Cakewalk SONAR | SOS Tutorials, Techniques & Workshops
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Cakewalk SONAR | SOS Tutorials, Techniques & Workshops
Making The Most Of SONAR Sonar Notes & Techniques We explain some of the tricks and composition methods opened up by Sonar 8.5’s new Matrix view. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar 8.5’s VX64 Vocal Strip offers new possibilities for vocal processing. Sonar Notes & Techniques Get to grips with Sonar’s brand-new PX64 percussion strip, which offers all the processors you need for treating drums. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sampled drums lacking realism? Synthesize stereo room mics to add authentic ambience with Sonar’s built-in effects. Sonar Notes & Techniques Get a big, ‘produced’ sound from Sonar’s classic analogue drumbox samples.  Here's a collection of the most recent and previous 100 SONAR Notes monthly articles from SOUND ON SOUND magazine. The most recently-published 5 workshops are locked and accessible only to subscribers, but the others are now free for all to enjoy. (Use the SEARCH page to find even more past articles.) Previous 100 SONAR NOTES workshops (unlocked) Sonar Notes & Techniques If you’re interested in M/S (Mid/Side) recording or stereo image tweaks, Sonar’s Channel Tools could be your best friend. Sonar Notes & Techniques Now that Dimension Pro is included with Sonar 8, it’s time to investigate how to exploit it beyond the usual sample-playback functions. Sonar Notes & Techniques Is it time to lighten the load on your CPU and put that outboard signal processing hardware to work inside your DAW? We explain how... Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar has more facilities than the average DAW for exploiting REX files to their best advantage. We guide you through where to find those facilities and how to put them to use. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar 8 introduced Beatscape, a new Cakewalk instrument designed specifically for the groovily inclined. We dig behind the interface for some tips and tricks you won't find in the documentation. Sonar Notes & Techniques There's more to dynamics than compression and expansion, and now transient shaping is part of Sonar 8, courtesy of the TS64 Transient Shaper plug-in. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar was one of the first DAWs to take looping seriously — which means that you'll find plenty of tools for making loop-based music easier. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar includes many effects that are useful for bass guitars, and also offers bass-friendly features that help speed up the recording process. Sonar Notes & Techniques When it comes to the Sonar mixing console, you don't have to simply take what you're given, because there are lots of ways of making it fit your working methods. We explain how, and pass on some handy shortcuts along the way. Sonar Notes & Techniques Why take two digital audio programs into the studio, when you can optimise Sonar to do many of the common tasks you'd expect to need a dedicated audio editor for? Sonar Notes & Techniques A walk through the process of composing and processing a drum track highlights how to use various Sonar features and useful shortcuts - some of which you may not have come across before. Sonar Notes & Techniques Did you know that you can make Sonar fit your working methods like a glove, via its many customisation options? Here's our guide to just a few of the most useful. Sonar Notes & Techniques Understanding how to program SFZ files opens up lots of ways to better exploit what Sonar's bundled soft synths have to offer. Don't panic: it's easier than you might think... Sonar Notes & Techniques When is a soft synth not just a soft synth? When it's also an effects processor... Sonar Notes & Techniques Side-chain inputs on software processors can open up a whole new world of control possibilities — and now Sonar 7's plug-ins have this facility. We show you some ways of using it in your music. Sonar Notes & Techniques One of the new features added in the Sonar 7 update is a very flexible step sequencer. We investigate its features and suggest some ways to make the most of it. Sonar Notes & Techniques With Sonar 7 just out, it's time to tweak all our preferences to perfection, before they're transferred over into the latest version of the software. Sonar Notes & Techniques Working directly with 'objects', such as MIDI or audio clips of any length from a few milliseconds upwards, opens up a non-linear approach that can provide creative opportunities and also save you CPU resources. Sonar Notes & Techniques DAW software is optimised for helping you record your songs and add lots of production polish, but don't forget that programs like Sonar can also help in the songwriting process, offering features that could make it easier to capture inspiration when it strikes. Sonar Notes & Techniques Why wait to fix it in the mix when you can mend MIDI tracks while you're recording them? Sonar's MIDI plug-ins allow you to automatically fix anything from incorrect timing to inconsistent velocities - and more. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar's Synth Rack is a great time-saving concept that has started to deliver on its full promise with version 6 of the software. However, not all aspects of it are completely obvious - so this month we'll be doing our best to put you on track with the Rack. Sonar Notes & Techniques Ever wished you could use your favourite control surface to change not just mixer controls, but effects plug-in parameters and virtual instrument settings? Apparently someone at Cakewalk has too... Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar's Session Drummer has evolved from a MIDI plug-in to a sophisticated tone module that also includes pattern playback capabilities. We take a look beneath the surface. Sonat Notes & Techniques Sonar's Audiosnap time-stretching tools offer some mind-boggling possibilities, including REX-like beat slicing and sophisticated audio quantising. Sonar Notes & Technique One of the biggest new additions in Sonar 6, Audiosnap, is a powerful time-stretching audio toolkit promising better-quality stretching and enhanced controllability. This month we'll explain the basics of using the new tools, following up next month with some real-world applications. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar 6's new 'channel strip' offers multiple routings that enable techniques such as parallel compression, frequency-conscious dynamics control and side-chaining. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar seems to get more customisable with every version, and the newly released Sonar 6 is no exception, allowing you to tweak various aspects of appearance and operation until the program looks and feels just the way you want it. Sonar Notes & Techniques As video becomes more accessible, Cakewalk have taken notice, adding a lot of video-friendly features to Sonar 5. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to combine the worlds of audio and video within the program. Sonar Notes & Technique The Pentagon I soft synth bundled with Sonar 5 is a powerhouse that even offers vocoding facilities. If you've overlooked it so far, remedy the situation with our tips, tricks and programming guide. Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar offers several ways to mix, but is that a benefit or a source of confusion? Learn what the various mix modes do and you can choose the one that's right for your project. Sonar Notes & Techniques If you never venture into Sonar's off-line DSP section, now could be the time to check it out, following Cakewalk's v5 revamp of these useful functions. Sonar Notes & Techniques The technology for easily achieving an expensively produced effect when recording guitars is becoming more and more accessible. We take a look at what Sonar has to offer in this department, and examine other tools for creating killer guitar sounds. Sonar Notes & Technique In a program as complex and feature-rich as Sonar, it's almost inevitable that there are useful little facilities that could make your life easier, but that you have somehow overlooked or forgotten. We turn the spotlight on some of the best. Sonar Notes & Technique Now that the RXP REX-file player is bundled with the Producer Edition of Sonar 5, the creative possibilities of REX files have really opened up for Sonar users. We take a tour around RXP and discuss its features and uses. Sonar Notes & Technique Take the trouble to discover the ways of moving around your project quickly and efficiently: it saves time and improves workflow. Sonar Notes & Techniques The Cyclone 'groove sampler' DXi, bundled free with Sonar, is a powerful tool that allows loops of all kinds to be dissected, manipulated and generally bent to your will... Sonar Notes & Techniques Cakewalk have strengthened the MIDI side of Sonar 5 considerably, in recognition of the rise of software synths that benefit from enhanced MIDI controllability. We run through some of the new features and suggest how you might want to use them, as well as rounding up the usual Sonar news and background info. News & Tips When the version number's most significant digit increments, you know something big is going to happen — what's inside Version 5? Technique This modest little soft synth has been bundled with Sonar since version 1.0 and is very kind to your CPU resources, yet many Sonar users are still unaware of just how much you can squeeze out of it. We present some evidence. News and Tips Sonar technology takes over Cakewalk's entire product line, from low to high end, while the Studio and Producer editions get an audio engine tune-up. Read all about it... Workshop Both Sonar Producer Edition and Studio Edition offer several choices for dynamics processing. How do you pick the right one for the job? Sonar Notes More screen space without having to buy a second monitor — just one of the Sonar nuggets we've got for you this month... Workshop Sonar 4 offers excellent loop editing facilities, and this month we're going to show you how to use them. News & Updates News this month includes more about 64-bit computing and details of a Mackie Control update for Sonar users — plus we offer handy tips on taming mute tools and MIDI notes. Workshop When is an EQ not just an EQ? When it's the Sonar v4 Producer Edition Sonitus EQ and you use it for some of the amazing processing tricks we're about to explain! Sonar Notes Sonar LE appears, we find a utility that lets you zoom with a mouse wheel, and Project 5 slightly changes direction... Workshop Producing great drum parts can be quicker, easier and more fun with the dedicated facilities Sonar&4 provides. We explain. Sonar Notes Cakewalk go global, and release a new soft synth. Workshop The TTS1 soft synth bundled with Sonar 4 has many hidden talents — but you have to know where to find them. Read on... Sonar Notes It's time to address the Studio versus Producer question, as well as looking into a new Sonar remote-control option. Masterclass The audio sequencing facilities we have at our disposal these days make it easier than ever before to produce world-class vocal recordings by taking the best parts from a series of takes and producing a composite from them. Here's how to do the job in Sonar 4.
