or button to a plug-in parameter” on page 941 Remove control The Remove control command removes the selected assignable control.
Set Default Value The Set Default Value command sets the default value for the FX Chain knob or button. When you double-click the knob or button, it returns to its default value. See: “To set the default parameter value” on page 940 All Parameters - Set Start The All Parameters - Set Start command sets the Start value for all plug-in parameters assigned to the FX Chain knob or button. The values are determined by the current position of each plug-in’s property page settings.
Learn Buttons The Learn Buttons command puts the FX Chain into a learning mode and will 'listen' to controls touched on the plug-ins in the FX Chain. When you select Learn Buttons again, the touched controls are assigned and displayed in the FX Chain property page. Learn mode is automatically ended if the limit of 6 buttons is reached.
Remove Empty Take Lanes The Remove Empty Take Lanes command removes all empty Take lanes in the current track.
Beginner’s guide to Cakewalk software If you have little or no experience using music software to play and record music, this guide is for you. This guide explains the terms and concepts you need to know to use music software. You can get much more help in every Cakewalk program by using the Help menu, or by pressing F1 when you have any view or dialog box open. All Cakewalk programs have very basic tutorials in the online Help that cover recording and playback.
To record, for example, an electric guitar into the computer, you plug one end of your guitar cable into your guitar, and plug the other end into the Line input of your sound card. Then you would click the Record button in your Cakewalk software, start playing your instrument, and then click the Stop button (or press the SPACEBAR). The Line input has a little icon next to it, which is very hard to recognize, so it usually helps to look at the documentation that came with your sound card or computer.
MIDI Besides introducing MIDI in this section, we’ll explain the following MIDI topics: • “MIDI channels, interfaces, inputs, and outputs” on page 1666 • “MIDI drivers” on page 1668 • “MIDI files, projects, tracks, and clips” on page 1669 • “Controlling which sounds you hear” on page 1671 Short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, MIDI is a system that lets an electronic instrument or computer control other instruments.
For more information, see: “MIDI channels, interfaces, inputs, and outputs” on page 1666 “MIDI drivers” on page 1668 “MIDI files, projects, tracks, and clips” on page 1669 “Controlling which sounds you hear” on page 1671 “MIDI” on page 1665 “Audio” on page 1673 “Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers” on page 1689 MIDI channels, interfaces, inputs, and outputs Most MIDI instruments can play at least 16 different sounds at the same time—instruments that can play more than one sound at a time are called mu
Figure 483. Standard MIDI cable—use this if your MIDI interface has standard 5-pin input and output ports A B A. Connect one end to an OUT on your MIDI interface B. Connect the other end to an IN on your MIDI instrument MIDI instruments have inputs and outputs labeled MIDI IN and MIDI OUT. You connect a MIDI cable from one of your MIDI interface’s MIDI OUTs to a MIDI IN on an instrument.
For more information, see: “MIDI drivers” on page 1668 “MIDI files, projects, tracks, and clips” on page 1669 “Controlling which sounds you hear” on page 1671 “MIDI” on page 1665 “Audio” on page 1673 “Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers” on page 1689 “MIDI channels, interfaces, inputs, and outputs” on page 1666 MIDI drivers Your MIDI interface needs a driver to function. A driver is a small software program that controls input and output for a peripheral device.
MIDI files, projects, tracks, and clips In Cakewalk programs, the file that you use to store usually a single song’s data is called a project. This is the file you use to record, play back, and edit your song. The file extension for a project is .wrk in older Cakewalk programs and .cwp in newer ones. Projects that use only the MIDI format (no digital audio) can be saved in a format called a Standard MIDI File, and can then be played back in any program or machine that plays MIDI files.
Notice that when you record any data into a track, that SONAR displays a visual representation of the track’s data in the Clips pane. In the above picture, Tracks 1, 2, and 6 are still empty, while Tracks 3, 4, and 5 contain recorded data. Also notice that Track 3 is a different color from the other tracks, meaning that it has the focus, and will make the bass sound when you play your MIDI keyboard (controller).
Controlling which sounds you hear Because each MIDI instrument can probably play many different sounds at the same time, you need a way to tell each instrument which tracks are meant for which sounds. You do this by assigning a MIDI channel to each track, and by assigning a specific sound, called a patch or program, to each track.
If your interface only has one output, and you chain several instruments to that output by using the MIDI THRU ports on the instruments, you can use the individual instruments’ own control panels to choose what MIDI channels they will respond to. That way, an instrument can ignore any notes or other messages that are meant for a different instrument on the chain. This setting is usually called MIDI Receive, and might be abbreviated on an instrument’s control panel as MIDI RX.
Audio The audio format works by converting any sound that’s recorded into a long series of numbers, storing and usually editing the numbers, and then converting the numbers back into sound. When you record sound using this format, the microphone you use causes the voltage in its cable to change rapidly as the mic’s diaphragm vibrates. These rapid changes in voltage are measured and recorded by an analog-to-digital converter, and these measurements make up what we call digital audio.
Audio playback in SONAR To use digital audio in SONAR, you first have to make sure that your sound card and its driver are properly installed. For information about sound card and driver installation, see your sound card’s documentation, and also “Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers” on page 1689. After you’ve successfully tested your sound card and driver, you should play back one of the sample files that came with your Cakewalk software.
Possible problem What to do Your tracks’ initial volume settings are too low, or the tracks are muted. See “Track-by-track playback” on page 1678. Your audio tracks are assigned to the wrong playback device. Check the playback device assignment for an audio track by clicking the track’s Output button or Out field. If the name of your sound card (the one you have connected to an amp and speakers) is not selected on the pop-up menu, select it.
Tracks A track is represented by a horizontal strip in the Track view that has a name and number on the left side (each track is also represented by a vertical module in the Console view). A track is a container you usually use to keep the sound from each instrument separate from the others—you usually keep the sound from each instrument on a separate track.
For more information, see: “Clips” on page 1677 “Track-by-track playback” on page 1678 “Connecting an instrument, home stereo, or microphone to your sound card” on page 1680 “Choosing inputs” on page 1686 “Audio recording” on page 1680 “Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers” on page 1689 “MIDI” on page 1665 Clips A clip is a portion of the audio or MIDI data in a track that is bounded by a vertical line on each end of the clip. You can click a clip to select it—a selected clip becomes highlighted.
configure in the Control Bar’s Snap module. Additional snap settings are available in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Snap to Grid. In the following picture, the clips in Track 1 have been moved around to reverse their order, so instead of the first three notes of Three Blind Mice, we now have Mice Blind Three. A B C A. Mice B. Blind C.
B C D A E A. Track volume fader—drag left or right to change B. Mute button C. Solo button D. Arm button E. Archived track The following table summarizes muting, soloing, and archiving. Track status What it means Normal The track plays unless one or more of your other tracks is soloed. Muted The track is not played, but you can turn it on while playback is in progress. Archived The track is not played, and you must stop playback to re-enable it.
Audio recording If your sound card and driver are properly installed, recording audio data is mostly a matter of accomplishing two tasks: • Connecting an instrument, home stereo, or microphone to an input on your sound card • Choosing that same input in SONAR, your sound card’s software, and/or Windows For more information, see: “Connecting an instrument, home stereo, or microphone to your sound card” on page 1680 “Choosing inputs” on page 1686 “Audio recording” on page 1680 “Audio hardware (sound cards) an
The following table summarizes the possible sound card inputs, types of cables required, and the inputs to plug into. Type of sound card inputs Cables and adapters needed Inputs to plug into 1/8 inch Mic and Line For most electric instruments: 1/4 inch balanced cable connected to 1/4 inch-to-1/8 inch adapter. For mics that have an XLR plug on their cable: XLR-to-1/4 inch adapter connected to 1/4 inch-to-1/8 inch adapter. Plug instruments into the Line input; plug microphones into the Mic input.
Electric guitar direct-in You can connect an electric guitar directly to your sound card using a 1/4 inch mono to 1/8 inch stereo adapter. The following diagram shows this setup: Figure 486. Electric guitar direct in To sound card microphone input (mono) 1/4 inch instrument cable 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter The 1/8 inch plug should be plugged into the sound card’s Line input, although plugging into the Mic input will also work.
Electric guitar through effects rack You can also plug an electric guitar into an effects rack, then send the output of the rack to the sound card’s input, as shown in the following diagram: Figure 487.
Microphone direct-in Microphones can be plugged into the sound card’s Mic input. Some inexpensive microphones are made especially for use with sound cards and come equipped with 1/8 inch plugs. However, better quality microphones take better quality cables, which do not terminate in 1/8 inch plugs. The following figure illustrates how to connect a microphone that terminates in a 1/4 inch plug to a 1/8 inch input: Figure 488.
Mixer You can connect a mixer to the sound card with a setup of the following kind: Figure 490. Mixer From sound card line output to inputs #1 & 2 From Aux Bus #1 & 2 to sound card line input Stereo Amplifier Main mixer outs to power amp 1/4 inch instrument cable to input #3 Let’s trace the signal flow in the above picture: 1. Your pre-recorded tracks flow out of the sound card’s outputs into mixer inputs #1 and 2. 2.
7. In the above setup, do not turn up the bus sends on inputs #1 or #2 (where the sound card’s line outputs connect to the mixer)—this creates a feedback loop, feeding the sound card’s outputs back into its inputs through the buses.
7. Adjust your instrument’s volume, and/or the volume slider in the Record Control dialog box so that the level in the Record meter almost reaches the red zone when you play your loudest notes. 8. Record some sound by pressing r to start recording, and pressing the SPACEBAR when you’re finished. You can rewind by pressing w. After you stop recording, you should see a picture of your audio data in the Clips pane of the track you’re recording in.
To record through the S/PDIF input 1. Connect the instrument or CD player you want to record from to your sound card’s S/PDIF input using a 75 ohm coaxial video cable or special S/PDIF cable. You may need to turn off the power on your computer, sound card, and sound source first. See your sound card’s documentation. 2. Use your sound card’s mixer software to set its clock to external or S/PDIF. 3. Leave SONAR’s clock setting at the default choice, which is Audio.
Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers There are many different brands of sound cards on the market today. This section aims to help you get the best out of yours. See: “Consumer and professional” on page 1689 Consumer and professional There are many sound cards to choose from. Nearly every computer comes with one. Some are nationally known brands and others are proprietary sound cards that are made specifically for a single manufacturer. These sound cards are called “consumer” cards.
Professional sound card characteristics: • Multiple inputs and outputs. Many professional sound cards have multiple inputs and/or outputs. Some have analog and digital inputs or outputs for use with ADATs and digital mixers. • Type of inputs and outputs. Professional sound cards use quarter inch (mono or TRS), XLR or RCA inputs rather than the eighth inch jacks found on consumer grade sound cards. Some cards also have digital inputs and/or outputs like S/PDIF and ADAT.
Installation and drivers When you install a sound card, you are installing both the hardware and software called a driver. The sound card driver is what allows your operating system and your sound card to communicate. This section is aimed at preventing problems when installing both your sound card and its driver. Installing a sound card Follow your sound card’s documentation for installing the sound card in your computer.
IRQ conflicts Newer motherboards often use something called ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) which controls IRQ settings, in effect overriding the motherboard IRQ settings. ACPI, just like Plug and Play, can sometimes lead to shared IRQs and problems with your sound card. Checking for ACPI on Your System: 1. Look at your IRQ settings. 2. Look for an entry that says ACPI.
For more information, see: “Audio” on page 1673 “MIDI” on page 1665 “Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers” on page 1689 “Audio playback in SONAR” on page 1674“Tracks” on page 1676 “Tracks” on page 1676 “Clips” on page 1677 “Track-by-track playback” on page 1678 “Connecting an instrument, home stereo, or microphone to your sound card” on page 1680 “Choosing inputs” on page 1686 “Audio recording” on page 1680 Beginner’s guide to Cakewalk software Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers 1693
Beginner’s guide to Cakewalk software Audio hardware (sound cards) and drivers
Dialog box reference About SONAR dialog When you use the Help > About SONAR command, the Cakewalk logo appears, with the version number of your Cakewalk product listed below it. Apply Audio Effects dialog This dialog box gives you several options when applying audio effects: Delete the effects from the track effects bin. This option lets you either keep your effects patched in the selected track(s) after the effects have been applied, or delete the effect from the track(s). Fast bounce.
Apply MIDI Effects dialog When you select Process > Apply Effect > MIDI Effects, the Apply MIDI Effects dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you select options for applying MIDI effects to selected MIDI data. You can choose to delete the effect from the patch point after it is applied, so that it will not be reapplied on playback.
• Bit depth must be 16. The Audio CD Burner dialog box has the following controls: • Track List. The main area of the window is the track list. The tracks comprise the sounds that will be written (burned) to an audio CD. Each track is contained on its own line. • Add Track. Browse to your local file system and add a new track to the list. All Audio Tracks must be stereo .wav files with a sample rate of 44,100 Hz, and a bit depth of 16. New tracks will go at the end of the list but can be moved anywhere.
Audio Mixdown Options dialog Clicking the Mixdown Options button in the Export Video dialog box opens the Audio Mixdown Options dialog box. This dialog box lets you control the characteristics of the audio file you export when you export a video from SONAR. This dialog box has the following fields: • Preset. You can name and save a preset which includes the source bus and all mix enable selections. • Channel Format. Choose Mono, Stereo, or Multichannel. • Sample Rate.
Automation Read/Write Parameters This dialog box appears when you right-click the name of a plug-in in an effects bin and choose Read Enable Parameter or Write Enable Parameter from the pop-up menu. This dialog box has the following fields: Parameter Read Enabled Parameter “n” check box. The enabled check boxes in this list show what parameters of the plug-in are automation read-enabled. You can check or uncheck each of these check boxes. Parameter Write Enabled Parameter “n” check box.
AVI Encoder Options dialog Clicking the Encoding Options button in the Video dialog box opens the AVI Encoder Options dialog box. This dialog box lists the AVI video and audio codecs (compression-decompression programs) that are currently installed on your computer. The AVI Encoder Options dialog box has the following fields: Video Codec Choose a compression format, but note the following: • Not all compression codecs listed may necessarily be compatible while re-compressing video through “Export to AVI”.
Audio Codec Note: If you’re exporting an AVI file to either a 24-bit audio format or to a multi-channel (surround sound) format, set the Audio Codec to No Compression. The following audio compression codecs have been found to be compatible (you may see different codecs installed on your system): • CCITT - A Law • CCITT - U Law • DSP Group TrueSpeech • PCM (this is the standard uncompressed format for wav files) • GSM 6.
Bank Name dialog When you select a bank in the Sysx view and click the Name button, the Bank Name dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you specify the name of the bank you selected. A bank must contain some Sysx data before you can name it. See also: “Using the System Exclusive view” on page 1253 Bank Output dialog When you select a bank in the Sysx view and click the Output button, the Bank Output dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you specify which MIDI output you want the bank transmitted to.
See also: “To insert a bank/patch change” on page 226 “Choosing the instrument sound (bank and patch)” on page 225 Bounce to Track(s) dialog Click the Track view Tracks menu and choose Bounce to Track(s) to open the Bounce to Track(s) dialog box. This command lets you process the effects and/or automation together with the audio data in tracks to create one or several new tracks in order to lighten the load on your computer.
• Tracks. Creates a new track or tracks (the Split Mono option in the Channel Format field) for each track that you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Buses. Creates a new track or tracks (the Split Mono option in the Channel Format field) for each bus that you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Main Outputs. Creates a new track or tracks (the Split Mono option in the Channel Format field) for each Main Output that you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Entire Mix.
Also with this option, if any buses are soloed, only the buses soloed are included in the mixdown. • Track Automation. If you don’t check this option, any volume and pan automation, including initial volume and pan settings, is ignored when creating the new track(s). The amplitude of the raw data in the tracks is used, and the pan is C, or centered. • Clip Automation. If you don’t check this option, any clip automation, including any trim settings, is ignored when creating the new track(s).
Change Audio Format dialog Use the Utilities > Change Audio Format command if you want to rewrite the audio in a project to a different bit depth. Your sound card must be capable of playing the project at the new bit depth, The Change Audio Format dialog box has the following fields: New Bit Depth Choose 16, 24, 32, or 64, depending on what audio format you want for this project. Dither This choice is available when you are converting to a lower bit-depth.
Choose Track Type dialog Using the INSERT key in the Track view inserts a new track of the same type as the current track, unless you use it in an empty project that has no tracks yet. In that case, the Choose Track Type dialog box appears, offering you the choice to insert either an audio or MIDI track. See also: “Arranging and editing” on page 329 Clean Audio Folder dialog The Utilities > Clean Audio Folder command opens the Clean Audio Folder dialog box.
File window The file window lists all the unused audio files that SONAR finds. Find button Click this button to find all unused audio files and list them in the file window. Play button Click this button to play the audio file that is highlighted in the file window. Delete button Click this button to delete the audio file that is highlighted in the file window. Delete All button Click this button to delete all the audio files that are listed in the file window.
Clone Track(s) dialog The Track view Tracks > Clone Track(s) command opens the Clone dialog box. Use this command to copy a track or tracks to a new track or tracks. The Clone dialog box has the following fields: Selected Tracks This field lists the tracks that are currently selected. Clone Tracks • Clone Events. Select this check box if you want to copy the MIDI and audio clips in the selected track(s). • Link to Original Clip(s).
Complete Registration dialog Click Register to go to the Cakewalk web site to register your copy of SONAR. All Cakewalk software must be registered within 30 days of installation. Note: You must have an active internet connection to view this page and register online. To register anytime, log onto www.cakewalk.com/register, or call 888-CAKEWALK (U.S.) or +1 617423-9004 (outside of the U.S.) between 9 AM and 8 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Controller/Surface Settings dialog The Controller/Surface Settings dialog box opens when you click the Add button in Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Control Surfaces. The Controller/Surface Settings dialog box also opens when you select a control surface from the Connected Controllers/Surfaces list in the Controllers/Surfaces dialog box, and then click the Property Page button that’s in the Controllers/ Surfaces dialog box. The Controller/Surface Settings dialog box has the following fields: • Control Surface.
Convert MIDI Clip(s) To Step Sequencer dialog The Track view Clips > Convert MIDI Clip(s) to Step Sequencer command opens the Convert MIDI Clip(s) to Step Sequencer dialog box. This command lets you convert any selected MIDI clip to a step sequencer clip. There are two available options: • Resolution. The resolution value should correspond to the shortest note value that you expect. For example, if you specify Sixteenth notes, you will get four steps per beat.
Track/Bus Automation If you select this check box, SONAR copies all Track and Bus automation from the selection. Tempo Changes If you select this check box, SONAR copies all tempo changes in the selected object. Meter/Key Changes If you select this check box, SONAR copies all meter and key changes in the selected object. Markers If you select this check box, SONAR copies all markers in the selected object.
Crossfade dialog The Process > Apply Effect > Crossfade command lets you specify accurately the shape of a crossfade for a selection, clip, or track. This is a destructive edit—it permanently alters the data that you apply it to. To apply a nondestructive volume change to selected data, see “Creating and editing automation envelopes” on page 1119.
Cut dialog The Edit > Cut Special command opens the Cut dialog box, which lets you remove from the project and put on the Clipboard any selected objects. You can paste the contents of the Clipboard elsewhere. See “Paste dialog” on page 1771. The Cut dialog box has the following fields: Events in Tracks If you select this check box, SONAR removes every “Event” on page 2051 in the selected object. Clip Automation If you select this check box, SONAR removes all clip automation in the selection.
Define Groove dialog When you use the Process > Groove Quantize command, the Groove Quantize dialog box appears, which contains the Define button. Clicking the Define button opens the Define Groove dialog box. which you use to save new groove patterns. The Define Groove dialog box has the following fields: Groove Source This field lists the file that contains the currently loaded groove, along with the attributes. Groove Library File • File.
See also: “Creating instrument definitions” on page 1234 “Assigning instruments” on page 1230 “Importing instrument definitions” on page 1233 Deglitch dialog The Process > Deglitch command opens the Deglitch dialog box. When recording MIDI guitar, even the best players occasionally play unintended notes. The Deglitch feature allows you to filter out many of these unintended notes.
