SONAR X3 Explained

The latest version of Cakewalk SONAR has arrived! SONAR X3 is here with many new features and functions, and SONAR guru Eli Krantzberg takes you from beginning to end, showing how to unleash the true power of this fully featured, cutting edge DAW.

Quickstart

• Introduction (00:57) - Eli welcomes you to SONAR X3 Explained and discusses what he will be covering in the following videos.

• Starting Up SONAR X3 (04:01) - Learn what is preserved when migrating preferences from older versions of Sonar, how to manage the Quick Start window, and how to verify audio and MIDI hardware connections.

• Starting a Project (03:25) - Learn about the different Sonar file types, and how to start a new blank project.

• The Tracks View (04:20) - Discover some of the different areas of the main workspace area, and learn what they are used for.

• Other Views (04:42) - Discover other commonly used views and how to manage them in Sonar's Multidock.

• The Browser (04:54) - Learn how to use the browser to audition and load audio loops into your project.

• Working with the Synth Rack (03:44) - Learn how to load and manage soft synths in the synth rack browser.

• Setting Track Inputs & Outputs (04:18) - Learn how to customize the controls visible in the Track Pane area of the Track View, and how to set track inputs and outputs here, as well as in the Inspector and Console View.

• The NOW Time (05:05) - Discover various ways of positioning the NOW time marker to determine where playback or recording will begin from.

• Controlling Playback (03:43) - Speed up your workflow with some simple and useful playback and positioning commands.

• Looping (04:45) - Learn how to use the Loop module to have a section of your project play repeatedly.

• Zooming (05:35) - Discover a variety of ways of zooming the display using the both mouse and key commands.

• Looping a Groove Clip (02:36) - See how to loop a groove clip by dragging from the lower right edge with the Smart Tool.

Recording

• Meter, Key and Tempo Settings (02:15) - Learn to set up and add meter, key signature, and tempo changes where necessary in your project.

• Metronome Settings (02:50) - Recording to a click track helps maintain the relationship of the timing of your performance with Sonar's time ruler. See how to call up the metronome preferences, setup a count in, choose the sounds, and set their volumes for the click track.

• Audio Driver and MIDI Timing Settings (03:00) - Learn how to set the audio sampling rate and bit depth, as well as MIDI note resolution.

• MIDI Recording (04:49) - Learn about the different recording modes, how to set inputs, and how to auto arm MIDI tracks for recording.

• Quantizing (04:08) - Learn to correct the timing of your MIDI performance by placing the recorded note on events at the specified beat division.

• Input Quantize (02:44) - Learn how to set your MIDI and soft synth tracks to automatically quantize parts as they are recorded.

• Audio Recording (04:41) - See how to set various audio recording preferences, work with input monitoring, PDC override, and the audio engine button.

• Creating an Audio Loop (01:58) - See how to trim an audio file and use the Clip Properties Inspector to turn it into a looping groove clip.

• Loop Recording (02:59) - Learn how to use Sonar X3's new comping record mode to loop record over the same area multiple times and have the clips automatically placed on take lanes.

• Take Lane Controls (01:42) - Explore the layout of the important take lane controls and functions.

• Take Lane Muting & Soloing (03:44) - Learn how to use the mute tool to mute and isolate takes, or selected portions of takes.

• Setting Up Sends (06:34) - See how the Insert Send Assistant is used to set up sends so that a unique amounts of each tracks signal can be routed to a bus hosting a reverb plug-in.

• Speed Comping & Dim Solo (04:16) - Learn how to use these two functions to quickly audition and isolate multiple takes recorded over the same area.

Arranging and Editing

• Flattening the Comp (02:20) - See how to move your selections to a new 'comp' lane using the Flatten command, and then move other takes horizontally in the time line.

• Managing Tracks (06:49) - See how to select, move, insert, hide, show, save, and recall tracks and track templates.

• The Clips Pane (05:17) - Learn to control how clips are displayed, named, coloured, scrolled, and zoomed.

• Copying and Pasting in the Clips Pane (06:38) - Learn how the drag and drop options work and how to use the copy special and paste special functions.

• Splitting Clips (02:53) - Watch as the split clips and cut commands are used in conjunction with lasso selections, drag and drop, and snap to grid functions to modify the musical arrangement. Also learn how to use the Smart tool to split clips at selection boundaries.

• Snap to Grid (05:16) - Discover some power Snap To Grid tips that will enhance your productivity.

• Markers (06:47) - Learn how to view, create, edit, move, copy, delete, lock, and navigate, markers.

• Slip Editing and Fades (06:03) - Learn how to slip the contents of audio clips without altering the clip boundaries, and various methods of fading and crossfading audio.

Working With MIDI

• Piano Roll View Setup (04:58) - See how to set this window up to view and edit multiple MIDI tracks.

• Note Editing in Piano Roll View (05:47) - See how to select, scrub, mute, and move notes in the Piano Role View.

• Creating Notes in Piano Roll View (04:51) - Learn how to create, quantize, glue, insert, erase, and split notes in the Piano Roll View window.

• Other MIDI Editing Functions (04:05) - A quick tour of the some of other ways of processing and altering MIDI data.

Mixing

• Configuring the Console View (07:08) - Learn how to set up screensets, control the display in the Console View, set default snap to values, and more.

• Real Time Effects (04:18) - Discover how to add and manage audio effects in your project from the Browser, the Track Pane, Track Inspector, or Console View.

• Clip Based Effects (03:50) - See how to work with the Clip Effect Bin to process individual clips.

• Intro to EQ and Compression (10:44) - Learn about the fundamentals of EQ and compression, and how hear how they are applied to the song's vocal and drum loop.

• FX Chains (04:27) - Discover how to work with and manage multiple audio effects in containers called FX Chains.

• Region FX (03:52) - Learn about the exciting new Region FX feature in Sonar X3. See how to convert audio to Region FX clips, and how to manage the new Region FX functions.

• The Melodyne Interface (10:25) - Learn how to navigate the interface, correct pitch and timing, edit blobs using their hot spots, edit with key commands, and snap to or override the pitch grid, scale grid, and timing grid.

• Melodyne in Action (06:44) - Watch as Melodyne is used to change the position and length of a note, create harmony parts, and convert pitch to MIDI.

• Recording Automation (06:15) - See how to use Sonar's automation write modes to animate the movement of parameters by capturing the real time movements of knobs or faders with the mouse.

• Creating and Editing Automation Envelopes (06:44) - Discover how to create and edit automation by drawing directly in the Clips Pane.

• The Final Mix (04:42) - Watch as a tight doubling is added to the vocal and some peak limiting is added to the full mix. Listen to a final run through of the finished work.

• Exporting the Mix (04:13) - Learn how to bounce down to new tracks and to use the Export Audio function to render your full mix down to a single stereo file to burn on CD or share with others.