Sonar Notes A quick look at the Project 5 update and news of Sonar's rewrite for 64-bit processors. Sonar Notes Sonar offers lots of useful metering options you may not even be aware of, so this month we run through them and why you might want to use them, as well as getting clever with colours and explaining how to make your screen setup a hint more transparent... Sonar Notes This month, find your way around projects, undertake hands-free recording, configure an external MP3 encoder and create pseudo-Track Folders for MIDI. Sonar Notes We present everything you ever wanted to know about SysEx (System Exclusive) but were afraid to ask, plus the whys and wherefores of Sonar 4's cool new Freeze functions... Sonar Notes Not every new feature of Sonar 4 is a headline-grabber — there are many new facilities and tweaks to existing features that you might not initially notice, but which could make a big difference to your workflow. Sonar Notes Organise your tracks with Sonar 4's Track Folder feature, nudge them into place with sample accuracy, and reclaim older plug-ins for use in newer versions of Sonar. Sonar Notes This month, how to use the handy Scrub tool, how to customise your track view, and an explanation of the procedure for setting up remote control of Sonar effects parameters. Sonar Notes We bring you yet more Sonar stratagems, including further adventures in envelope copying, some handy track tricks, and advice on using Arturia's Storm with Sonar. Sonar Notes This month, fun things to make and do with the Pantheon reverb, plus how linking clips can make your life easier... Sonar Notes This month we look at clever envelope tricks, as well as how to transfer projects between DAWs that speak OMF. Sonar Notes This month we investigate a new DXi option that makes vocal manipulation as easy as editing MIDI data. Plus the usual haul of Sonar power tips... Sonar Notes Find out how to load REX files into Sonar, discover which digital audio editors work best with loops, and explore some useful envelope techniques. Sonar Notes The latest Sonar update optimises the software for multi-processor PCs, as well as adding new operational features. Read on to find out what they'll mean to you, and explore another crop of tips and techniques. Sonar Notes Sync your VST effects perfectly with Sonar tempo, find out when snapshot is better than dynamic automation, and catch up with the latest Cakewalk software news. Sonar Notes This month we're taking a break from examining Sonar 3 to look at some useful features, available in previous versions of Sonar, that we haven't yet covered in this regular column. Sonar Notes This month, get the most out of your meters, locate that missing patch, beef up your bass, and discover the hidden EQ bands in your console. Sonar Notes Extremely flexible bussing and assignable effects controls are just two of the extra features brought to Sonar by the 3.0 upgrade and explored this month... Sonar Notes Sonar's version number has just been incremented by a Significant Digit, so it's time for some exploration of what this new release means to Sonar aficionados. Sonar Notes There's more to plug-ins than audio, as we discover when digging deep into the world of MIDI plug-ins and effects. Sonar Notes It's not a drag to drag-and-drop, nor is it a drag to export your way to a truly universal backup solution. Craig Anderton explains all... Sonar Notes Can't get rid of clicks when comping takes? You need to learn how to crossfade, and here's how... plus plenty of other Sonar-related tips. Sonar Notes This month we explore Sonar's new ASIO support, explain the advantages of recording dry while monitoring with effects, and shed some light on the knotty topic of dithering. Hardware Controlled Automation; Arturia Storm; Cwenc MP3 Here's some advice on getting the best out of Sonar's automation using a hardware controller, and some pointers for