Delay dialog Using the File > Open command to open a Play List opens the Play List view, which has a Delay button. Clicking the Delay button opens the Delay dialog box, which lets you specify a different kind of delay before the start of each song. The Delay dialog box has these fields: No Delay Click this option to cause the song to start immediately following the previous song. Wait for Key Press Click this option to cause the song to start only after you press a key on your computer.
Delete dialog The Edit > Delete Special command opens the Delete dialog box, which allows you to remove selected objects from the project. It doesn't put them on the Clipboard, so they can not be subsequently pasted. You can specify the following objects to remove: Events in Tracks Removes all events in the selected clip(s). Clip Automation Removes any clip envelopes in the selected clip(s). Track/Bus Automation Removes any track or bus automation from the selected clip(s).
Drag and Drop Options dialog If you right-click in the Clips pane and choose Drag and Drop Options from the pop-up menu, the Drag and Drop dialog box appears, which you use to control how clips behave when you drag them. The Drag and Drop dialog box has the following fields: Copy Entire Clips as Linked Clips Choosing this option means that when you copy an entire clip and paste it, the new clip is a linked clip with the clip that you copied it from.
Dump Request Macro needs your input—Channel/ Unit Number When you click the Receive button in the Sysx view, and choose to receive sysx data from a synthesizer your system has trouble identifying, the Dump Request Macro needs your input dialog box appears. This dialog box, which appears if the system needs more information and you have two or more of the same synthesizer, lets you specify which channel or unit number you want dumped.
Then change the value in the Time field as desired. Change the level by using the + or - keys to the left of the Level field or by clicking and dragging up or down. Edit System Exclusive Bytes dialog When you select a bank in the Sysx view and click the Edit button, the Edit System Exclusive Bytes dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you edit your bytes in hex.
Include Click the Include check box for each row of data types you want to include in your selection. Note Click the Note check box to search for notes of a specific type. You can specify pitch, velocity and duration data to narrow your search. Click any of the exc check boxes to exclude data from your search. For example, if you click the exc check box under Key, you can exclude notes within the pitch range specified in the Min and Max fields.
• Shape. Include shapes in your selection. • Text. Include text boxes in the event list in your selection. • Expression. Include expression marks in your selection. • SysxBank. Include system exclusive bank events. • Lyric. Include lyrics in your selection. • Chord. Include chord symbols in your selection. • SysxData. Include system exclusive data events. • MCI. Include Media Control Interface commands • Hairpin. Include crescendo or decrescendo marks in your selection.
See also: “Event filters” on page 782 “Selecting events” on page 784 “The Event List view” on page 788 Export Audio dialog Select File > Export > Audio to open the Export Audio dialog box. This command lets you export your projects as Wave, MP3 files, and other types of formats. Note: If you select any data in your project, only that data is included when you choose to export audio.
• Origination Date. The date the file was created. • Origination Time. The time the file was created. • Time Reference. The SMPTE time stamp for the beginning of broadcast wave. • Windows Media Advanced Streaming Format. The Microsoft Corporation's compressed audio format, with the file extension of .wma. If you choose Windows Media Advanced Streaming Format you will be prompted for more information about the file by the Microsoft Audio Encode Options dialog box. • MP3.
on how many tracks or buses you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field • Split Mono. All exported tracks are mixed down to a group of mono files, or separate groups of mono files, depending on how many tracks or buses you select in the Source Buses/Tracks field. • Multichannel. All exported tracks in a Surround project are mixed down to a multichannel file containing the number of channels listed in Edit > Preferences > Project - Surround.
raw data in the tracks is used, and the pan is C, or centered. • Clip Automation. If you don’t check this option, any clip automation, including any trim settings, is ignored when creating the new file(s). • Bus Automation • FX Automation • Track FX. If you don’t check this option, any effects patched into various tracks’ patch points, including any plug-in synthesizers patched into track fx patch points, are ignored when creating the new file(s). • Bus FX. file.
Dump Request Macro needs your input—Channel/ Unit Number When you click the Receive button in the Sysx view, and choose to receive sysx data from a synthesizer your system has trouble identifying, the Dump Request Macro needs your input dialog box appears. This dialog box, which appears if the system needs more information and you have two or more of the same synthesizer, lets you specify which channel or unit number you want dumped.
Edit Node dialog Open the Edit Node dialog by right-clicking on a node and selecting Properties from the menu that appears. Level The node’s value (% left or right pan, for example). Change the level by using the + or - keys to the left of the Level field or by clicking and dragging up or down. Time The node’s time location in the track. Select from the following time measurement options: • M:B:T • Samples • H:M:S:F • Seconds Then change the value in the Time field as desired.
Notation Check the different kinds of notation events you want to display. All/None buttons Click an All/None button under the column of event types that you want to display all of or none of. Clicking the button toggles the display between each extreme. See also: “The Event List view” on page 788 Export Color Set dialog The Export Color Set dialog box appears when you click the Export Colors button in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Colors.
Export MIDI Groove Clip dialog The File > Export > MIDI Groove Clip command opens the Export MIDI Groove Clip dialog box. You must first select a MIDI Groove clip before the command becomes available. The Export MIDI Groove Clip dialog box has the following fields: Save In Use this field to navigate to the folder where you want to store the MIDI Groove clip. File Name Type a name in this field for the file you’re saving (exporting). Save as Type The only option in this field is MIDI Groove Clip (.mid).
Audio Packaging • Embed Audio Within OMF. Saves all audio in the OMF file. • Reference Audio Externally. Saves all audio in a subdirectory of the directory where you save the OMF file. Audio Format • Write RIFF Wave. Export audio as WAV files. • Write AIFC. Export audio as AIF files. Split Stereo Tracks to Dual Mono Check this option to save stereo tracks as a pair of mono tracks. Include Archived Tracks Check this option to export tracks in the project that are currently archived.
Export Track Template The File > Export > Track Template and Save As Track Template commands open the Export Track Preset dialog box. You must first select a track before the command becomes available. The Export Track Template dialog box has the following fields: Save In Use this field to navigate to the folder where you want to store the track template. File Name Type a name in this field for the template you want to save (export). Save as Type The only option in this field is Track Template Files (.
Fade Selected Clips dialog The Track view Clips > Fade Clips command opens the Fade Selected Clips dialog box where you can create or edit one or more clip fades. The Fade Selected Clips dialog box has the following options: Fade Select Fade if you want to create a fade-in and fade-out on the selected clips. Fade In The number of milliseconds the fade-in lasts. Fade Out The number of milliseconds the fade-out lasts.
File Info dialog The Project > Info command opens the File Info dialog box. In the File Info dialog box, you can document the following information for your project: Title Your song’s title. Subtitle Your song’s subtitle. Instructions Specific instructions about for playing your song. Author The author of the song. Copyright Applicable copyright information. Keywords Put keywords describing the song here for future reference. Project Description Text Box Project description or other information.
Statistic What it means Revision Each time you save a file that has been changed, this number is incremented. If you open a project, make no changes, then save it, the revision number is not changed. Events The total number of events in the project. Sample rate The sample rate for digital audio. Bit depth The bit depth of digital audio. Pan Law The project’s current pan law setting. File version The SONAR version number. Table 276.
Fit to Time dialog The Process > Fit to Time command opens the Fit to Time dialog box, which you can use to stretch or shrink a selection so that it ends at a specific time, expressed in either measure:beat:tick (MBT) or hours:minutes:seconds:frames (SMPTE) format. This command gives you a choice of modifying the events or modifying the underlying tempo. This is useful when you want to alter a portion of a project to have an exact length.
Format button Click the Format button to toggle between display in “MBT” on page 2054 time and “SMPTE” on page 2057 time formats.
Freeze Options dialog The Freeze Options dialog box has the following options: Fast Bounce When checked, SONAR bounces to tracks as fast as your computer will allow. If unchecked, bouncing to tracks happens in real time. Uncheck this option if you are using a synth that only works in real time. This option is checked by default. Hide MIDI Tracks Check this box if you want the MIDI tracks associated with your synth to be hidden when the synth is frozen.
Gain dialog The Process > Apply Effect > Gain command opens the Gain dialog box. This dialog box lets you precisely control the gain, phase, and stereo interleave of selected audio data. This dialog box has the following controls: • New Left Channel-From Left slider. Drag the From Left slider to determine the amount of the original left channel that will be mixed to the new file (range = -INF to 18.0dB).
Go dialog Press G to open the Go dialog box, which allows you to jump to a new Now Time. Additionally, the Go dialog box opens when you right-click a transient marker on a track with AudioSnap enabled and choose Move to or Stretch to. The Go dialog box has only the following field: To Time In this field, fill in the time you want to move to according to the following table. You can click the spin controls (Plus-Minus buttons) to move forward or backward one tick at a time.
Groove Quantize dialog The Process > Groove Quantize command opens the Groove Quantize dialog box. Groove Quantizing is a way to edit a track so that its rhythmic feeling and, optionally, controller data are similar to some other piece of music. The other piece of music forms a groove pattern that you store in a groove file, which has an extension of .GRV.
• Move to Nearest. Choosing this option means that SONAR moves out-of-window notes to the nearest groove event. • Scale Time. Choosing this option means that SONAR moves out-of-window notes so that they are equally spaced. AudioSnap Beats Check this box if you want AudioSnap transients to be quantized. Only Notes, Lyrics and Audio Check this box to prevent MIDI controller, aftertouch, and xRPN data from changing.
Group Attributes dialog When you right-click a control in the Track view or the Console view that belongs to a Quick Group, and choose Save from the pop-up menu, the Group Attributes dialog box appears. The Group Attributes dialog box has the following fields: Group Name You can enter a name for the group in this field. Choose Color button Clicking this button opens the Color dialog box, which allows you to choose or customize the group color.
Start Value column This column is not active unless the group is a custom group. The Start Value column lists the beginning values of all the controls in the selected group. End Value column This column is not active unless the group is a custom group. The End Value column lists the ending values of all the controls in the selected group. Preserve Mix Between Gain Members When this check box is enabled, any gain controls that are grouped will maintain the dB differential between them when they are moved.
See also: “Using control groups” on page 951 Hairpin Properties dialog In the Staff view, right-click on a hairpin (crescendo or decrescendo) to open the Hairpin Properties dialog box. Use these fields to edit the hairpin that you right-clicked: • Time. Type the location you want the hairpin to move to. • < Crescendo. • > Diminuendo. Click this option to change the hairpin to a crescendo. Click this option to change the hairpin to a decrescendo. • Duration. Type the length you want the hairpin to last.
• Look In field. import. Use this field to navigate to the folder that contains the audio file you want to • File name window. Just below the Look In field, this window displays the contents of the folder that’s listed in the Look In field. In this window, you can click the name of the file you want to import to select it. You can select more than one file by holding down the CTRL key while you click. • File Name field. This field displays the name of the audio file that you have selected to import.
Import Audio CD Tracks dialog The File > Import > Audio CD command opens the Import Audio CD Tracks dialog box. Use this command to import an audio CD track (extension .cda) into your project. The Import Audio CD Tracks dialog box has the following controls: • Track List. The main area of the window is the track list. Each track represents an audio track located on the CD. The tracks are automatically named and numbered in order. Any number of CD Tracks can be selected for importing. • Source Drive.
Import Color Set dialog The Import Color Set dialog box appears when you click the Import Colors button in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Colors. This dialog box has the following fields: Look in Select the directory in which SONAR stores the file that you want to open. File and folder window This large window under the Look in field lists the files and folders that are inside the current folder. File name Type or select the filename you want to open.
Import MIDI dialog The File > Import > MIDI command opens the Import MIDI dialog box. Use this dialog box to import MIDI files or Project5 patterns. The Import MIDI dialog box has the following fields: Look In Use this field to navigate to the folder that contains the MIDI file or Project5 pattern that you want to import. File Name This field lists the name of the file you’ve selected to import. Files of Type Use this field to choose whether you want to display MIDI files or Project5 patterns.
and digital audio data can be saved together in a new AVI file with File > Export Video command. For more information, see Preparing Audio for Distribution. Note: The project's video file is saved in the project by reference only; the actual video data remains in the original file. Use these options in the Video File dialog box: Option What it means Look in Use this field to find the folder that contains the video file you want to insert.
Insert Pitch Change dialog Right-clicking in the time ruler and choosing Insert Pitch Change from the pop-up menu opens the Insert Pitch Change dialog box. This command changes the pitch of a Groove clip at the Now time at which you insert the command. For more information, see: “Creating and editing Groove Clips” on page 708 “Using pitch markers in the Track view” on page 712 Insert Series of Controllers dialog Select Insert > Series of Controllers to open the Insert Series of Controllers dialog box.
Insert Series of Tempos dialog This command lets you change tempo smoothly over a specified time range by inserting a series of tempo changes. Tempo Range • Begin–enter the tempo you want to start the tempo range at. • End– enter the tempo you want to end the tempo range at. • Step–enter a value in beats and clock ticks for how often you want SONAR to insert a tempo change into your tempo range. Time Range • From–enter the time location in your project where you want the tempo range to start.
• All Synth Audio Outputs: Stereo. If you select this option, one new stereo synth track appears for each stereo audio output that the synth you chose has. Each of the new tracks uses a different one of the synth’s outputs as an audio input. • All Synth Audio Outputs: Mono. If you select this option, two new mono synth tracks (one Left and one Right) appear for each stereo audio output that the synth you chose has. Each pair of new synth tracks uses a different one of the synth’s outputs as an audio input.
Insert Time/Measures dialog Select Project > Insert Time/Measures to open the Insert Time Measures dialog box. This dialog box lets you insert the amount of time you specify at the point you indicate in the music. You can specify what events to slide over to make room for the new amount of time. At Time: The time at which you want to insert time, seconds, ticks or frames.
Insert Tracks dialog Using the Insert > Multiple Tracks command opens the Insert Tracks dialog box, which allows you to insert multiple audio and/or MIDI tracks, and set some track properties. This dialog box has the following fields: Audio • Track Count. Set the number of audio tracks you want to insert. • Main Destination. Set the main output that you want the new audio tracks to use. • Set as Default Bus.
Length dialog The Process > Length command, which opens the Length dialog box, can be used to stretch or shrink MIDI and/or audio clips, and/or to move their start times. Process > Length lets you stretch or shrink the selection by a fixed percentage and makes the adjustment by altering the individual events. A value of 200 percent, for example, stretches the selection to twice its original length, while a value of 50 percent shrinks the selection to half its original length.
See also: “Stretching and shrinking events” on page 762 Load Pattern dialog To open the Load Pattern dialog box, do one of the following: • Right-click in the Step Sequencer toolbar and select Load Pattern from the pop-up menu. • Open the Step Sequencer and press CTRL+ALT+L. Use the Load Pattern dialog box to load an existing step sequencer pattern into a project. Look in Select the directory in which SONAR stores the pattern that you want to load.
In Note The recorded pitch as it appears in the Event List view. The range is from C0 to G10 or 0 to 127. Raise or lower values one half-step at a time using the +/- keys or by an octave at a time by using the open and close bracket keys ([ and ]). Out Note The specific note to which the In Note is mapped. The range is from C0 to G10 or 0 to 127. Raise or lower values one half-step at a time using the +/- keys or by an octave at a time by using the open and close braked keys ([ and ]).
Marker dialog Use the Project > Insert Marker command to open the Marker dialog box. This dialog box lets you add a “Marker” on page 2054 where you specify in the music. Name: Enter the name you want to give the marker. Lock to SMPTE time Check this if you want to use SMPTE time code. Time: Enter the time at which you want to place the marker. Groove Clip Pitch If you want the marker to change the project pitch, select the pitch you want from the Groove Clip Pitch drop-down menu.
Meter/Key Signature dialog Select Project > Insert Meter/Key Change to open the Meter/Key Signature dialog box. This dialog box lets you set the meter and key signature of a project or any part of a project. At Measure: Select the measure you from where you want the changes to take effect. Beats per Measure: Select the number of beats per measure. Beat Value: Select the value of each beat (i.e. 1 = whole note, 2 = half note, etc.) Key Signature: Select the key signature.
Codec Select a codec from the drop-down list. Format Select a format from the drop-down list. The higher the kbps setting, the higher the quality of the file. For more information, see: “Routing and mixing digital audio” on page 891 MIDI Envelope dialog When you click a MIDI track’s Edit Filter control and choose Track Automation > MIDI in the dropdown menu, the MIDI Envelope dialog box appears. The MIDI Envelope dialog box has the following fields: • Type. • Value.
MIDI Input Presets dialog The MIDI Input Presets dialog box appears when you use click the drop-down arrow on a track’s MIDI Input field and select Manage Presets from the drop-down menu. Use the MIDI Input Presets dialog box to create and edit MIDI Input Presets, which are collections of specific MIDI input channels and/or MIDI input ports that you want to assign to one or more tracks.
Missing Plug-ins dialog This dialog box appears if you open a project that references plug-ins that are not installed on your machine. If you save the project after you have opened it with missing plug-ins, all references to missing plug-ins are lost. To retain the missing plug-ins in your project, exit SONAR without saving, reinstall the missing plug-ins and then re-open the project.
without trying to reduce the data. • Mid/Side Stereo. Preserves most of the stereo effect of a file but at lower bandwidth. Not too useful at bit rates above 128 kbs.
Rename Screenset dialog Click Views > Screensets > Rename Current Screenset to open the Rename Screenset dialog box, which allows you to rename the current screenset. See also: “Screensets” on page 1154 New Project File dialog Open the New Project File dialog by selecting File > New from the menu. In the New Project File dialog box you choose the name of your project, where the project’s data is stored and which template you want to use to create the file. Name Enter a file name for your project.
No MIDI Inputs—SONAR dialog The No MIDI Inputs - SONAR dialog box appears the first time you run SONAR, if no MIDI input devices are selected in Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Devices, or when another program is using your system’s MIDI inputs. This dialog box lets you choose, or decide not to choose, an input.
Note Names dialog The Note Names dialog box appears when you right-click the piano keyboard that’s located on the left side of the Piano Roll view. This dialog box lets you specify whether to use the settings assigned in the Assign Instruments dialog box or different settings you specify, or drum mode. Clicking the Configure button opens the Assign Instruments dialog box.
Open dialog The File > Open command opens the Open dialog box. Use the Open dialog box to open an existing project. Look in Select the directory in which SONAR stores the file that you want to open. File name Type or select the filename you want to open. Files of type Select the type of file you want to open. Go to Folder Go to one of the predefined SONAR folders. See “File - Folder Locations” on page 1807.
Paste dialog The Edit > Paste Special command opens the Paste dialog box, which lets you put the contents of the Clipboard into any appropriate place in your project. To put data on the Clipboard, see “Cut dialog” on page 1715, “Copy dialog” on page 1712. The Paste dialog box has the following fields: Starting at Time Fill in the “Now time” on page 2055 where you want the beginning of the pasted data to go. Destination Select either a track or bus where you want the selection pasted.
What to do with existing material The fields in this section deal with the situation that occurs when you try to paste some data to a place in a track that already has some data. • Blend Old and New. the following options: Choosing this option tells SONAR to mix the new data with the old, with • Replace Old with New. Choosing this option tells SONAR to delete the old data. • Slide Over Old to Make Room.
Patch Browser dialog The Patch Browser dialog box opens when you click the Patch Browser button in the Track Inspector. The Patch Browser button is also available from the Insert > Bank/Patch Change dialog box. The Patch Browser dialog box has the following fields: Show Patches Containing the Text Use this field to search for patches by filling in pieces of the patch name. You can select previous search patterns from the drop-down list.
Pedal Properties dialog In the Staff view, when you right-click on a pedal mark, the Pedal Properties dialog box appears. Use these fields to edit the sustain pedal mark that you clicked: Time Use this field to change the location of your pedal mark. Channel Use this field to set the MIDI channel of your pedal mark. Value Enter 0 to turn off the pedal (no sustain), or 127 to turn on the pedal (sustain).
Percussion Notation Key dialog The Staff View Layout dialog box contains the Percussion Settings button, which opens the Percussion Notation Key dialog box. The Percussion Settings button is not available unless the track that is highlighted in the Staff View dialog box uses a percussion clef. Use the following fields to configure your percussion settings: Preset Use the Preset field to apply, save, or delete a set of percussion settings.
