SONAR X1 Tips & Tricks

DAW master Eli Krantzberg is back with another SONAR slam dunk, "SONAR X1 Tips & Tricks". This collection is focused on cool SONAR X1 tips and tricks that will inspire your creativity as well as improve your workflow and overall SONAR X1 knowledge.

Track View Tips

• Fun with MIDI Parameters (05:20) - Explore ways of using MIDI track transpose, timing, and velocity parameters to generate funky rhythmic variations of bass or drum parts.

• Input Echo & MIDI Layering (07:21) - Learn how the Input Echo function is used for layering sounds and how preset input configurations are created and used for multiple MIDI controllers to trigger multiple instruments independently.

• The Arpeggiator (07:59) - Explore the arpeggiator’s parameters and see how it's used to generate preset patterns and to arpeggiate held chords in a variety of shapes.

• Fun with Folders (10:35) - Explore ways of using track folders to create and edit composite clips, nested looping, and stutter style edits.

• Clip Selection Groups (07:36) - how clip selection groups let you treat and edit multiple clips as a single unit. They’re great for editing multi-track recordings, as well as creative slicing and dicing.

• Nudge (07:05) - Learn how to set and use the three user definable nudge values. See an example of how they can be used to reorganize sliced drum loops to create rhythmic variety and fills.

• Keyboard Editing (07:55) - Discover how to use the numeric keypad for mouse free control over zooming and scrolling, establishing selections, and fading and cropping clip boundaries.

• Reverse & Snap Offset (05:30) - Watch how to create and sync up a reverse cymbal swell using a standard soft synth along with the Bounce To Track, Reverse, and Snap Offset functions.

Time Correction Techniques

• Duration Groove Quantize (06:56) - See how the groove quantize functions are used to conform the note durations of one clip to another.

• Velocity Groove Quantize (04:41) - Explore the Groove Quantize velocity features, how to save a groove quantize template, and how to create velocity ramps using the Scale Velocity feature.

• Fit Improvisation (07:41) - Learn two ways to have SONAR create a tempo map and conform to freely played performances.

• Length & Fit to Time (05:39) - Discover how these two processes are used to alter either the timing or the tempo of both audio and MIDI clips.

Audio Snap

• Working with Audio Snap (09:35) - Learn how to manipulate Audio Snap transient markers manually, and some different ways to apply the timing from one audio track to another.

• Quantizing Multi Tracked Drums (07:58) - Watch the step-by-step workflow used to correct the timing of live multi-tracked drums while maintaining the phase relationships between the tracks.

• Snapping MIDI to Audio (06:37) - See how to use Audio Snap to snap MIDI notes to transient peaks in an audio file.

• Reconstructive Surgery (07:01) - Discover how the Split Beats into Clips function can be used to completely rebuild a drum loop from the ground up.

Matrix View

• Overview & Setup (07:53) - Learn how to set up and navigate the Matrix view.

• Matrix Mouse & QWERTY Control (05:38) - See how the various triggering modes work as cells are triggered using both the mouse and the QWERTY keyboard.

• Matrix MIDI Learn & Recording (05:01) - Watch how to set up a MIDI controller to trigger Matrix cells and record the process in real-time.

V-Vocal

• V-Vocal Overview (06:48) - Explore the interface and various ways of calling up and using V-Vocal.

• V-Vocal in Action (09:32) - Learn how to use V-Vocal for traditional pitch, time, formant, and 'T-Pain Effect' manipulation.

• Fattening with V-Vocal (06:26) - Explore unconventional ways of using duplicate V-Vocal tracks to establish a doubling and thickening effect.

Mix Trix

• You Send Me (06:08) - Watch how to use traditional send and bussing techniques to create a thickened vocal sound with the Sonitus Modulator plug-in.

• Lost in Space (09:25) - See how a reverb return can be sculpted using a compressor with its sidechain input set to react to a send coming from the source track feeding the reverb bus.

• The Chain Gang (09:34) - Learn how route the send of a drum track to the sidechain input of the Sonitus Gate plug-in, as it is used to chop up a sustained pad based on the rhythm of the drums.

• Delay We Were (10:45) - See how to use and route the Delay module in the VX-64 Vocal Strip plug-in for some creative vocal sound design.

• Ex Squeeze Me (07:01) - Learn how to route the drum outputs to a bus and set up parallel or 'New York style' compression.

• Control Groups (08:08) - Explore useful real world examples of how absolute, relative, and custom control groups help make mixing go more smoothly.

• FX Chain (06:57) - Discover Sonar X1’s new FX Chain feature and how it lets you load, save, and manage multiple audio plug-ins as a single preset.

• LP 64 Multi-Band Compressor (13:17) - Explore the LP 64 Multi Band Compressor interface and see how it's used to process a final stereo mix.