Default note button Click this button to apply and save any changes you make to the default note, including display pitch, notehead type, and articulation symbol. See also: “Setting up a percussion staff or line” on page 1214 Pick Track(s) dialog Choosing the Pick Tracks command in the Piano Roll, Event List, Staff, or Lyrics views opens the Pick Tracks dialog box, which allows you to choose which tracks’ data you want to display in any of the above views.
Preferences dialog The Edit > Preferences command opens the Preferences dialog box. You can specify various options and preferences in the Preferences dialog box. Some options are global while others are per project. Settings and options are organized into the following sections: • Audio.
• “Customization - Colors” on page 1838 • “Customization - Nudge” on page 1854 • “Customization - Snap to Grid” on page 1856 • “Customization - Editing (Advanced)” on page 1858 • “Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts (Advanced)” on page 1862 • “Customization - Audio Meter (Advanced)” on page 1865 Each section is organized into different basic and advanced subcategories. To only see basic preferences, click the Basic button. To see all available options, including advanced options, click the Advanced button.
See: “Preferences dialog” on page 1777 “Audio - Devices” on page 1780 “Audio - Driver Settings” on page 1782 “Audio - Playback and Recording” on page 1786 “Audio - Audio Profiles (Advanced)” on page 1789 “Audio - Configuration File (Advanced)” on page 1791 “Audio - Sync and Caching (Advanced)” on page 1793 “MIDI - Devices” on page 1796 “MIDI - Instruments” on page 1798 “MIDI - Control Surfaces” on page 1800 “MIDI - Playback and Recording” on page 1803 “MIDI - Drum Map Manager (Advanced)” on page 1805 “File
Audio - Devices Figure 494. The (audio) Devices section The Devices section displays a two-column list of available audio drivers. You can click the corresponding check box to enable/disable a driver. Select the drivers you want to make available for recording and playback. You can change the driver name by clicking the name in the first column and typing in your preferred name, or friendly name, for the driver. The Devices section contains the following settings: • Input Drivers.
• Show Mono Outputs. Select this option if you want to assign audio track and bus outputs to individual (mono) hardware outputs in addition to stereo pairs. This is very useful, for example, if you record in SONAR but want to use an external mixing console to mix. When enabled, mono hardware outputs are available in all locations that display audio output ports, with the exception of the Media Browser view, Loop Construction view and Import Audio dialog box.
Audio - Driver Settings Figure 495. The Driver Settings section The Driver Settings section lets you specify the audio timing master devices, default sampling rate and other audio settings. The Driver Settings section contains the following settings: • Playback Timing Master. If you’re using multiple wave drivers for playback, this list lets you specify which audio device should control the playback timing.
specify which audio device should control the recording timing. Note: Every sound card’s clock crystal is slightly different, which causes minor differences in the actual playback rate on each card. These differences may lead to slight synchronization problems if you use one card for recording and a different one for playback. Multiple wave drivers on the same card will not have sync problems. Audio Driver Bit Depth.
• Dim Solo Gain. Dim Solo is a mode in which non-soloed audio tracks/buses are still audible but at a reduced level. The default gain reduction is -6dB, but can also be configured for -12dB and 18dB. For more information about Dim Solo, see “Dim Solo mode” on page 205. Default Settings for New Projects • Sampling Rate. The Sampling Rate list allows you to enter or select an audio sampling rate for a new project.
Wave Profiler (MME and WDM drivers only) Wave Profiler attempts to detect the make and model of your sound card, which determine the card’s DMA (Direct Memory Access) settings. Once Wave Profiler identifies the card, it displays the results and asks whether you want to use the default settings for that card or to override them: If Wave Profiler has identified your card correctly, you may accept the default settings.
Audio - Playback and Recording Figure 496. The (audio) Playback and Recording section The Playback and Recording section lets you specify various settings that affect playback and recording. The Playback and Recording section contains the following settings: • Driver Mode. Select from WASAPI, WDM/KS, ASIO or MME. Consult your hardware documentation to determine which driver your hardware uses. WDM/KS drivers are the latest available and typically have very low latency.
adding low-level random noise or “dither” to the audio signal. Different mathematical calculations are used to generate dither, each method has advantages and disadvantages depending on the particular operation. SONAR features the Pow-r dithering process, short for Psycho-acoustically Optimized Wordlength Reduction, which can produce lower-bit files that sound indistinguishable from higher-bit source files.
• Any effect with a “tail” (reverb, delay, etc.) will finish playing when playback is stopped. • Effects will respond to automation envelopes, even on empty audio tracks. • Many plug-ins do not update their UI properly until they receive audio input. • Always Open All Devices. With this option checked, SONAR opens all enabled stereo pairs of audio outputs as soon as you press play or turn on the audio engine. Any pairs that don’t have any tracks feeding them stream silence, but are still ready for use.
Audio - Audio Profiles (Advanced) Figure 497. The Audio Profiles section The Audio Profiles section shows the sound card buffer settings that the Wave Profiler has come up with. Note: The Audio Profiles section is only available when in MME or WDM/KS driver mode. • Show Profile for. This list shows the name of the sound card driver that the displayed settings are for.
• Stream >16 bit data as. Sound cards that handle audio formats greater than 16 bits have a preferred format for the data, the variations of which you can see by clicking the drop-down arrow in this field. Consult your sound card’s documentation to choose the optimum setting. DMA Buffer Sizes These fields list the buffer characteristics for each sound card that the Wave Device profiler has come up with. In general, it is better not to change these settings without consulting SONAR technical support.
Audio - Configuration File (Advanced) Figure 498. The Configuration File section Configuration Settings SONAR’s audio configuration settings are stored in a file named Aud.ini. SONAR provides a convenient way to edit, reload and reset the audio configuration settings. The Configuration File section contains the following options: • Edit Config File. Click to open Aud.ini in the default Windows text editor. Make any necessary changes in Aud.ini, then save and close Aud.ini.
Settings to apply any external changes to Aud.ini. Warning: You should only change items in Aud.ini that are documented in the online Help or if you are instructed to by Cakewalk tech support. Undesirable changes to Aud.ini can result in loss of performance or malfunction of SONAR. • Reload Config Settings. Click to reload the current audio configuration settings from Aud.ini. • Reset Config To Defaults. Click to reset the audio configuration settings to SONAR’s default settings. The existing Aud.
Audio - Sync and Caching (Advanced) Figure 499. The Sync and Caching section The Sync and Caching section lets you specify audio synchronization and hard disk cache settings. The Sync and Caching section contains the following settings: Synchronization SONAR gives you two choices for synchronizing your audio tracks to SMPTE or MIDI Time Code: • Trigger and Freewheel. With this option audio playback starts (or triggers) at the exact timecode, but then the audio plays at its own internal rate.
• Timing Offset (msec). With this option, used for making very fine adjustments to the audio/ MIDI synchronization of your project, you can offset the audio in your project by a number of milliseconds. A positive value delays audio by that amount. A negative value delays MIDI by that amount. • When SMPTE/MTC timecode is detected. This option tells SONAR what to do when it detects SMPTE/MTC timecode. Choose from the following: • Ask first, then switch to clock source and start.
problems persist, reset to 128 and try a different remedy. Also, if you are playing a large file, and using maximum latency, a too-small I/O buffer size may cause dropouts or crashes. Try increasing the buffer size by blocks of 128. Record Latency Adjustment (samples) If you loop an audio output back into an audio input, and re-record a track this way, the audio doesn’t line up. For some sound cards, it is off quite significantly. This record latency adjustment is a compensation for that delay.
MIDI - Devices Figure 500. The (MIDI) Devices section The Devices section lets you choose the MIDI inputs and outputs you want to use. The selection in the Output menu for a track determines which piece of hardware will be used to produce the sound stored in your project. The list of enabled input devices determines which input MIDI devices can successfully send MIDI data into your Cakewalk application. You can make up your own friendly names for the MIDI input and output devices listed in this dialog box.
Inputs Select devices from the list (you may have only one). SONAR accepts input from these devices for recording MIDI data. Outputs Select devices from the list. If your computer or MIDI interface has several MIDI outputs, you choose the ones you want to use and put them in a particular order. From then on, MIDI output 1 refers to the first selected MIDI output, MIDI output 2 to the second selected MIDI output, and so on.
MIDI - Instruments Figure 501. The Instruments section The Instruments section lets you choose one or more output/channel configurations and assign an instrument to it or them. SONAR lets you assign a MIDI instrument definition to each available MIDI output and channel. The assignments you make determine the MIDI bank names, patch names, note names, and controller names that you see during your SONAR session. Suppose that you have a Roland GS compatible synthesizer attached to MIDI output 1.
through 16, but you would most likely want to assign the Roland GS Drumsets instrument definition to channel 10. If you have several MIDI outputs, with a different instrument attached to each one, you would normally assign a different instrument to each MIDI output. For convenience, you can assign a block of channels to one instrument, and then change the assignment of one or more of those channels without changing the others.
“MIDI - Control Surfaces” on page 1800 “MIDI - Playback and Recording” on page 1803 “MIDI - Drum Map Manager (Advanced)” on page 1805 MIDI - Control Surfaces Figure 502. The Control Surfaces section The Control Surfaces section allows you to enable as many control surfaces as you want to control with SONAR, and configure the control surfaces’ interfaces. You can also configure the WAI display (Where Am I display) and ACT indicators.
Import ACT Data You can use ACT with any automatable plug-in. You can create your own mappings by using the ACT Learn button, but because ACT Learn mappings are stored in XML files, you can also import XML data that contains predefined parameter mappings for certain plug-ins.
Refresh Frequency (milliseconds) If you are experiencing sluggish UI responsiveness when using a control surface and playing back high CPU projects, you may want to reduce the control surface refresh frequency (increase the number of milliseconds). The valid range is 50-5000 milliseconds and the default value is 75. Also, if you are using a control surface that is not bi-directional, the surface does not need to be refreshed at all and you can safely increase the value.
MIDI - Playback and Recording Figure 503. The (MIDI) Playback and Recording section The Playback and Recording (MIDI) section lets you specify MIDI echo settings, MIDI playback buffer size, and which MIDI events should be recorded. The Playback and Recording section contains the following settings: Record Use the fields in this section to choose what MIDI events you want to record. Choose any or all of these options: • Allow MIDI Recording without an Armed Track. track before recording.
• Key Aftertouch. Select this check box if you want to record Key Aftertouch events. • Controller events. Select this check box if you want to record Controller events. • Patch Changes. Select this check box if you want to record Patch Change events. • Channel Aftertouch. Select this check box if you want to record Channel Aftertouch events. • Pitch Wheel. Select this check box if you want to record Pitch Wheel events. • System Exclusive. Select this check box if you want to record Sysx data.
See also: “Preferences dialog” on page 1777 “MIDI - Devices” on page 1796 “MIDI - Instruments” on page 1798 “MIDI - Control Surfaces” on page 1800 “MIDI - Drum Map Manager (Advanced)” on page 1805 MIDI - Drum Map Manager (Advanced) Figure 504. The Drum Map Manager section The Drum Map Manager section lets you create and save drum maps for use with hardware or software samplers. You can customize drum maps to select specific sounds on any of your samplers.
The Drum Map Manager section contains the following settings: Drum Maps Used in Current Project This field displays all the currently available drum maps. click the New button to create a new drum map and Delete to delete a drum map. Select a drum map to display the drum mappings in the Drum Map Manager. All drum maps in this field are saved with the current project. Presets Presets can be used to populate the fields in the Drum Map Manager.
File - Folder Locations Figure 505. The Folder Locations section The Folder Locations section lets you specify default folders for different kinds of SONAR files. The default locations for all of these file types usually work well. However, if you find that this folder gets cluttered, changing the locations of the file types won’t hurt anything, as long as you remember where you put things.
You can change the folder for a file type by typing a new path name in the particular file type’s edit box, or by clicking the Browse button and navigating to the folder that you want to store that file type in. You can set different locations for the following file types: Project Files (.cwp, .mid, .cwb) .cwp and .cwb files are your standard SONAR project files. The default directory for your project files is \Cakewalk Projects, located in the root directory. .
Play List (.SET) The default directory for play list files is C:\Cakewalk Content\SONAR X3 \PlayList Files. Groove Quantize (.GRV) When you create and save a .grv file. The default directory for groove quantize files is the \Sample Content folder located in: C:\ProgramData\Cakewalk\SONAR X3 StudioWare The default directory for StudioWare files is C:\Cakewalk Content\SONAR X3 \StudioWare Panels.
“File - Initialization File (Advanced)” on page 1816 “File - Advanced (Advanced)” on page 1818 File - Audio Data Figure 506. The Audio Data section The Audio Data section lets you specify settings for recording, rendering and importing audio data. The Audio Data section contains the following settings: All Projects • Global Audio Folder. The Global Audio Folder is where audio files are stored for all projects when per-project audio is not turned on.
• Picture Folder. This folder contains the waveform images for all audio files in all your projects. • Always copy imported audio files. When checked this option forces SONAR to always copy all imported audio files to your audio data directory. If you want to keep all your audio files in one location, always keep this option checked. • Always Import Broadcast Waves at Their Timestamp. Forces SONAR to ignore the Now Time when importing Broadcast Wave files.
File - VST Settings Figure 507. The VST Settings section The VST Settings section lets you manage VST effect and instrument plug-ins. The VST Settings section contains the following settings: VST Scan Paths This window lists the folders that are scanned for VST plug-ins. “Scanning” a VST plug-in means adapting the plug-in’s file format so that the plug-in works in SONAR. To add folders, remove folders, or set defaults for the listed folders, use the following buttons: • Add.
• Folder defaults. Click this button to open a dialog box of folder options. These settings will set options for all the VST plug-ins in all the folders listed in the VST Scan Folders list. For more information, see “To set options for all plug-ins in a folder” on page 945. VST Scan Options This group of commands controls the following options: • Specify when to scan for new VST plug-ins. The options are as follows: • Automatic Background Scan.
Source SONAR x86 (32-bit) SONAR x64 (64-bit) Replace VST2 Plugins When Opening Projects enabled Replace VST2 Plugins When Opening Projects disabled Replace VST2 Plugins When Opening Projects enabled Replace VST2 Plug-ins When Opening Projects disabled VST2 Use 32-bit VST3, if available, otherwise use 32-bit VST2 Use 32-bit VST2 Use 64-bit VST3, if available, otherwise use 64-bit or 32-bit VST2 as available Use 64-bit or 32-bit VST2 as available VST3 Use 32-bit VST3 Use 32-bit VST3 Use 64-bit
Custom server assignments are saved with the project file. Note: Server management is common for all loaded projects. If you have multiple projects open simultaneously, you can potentially overflow the 4GB capacity of a server if the projects reference the same server. Under this condition, a plug-in may fail to load. If this occurs, close the current project before opening another project.
File - Initialization File (Advanced) Figure 508. The Initialization File section The Initialization File section lets you view and edit the Cakewalk.ini file, which allows you to store information about your preferences and configuration. Note: There are two other initialization files stored in the SONAR program folder: • TTSseq.ini • Aud.ini You can edit these files with a text editor, such as Windows Notepad.
Warning: There are several other .ini files in the SONAR folder, but you should not attempt to edit or modify these files in any way. Changes to these other files could cause SONAR to stop operating properly. Before making any changes to any of the .ini files, you should make a backup copy in case you make a mistake. After you have made your changes, save the file and close Notepad. SONAR reads the settings in these files only when it first starts up.
“File - Folder Locations” on page 1807 “File - Audio Data” on page 1810 “File - VST Settings” on page 1812 “File - Advanced (Advanced)” on page 1818 File - Advanced (Advanced) Figure 509. The Advanced (File) section The Advanced section lets you specify auto-save, file versioning and other project file settings. The Advanced section contains the following settings: • Auto-save Every “N” Minutes or “N” Changes. automatic saves. Choose how many minutes or edits between • Enable Versioning of Project (.
successive versions of a project with the date the project was saved in the file name. The most recent version has no date in the name. • Number of versions to keep. If you enable the versioning option, you can use this field to choose how many versions to keep. When the maximum number of files is reached, the oldest file is deleted. • Load Non-SONAR Files in Offset Mode. This option causes .smf, .mid, .rmi, .wrk and .cwb/ bun files to open in Offset mode (see “Envelope mode and Offset mode” on page 1131).
Project - Record Figure 510. The Record section The Record section lets you specify how SONAR records clips into tracks that already contain other clips. If you use loop recording, you can also specify whether to record takes in sequential tracks or stacked in a single track. Note: SONAR saves the recording options you choose with each project, so you can save a different recording mode with each of your projects.
Recording Mode Choose one of the following options: • Comping. Choose this option to create Take lanes and overwrite any pre-existing sound in the part of the track you are recording into. • Sound on Sound. Choose this option to add sound to any pre-existing sound in the track. • Overwrite. Choose this option to overwrite any pre-existing sound in the part of the track you are recording into. • Allow Arm Changes During Playback/Record.
Loop Recording Choose one of the following loop recording options: • Store Takes in a Single Track. Choosing this option causes SONAR to merge every new take with the previous takes, unless you choose Comping or Overwrite mode, which mutes each take except the newest one. • Store Takes in Separate Tracks. Choosing this option causes SONAR to place each new take in the next available track. This method can quickly overwhelm your computer if you are recording audio data. Lanes • Create New Lane On Overlap.
Project - MIDI Figure 511. The MIDI section The MIDI section lets you specify MIDI Sync and MIDI Machine Control (MMC) settings. The MIDI section contains the following settings: MIDI Machine Control (MMC) This section allows you to control MMC devices from SONAR, and has the following options; • Transmit MMC. Choosing this option causes SONAR to send standard MMC commands such as start, stop, rewind, etc., to any MMC devices that are connected to your computer. • Timecode Master’s Unit ID.
Other Options • Zero Controllers When Play Stops. If you choose this option, SONAR sets the controller values of the pitch wheel, the sustain pedal, and the modulation wheel on all 16 MIDI channels to zero. It also sends a “zero all continuous controllers” MIDI message which turns off other continuous controllers on newer synthesizers. If you experience frequent stuck notes when playback stops, try checking this option. • Patch/Controller Searchback Before Play Starts.
See also: “MIDI synchronization” on page 1270.
Project - Metronome Figure 512. The Metronome section The Metronome section lets you specify metronome settings for playback and recording. The Metronome section contains the following settings: General • Record count In. Specifies the number of count-in measures or beats. • Measures. Choosing this option sets the Count-In units to measures. • Beats. Choosing this option sets the Count-In units to beats.
• Playback. Choosing this option cause the metronome to sound during playback. • Recording. Choosing this option cause the metronome to sound during recording. • Beat subdivision. Select the desired subdivision value in the Beat subdivision list. The selected value is the subdivision for non-accented audible clicks. Audio Metronome • Use Audio Metronome. Choosing this option causes the metronome to use audio. • First Beat. Select an audio sound for the first beat. • Other Beats.
Project - AudioSnap Figure 513. The AudioSnap section The AudioSnap section lets you specify various AudioSnap settings. The AudioSnap section contains the following settings: Quantize • Pool Transient Window (ms). When you double-click a marker, not only does the marker become selected, but all markers to the right of the marker become selected if they are located less than this field’s value away from the original marker.
MIDI Extraction • Convert to MIDI Note. be converted to. This field lets you choose what MIDI note all the transients in the clip will • Note Velocities: • Vary with Pulse Level. This option causes the velocities of the notes in the MIDI clip to vary with the level of the transients in the audio clip. • Set All to Same Value. This field lets you enter a velocity that all the MIDI notes in the clip will use. Split Beats • Auto Fade Split Clips.
Project - Clock (Advanced) Figure 514. The Clock section The Clock section lets you specify synchronization settings and the number of subdivisions of the beat (parts per quarter note). The Clock section has the following sections: Source This section lets you choose what device SONAR uses as a timing source, and has the following options: • Internal. Choose this option to use the clock on the computer’s motherboard. • MIDI Sync. Choose this option to sync SONAR to an external MIDI device. • SMPTE/MTC.
SMPTE time code or MIDI time code. • Audio. Choose this option to use the clock on the computer’s sound card. Ticks per quarter-note This section lets you choose the number of subdivisions of the beat (parts per quarter note), from fifteen choices. Timecode format This section lets you choose a SMPTE frame rate from among seven choices. • SMPTE/MTC Offset. This section allows you to start SONAR playing after it starts receiving time code by an amount you choose in this field of the dialog box.
Project - Surround (Advanced) Figure 515. The Surround section The Surround section lets you specify the surround format, speaker assignments, bass management and downmixing settings. The Surround section contains the following settings: Presets You can save your current settings as a preset. This allows you to easily move between different surround configurations. Output Assignments field Set a hardware output for each channel.
Surround Format drop-down Select a surround format from the drop-down: • 2.1 • LCR • LRC+LFE • LRS • LRS+LFE • Matrix UHJ • QUAD • 4.1 (SMPTE/ITU) • Quad+LFE • PanAmbio 4.1 • LCRS • Surround (SMPTE/ITU) • Surround Media • LCRS+LFE • 5.1 (Standard 3/2) • 5.1 (Film/Alternative) • 5.1 (Music/Alternative) • 5.1 (SMPTE/ITU) • 6.0 (Hexagon) • 6.0 (Film/Alternative) • 6.0 (Music/Alternative) • 6.1 (Film/Alternative) • 6.1 (Music/Alternative) • 6.1 (SMPTE/ITU) • 7.0 (Heptagon) • 7.0 (Film/Alternative) • 7.
• 8.0 (Music/Alternative) • 8.1 (Film/Alternative) • 8.1 (Music/Alternative) • 8.1 (SMPTE/ITU) 5.1 (SMPTE/ITU) should be the default template. Monitor with Bass Management When enabled, a combo box lets you specify one of the following cutoff frequencies: • 80 (Dolby consumer/DVD) (default) • 116 (DTS) • 120 (Dolby pro/film) • 180 Low-pass Cutoff All signals below the cutoff frequency are directed from the main channels to the LFE channel output. Downmixing • Center Level.
• -INF. Necessary for cases where the surround levels are so high that they compete with the front channels too much in mixdown situations. • LFE Level. Choose -INF or -12 dB. For more information, see “Surround Mixing (Producer and Studio only)” on page 975.
Customization - Display Figure 516. The Display section The Display section lets you configure X-ray and other display settings. The Display section contains the following settings: • Show Tooltips. Checking this option causes SONAR to show tooltips. Tooltips are small text names or explanations that appear when you hold the mouse over a tool. • Show MIDI Activity on Windows Taskbar. Check this option to display the MIDI Input/Output Activity icon on the Windows taskbar. • Display All Times as SMPTE.
• Display Envelopes on a Percentage Scale. This option, when checked, causes new envelopes to be placed in the clip based on a range where 0 dB is in the middle of the clip. If the current volume is other than 0 dB, a new envelope is created at that location. For example a new envelope created at 6 dB would appear at the very top of the clip where a new envelope created at -20 dB would appear near the bottom of the clip. • Display Waveform Preview While Recording.
Customization - Colors Figure 517. The Colors section The Colors section lets you customize colors of various screen elements. The Colors section contains the following settings: Presets You can create lots of different color schemes and save each one as a preset. After you create a color scheme that you like, type a name for it in the Presets window, and then click the floppy disk icon to save the preset. When you want to load the preset, just select it in the Presets window.
Color Category This list shows different areas where color can be adjusted. Choosing one of these categories helps filter out screen elements you may not want to deal with at the moment. The categories also provide a convenient way to adjust brightness, hue, and saturation of a related collection of screen elements without hunting through a long list. Search The search filter allows you to only show screen elements that include a specific text string in the name.
Reset Spectrum button Pressing the Reset button resets the Brightness, Hue, and Saturation sliders to default values. Select All button Pressing the Select All button selects all screen elements in the current Color Category. Defaults button Clicking this button restores the selected screen elements to their original values. Track Defaults button Clicking this button opens a color palette that lets you specify the default color for new tracks.
• Custom. Choosing this option opens the Wallpaper Bitmap dialog box, which allows you to choose a graphics file (bitmap) to use as the background. The following table identifies each of the screen elements in SONAR.
Screen element Explanation Musical Snap Pool Markers The color of the markers in the Track view time ruler that show Snap to Grid locations (when Add MBT to Pool is enabled) Clip Fades Color for the fade line and fade shading Clip Zero Amplitude Lines Color for the line that marks a silent volume level for a clip Snap Offset Markers Color of the Snap offset markers Clip Gain Envelope Color of the Gain envelopes in clips Clip Pan Envelope Color of the Pan envelopes in clips Clip Velocity Envelo
Screen element Explanation Clip Background The background color of clips. Clip Background (selected) The background color of selected clips. Default Waveform Waveform color of audio clips. Default Notes Note color of MIDI clips. Audio Tracks 1, 11, 21...Foreground Foreground color of all audio tracks that end in the number “1” (1, 11, 21, etc.) Audio Tracks 1, 11, 21...Background Background color of all audio tracks that end in the number “1” (1, 11, 21, etc.) Audio Tracks 2, 12, 22...
Screen element Explanation Audio Tracks 8, 18, 28...Foreground Foreground color of all audio tracks that end in the number “8” (8, 18, 28, etc.) Audio Tracks 8, 18, 28...Background Background color of all audio tracks that end in the number “8” (8, 18, 28, etc.) Audio Tracks 9, 19, 29...Foreground Foreground color of all audio tracks that end in the number “9” (9, 19, 29, etc.) Audio Tracks 9, 19, 29...Background Background color of all audio tracks that end in the number “9” (9, 19, 29, etc.
Screen element Explanation MIDI Tracks 6, 16, 26...Background Background color of all MIDI tracks that end in the number “6” (6, 16, 26, etc.) MIDI Tracks 7, 17, 27...Foreground Foreground color of all MIDI tracks that end in the number “7” (7, 17, 27, etc.) MIDI Tracks 7, 17, 27...Background Background color of all MIDI tracks that end in the number “7” (7, 17, 27, etc.) MIDI Tracks 8, 18, 28...Foreground Foreground color of all MIDI tracks that end in the number “8” (8, 18, 28, etc.
Screen element Explanation Peak Marker Text The color of the text on the Peak Marker Vertical Measure Lines The color of vertical measure lines in the Clips pane Vertical Beat Lines The color of vertical beat lines in the Clips pane View Background (odd) The Clips pane background color for odd-numbered tracks/ buses View Background (even) The Clips pane background color for even-numbered tracks/buses AudioSnap Marker Color of active AudioSnap transient markers Disabled AudioSnap Marker Color
Screen element Explanation Track View Track Folder Name Text Color of the text for track folders in the folder name field Track View Strip Background Background color outside the control fields in a track Track View Control Background Background color inside the control fields in a track Track View Control Text and Values Color of the text in Track view controls Track View Disabled Control Text Color of disabled controls in a track Track View Control Outline Color of the control outlines Track
Screen element Explanation Track View MIDI Reverb Control / Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Track View Mute Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Surround Angle Envelope Color of automation envelope for surround angle Surround Focus Envelope Color of automation envelope for surround focus Surround LFE Send Control/Envelope Color of automation envelope for LFE send control Surround Width Envelope Color of automation envelope for surround
Screen element Explanation Track View Bus Send Pan 5, 13 Control / Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Track View Bus Send Pan 6, 14 Control / Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Track View Bus Send Pan 7, 15 Control / Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Track View Bus Send Pan 8, 16 Control / Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Bus Send Angle 1, 9 Envelope Sets the color of this parame
Screen element Explanation Bus Send LFE 5, 13 Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Bus Send LFE 6, 14 Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Bus Send LFE 7, 15 Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Bus Send LFE 8, 16 Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Bus Send Width 1, 9 Envelope Sets the color of this parameter’s automation envelope Bus Send Width 2, 10 Envelope Sets the color of this par
Screen element Explanation Event List Sysx Events Color of System Exclusive events in the Event List view Event List Special Events Color of other, special events in the Event List view Note that is on Color of currently playing notes Events Color of selected events in the Piano Roll view Navigator Background Color of background in Navigator pane and view Navigator Track Rectangle Color of the Navigator pane triangle that shows what the part of the Clips pane is currently displayed PRV Drag Co
Screen element Explanation Console Segmented VU Tick Marks Color of tick marks in segmented meters in the Console view Enable/Disable Toggles Sets the color of the enable/disable check box on effects and other objects that have an on/off switch Track Inspector FX Bin Color of background in Track Inspector’s FX bin Console FX Bin Text Color of text in Console View’s FX bin Console View Control Text and Values Color of text on Console View’s controls Console View Slider Background Color of border
For more information, see: “Screen colors and wallpaper” on page 92 See also: “Preferences dialog” on page 1777 “Customization - Display” on page 1836 “Customization - Nudge” on page 1854 “Customization - Snap to Grid” on page 1856 “Customization - Editing (Advanced)” on page 1858 “Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts (Advanced)” on page 1862 “Customization - Audio Meter (Advanced)” on page 1865 1853 Preferences dialog
Customization - Nudge Figure 518.
The Nudge section lets you specify three different nudge resolutions. The Nudge section contains the following settings: • Musical Time. Select a note length setting. • Absolute Time. Select one of the following absolute time options and a number in the first field: Absolute time setting Description Seconds Whole seconds. Milliseconds Thousands of a second. Frames Number of frames. There are 30 frames per second. Samples A very small amount of time.
Customization - Snap to Grid Figure 519.
The Snap to Grid section lets you specify global snap settings. • Snap Intensity. Specify the magnetic strength when snapping, which determines how quickly moved events are pulled towards the snap grid. • Magnetic Test. Drag the event to test the current Snap Intensity setting. • Snap to Nearest Audio Zero Crossings.
Customization - Editing (Advanced) Figure 520. The Editing section The Editing section lets you specify drag & drop behavior, auto-crossfade settings, MIDI editing options and Microscope settings.
Drag and Drop Choose from the following drag and drop options: • Copy Entire Clips as Linked Clips. When you copy an entire clip, choosing this option causes the new clip and the clip that you copied it from to be “Linked clips” on page 2053. What to do with existing material The fields in this section deal with the situation that occurs when you try to drag some data to a place in a track that already has some data. • Blend Old and New.
curve when dragging the end of a clip. • Default Crossfade Curves > Linear Out - Linear In. This command sets as default a crossfade in which the first clip fades out at a steady rate and the second clip fades in at a steady rate. • Default Crossfade Curves > Fast Out - Fast In. This command sets as default a crossfade in which the first clip fades out fast and the second clip fades in fast. • Default Crossfade Curves > Slow Out - Slow In.
• Microscope. Use this check box to enable/disable Microscope mode in the Piano Roll view and inline Piano Roll (enabled by default). • Diagonal Size. Use this numeric entry box to specify the diameter size in pixels of the microscope. The valid range is 20-250 and the default value is 100. • Show When Note Height Less Than. Microscope mode will only be enabled if the note heights (in pixels) are equal or less than this number. The valid range is 2-20 and the default value is 6. • Magnifying Time.
Customization - Keyboard Shortcuts (Advanced) Figure 521. The Keyboard Shortcuts section Key bindings let you associate SONAR commands with keys on your MIDI or computer keyboard. This makes it easy for you to access specific features more quickly and efficiently. The Keyboard Shortcuts section lets you specify which keys and key combinations to use for specific SONAR commands.
must be checked for MIDI keys to function. MIDI ‘Shift’ Options You can designate a MIDI Key or Controller (usually a pedal) to act as a key binding shift key. That way you can require that the key binding shift key be depressed before any command is triggered, so you only lose one note or pedal from its regular function. Use these options to choose what acts as the key binding shift key: • Key. Clicking this option makes a key on your MIDI keyboard act as a key binding shift key.
Zap All Click this button to remove all key bindings. Import Click this button to import a different set of key bindings that you’ve created or that are identical to some other sequencer application’s. Export Click this button to export your currently-loaded set of key bindings so that you can reload them if you want.
Customization - Audio Meter (Advanced) Figure 522. The Audio Meter section SONAR’s meters are extremely adjustable. The Audio Meter section lets you specify the appearance and behavior of audio meters. These settings control meter ballistics globally for all types of meters in SONAR.
The Audio Meter section contains the following settings: Refresh Rate (msec) This field determines how often the meters are updated. Valid values range from 25 msec (forty times per second) to 250 msec (four times per second). Peak Hold • Decay Rate (msec/dB). When Hold Peaks is enabled (see “Changing the meters’ display” on page 901), this setting describes how fast the peaks fall after the established Hold Time. • Hold Time (msecec).
Print dialog The Print dialog box specifies the parameters of your print job, including the printer destination, the number of copies and properties. The following is a description of the Print dialog: Printer This is the active printer and printer connection. Choose the Setup option to change the printer and printer connection. Print Range Specify the pages you want to print: All Prints the entire document. Pages Prints the range of pages you specify in the From and To boxes.
Next Page The Next Page button displays the next page of the print preview. Prev Page The Prev Page button displays the previous page of the print preview. Two Page/One Page The Two Page button displays two pages at a time in the print preview. When you display two pages, the One Page button appears. The One Page button Zoom In The Zoom In button zooms the page display in the Print Preview dialog box. If two pages are displayed, zooming may reduce the preview to just one page.
Collate Prints copies in page number order, instead of separated multiple copies of each page. Properties button Opens a dialog box that lets you specify whatever your printer allows. Project Files dialog Open the Project Files dialog by selecting Project Audio Files from the File menu. The Project Files dialog box provides the following information: Project File Name File name and location of the project file. Project Audio Folder The directory in which the project’s audio files are stored.
• Global. The file is stored in the Global Audio Data directory. The Global Audio Data directory can be changed in Edit > Preferences > File - Audio Data. • Local. The file is stored in the local wave data directory, a per-project data directory which is a subdirectory in the directory where the project file is stored. • External. The file is stored in a directory other than the Global Audio Data directory or in a Local audio data directory. • Missing. The file is not to be found.
• Audio Clip Start Times. Select this option if you want the beginnings of audio clips to move. • Only Notes, Lyrics, and Audio. like controllers. If you select this option, SONAR will not modify other events, Options: • Strength. This value determines how closely SONAR moves the selected notes to the resolution value, or “grid.” See “Strength” on page 768. • Swing.
Fast Zoom Options The Fast Zoom feature allows you to use your mouse wheel to control Zoom functions. Zoom Factor Set the intensity of the zoom. Horizontal and vertical zoom intensity can be adjusted independent of one another using the spinners or by manual entry. Zoom In Select whether the Zoom in action is centered at the cursor or the Now Time in horizontal Zoom, and select whether the Zoom in action is centered at the cursor or the Active Track in vertical Zoom.
Receive System Exclusive dialog In the Sysx view, clicking the Receive Bank button opens the Receive System Exclusive dialog box. Use this dialog box to tell a synthesizer to start sending system exclusive data—clicking the OK button in this dialog box opens the Sysx Receive dialog box and starts the transmission of Sysx data. This dialog box displays how many bytes have been received. When the number stops increasing, click Done.
• MIDI Channel. This style uses the event’s MIDI channel to determine which string the note should be displayed on. When MIDI Channel is selected, the user chooses which series of MIDI Channels SONAR receives on. This is useful for MIDI guitarists who record parts in MONO mode, where each string transmits on a different MIDI channel. (Values: 1 - 11). Selecting “1” will cause it to use MIDI channels 1 - 6, selecting 2, 2 - 7, and so on.
Remote Control dialog When you right-click a control in the Console or Track views and choose Remote Control from the pop-up menu, the Remote Control dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you use a MIDI device as a remote control for knobs, buttons, and sliders in SONAR, and has the following fields: Channel Messages The buttons in this section control command that are specific to individual MIDI channels. The options are: • Note On.
• High byte first. Checking this option tells SONAR that the significant data in the incoming sysx message is in the form of two bytes, with the high byte first. • Low byte first. Checking this option tells SONAR that the significant data in the incoming sysx message is in the form of two bytes, with the low byte first. • Starts with. Fill in the string that your device sends in sysx messages that precedes the significant data. • Ends with.
Remove Silence dialog When you use the Process > Apply Effect > Remove Silence command, or click the Gate Settings button in the Freeze Options dialog box, the Remove Silence dialog box appears. This command creates absolute silence during silent passages, eliminating extraneous noise. The Remove Silence dialog box has the following fields: Preset field (only appears with Process Audio command) Use this field to choose and enter presets.
Audition button (only appears with Process Audio command) Click this button to hear the results of your effect on the first three seconds of the selected audio. For more information, see: “Removing silence” on page 840 Retain Cakewalk Preferences dialog If you choose to retain or migrate your preferences from a previous version of Cakewalk, the SONAR installer finds the existing Cakewalk.ini files on your system. The list of Cakewalk.ini files appears in the Retain Cakewalk Preferences dialog box.
Safe Mode dialog Opening a file in safe mode opens the safe mode dialog box, which asks you, one plug-in at a time, which of the file’s plug-ins to open each. If you think one of the plug-ins is preventing the file from opening, choose not to load that plug-in. You can also try loading only one plug-in, closing the file, and then loading 2 plug-ins the next time you open the file, etc., until you isolate the bad plug-in.
separate track. • Riff MIDI Format 0. Save in this format if you need a Riff MIDI File of Format 0. • Riff MIDI Format 1. Save in this format if you need a Riff MIDI File of Format 1. Riff Wave files. If you are saving in the Loop Construction view, you can save the wave file as a Groove Clip/Wave file or a regular Wave file, depending on whether you enabled looping on the clip that you’re saving.
Save Pattern dialog To open the Save Pattern dialog box, do one of the following: • Right-click in the Step Sequencer toolbar and select Save Pattern from the pop-up menu. • Open the Step Sequencer and press CTRL+ALT+S. The Save Pattern dialog box lets you save a step sequencer pattern as a separate file. Use the following fields to control your options: Save in Select the directory in which you want to store the file. File name Type or select the filename you want to open.
Scale Manager dialog In the Track Inspector, click the Scale control in the Snap to Scale section and choose Scale Manager to open the Scale Manager dialog box, which lets you create and edit scales to use with the Snap to Scale feature. This dialog box has the following fields and controls: • Scale Family. be stored. • Scale. This field lists all of the families of scales that in which an individual scale might This field lists the scales that are stored in the selected Scale Family. • Keyboard display.
You can also edit note velocities in the Notes pane of the Piano Roll view, which lets you draw shapes other than straight line changes. For more information, see “Adding and editing controllers in the Piano Roll” on page 743. The Scale Velocity dialog box has the following fields: Begin Enter a velocity value between 0 and 127 for the first event of the selection, unless you want to use percentages.
Select By Time dialog The Edit > Select > By Time command opens the Select by Time dialog box. Choose the starting and ending times for the time selection you want to make by entering numbers into the following fields: • From. Enter the number of the measure, beat, and tick of the location where you want the selection to start. Note: You can enter a whole number with no punctuation if your selection boundary is the beginning of a measure.
Set Timecode at Now Time The Project > Set Timecode at Now command opens the Set Timecode at Now Time dialog box, which allows you to move the SMPTE time 00:00:00:00 to the current Now time. If you enter a value in the dialog box, the SMPTE value that you enter is set to the current Now time. Slide dialog The Process > Slide command opens the Slide dialog box, which allows you to move track data forward or backward in the track.
SONAR Quick Start dialog The SONAR Quick Start dialog box appears when you launch SONAR (unless you disable this option, see “Show this at Startup check box” on page 1886). It allows you to open any of a long list of templates, and open recent projects and introductory help topics. You can open this dialog box whenever you want by using the Help > Quick Start command.
Sort Tracks dialog The Track view Tracks > Sort Tracks command opens the Sort Tracks dialog box. This command lets you arrange tracks in order according to any of several criteria. You can sort in ascending or descending order. There are several ways you can change the order of tracks in the Track view: • Drag a track to a new position in the Track view (see “To drag a track to a new position” on page 332). • Insert new, blank tracks between existing tracks (see “To insert a single track” on page 333).
Split Clips dialog When you right-click one or more selected clips and choose Split from the pop-up menu, the Split Clips dialog box appears. Use this command to split one or more clips into smaller clips. The Split Clips dialog box has the following fields: Split At Time Choosing this option splits the clip(s) at the location you fill in. By default, this filed lists the Now time, but you can choose any time you want. Time Format.
Staff View Layout dialog The Staff View Layout dialog box appears when you click the Staff view Edit menu and choose Layout, or choose Layout from either the Staff pane or Fretboard right-click menus. Use these fields in the Staff View Layout dialog box to control staff layout options: Track This field lists the tracks that the Staff view currently displays. Highlight the name of the track that you want to set display options for.
Staff View Print Configure dialog When you use the File > Print Preview command, the Print Preview window appears. In the Print Preview window is the Configure button. Click the Configure button to open the Staff View Print Configure dialog box, which has the Rastral Size field that you control rastral size with. Rastral size is the vertical distance between the lines of each staff.
Note Properties (Advanced Mode Only) If you don’t check the Use Input check box for a particular note property, you can specify any or all of a note’s pitch, velocity, and channel characteristics. Navigation • Auto Advance. If this option is checked, the insertion point moves ahead automatically when you release a note. • Link to Now Time (Advanced mode only). If this option is checked, the insertion point duplicates the Now Time. • Delete on Back Step.
Step Size dialog The Step Record dialog box contains two Other buttons. Clicking the one on the Step Size side of the dialog box opens the Step Size dialog box. In the Step Size field, enter the size of the note you want to enter in “Ticks” on page 2059. See also: “Step recording” on page 308 SurroundBridge Plug-in Linker The SurroundBridge Plugin Linker allows you to use stereo plug-ins in a surround bus that has more than two channels. The Plugin Linker creates multiple instances of the plug-in.
Sysx Bank Name This dialog box lets you specify the name of the bank you want. Tablature Settings dialog In the Staff View Layout dialog box you can choose a preset style of tablature by choosing from the Preset pop-up menu, or you can define your own style by clicking the Define button in the Staff View Layout dialog box to open the Tablature Settings dialog box.
• String Tuning. Choose the instrument from the drop-down list and number of strings from the Number of Strings field. The open string pitches for the instrument you choose automatically appear in the string number fields at the bottom of the dialog box. Customize any of the open string pitches by using the + or - buttons on the String Number fields. Fretboard The Fretboard tab has these fields: • Texture. Choose a texture from the drop-down list. • Orientation.
See also: “Using the Tempo commands” on page 419 “Changing tempos” on page 418 Track Inputs dialog The Select Track Inputs command opens the Track Inputs dialog box. This command lets you specify inputs for all of your project’s tracks for recording and MIDI echoing purposes. Use these fields in the dialog box to choose inputs for your tracks: Track Column Use the Track column to choose which track or tracks you want to choose an input for.
Track Manager dialog Do one of the following to open the Track Manager dialog: • Click the Track view Tracks menu and choose Track Manager. • Click the Console view Strips menu and choose Track Manager. • Press H. Use this dialog box to hide or display the various track modules and buses in the view that you opened it from. The Track Manager dialog box has the following fields and buttons: • Display window. This window lists all the track and bus modules. A check mark next to a module means it is visible.
Transpose dialog The Process > Transpose command opens the Transpose dialog box, which allows you to transpose the pitches of MIDI and audio clips up or down by a fixed number of half-steps. It does so by changing the MIDI key numbers of note events and by pitch-shifting audio clips. Simply enter the number of half-steps in the Amount field of the Transpose dialog box; a negative number to transpose down, a positive number to transpose up. See “To transpose selected events” on page 758.
Undo History dialog The Edit > History command opens the Undo History dialog box, which displays a history of your editing actions (the command is grayed-out if you made no edits). You can set how many editing actions you want the Undo History dialog box to store by changing the number in the Maximum Undo Steps field. The default value is 128. Use the Undo History dialog box to jump to a previous time in the history of the project.
Unlink Clips dialog When you right-click a selected group of two or more linked clips and choose Unlink from the popup menu, the Unlink Clips dialog box appears. This command lets you specify when unlinking selected linked clips whether to form a new, different linked group or to make the clips completely independent.
Unpack OMF dialog The Unpack OMF dialog box appears when you open an OMF file. Note: When you import an OMF that uses embedded media, SONAR can determine the bit depth and sample rate of the embedded media, and it will set those fields as the default values for OMF import. If the OMF is using externally linked media, SONAR will not be able to determine the sample rate of the media and will default to a 44,100 sample rate.
Unreadable Files dialog This dialog box may appear when using the Clean Audio Folder command. This dialog box lists any files on your system which have a Cakewalk file extension (.cwp, .cwt, .wrk, and .tpl), but cannot be read by SONAR. These files may be corrupt or they may not be SONAR files at all, if for instance you have another application on your system which saves files with the same extension.
Video Properties dialog Right-clicking a video in the Video view and choosing Video Properties from the pop-up menu opens the Video Properties dialog box. This dialog box has three tabs—the Video Settings tab, the Info tab, and the Render Quality tab. Video Settings tab The Video Settings tab lets you set playback time options, and has the following fields: • Clip. This field lists the name of the currently-loaded video file. • Start Time.
Track Control Manager The Track Control Manager dialog box appears when you click the Track Control list above the track strips and choose Track Control Manager on the drop-down menu. Use the following fields to control which track or bus controls appear when you select a preset from the Track Control list in the Track pane: Preset Use this field to choose the preset that you want to configure, for all kinds of track and bus strips.
Windows Media Format Encode Options dialog You can create settings and a description for your Windows Media Advanced Streaming Format file in the Microsoft Audio Encode Options dialog box. Note: To create a surround encoded file you must export surround encoded buses. Title: Enter the title of the file. Author: Enter the name of the author responsible for creating the file. Rating: This field only relates to exporting video, which you can’t do from this dialog box.
WMV Encoder Options dialog Clicking the Encoding Options button in the Video Export dialog box after you’ve selected Windows Media Video in the Save As Type field opens the WMV Encoder Options dialog box. This dialog box has the following fields: • Profile. This field has a list of common WMV video file formats. Selecting a profile tells the WMV encoder what quality of file to produce. • Profile info. This field briefly explains the kind of video and audio file that the profile you selected will produce.
Insert Send Assistant dialog When you right-click an audio track or bus and choose Insert Send > Insert Send Assistant from the pop-up menu, the Insert Send Assistant dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you create effect buses and insert sends to new or existing buses. The Insert Send Assistant dialog box has the following options: Send to Existing Bus. This option lets you assign a new send to an existing bus in the current project. Select the desired bus from the drop-down list.
See: “To insert a send to an existing bus” on page 897 “To insert a send to a new stereo bus” on page 898 “To insert a send to a new surround bus” on page 898 “To insert a send to a new effect bus” on page 898 “To insert a send on multiple tracks simultaneously” on page 899 Missing MIDI Ports dialog If any assigned MIDI output devices are missing when you load a project, which is likely to happen if you transfer projects between different computers, the Missing MIDI Ports dialog box appears.
Rename Cell dialog When you right-click a cell in the Matrix view and choose Rename Cell from the pop-up menu, the Rename Cell dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you rename the cell. See: “Matrix view” on page 2014 Adjust Velocity Multiplier dialog When you right-click an audio track or bus and choose Adjust Velocity Multiplier from the pop-up menu, the Adjust Velocity Multiplier dialog box appears.
Quantize to AudioSnap Pool dialog When you click the Quantize to pool command on the Transient tool pop-up menu, the Quantize to AudioSnap Pool dialog box appears. This dialog box lets you configure various settings that affect how audio beats are quantized to the Pool. The options are as follows: • Max Distance From Pool. The value in this menu determines which notes are affected by the Quantize to Pool command.
Usage Logging dialog The Usage Logging dialog box appears when you select Help > Usage Logger. This dialog box lets you log useful information that may assist Cakewalk Technical Support in troubleshooting potential problems with your system when using SONAR. The Usage Logging dialog box has the following fields: • Start Log. • Close. • Comment. • Include SONAR .INI Files. • Include Current SONAR Project File. • Attachments. Click Browse to find and attach any helpful files to the log (screenshots, etc.).
• Original Tempo [audio clips only]. The tempo at which the clip was recorded. • Follow Project Pitch. The Follow Project Pitch option transposes the loop, if necessary, to the key of the project. A loop recorded in the key of A, used in a project in the key of C, would be transposed up three semitones if the Follow Project Pitch check box was checked. • Reference Note. The Reference Note represents the key in which the loop was recorded.
this check box and related fields to stretch the clip by either a percentage amount, or to a new Duration, or to a new Thru Time. If you set one field, and Tab out of the field, the other 2 fields update automatically. • Stretch Amount (%). • New Duration. Choose by what percentage you want to stretch the clip. Choose what duration you want to stretch the clip to. • New Thru Time. Choose by Thru Time you want to stretch the clip to. • Online Algorithm.
Loop Properties dialog—Audio Files The Audio Files tab of the Clip Properties dialog box lists: • The audio file(s) that make up the selected clip • The pathname(s) the files are stored under • The bit depth of the clip Recompute Picture(s) Click Recompute Picture(s) to redraw waveforms for individual clips that may have a corrupt waveform display.
Settings dialog The Settings dialog box appears when you right-click an FX Chain property page and select Customize UI on the pop-up menu. This dialog box lets you change the colors and graphics that are displayed in each FX Chain. The Settings dialog box contains the following settings: Custom GUI section • Background image. The main background image in the FX Chain property page. • Preset background image. The image behind the preset name. • Fader cap image.
Extra Encoding Options dialog The Extra Encoding Options dialog appears after clicking the Export button in the Export Audio dialog box. The options typically determine the bit depth, endian-ness (the byte ordering in memory used to represent the data), and an encoding type within the major file format.
• 12 bit DWVW • 16 bit DWVW • 24 bit DWVW AU (Sun/NeXT) (extension “au”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32 bit PCM • 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law • 32kbs G721 ADPCM • 24kbs G723 ADPCM CAF (Apple Audio File) (extension “caf”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32 bit PCM • 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law FLAC (FLAC Lossless Audio Codec) (extension “flac”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit
• 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law SD2 (Sound Designer II) (extension “sd2”) • Signed 8 bit PCM • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM W64 (Sony Wave-64) (extension “w64”) • Signed 16 bit PCM • Signed 24 bit PCM • Signed 32 bit PCM • Unsigned 8 bit PCM • 32 bit float • 64 bit float • U-Law • A-Law • IMA ADPCM • Microsoft ADPCM • GSM 6.
Input Quantize dialog The Input Quantize dialog box appears after selecting Quantize Settings in the Input Quantize section in the Inspector. The Input Quantize dialog box contains the following settings: • Resolution. Set the note resolution in either standard note duration or tick value. The resolution determines the size note or time value that you want your MIDI data to conform to. • MIDI Event Start Times. Select this option to quantize MIDI event start times. • Note Durations.
Snap Scale Settings dialog The Snap Scale Settings dialog box appears after selecting Snap Settings in the Snap to Scale section in the Inspector. The Snap Scale Settings dialog box contains the following settings: • Adjust to Next, Higher Note. If you choose this option, SONAR moves any non-scale note that you move to the next higher note in the selected scale. • Adjust to Previous, Lower Note.
Snap Scale Settings dialog
View reference “Track view” on page 1922 “Console view” on page 1971 “Loop Construction view” on page 2009 “Browser” on page 2013 “Matrix view” on page 2014 “Piano Roll view” on page 1932 “Step Sequencer view” on page 1937 “Event List view” on page 1967 “Staff view” on page 1968 “Big Time view” on page 2008 “Lyrics view” on page 1970 “Video view” on page 2005 “Tempo view” on page 2006 “Meter/Key view” on page 2008 “Markers view” on page 2008 “SYSX view” on page 2008 “Using the Synth Rack Browser” on page 6
Track view The Track view is always visible. It is the main window that you use to create, display, and work with a project. When you open a project file, the Track view is displayed for the project. Closing the Track view closes the project. The Track view is divided into several sections: toolbars (at the top), the Navigator pane, the Video Thumbnails pane, the Track pane, the Clips pane, and the Bus pane.
Track view menu Figure 524. Track view menus View menu The View menu contains the following commands: • Navigator Show/Hide. Show or hide the Navigator pane. • Video Thumbnail Track Show/Hide. Show or hide the Video Thumbnails track. The Video Thumbnails track can be displayed even if there is no video in your project. • Auto Track Zoom. This command enables/disables Auto Zoom, which allows you to automatically enlarge the track that has focus. All other tracks are minimized.
• Fit MIDI Content. view. Fit all displayed MIDI content into the visible area of the Inline Piano Roll • MIDI Microscope. Activate Piano Roll Microscope mode. When Microscope mode is enabled, a transparent rounded square centered on the mouse cursor shows a zoomed in region of the Piano Roll data underneath it. • View Undo. Returns the Track view to the previous zoom level (undo zoom). • View Redo. Negate the last View Undo command (redo zoom).
• Select Track Envelopes With Selected Clips. track envelopes. • On Stop, Rewind to Now Marker. whenever playback stops. Selecting a clip will also select any overlapping The Now Time jumps back to the Now Time Marker • Set Now Time With Full Restart. When you change the Now Time during playback, the Transport comes to a full stop, and then restarts playback. This stops the sound for a brief moment, but makes synchronization (especially with video) more robust. • Stop at Project End.
Clips menu The Clips menu contains the following commands: • Apply Trimming. Permanently delete any data from a selected clip that is hidden by a slip editing edit. • Bounce to Clip(s). Combine selected audio clips into a single clip. • Convert to Stereo. Convert any selected mono audio clip(s) to stereo. • Convert to Mono. Convert any selected stereo audio clip(s) to mono. • Fade clips. Open the Fade Selected Clips dialog box, which allows you to create or edit fades on selected clips.
• Show Controller Handles. Show or hide edit handles on controller events. • Show Clip Outlines. Show or hide clip outlines in the Inline Piano Roll view. • Hide Muted Clips. Roll view. Show or hide events that live in muted clips when working in the Inline Piano Region FX menu The Region FX menu contains the following commands: • Melodyne: • Create Region FX. Create a Melodyne Region FX clip. • Remove Region FX. FX clip. Remove the Melodyne processor from the selected Melodyne Region • Open Editor.
Track pane The Track pane lets you see and change the settings for each track. Selected tracks always appear in a different color. The controls for an individual track are grouped together to form that track’s track strip. To change the current track, move the highlight using the mouse or the keyboard as follows: Key What it does UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW Moves the selection to the adjacent track.
Clips pane The Clips pane shows the clips in your project on a timeline that helps you visualize how your project is organized. Clips contain markings that indicate their contents. The Clips pane lets you select, move, and copy clips from place to place to change the arrangement of music and sound in your project. The Track view makes it easy to select tracks, clips, and ranges of time in a project.
The Navigator pane The Navigator pane, located just above the Track pane, displays the whole length of your project so you can always see an overview of your song, and where the Now time is. The Navigator pane displays all of your project’s tracks. To show or hide the Navigator pane, click the Track view View menu and choose Navigator Show/Hide or press ALT+N. You can drag the splitter bar between the Navigator pane and the Track pane to change its height.
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Piano Roll view You can open the Piano Roll view by any of these methods: • Select the track you want to edit and use the Views > Piano Roll View command or press ALT+3. • Double-click a MIDI clip in the Clips pane (you can change this option with the Track view Options > Click Behavior > Double-Click > MIDI Clips command). The Piano Roll view displays all MIDI notes and events from one or more tracks in either the Drum Grid pane or the Notes pane.
Piano Roll view menu View menu The View menu contains the following commands: • Show/Hide Track Pane. Show or hide the Track pane. • Show/Hide Controller Pane. Show or hide the Controller pane. • Show/Hide Drum Pane. Show or hide the Drum pane. • Fit MIDI Content. Fit all displayed MIDI content into the visible area of the Piano Roll view. • MIDI Microscope. Activate Piano Roll Microscope mode.
Tracks menu The Tracks menu contains the following commands: • Pick Tracks. Open the Pick Tracks dialog box, which lets you choose the tracks to display. • Show Next track. Display the next track or group of tracks. • Show Previous Track. Display the previous track or group of tracks. • Show All Tracks. Show all tracks that are open in the Piano Roll view. • Hide All Tracks. Hide all tracks that are open in the Piano Roll view. • Invert Tracks.
Drum Grid pane In this pane you can add, edit, and delete drum notes in a track or tracks. You can edit controllers in this pane if you hide the Controller pane. Only MIDI tracks that are assigned to a drum map appear in the Drum Grid pane.
Controller pane This pane displays controller events, which you can edit. To show or hide the Controller pane, click the Piano Roll view View menu and choose Show/Hide Controller Pane, or press ALT+C.
Step Sequencer view The Step Sequencer makes it easy to compose patterns using a grid, where each cell (step) represents a note. You create patterns by clicking the cells in the grid to turn notes on or off, or by using step recording. Many step sequencers use a Piano Roll grid-style interface. SONAR already has a very powerful Piano Roll view with similar MIDI editing functionality, so the purpose of the Step Sequencer is to provide a very different method for working with patterns.
Figure 526. Step sequencer interface C A B D E A. Menu B. Rows C. Toolbar D. Controllers pane (controls on the left side) E.
Step Sequencer view menu Row menu The Row menu contains the following commands: • Insert Row. Click to insert a new row. For details, see “To insert a row” on page 1950. • Delete Row. Click to delete a row. For details, see “To delete a row” on page 1950. • Rename Row. This command lets you rename a row. • Cut Row Steps. Click to cut a row’s steps. The cut steps are placed on the Clipboard and can be pasted into another row. For details, see “To cut/copy/paste all notes in a row” on page 1954.
so ensures that notes retain their original position within each beat. When disabled, additional steps will instead be appended at the end of each beat. • Trigger note on click. Enable this option is you want to automatically audition a note when clicking on a step. • Set default velocity for steps. Lets you specify the default velocity value that is assigned to new notes that are enabled in the Step Sequencer. The setting is global, which means it applies to all step sequencer clips and projects.
• Fit to Quarters. Fit to Quarters will force the pattern duration to fit the specified number of quarter notes. Note: When you adjust the Fit to Quarters value, the clip duration may change depending on whether or not the clip has been rolled out to expose additional pattern iterations: • If the clip has a single pattern iteration. When you change the Fit to Quarters value (number of quarter notes), the clip duration will continue to equal the length of one pattern iteration.
Rows Figure 528. Per-row controls B A C D E F G H I P J K L M N O A. Drag to reorder rows B. Select row (and show Controllers pane) C. Note name (click to audition pitch) D. Note number E. Mute F. Solo G. Incoming MIDI activity indicator H. Shared MIDI channel indicator I. Output J. Step Editor parameter control (Event Type picker) K. Velocity L. Duration M. Swing N. Time offset O. Flam P. Output channel Each row represents a specific pitch.
• Output. Use this control to assign all selected rows to any available software instrument or drum map. You can also access the Map Properties dialog box from the drop-down menu. By default, each row is assigned to the track’s output. If you assign different rows to different outputs, the step sequencer will automatically assign the rows to a new drum map (see “Using the Step Sequencer with drum maps” on page 1963). • Channel. Use this control to specify the output channel for all selected rows.
compress or expand all note velocities in a row” on page 1956. • Rename Row. This command lets you rename a row. • Fill Every > 2-6. This command lets you automatically insert notes every, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 steps. For details, see “To automatically enable notes every “n” steps” on page 1953.
Notes pane The Notes pane consists of the following controls: Rows. Each row represents a specific pitch. Similar to the Drum Editor in the Piano Roll view (in some ways, you can think of a row as a different way of looking at the Drum Map Manager in “MIDI Drum Map Manager (Advanced)” on page 1805), the controls for each row are located at the left side of the row and has the following controls: • Note Cells (steps). Notes are enabled by clicking in a cell and disabled by right-clicking.
Controllers pane The Controllers pane in the Step Sequencer is similar to the Controllers pane in the Piano Roll view and allows you to include Controller, Pitch Wheel, Channel Aftertouch, RPN and NRPN events in your sequences. You can also edit velocity values in the Controllers pane. To display the Controllers pane, click a row’s Select button Controllers pane apply to all selected rows. .
Keyboard shortcuts You can use the keyboard to navigate around the Step Sequencer interface and adjust settings. A focus rectangle indicates the step/control that is selected.
Action Key Save the current pattern CTRL+ALT+S Enable/disable MIDI step recording ALT+R Go to previous step when step recording COMMA (,) Go to next step when step recording PERIOD (.) Table 286. Note: You can also use a mouse wheel to adjust the value of the control that has focus. When adjusting note velocities, hold down the SHIFT key for fine control. If a knob has focus, you can press ENTER or F2 and type the desired value in an edit box.
Using the Step Sequencer To open the Step Sequencer 1. Do one of the following: • To edit an existing pattern. Select the Step Sequencer clip that you want to edit in the Step Sequencer. • To create a new pattern. Click the MIDI track in which you want to create the new pattern. The track then becomes the active track. Make sure that no MIDI clips are selected. 2. Do one of the following: • Select Views > Step Sequencer. • Press ALT+4. The Step Sequencer window appears.
Working with rows “To insert a row” on page 1950 “To delete a row” on page 1950 “To reorder a row” on page 1950 “To select rows” on page 1951 “To edit controller events on a single row” on page 1959 “To edit controller events on multiple rows simultaneously” on page 1960 To insert a row Do one of the following: • Click the Insert Row button . • Press the INSERT key. • Right-click a row and select Insert Row from the pop-up menu.
A A. Click the row’s handle and drag up/down to reorder a row To select rows Do one of the following: • To select a single row, click the row’s Select button . • To select all rows, press CTRL+A (make sure the Step Sequencer view has focus). • To select a range of rows, do one of the following: • Click the first row’s Select button Select button. , then hold down the SHIFT key and click the last row’s • Click the first row’s Select button and drag up/down to select adjacent rows.
Working with steps “To enable a note” on page 1953 “To audition a note when clicking on a step” on page 1953 “To automatically enable notes every “n” steps” on page 1953 “To disable a note” on page 1954 “To cut/copy/paste all notes in a row” on page 1954 “To shift all notes in a row to the left or right” on page 1954 “To shift all notes in a column up or down by one row” on page 1955 “To clear all steps” on page 1955 “To merge/unmerge notes” on page 1955 “To edit a note’s velocity” on page 1955 “To specify
To enable a note Do one of the following: • To enable a single note. Click on the note that you want to enable. • To enable multiple notes of the same pitch. Click on the first note that you want to enable and drag across all other notes you want to enable. By default, dragging is constrained to a single row. If you want to freely drag across different rows, hold down the ALT key while dragging. The note is enabled.
To disable a note Do one of the following: • To disable a single note. Right-click on the note that you want to disable. • To disable multiple notes of the same pitch. Right-click on the first note that you want to disable and drag across all other notes that you want to disable. By default, dragging is constrained to a single row. If you want to freely drag across different rows, hold down the ALT key while dragging. The note is disabled. A A.
To shift all notes in a column up or down by one row You can easily move all notes in a column up or down by one row: 1. Click any existing note in the column you want to move up or down. (so the note has focus). 2. Press ALT+DOWN ARROW or ALT+UP ARROW. All notes in the same column are moved down or up by one row. To clear all steps To clear all steps in the pattern, click the Step Sequencer view Pattern menu and select Clear Pattern. To merge/unmerge notes Do one of the following: • Merge adjacent notes.
You can also edit the velocities of multiple notes in one operation: 1. Hold down the SHIFT key and click a step to enter Velocity Editing mode. Two horizontal lines are displayed to indicate the range that you can move the mouse to adjust velocities. 2. Drag the mouse up or down across other rows to change the velocities of the steps in that row. Only steps in the same row may be edited. Velocity values are updated in real-time as you move the mouse within the row. 3.
A B A. Flammed step B. Normal steps To add slide (portamento) to notes To create a smooth slide between two pitches, you must insert controller events in the Controllers pane. For details, see “To create a smooth slide (portamento) between pitches” on page 1961. To specify the likelihood that a note will play (randomize) You can specify the probability of whether an enabled note will play or not. By default, all enabled notes have a Probability value of 100%, which means the notes always play.
turned on. • If the pitch that is pressed is not mapped to a row in the Step Sequencer, then the step is skipped. • Undo (CTRL+Z) will undo the most recent step entry and move the current position back by one step. 3. To disable step recording, right-click the Play button again or press CTRL+R. The Play button changes back to its normal state . Specifying Velocity for Step Recording You can specify whether step recording should use the recorded velocity or a fixed velocity value for new notes.
Working with Controller events You use the Controllers pane to include modulation events, such as Controller, Pitch Wheel, Channel Aftertouch, RPN and NRPN events, in your patterns. Modulation events are independent for each row. Note: Modulation events on one row may also affect other rows that share the same output port and channel pair. Velocity and Time Offset parameters are always independent for each row, regardless of port/channel assignments.
A C B A. Click a row’s Select button to show the Controllers pane below the row B. Select the controller type you want to edit in the Controllers pane C. Draw events in the Controllers pane To edit controller events on multiple rows simultaneously 1. Select all the rows you want to edit. For details, see “To select rows” on page 1951. The Controllers pane appears below the top-most selected row. 2. Click the Step Editor parameter control and select a parameter name from the drop-down menu.
To create a smooth slide (portamento) between pitches 1. Click a row’s Select button . The Controllers pane appears below the row. 2. Click the Step Editor parameter control and select Slide/Portamento from the drop-down menu. 3. Draw events in the Controller pane where you want to create a slide. The Slide/Portamento value specifies the time it takes for the next note to reach its pitch. The value range is 0 (off) to 127 (longest).
To convert a MIDI clip to a Step Sequencer pattern You can convert any existing MIDI clip into a step sequencer pattern. For details, see “To convert a MIDI clip(s) to a Step Sequencer clip(s)” on page 1965. To edit an existing pattern Do one of the following: • Select the Step Sequencer clip that you want to edit in the Step Sequencer and select Views > Step Sequencer. • Double-click the Step Sequencer clip. The Step Sequencer window appears.
To preview a pattern You can preview step sequencer patterns (.ssp) in the Media Browser. For details, see “To preview MIDI content” on page 617. To step record a pattern See “To step record notes from a MIDI device” on page 1957.
A change made in the Drum Map Manager dialog box will affect the Step Sequencer and vice versa. Note: Mute, Solo, Velocity and Velocity Multiplier are separate for the drum map and step sequencer. To edit the drum map properties of a note 1. Click a row’s Select button to show all controls for the selected row. 2. Click the Output control and select Open Drum Map Manager from the drop-down menu. The Map Properties dialog box appears. 3. Configure the drum map properties as desired.
Working with Step Sequencer clips When you create a sequence in the Step Sequencer, SONAR creates a new Step Sequencer clip. A Step Sequencer clip shows the first iteration of the sequence/pattern and all Step Sequencer clips can be identified by a small Step Sequencer clip icon in the top right corner of the clip. Step sequencer clips are somewhat similar to MIDI Groove clips; you can drag the left and right edges of a Step Sequencer clip to show additional iterations of the sequence pattern.
To unlink copied Step Sequencer clips When you copy step sequencer clips, all copies are linked to each other. This means that any further edits to any of the clips will be automatically reflected in all other linked sibling clips. If you want to edit one instance of a step sequencer clip without affecting any other clips, you must first unlink the clip you want to edit: 1. Right-click the step sequencer clip in the Clips pane to show the Clips pane context menu. 2.
Event List view Open the Event List view by: • Selecting one or more tracks and choosing Views > Event List. • Right-clicking a track in the Clips pane and choosing Views > Event List. • Pressing ALT+8. The Event List view hides or displays all the events in a project in a list. To filter which events are shown in the Event List view, click Event List view View menu and select the desired event types.
Staff view Open the Staff view by any of these methods: • Use the Views > Staff View command. • Select Staff from the Clips pane right-click pop-up menu. • Press ALT+6. The Staff view displays MIDI note events as musical notation. For some musicians, this may be the most familiar and comfortable view in which to work. The Staff view provides many features that make it possible for you to compose, edit, and print music.
Edit menu The Edit menu contains the following commands: • Layout. Open the Staff View Layout dialog box. • Quick TAB. Create tablature based on standard fingering patterns. After you try the quick version, you can customize the tablature to your liking. • Regenerate TAB. Generate a new TAB staff in the Staff pane. • Play Previous. Play the previous note from the Now time. • Play Next. Play the next note from the Now time. View menu The View menu contains the following commands: • Show/Hide Track Pane.
For more information, see: “The Staff view” on page 1180 “Basic musical editing” on page 1186 “Chords and marks” on page 1200 “Staff pane layout” on page 1181 “Inserting notes on the staff” on page 1187 “To audition with the Scrub tool” on page 1192 “Moving, copying, and deleting notes on the staff” on page 1190 “Using enharmonic spellings” on page 1197 “Adding expression marks” on page 1203 “Adding hairpin symbols” on page 1205 “The Fretboard” on page 1183 “Tablature” on page 1208 “Working with lyrics” on
Console view The Console view contains all the controls you need to mix your project. Tracks, buses and mains appear as vertical channel strips, similar to a hardware mixing console. By default, the Console view is docked in the MultiDock, below the Track view. This allows you to simultaneously arrange in the Track view and mix in the Console view. Figure 530. The Console view B C A D E F A. Console view menu B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Pane splitter bars D. Track channel strips E.
See: “The Console view interface” on page 1972 “Channel strips” on page 1974 “Modules” on page 1987 “Console view menu” on page 1993 “Customizing the Console view” on page 1996 “Using the Console view” on page 1999 “Customizing track/bus colors” on page 234 The Console view interface The Console view contains the following main elements: • Menu. Use the menu to configure channel strips. You can filter the display of specific channel strip types and modules within channel strips.
Figure 531. The Console view B C A D E F A. Console view menu B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Pane splitter bars D. Track channel strips E. Bus channel strips F.
Channel strips The Console view can show the following channel strip types: • Audio track. Use to control tracks that contain digital audio data, which is routed to your hardware audio interface. For details, see “Audio track controls” on page 1981. • MIDI track. Use to control tracks that contain MIDI data. MIDI tracks can control external MIDI devices or software instruments. For details, see “MIDI track controls” on page 1982. • Instrument track. Use to control software instruments.
Figure 532. The controls displayed in a channel strip vary according to the channel strip type. Audio track MIDI track Instrument track Bus Main To show/hide a channel strip type Click the Strips menu in the Console view and choose the desired channel strip type. Figure 533. Console view Strips menu.
Channel strip controls The controls displayed in a channel strip vary according to the channel strip type. Channel strip controls are grouped into various modules that can be shown or hidden. The following modules and controls are available. Module Control Description Input / Trim Gain Pre-fader input gain for fine tuning a track’s volume or input level to a bus.
Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Activates a send module, which sends a copy of the track signal to a bus. x x x Send Level Controls volume of audio data sent by the send module. x x x Send Pan x Adjusts the send pan setting. Note: The Send Pan control is not visible in narrow channel strips. x x Send Pre/ Post switch Sends the signal to the bus prior to the track’s volume fader; post means the Send signal goes to the bus after the volume fader.
Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Module Control Description MSR Phase Invert A switch that inverts the phase of the track. x Note: The Phase Invert control is not visible in narrow channel strips. Mono/Stereo A switch that determines whether a track’s x signal enters an effect or chain of effects as mono or stereo, regardless of the nature of the track. Note: The Mono/Stereo control is not visible in narrow channel strips. Read Automation Enable/disable automation playback.
Module Control Description Volume Volume The current volume level for the track, ranging from -INF (silent) to +6 dB (maximum volume). The recording and playback levels are displayed in the Playback and Record meters. Link Main out faders can be linked using the Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Main x x x x x x Link button . This allows you to adjust both the left and right channel at the same time.
Audio MIDI track track Instrument Bus track Apply a color tint to the channel strip. For details, see “Customizing track/bus colors” on page 234. x x x x The colored WAI bar shows which tracks and/or buses are currently being controlled by a controller/surface. Each controller/ surface uses a different color. For details, see “The WAI display” on page 1344. x x x x Module Control Description --- Track color --- WAI Table 288.
Audio track controls Figure 534. Audio track controls in the Console view. A B C D E F G H I J K L M A. Input gain B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Effects bin D. Sends E. Mute, Solo, Arm, Input Echo, Phase Invert, Stereo Interleave, Read Automation, Write Automation F. Pan G. Volume H. Meter I. Track icon J. Input and output K. Track name and number L. Track color M.
MIDI track controls Figure 535. MIDI track controls in the Console view. A B C D E F G H I J K L A. Velocity trim B. Effects bin C. Channel/Bank/Patch D. Mute, Solo, Arm, Input Echo, Read Automation, Write Automation E. Pan F. Volume G. Meter H. Track icon I. Input and output J. Track name and number K. Track color L.
Instrument track controls Figure 536. Instrument track controls in the Console view. A B C D E F G H I J K L M A. Input gain B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Effects bin D. Sends E. Mute, Solo, Arm, Input Echo, Read Automation, Write Automation F. Pan G. Volume H. Meter I. Track icon J. Input and output K. Track name and number L. Track color M.
Bus controls Figure 537. Bus controls in the Console view. A B C D E F G H I J K L M A. Input gain and pan B. ProChannel (Producer only) C. Effects bin D. Sends E. Mute, Solo, Read Automation, Write Automation F. Pan G. Volume H. Meter I. Bus Icon J. Output K. Bus name and letter L. Bus color M.
Main controls Figure 538. Main controls in the Console view. A B C D E F G A. Mute B. Link channels C. Volume D. Meter E. Icon F. Mains name G. WAI display Status indicators The Console view shows if a control is grouped with one or more other controls, armed for automation, and if automation exists for the control. Grouped control indicator Small color-coded squares are displayed when knobs, faders, or buttons are grouped. Figure 539. Grouped control indicator.
A red rectangle outlines any controls that are armed for automation writing. You can write enable the entire channel strip, or individual controls. Figure 540. Armed for automation indicator. For details, see “To arm a channel strip for automation writing” on page 2002. Automation present indicator A small automation icon appears next to any controls that have existing automation data. Figure 541. Automation present indicator.
“Main controls” on page 1985 “Console view menu” on page 1993 “The Console view interface” on page 1972 “Customizing the Console view” on page 1996 “Using the Console view” on page 1999 “Console view” on page 1971 Modules Channel strip controls are grouped into various modules that can be shown/hidden.
Input Gain module The Input Gain module lets you adjust the pre-volume input gain and pan (buses only). Figure 543. Input Gain module. Track A Bus A B A. Input gain/trim B. Input pan For information about using input gain, see “Adjusting volume trim” on page 230. ProChannel module (Producer and Studio only) The ProChannel module lets you apply compression, equalization, and tube saturation modeling to each audio track, Instrument track and bus. Figure 544. ProChannel module (Producer only).
FX Bin module The FX Bin module let’s you insert real-time plug-in effects in tracks and buses. Figure 546. FX Bin module. A C B D E F A. Scroll up B. Scroll down C. Insert plug-in D. Enable/disable plug-in E. Plug-in name F. Effect output interleave indicator (mono, stereo or surround) . For information about using real-time effects, see “Using real-time effects” on page 913.
MSR module The MSR module lets you set various track states, including mute, solo and arm for recording. Figure 548. MSR module. Audio track MIDI track and Bus A B C D E F G H E F C D G H Main E I E A. Mono/Stereo B. Phase Invert C. Read Automation D. Write Automation E. Mute F. Solo G. Arm for recording H. Input Echo I. Link left and right channel faders (mains only) For information about track states, see “Track-by-track playback” on page 200.
Figure 550. Volume module (also showing MSR and Pan Control modules). C A A B B Track/Bus Main A. Volume fader B. Peak value C. Link faders (Mains only) For easy identification, track fader thumbs are black, bus fader thumbs are blue, and mains fader thumbs are red. Note: Main out faders can be linked using the Link button left and right channel at the same time. . This allows you to adjust both the For information about setting levels, see “Adjusting volume and pan” on page 228.
In / Out module The In / Out module lets you assign an input and output to the channel strip. The Input device is used for recording and the Output device is used for playback. Figure 552. In / Out module. Track Bus A B B A. Input B. Output For information about assigning inputs and outputs, see “Assigning Inputs & Outputs” on page 221.
Console view menu The menu across the top of the Console view lets you configure the appearance and behavior of the Console view. Figure 553. Console view menu. Modules menu The Modules menu contains the following commands: • Input Gain. Show/hide Input Gain and Trim controls. • ProChannel. Show/hide ProChannel (Producer and Studio only) • EQ Plot. Show/hide the EQ plot ( version of SONAR only) • FX Bin. Show/hide effects bins. • Sends / Bank / Patch. Show/hide Send, Bank and Patch controls. • MSR.
• Track Manager. Open the Track Manager dialog box. • Widen All Strips. Show wide channel strips. • Narrow All Strips. Show narrow channel strips. Track menu The Track menu contains the following commands: • Insert Audio Track. Insert a new audio track. • Insert MIDI Track. Insert a new MIDI track. • Insert Track from Template. Insert new tracks from a track template. • Make Instrument Track.
• Meters. Use the submenu to specify various options for track, bus and mains meters. The submenu contains the following options: • Track Record Meters. Show/hide track record meters. • Track Playback Meters. Show/hide track playback meters. • Bus Meters. Show/hide bus meters. • Mains Meters. Show/hide mains meters. • Reset All Meters. Clear any clipping indicators from all meters. • Record Meter Options.
Customizing the Console view There are various ways you can customize the Console view to suit your needs and to save screen space, including: • Show/hide specific channel strip types, such as audio tracks, MIDI tracks, Instrument tracks, buses and mains (see “To show/hide specific channel strip types” on page 1996). • Show/hide specific tracks, buses and mains (see “To show/hide specific tracks, buses and mains” on page 1996).
To set the width of channel strips Channel strips can be either wide or narrow. By showing narrow channel strips, you can show more tracks, buses and mains simultaneously in the Console view. To set all channel strips to wide mode, click the Strips menu and choose Widen All Strips. To set all channel strips to narrow mode, click the Strips menu and choose Narrow All Strips.
Figure 555. You can show all or individual channel strips in Narrow mode in order to see more channel strips simultaneously.
To resize the Track, Bus and Mains panes Drag the vertical splitter bars to the left or right. The splitter bars snap to channel strip boundaries. Figure 556. Drag the vertical splitter bars to resize the Track, Bus and Mains panes. C A.
“To insert a plug-in effect” on page 2002 “To show which channel strips are controlled by a control surface” on page 2002 “To specify meter options” on page 2003 “To dock the Console view in the MultiDock” on page 2003 “To synchronize the Track view and Console view” on page 2004 “To group controls” on page 2004 “To temporarily override a group” on page 2004 “To link left and right faders in a Main channel strip” on page 2004 To insert a new track Right-click a track channel strip and choose Insert Audio T
Navigating within the Console view To select the next or previous channel strip, press the LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW key. To jump to the first or last channel strip in the current pane (Track, Bus or Mains pane), press the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys. To scroll to the next or previous channel strip, click the scroll arrow buttons in the scrollbar. A A.
To arm a channel strip for automation writing Click the channel strip’s Write Automation button. To disable automation writing for the channel strip, click the Write Automation button again. Tip: To disable automation writing for all write-enabled channel strips, click the Clear all automation write enables button module” on page 552. in the Control Bar’s Mix module.
Figure 558. Console view Modules menu. To show/hide individual channel strips 1. Click the Strips menu in the Console view and choose Track Manager to open the Track Manager dialog box. 2. Select the channel strips you want to see, then click OK. To show/hide a channel strip type Click the Strips menu in the Console view and choose the desired channel strip type. Figure 559. Console view Strips menu.
To undock the Console view Do one of the following: • Click the Docking Options button and choose Undock. • Right-click the Console view tab and choose Undock. To synchronize the Track view and Console view By default, the Track view and Console view show the same sets of tracks and buses. However, you can choose to show different sets of tracks and buses. To do so: 1. Click the Strips menu in the Console view and choose Track Manager to open the Track Manager dialog box. 2.
Video view Open the Video view by using the Views > Video command or by pressing ALT+SHIFT+2. In addition to the Video view, there is also a Video Thumbnails pane in the Track view (see “Using the Video Thumbnails pane” on page 260). The File > Import > Video command lets you include an AVI, MPEG, or QuickTime video in your project. This video is shown in the Video view in real time as your project plays. The Video view displays the current time (as in the Big Time view) and the video itself.
For step by step instructions: “Video playback, import, and export” on page 251 “To load a video file into a project” on page 252 “To delete the video from the project” on page 253 “To enable or disable video playback” on page 253 “To set the Time display format” on page 253 “To set the background color” on page 254 “To set the Start and Trim times” on page 255 See Also: “Optimizing video performance” on page 259 Tempo view Open the Tempo view by using the Views > Tempo command, or by pressing ALT+SHIFT+5.
Tool Name What It’s for Line Draw a straight line indicating a steady increase or decrease in tempo. Erase Eliminate tempo changes already in place for some portion of a project. Snap grid When the Snap to Grid button is depressed, any new tempo changes will only be entered as often as the duration value in the Control Bar’s Snap module. Table 290. If you make a mistake using any of these tools, you can use Undo to correct the error.
Meter/Key view Open the Meter/Key view by using the Views > Meter/Key command, or by pressing ALT+SHIFT+6. The Meter/Key view lets you enter meter and key changes on measure boundaries. Meter and key changes affect all tracks. The Meter/Key view lets you set and change the meter and key signature for any project or part of a project, over all its tracks. For more information, see “The Meter/Key view” on page 1219.
Loop Construction view Figure 560. The Loop Construction view D E F G H I J K L A B M N O C A. Menu B. Preview loop C. Audio scale (drag to zoom vertically) D. Loop on/ off E. Resolution F. Threshold G. Beats H. BPM (original tempo) I. Show/hide Pitch envelope J. Root note K. Coarse Pitch L. Fine Pitch M. Slice markers N. Ruler (samples or beats) O. Groove clip The following is a list of the controls in the Loop Construction view, followed by a description.
• Loop Properties. Opens the Loop Properties dialog box. Note: The settings in the Loop Properties dialog box are also available in the Groove Clip section in the Clip Inspector. Slice menu The Slice menu contains the following commands: • Reset Markers. Restores all automatically generated markers to the original position and enables all those that were disabled. Manually created markers remain as is. • Show/Hide Gain Envelope. Toggles on or off the display of a gain envelope. • Show/Hide Pan Envelope.
The automatic markers appear at the note resolutions according to the Resolution setting. At the eighth note setting, there are eight markers per measure. This control works well for slicing audio that has more subtle changes in volume with few dramatic transients. The markers in a loop clip preserve the timing of the audio at that moment. Too few or too many markers can cause unwanted “artifacts” when a loop clip is stretched. • Threshold.
Slicing markers There are two types of slicing markers in the Loop Construction view: automatic and manual. Automatic markers appear in red and are automatically generated by SONAR when you loop enable a clip. The one exception to this is if you import an ACIDized wave file into SONAR. ACIDized files always appear with manual slicing markers. Manual markers appear in purple. If you add a marker or move an automatic marker, it turns purple to show you that it has been edited.
There are three right-click display options in the Audio Scale Ruler: • Percentage. Shows audio scaling by percentage. For example, if the highest percentage in the Audio Scale Ruler reads 2.0%, then only the parts of the waveform which are within 2% of the zero crossing appear in the clip. • dB. Shows audio scaling by dB. For example, if the highest dB in the Audio Scaling Ruler reads -36, then only the parts of the waveform which are 36 dB below 0 dB appear in the clip. • Zoom Factor.
Matrix view The Matrix view lets you trigger individual or multiple audio and MIDI patterns, either with a computer keyboard, mouse or via MIDI remote control. The Matrix view consists of a grid, with unlimited rows and columns. You can drag audio, MIDI Groove Clips, Step Sequencer patterns and Project5 patterns to cells in the grid, and each row can be routed to any track in your project. You can record the Matrix performance to the Clips pane.
Matrix view user interface Figure 564. The Matrix view B A C D A. Rows B. Toolbar C. Cells D. Columns The Matrix view consists of four sections: • Toolbar. The toolbar contains controls that let you specify how patterns are triggered. For details, see “Toolbar” on page 2016. • Rows. Each row is assigned to a track and can play one pattern at a time. A row can be routed to any track in your project. For details, see “Rows” on page 2019. • Columns. Each column contains one cell for each row.
Toolbar Figure 565. Matrix view toolbar A B C D E F G H I J A. Stop All Cells B. Capture Matrix Performance (arm Matrix for recording) C. Follow Transport D. Global Trigger Resolution E. Global Loop Mode F. Global Latch Mode G. Retrigger Mode H. Cell Start I. Cell MIDI Trigger J. Options The Matrix view toolbar contains the following controls: • Stop All Cells . When the Stop All Cells button is enabled, all playing cells stop.
• Global Loop Mode / . This toggle lets you specify if a triggered cell should repeat indefinitely, or stop when it reaches the end. When Loop is enabled indefinitely. When Global Loop Mode is disabled This option is enabled by default. , a triggered cell loops , a triggered cell plays once then stops. • Global Latch Mode / . This toggle lets you specify if a triggered cell should stop or keep playing after you release the mouse button or MIDI key.
• Options . Click the Options button to open the Matrix Options dialog box. The following options are available: • Empty cells stop active cells when triggered. This option determines how playing cells are affected when triggering an empty cell in the same row. If Empty cells stop active cells when triggered is disabled (default), triggering an empty cell has no effect on other cells.
Rows Figure 566. Matrix view row A B C F D E G A. Row number B. Data type icon (audio or MIDI) C. Direct Mode (MIDI rows only) D. Mute/unmute row E. Solo/unsolo row F. Assigned track G. Click the arrow to re-assign the row to a different track A row is a horizontal collection of cells that is routed to a specific track in your project. Only one cell per row may be triggered at a time. Tip: To play multiple patterns through the same track simultaneously, assign multiple rows to the same track.
All rows that are assigned to the project’s active track are highlighted. The active tracks is synchronized with the Track view and Console view, and you can set the active track by clicking a row in the Matrix view. In the following image, track 2 is the active track, so all rows that are assigned to track 2 are highlighted. Figure 567. Rows assigned to the active track are highlighted A A.
A column is a vertical collection of cells, with one cell per row. Above each column is a Column Trigger, which lets you simultaneously trigger all cells in a column. Just like cells, the Column Trigger can be triggered with a mouse or via MIDI remote control. If you trigger a column, all other cells in the Matrix will be turned off, since only one cell per row may be triggered. The Matrix view supports unlimited columns.
Cells Figure 569. Matrix view cells B C D A A. Filled cells (contain patterns) B. Column trigger (click to play all cells in a column) C. Empty cell D. Playing cell with progress indicator The Matrix view is a grid of unlimited cells arranged into rows and columns. A cell is simply a pattern holder. You can drag one pattern into each cell, or leave the cell empty. By default, a cell displays the name of the assigned pattern, but the cell can be renamed.
• MIDI Learn indicator. The MIDI Learn indicator shows if the cell has been assigned to MIDI remote control. • Trigger area. Click the Trigger area to trigger the cell according to the global Trigger Resolution and Cell Start settings. Note: When triggered with a mouse, a cell is triggered when the mouse button is pressed, not when the mouse button is released. • Loop mode. Each cell has a Loop Mode button, which lets you override the Global Loop Mode setting.
You can right-click a cell to access the following commands: • Import File. Use this command to import a file into a cell. • Rename Cell. Use this command if you want to rename the cell. • Clear Cell. Use this command to remove any pattern and MIDI assignment from the cell. • One-Shot Trigger. Use this command to configure a cell as a one-shot sample. A one-shot cell plays one repetition from beginning to end and ignores any loop and latch settings. • MIDI Learn.
“To trigger a cell” on page 2029 “To trigger all cells in a column simultaneously” on page 2031 “To trigger a cell or column via MIDI remote control” on page 2032 “To configure a cell as “one-shot”” on page 2028 “To stop playing one or more cells” on page 2033 “To rename a cell” on page 2036 “To move a pattern to another cell” on page 2036 “To copy a pattern to another cell” on page 2036 “To render a single pattern to the Clips pane (Quick Capture)” on page 2037 See also: “Matrix view user interface” on pag
“To stop playing a column” on page 2033 “To insert a new empty column” on page 2034 “To duplicate an existing column” on page 2034 “To rename a column header” on page 2034 “To stop playing all cells” on page 2034 “To use independent Latch mode per cell” on page 2034 “To use independent Loop mode per cell” on page 2034 “To mute/unmute a row” on page 2035 “To solo/unsolo a row” on page 2035 “To route a MIDI row directly to a soft synth or hardware output” on page 2035 “To reassign a row to a different track”
When dragging a clip from the Clips pane, the cell will automatically inherit the clip name and color. If the clip has no name, the cell will be named “Audio” or “MIDI”. Note 1: Rows that are assigned to audio tracks can only contain cells with audio data. Likewise, rows that are routed to MIDI or Instrument tracks can only contain cells with MIDI data. The Audio or MIDI identity of a row is established when the first pattern is dragged into the row.
To specify how soon a pattern should start playing after being triggered When you trigger a cell or column, playback starts after the amount of time that is selected in the Cell Trigger Time menu in the Matrix view toolbar. • Click the Trigger Resolution menu and select one of the available options: • Immediate. Playback starts immediately. • Next Measure. Playback starts on the next measure boundary. • Next Beat. Playback starts on the next beat. • Next 1/8. Playback starts on the next 8th note.
To synchronize the Matrix with SONAR’s transport • Make sure the Follow Transport button is enabled. Patterns will now only play when SONAR’s transport is rolling. To trigger a cell • Do one of the following: • Click the desired cell. • Use the ARROW keys on your computer keyboard to navigate to the desired cell, then press ENTER. • If the cell has been assigned to a MIDI event, press the appropriate key, pad or button on your MIDI controller.
See also: “To use a per-cell trigger resolution” on page 2030 “To trigger a cell or column via MIDI remote control” on page 2032 To use a per-cell trigger resolution By default, a cell follows the Global Trigger Resolution, as specified in the Matrix view toolbar. You can also assign a custom trigger resolution to each cell, instead of following the global trigger resolution. To assign a per-cell trigger resolution: 1.
Figure 572. Cell trigger resolution Follow Global Trigger Resolution A Per-cell Trigger Resolution B A. Follow Global Trigger Resolution (no resolution is displayed) B. Per-cell Trigger Resolution (assigned resolution is displayed) See also: “To trigger a cell” on page 2029 To trigger all cells in a column simultaneously • Click the Column Trigger at the top of the column. All the patterns in the column start playing and any other playing cells are turned off.
To trigger a cell or column via MIDI remote control You can trigger a cell or column via MIDI remote control, but you must first specify the MIDI message that should trigger the cell or column. 1. Right-click the cell or Column Trigger that you would like to trigger via MIDI remote control, and select MIDI Learn from the pop-up menu. The cell has an orange outline. The next MIDI event the Matrix receives will be assigned to all cells that are in MIDI Learn mode.
To clear MIDI event assignments • Do one of the following: • To clear MIDI assignments for a single cell. Right-click the desired cell and select Clear MIDI Learn on the pop-up menu. • To clear MIDI assignments for a single Column Trigger. Right-click the desired cell and select Clear MIDI Learn on the pop-up menu. • To clear MIDI assignments for all cells and Column Triggers. Click the arrow next to the Stop All Cells button the drop-down menu.
To insert a new empty column • Right-click a column header and select Insert Column on the context menu. A new empty column is inserted to the left of the clicked column. To duplicate an existing column • Right-click a column header and select Duplicate Column on the context menu. A copy of the clicked column is created. To rename a column header 1. Right-click a column header and select Rename Column on the context menu. The Rename Column dialog box appears. 2. Type the desired name and click OK.
To mute/unmute a row • Click the row’s Mute button . A A. Click the row’s Mute button to mute/unmute a row To solo/unsolo a row • Click the row’s Solo button . A A. Click the row’s Solo button to solo/unsolo a row To route a MIDI row directly to a soft synth or hardware output • Click the row’s Direct Mode button . Doing so will bypass the assigned track’s MIDI processing, such as MIDI FX, Arpeggiator, volume, etc., and send the row directly to the assigned soft synth or hardware output. A A.
To reassign a row to a different track • Click the arrow next to the track name and select a track from the drop-down menu. Rows that contain audio patterns can be assigned to any available audio track, and rows that contain MIDI patterns can be assigned to MIDI tracks. A A. Click arrow to reassign a row to a different track To rename a cell 1. Right-click a cell and select Rename Cell from the pop-up menu. The Rename Cell dialog box appears. 2. Type a new name and click OK.
5. Press Play in SONAR to start playback. As cells are triggered in the Matrix view, the Clips pane displays corresponding preview clips. If SONAR’s transport is looping, captured Matrix performance data will overwrite itself. 6. When you want to stop recording, press Stop in SONAR or press the SPACEBAR key. SONAR records the output of all unmuted rows to their respective target tracks. The new clips inherit their colors from the triggered cells.
Matrix view shortcuts Shortcut Focus in cell Focus in header ENTER Trigger cell Trigger header HOME Go to first occupied cell on the current row. Go to first column trigger END Go to last occupied cell on the current row. Go to last column trigger CTRL+DOWN ARROW --- Move focus to the cells at the same column on the last focused row if possible, otherwise tries to find nearest row CTRL +UP ARROW Move focus to the column buttons at the same column.
Play List view Open the Play List view by using the File > New command to open the New Project dialog box, and choosing Play List set from the list of files (it’s near the top of the list). This view lets you set up a series of songs to play sequentially. The Play List view lets you create, edit, and save a play list (or set) of up to 128 SONAR projects. Once you’ve created the list, you can play back the entire sequence automatically.
Surround panner The large surround panner has the following controls: • Angle and Focus marker. A small sphere that you can drag in any direction to both control and display the following two parameters: • Angle. This is the perceived angle of the sound source as it differs from the position directly in front of the listener. The scale is 0 to 180 degrees on the listener’s right, and 0 to -180 degrees on the listener’s left.
Figure 573. Large Surround Panner A C B A. Angle and focus marker B. Width markers C. Right speaker icon For more information about surround mixing, see “Surround Mixing (Producer and Studio only)” on page 975.
View reference Surround panner
Glossary “Aftertouch” on page 2048 “AIFF” on page 2048 “Archive” on page 2048 “Arm” on page 2048 “Audio clip” on page 2048 “Audio track” on page 2048 “Audition” on page 2048 “Automation” on page 2048 “Bank” on page 2048 “Bit depth” on page 2048 “Broadcast wave” on page 2049 “Bundle file” on page 2049 “Cakewalk Application Language (CAL)” on page 2049 “Channel” on page 2049 “Channel aftertouch (ChanAft)” on page 2049 “Chord” on page 2049 “Chord symbol” on page 2049 “Clip” on page 2049 “Clone” on page 2049 “
“Decrescendo” on page 2050 “Digital audio” on page 2050 “DMA” on page 2050 “DRM (Dump Request Macro)” on page 2050 “Duration” on page 2050 “Echo” on page 2050 “Effects (audio effects)” on page 2051 “Envelopes” on page 2051 “Event” on page 2051 “Expression” on page 2051 “Expression marks” on page 2051 “Fade” on page 2051 “Fade-in” on page 2051 “Fade-out” on page 2051 “Frame” on page 2051 “Frame rate” on page 2051 “From time” on page 2051 “Full-duplex” on page 2052 “Groove clip” on page 2052 “Groove pattern”
“Live mode” on page 2053 “Locked (SMPTE) time” on page 2053 “Looping” on page 2053 “Loops” on page 2053 “Lyrics” on page 2053 “Marker” on page 2054 “MBT” on page 2054 “MCI command (Media Control Interface command)” on page 2054 “Meter” on page 2054 “Metronome” on page 2054 “MIDI” on page 2054 “Mixdown” on page 2054 “MMC (MIDI Machine Control)” on page 2054 “MME” on page 2054 “MTC Sync” on page 2054 “Mute” on page 2055 “Normal template” on page 2055 “Now time” on page 2055 “NRPN” on page 2055 “Offline” on pa
“Quantize resolution” on page 2056 “Quantize strength” on page 2056 “Record” on page 2056 “RIFF wave” on page 2056 “RMS” on page 2057 “RPN” on page 2057 “Ruler” on page 2057 “Sampling rate” on page 2057 “Screenset” on page 2057 “Scrub” on page 2057 “Sensitivity (window)” on page 2057 “Shape” on page 2057 “Size” on page 2057 “Slip editing” on page 2057 “SMPTE” on page 2057 “Snapshot” on page 2057 “Solo” on page 2058 “Split point” on page 2058 “Staff” on page 2058 “Striping” on page 2058 “Submix” on page 2058
“Track” on page 2059 “Transients” on page 2059 “Vector” on page 2059 “Velocity” on page 2060 “Volume” on page 2060 “WASAPI” on page 2060 “WDM” on page 2060 “Widget” on page 2060 “Wipe” on page 2060 “xRPN” on page 2060 Glossary 2047
Aftertouch MIDI property controlling how much pressure is applied after sending a Note On message. See “Channel aftertouch (ChanAft)” on page 2049 and “Key aftertouch (KeyAft)” on page 2053. AIFF Short for Audio Interchange File Format, the audio file format on the Macintosh platform. Files in this format have the extension .aif or .aiff. Archive Silence and suppress the processing of a track. Archived tracks are not loaded into RAM, so they can’t be unmuted in real time.
Broadcast wave A wave file with the following embedded information: description, originator, origination date, origination time, and SMPTE time reference. Bundle file A single file that incorporates all project information and audio data. Bundle files are useful for creating backups of your work or for moving projects from on computer to another. Cakewalk Application Language (CAL) An event-processing language that extends Cakewalk with custom editing commands.
Controls Sliders, faders, knobs, and buttons on the console or your on-line equivalent of “Controllers” on page 2049. See “Mixing” on page 879. Crescendo A passage of music during which the volume gradually increases. Crossfade One clip fading in while another fades out. You can create destructive or non-destructive crossfades. For more information, see “Fades and crossfades” on page 430. dB The abbreviation for Decibel. See “The decibel scale” on page 828.
Effects (audio effects) Systematic changes you can make to parts or all of the music, like reverb, chorus, and delay. See “Audio effects (audio plug-ins)” on page 846 and “Using real-time effects” on page 913. Envelopes Reflects the changes in value for a specified parameter (volume, for example) over a period of time. Also refers to the graph of the change—same as vector. See “Automation” on page 1101. Event Note, MIDI action, or audio clip.
Full-duplex The ability to stream data in two directions simultaneously. Sound cards that support full-duplex allow for simultaneous recording and playback of audio. See “Recording audio” on page 293. Groove clip Audio clip that contains pitch and tempo information that allows SONAR to automatically adjust the pitch and tempo of the clip to that of the project you insert it into. Groove pattern Piece of music used as a template for the groove quantize command.
Instrument definitions A file that contains information necessary to communicate settings about banks, patches, controllers, and other features of an instrument. See “Creating instrument definitions” on page 1234. Key aftertouch (KeyAft) MIDI property regulating the pressure applied to an individual note. Key offset The number of half-steps by which to transpose the track. A value of 12 raises the notes an octave.
Marker Flag marking a specific time in the music. MBT Short for Measure, Beat and Tick number which is the time format used for beats. 9:04:0060 is the 60th tick of the fourth beat of the ninth measure. MCI command (Media Control Interface command) Special event in the Event List view that lets you control other multimedia hardware and software. Meter The meter, or time signature, divides time into rhythmic pulses. Specifies the number of beats per measure and the note value of each beat.
Mute Silences a track to not be heard during playback or recording. Normal template A default project template which includes a predetermined amount of tracks and/or buses. Now time The current time in a project or where you are in the music. This is Represented by a vertical line which travels throughout the timeline. See “The Now time and how to use it” on page 182 NRPN Non-Registered Parameter Numbers. See “Controllers, RPNs, NRPNs, and automation data” on page 786. Offline Not in real time.
Pitch bend Controller that changes the pitch of a MIDI note. Pitch marker A marker in the Time Ruler which transposes the root note pitch of all groove clips and ACIDized loops in a project. Pitch wheel Controller that changes the pitch of a MIDI note. Port Computer connector for sending or receiving data. PPQ Abbreviation for Parts per Quarter Note. MIDI sequencers divide each beat into fractions of a beat (called ticks) for timing and editing purposes.
RMS Short for Root Mean Square. A method of measuring an average of the amplitudes that occur in a complete cycle of a frequency. RMS is a little over seventy per cent of peak level. RPN Registered Parameter Numbers. See “Controllers, RPNs, NRPNs, and automation data” on page 786. Ruler Bar showing evenly-spaced measure intervals. It appears in the Track, Staff, and Piano Roll views. Sampling rate The number of samples per second a digital audio file is recorded at.
Solo Silences all tracks except for those that are soloed during playback and recording. Multiple tracks can be soloed at once. Split point In the Staff view, the point at which you split a track into treble and bass staves. Notes at or above the split point go into the treble staff, those below into the bass staff. Staff A set of horizontal lines developed for music notation. Striping Recording an analog time code signal onto a track.
Tempo The speed at which the project or selection of music is played at. Measured in rhythmic beats per minute. See “Metronome” on page 2054. Thru time Time up to which the music is to be played back or recorded. Set it in the Control Bar’s Select module. Ticks Subdivisions of quarter notes. MIDI projects often use a resolution of 480 parts per quarter note (“PPQ” on page 2056); each part is also called a tick. Time In Cakewalk, Now time, from time, or thru time. When an event takes place in the music.
Velocity A measurement taken when recording MIDI note events of how fast a key is struck. A MIDI notes velocity will dictate how loud the note will sound during playback. Volume Loudness of a sound or piece of music. WASAPI WASAPI (short for Windows Audio Session Application Programming Interface) is a new driver model available in SONAR that allows it to communicate with the new audio features in Windows 7.
Index Symbols ACT 1346 .clr 94 linking knob to cells in ACT MIDI prop page 1332 ACT Lock button 1347 .cwb files 325 .cwp files 72 .cwt files 1164 .cwx file extension 338 .mid files 325 .syx files 1251 .
Arpeggiator 286 controls 287 enable/disable 289 how to use 289 using patterns and presets 289 ASCII TAB exporting to 1212 saving as 1212 ASIO drivers enabling 1305 Audible Bounce 961 Audio 1673 auditioning with scrub tool 836 basic editing 829 connecting instruments to sound card 1680 digital 57, 822 distortion 293 effects 846 exporting 963 finding missing 265 importing 318, 321 metronome 272 mixing 891 playback troubleshooting 1674 plug-ins 846 recording See Recording audio routing 891 scrubbing 836 under
Audio processing playing backward 839 removing silence 840–841 See also Volume Audio scaling 831 Loop Construction view 702, 2012 Audio Snap See AudioSnap Audio Track inserting 1557 Audio tracks parameters 209 AudioSnap adding automation 688 adding markers at Pool lines 683 algorithms and rendering 692 enabling 651 groove quantizing audio 690 iZotope Radius algorithms 692 quantizing to Pool 690 Audio-to-MIDI 1060 Audition 389 Auto arming 282 Auto punch 278 See also Punch recording Auto save changing setting
BitBridge 1814 Bounce Fast Bounce mix option 960 real-time 960 audible 961 Bounce to Clip(s) 835 Bounce to Track(s) combining tracks using 836 Bounce to Track(s) dialog 1703 Bounce to tracks how to 958 Bouncing tracks 958 takes too long 1378 Broadcast wave files description of 966 how to export 962, 964 Browser 605 media 610 plug-in 620 synth rack 628 Bundle files 64-bit CWB files 276 creating 1285 opening 1285 unpacking 1285 Burn audio CDs 974 Burning a CD 962 Bus choosing a default bus for inserted tracks
Chords 791, 1200–1203 editing from the fretboard 1212 properties of 1200 Clean Audio Folder 1292, 1572 Clear All 1124 Clip groups 361 Clip Inspector 571 Clip lock 359 Clip muting 388 Clip Properties Inspector 594 Clip soloing 388, 390 Clips 72 arranging 341–356, 370 arranging audio 821 audio 828 changing colors of 347 choosing a specific length 355 combining 379–380, 835 copying 352 copying using copy and paste 356 copying using drag and drop 356 crossfading 844 cutting and pasting 354 defined 1677 deleting
Console Emulator 1027 Console view adjusting knobs in 882 automating controls in 1109 choosing inputs in 280 linking controls in 951–954 overview 80 Consolidate Project Audio 1571 Content location presets 618 Control Bar 537 ACT module 554 dock/undock 540 Event Inspector module 564 Gobbler module 568 Loop module 550 Markers module 562 Mix module 552 modules 538 Performance module 558 Punch module 560 Screenset module 556 Select module 561 Sync module 566 Tools module 541 Transport module 547 Control event 7
Crossfades applying offline 843 automatic 432 non-destructive 430 Current track 241 Current track MIDI echo turning off 242 Curves types in fades and crossfades 430 Cut dialog 1715 Cycle 823 Cycles per second 823 Cyclone editing loops in 1529 Key Map view 1524 keyboard shortcuts in 1531 loading loops in 1526 Loop bin 1523 Loop view 1524 Pad Editor 1524 pad groups 1521 Pad Inspector 1522 Slice Inspector 1525 toolbar 1520 using 1525 Cyclone Soft Synth 1519 D D/A 1673 Data sysx 1251–1264 dB audio scaling by 7
Docking views 88 E Double Precision engine 1297 Echo adding 798 eliminating during recording 1371 Echoing MIDI 1667 Edit Config File 1791 Doubled notes 244 Downmixing 982, 1834 Drag and Drop 377 Drivers MIDI 1668 using ASIO 1305 Dropout indicator 1307 Dropouts fixing 1311 Drum editing 807 Drum Grid pane 819 changing grid line display in 819 displaying tracks in 814 displaying velocity tails in 815 editing note velocities in 815 Drum machines 1273 Drum Map Manager opening 808 working in 811 Drum Map Mana
Edit-Split 1544 Edit-Undo 277, 337, 1538 Effect chains 932 Effect chains See Effects Chain presets Effects adding 227 adding in the Track view 417 adding to clips in real time 921 audio 846 automating 1136 CPU usage of 950 increasing number of 1302 MIDI 796 mono/stereo/surround indicator 916 presets 917 real-time audio 913 relinking surround parameters 995 unlinking surround parameters 995 Effects bin global bypass 920 mono/stereo/surround indicator 916 Effects Chain presets 626 Effects tail defined 846 Eff
stretching and shrinking 762 transposing selected 758 xRPN 783 Exclusive Solo mode 206 Fades 430 FAQs 1363 Fast Bounce 960 Fast forward 191 Export Audio dialog 1725 Fast Zoom 346 Export Broadcast Waves By Default 1811 FAX modems 1295 Export OMF dialog 1732 Exporting audio 962, 963, 964 encoding options 969 MP3s 967 projects as OMF files 972 Windows Media Format files 966 Exporting key bindings 1170 FFT spectrum analyzer 1024 File opening 74 File extensions .CAL 1569 .cwb 325 .cwp 72 .cwt 1164 .
Files .WAV 963 audio 318–319, 321 bundle 245 bundle, creating 1285 CAL 1360–1361 digital audio 1294 GM 1398 groove 772 GS 1398 importing MIDI 324 instrument definitions 1233–1248 managing audio 1283 MIDI 245, 1395 project 245 RIFF MIDI 1395–1396 sequencing, for playback 245 song 1398 statistics 328, 1736 StudioWare 73 SYSX.
Increment/Decrement 1341 learn 1340 Literally/Toggle 1341 On/Off 1341 saving and backing up presets 1331, 1342 Trigger Value 1340 Generic controller/surface property page 1333 Generic controller/surfaces dialog explained 1338 Generic controllers/surfaces working with 1333 Ghost strokes 1216 Global Audio Folder 1286, 1810 Global Audio folder changing 1286 Global effects bypass 920 Global Options autosave 326 GM 1349, 1398 Go dialog 1742 Go menu Next Marker 375 Previous Marker 375 Gobbler 1089 upload to 1092
History 425 Home Stereo connecting to 1392, 1684 Horizontal meters 901 Hot-keys 1575 Hz 823 I Icons for soft synths 860 track icons 338 Importing audio files 318, 319, 321 from a Cakewalk project 321–324 music 318–328 preview bus 319 Importing different sampling rates 1296 Importing key bindings 1169 Importing MIDI Groove clips 717 Importing OMF 322 Importing surround mixes 997 Initialization files 1402 Inline Piano Roll view 753 auditioning and selecting notes 755 zooming 754 Input 216 Input Echo button 2
non-concert key 231, 1222–1223 patch names for 1241–1242 recording from MIDI 283 Interface picture and description 1065 Interleave indicator effects bins 916 Interpolate 232, 785 Interpolate, see Find/Change Isolating 390 J Joystick support 989 Jump 1125 L Lanes 744 automation 1111 take 381 Lanes in tracks 381 Large Transport 195 Latency 1305 Layering synths live playback 242 Lead sheets See Notation and Lyrics Length 762 Length dialog 1758 LFE Send level default value 987 Line tool 490 K Linked clips 3
Looping delays 233 enabling loops for 705 setting up 194 using punch-in while 307 Loops 697 ACIDized 706 converting to Groove clips 708 creating repetitions of 705 enabling looping of 705 working with 705 Lyric event 790 Lyrics 1224–1227 hyphenating 1227 in Lyrics View 1226–1227 in Staff View 1225 Lyrics view 84 adding lyrics in 1225 editing lyrics in 1225 syllable 1226 M Magnetic snap 370 MAJOR CHORD.
Meters changing color and segmentation option 901 configuring display of 901 improving performance 904 MIDI activity indicators 906 MIDI velocity meters 906 playback and record 883 segmented 904 Metronome 272 audio 272 changing settings 273 setting for new project 272 setting the 272–274 using 272 Microphone connecting 62, 1392, 1684 Microscope Mode 750 adjust microscope size 752, 1861 configure options 752 enable/disable 751 enable/disable time magnification 752, 1861 using 751 Microsoft Sound Recorder 167
applying echo/delay to 799 applying the arpeggiator to 802 quantizing 798 MIDI data lanes 744 assign event type to 746 copy events between lanes 746 create a new lane 745 delete a lane 745 move events between lanes 747 working with 745 MIDI definition 1666 MIDI drivers changing 72 MIDI echo controlling 241 Input Echo button 241 multi-channels on one track 243 turning on or off for all tracks 243 MIDI effects 796 presets 797 MIDI equipment, connecting 1387 MIDI File Formats SMF (standard MIDI files) 1395 MID
Most Recently Used menu presets 917 Mouse wheel 80, 155, 881, 948, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999 zooming with 346 Move tool 469 MP3 files, creating and exporting 967 MPEG Video, importing 251 MRU menu presets 917 MTC sending and receiving 1274 Multi-channel MIDI recording 316 MultiDock 1146 Multi-MIDI input 241 Multi-port soft synths 864 multi-timbral definition 1666 Multi-touch 1171 Musical Editing rests 1195 MusicXML exporting to 1218 Mute button showing automated mute status
selecting 733, 1189 selecting all of certain pitches 733, 734 selecting in Piano Roll view 732 size of 770 splitting 1360 stuck 193, 233 transposing 231 using enharmonic spellings 1197–1198 Now time 92, 182, 187 changing 183 keyboard shortcuts 187 large print 186 rewind on stop 185 NRPN (Non-Registered Parameter Number) 786, 787, 790 assigning, to instruments 1245 event 790 Nudge 366 moving clips left or right 366 moving clips up or down 366 settings 366 numeric peak values showing 907 O Offset mode 1131 O
numbers 783 Patch Browser dialog 1773 Patch/Controller Searchback Before Play Starts 233 Patches downloading 1363 Pattern tools 492 Pattern-based Step Recording 315 Patterns importing from Project5 719 Pause key 1309 PDC override 300 Peak limiter 1014 Peak Markers 906 clearing from a track 907 Pedal events 1200 editing 1207 parameters 1206 Pedal marks adding 1206 Percentage audio scaling by 702, 831 Percussion channel 232 ghost strokes 1216 line 1214–1215 staff 1214–1215 Percussion track setting up 1214 Per
Play List 245 Play List view 2039 Playback 1294–1295 allow playback with no data 191 audio drop-out during 1302 controlling 190, 886, 889, 1278 incorrect 1294–1295 problems 1295 problems with MIDI file 1398 settings, MIDI 209–233 speed 1274 starting 190 stopping 190 track-by-track 200–203 transmitting banks 1260 troubleshooting 1674 Playback loop cancelling 195 setting up 195 Playback of V-Vocal clips 1067 Playback State toolbar 201 playing 861 Playlist 245 Plot 948 Plug-in Browser 620 adding effects and in
Process-Audio-Fade/Envelope 1562 creating a destructive fade using 844 Process-Audio-Normalize 1561 Process-Audio-Remove Silence 1560 Process-Audio-Reverse 1563 Process-Deglitch 1568 filtering MIDI data with 1194 Process-Find/Change 785 Process-Fit Improvisation 418, 775 Process-Fit Improvisation 1569 Process-Fit to Time 762 Process-Fit to Time 418, 1568 Process-Groove Quantize 1563 Process-Groove Quantize using 771 Process-Interpolate 1566 Process-Length 1567 shrinking events using 762 stretching events us
clip properties 594 overview 592 track properties 600 Punch recording 197, 305 looping 307 using 305 Q QuadCurve Equalizer 1019 Quantize effect 797 offset option 770 synchronizing rhythm and solo tracks with 774 using 770 Window setting 769 Quantize 766, 767, 1195 Quantizing input quantizing 284 Queue buffers 1306 Quick freeze 909 Quick Groups 954 Quick TAB creating 1210 Quick unfreeze 909 QuickTime video, importing 251 R Radio tuner connecting to 1392, 1684 RANDOM TIME.
Redo 425 S Region FX 1043 Sample rate definition 827 setting 274, 275 Sample rates 1296 Relink surround effect 995 Reload Config Settings 1792 Remote control 956 Remove Silence Attack time 840 Remove Silence 840 digital noise gate parameters 840 Remove Silence dialog 1877 Reset all meters 902 Reset Config To Defaults 1792 Resolution, quantizing parameter 767 Rests, beaming of 1195 Retrograde 765 Reverse 765, 839 Revert clip(s) to original time stamp 358 Rewind 191 ReWire automating ReWire instruments 87
Scroll Lock key 1309 Silence removing 840–841 Silencing tracks 203 Scrub tool 503, 836 Sine tool 492 auditioning with 829 Select All Siblings 377, 378 Slaving to SMPTE/MTC 1276 Select by Filter 781 Slide dialog 1885 Select by Filter 781, 784 Slip editing 426 Select by Time 368 to permanently delete slip-edited data 429 using 427 Slip-editing multiple clips 429 Smart Grid 370 using 1154 Screensets 1154 Select None 369 Select tool 464 Selected Track Input Series 222 Selected Track Inputs 222 Sele
Soft synth property pages opening from minimized tracks 859 Soft synth property pages (interfaces) how to open 859 Soft synths 861 Sound card built-in 1295 high-end 1295 Sound controls 882 converting soft synth tracks to audio 864 drawing automation in the Clips pane 868 icons 860 MIDI output support 869 multi-port 864 muting and soloing 863 removing from a project 862 soft synths recording output 864 Software synthesizers and WDM drivers 861 playing a soft synth 861 recording a hardware-emulating synth 8
Step Sequencer adding modulation events 1959 beat counter 1945 beats per measure 1940 clear all steps 1955 clips 1963 Controllers pane 1946 convert MIDI clip to step sequencer clip 1965 duration 1943 edit drum map properties 1964 Entry mode 1941 Fit to Quarters 1941 flam 1943 interface 1937 keyboard shortcuts 1947 Notes pane 1945 open 1949 patterns adjust length 1940 create 1961 edit 1962 load 1962 preview 1963 save 1962 step record 1963 position indicator 1941 Preserve Pattern for Step Sizes 1940 rows 1942
recording 1354–1357 setting 1357 See also StudioWare Panels StudioWare panels devices supported by 1350 drawing speed 1357 MIDI data in 1355 See also StudioWare Controls; Widgets Surround effects 992 Surround front/rear balance slider 985 Surround Main 979 Surround mixes exporting 998 importing 997 Surround mixing 975 Surround panner controls grouping 987 Surround panning 983 automating 989 SurroundBridge 992 Swing 768, 770 Synchronization 1265–1281 problems 1294–1295 SMPTE/MTC sync 1274 types of 1266 Synth
T Tempo dialog 1894 TAB saving as ASCII text 1212 TAB to transients 376 Text 790 Tabbed views 88 Tablature defining a style 1208 exporting as an ASCII text file 1212 generating 1210 Quick TAB 1210 regenerating 1210 saving as an ASCII text file 1212 settings 1208 Take lanes 381 controls 382 using 384 Take management 381 Tape Emulator 1039 Templates 1163, 1164–1166 creating 1165 track templates 337 Tempo changing 418, 419, 766 correcting 774 decreasing steadily 423 drawing tempo changes 421 editing a chan
Timebase 276, 1219 setting 277 Timing aligning 774 errors 767 MIDI offset 1794 resolution 276 Timing tool 478 Track current 241 focus 1670 lanes 381 locking height of 335 number vs.
Track view 75, 329 adding effects in 227, 417 keyboard shortcuts in 76 Track view time display 185 Tracks adding lyrics to 1225 aligning 774 archiving 203, 1303 arming 281, 889 arranging 330–331 assigning input channels and ports 316 assigning to outputs 221 audio track definition 1676 bouncing 958 changing the order of 331 changing velocity of copying 330 copying or cloning 336 correcting off-tempo 774 defined 1676 deleting 330 dragging to a new position 332 erasing 337 increasing number of 883, 1302 inser
Troubleshooting 1363 MIDI Sync 1273 playback problems 1674 problems playing MIDI files 1398 SMPTE/MTC Sync 1280 Sysx 1263, 1264 Sysx data 1263, 1264 Tube saturation 999, 1026 Tutorial Instrument Definition 1247 Tutorial 1 Creating, playing, and saving projects 99 Tutorial 2 Using the Media Browser 113 Tutorial 3 Recording vocals and musical instruments 119 Tutorial 4 Playing and recording software instruments 125 Tutorial 5 Working with Music Notation 133 Tutorial 6 Editing your music 143 Tutorial 7 Mixing
Video thumbnails 260 Video view 2005 Views 75 allowing multiple instances of the same 88 Console view 1971 docking in bus pane 88 Event List 788 floating 88, 1151 Fretboard 1180 locking 1152 Loop Construction 698 Lyrics 84, 1179, 1226 Markers 84 Matrix view 2014 Meter/Key 84, 1179, 1219–1222 Piano Roll 724, 1546 Piano Roll view 1932 Play List view 2039 Staff 1180 Synth Rack 850 Sysx 84, 1253 Tempo 84 Track view 1922 using multiple instances 1152 Video 251 Vocal track removing 838 Volume adjusting 228 changi
Window management 1141 Windows dock 1146 float 1150 system sounds, turning off 190 tile 1153 X-Ray 1159 Windows Mixer 1682 using while recording 1686 Wipe 1633 World Wide Web authoring 55 publishing audio on 963 X XG 1398 X-Ray Windows 89, 1159 Y Yamaha OPT panels 1348 YouTube Publisher 1450 Z Zero Controllers When Play Stops 233 Zero-crossings 826 Zoom keyboard shortcuts 86 Zoom Controls 85 Zoom factor audio scaling by 702, 831 Zoom tool 504 Zooming configuring the display of tracks in the Track view 33