working with Arturia Storm as a virtual instrument. Plus, there's the free Cwenc MP3 encoder to check out, as well as another great selection of bite-sized sequencing tricks. Sonar As A Waveform Editor Can Sonar also serve as a waveform editor? Craig Anderton thinks that with a little bit of work, it can... Running VST Instruments with Sonar Ever wanted to use all those lovely VST instruments within Sonar? Well here's how you do it! Version 2.1 Update This month, there's news of another update to Sonar, plus tips on using its built-in tuner, changing the order in which track parameters appear, processing Groove Clips without having them revert to audio, getting more from the VSC soft synth and customising Sonar's appearance. Pseudo-MIDI guitarp; Adding More Plug-ins; Rewire We celebrate a year of Sonar Notes by showing how to load even more plug-ins, create 'pseudo-MIDI guitar' effects, and get the most out of Rewire. Automation Facilities; MIDI Troubleshooting Sonar's automation facilities are in the spotlight this month, with advice on how to accommodate different virtual instruments and how to implement advanced control groupings. Plus, there are tutorials on MIDI troubleshooting and creating custom drum loops, as well as another collection of practical tips. FXpansion VST-DXi Adaptor This month, more on automating your DX and VST plug-ins, plus tips on using Sonar with Propellerhead's Reason via Rewire. Sonar Plug-in Manager, Rewire Protocol This month there's news of great software to download for use with Sonar - and the best thing is that it's free! Plus we show you how to use Rewire to get Sonar talking to Propellerhead Software's Reason. Sonar XL v2's bundled CompressorX Our resident Sonar expert shows how Sonar XL v2's bundled CompressorX can be used as a loudness maximiser, how to give your audio files meaningful names and save settings for your MIDI hardware in a project, as well as how to use 'sliced' rhythm clips. WDM Drivers Our monthly column for Sonar users extols the virtues of WDM drivers, passes on some handy Marker and Track name tips, and takes you through the process of adding pitch-transposition commands to your compositions. Loop Recording, Mastering More advice to help you work with Sonar more efficiently, including tips on getting the most out of the loop recording facility and a tutorial on extracting the groove from audio recordings. Plus, is it sensible to use Sonar for mastering? Cakewalk's FXPad This month's Sonar workshop features an introduction to Cakewalk's FXPad controller, some ideas for creative abuse of the Loop Construction window, and advice on bouncing down your mixes. On-the-fly Time-stretching and Compression Sonar is great at on-the-fly time-stretching and compression, allowing you to easily sync loops at different tempos, Acid-style. We show you how. Plus all the usual Cakewalk tips and techniques. DX Instruments, Tape Sim More tips on using DX Instruments, and some nifty things you can do with the Tape Sim plug-in. In addition, a great way to audition audio loops before you import them, along with advice on how to create audio crossfades. Thickening vocal, harmony generation We've had a lot of requests for a Notes column on Cakewalk's new MIDI + Audio sequencer, Sonar. Well, here it is, with news of the latest upgrades and tips on vocal thickening, harmony generation and working with different track heights. Practical advice, hints, tips and guidance
| Friday 20th November 2009 December 2009
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Other recent issues: Photos too small? Click on photos, screenshots and diagrams in articles to open a Larger View gallery.  Gear Reviews Technique
Classic Tracks
Secrets of the Mix Engineers
Ableton LIVE techniques
Apple LOGIC techniques
Cakewalk SONAR techniques
Digidesign PRO TOOLS techniques
MOTU DIGITAL PERFORMER techniques
Propellerhead REASON techniques
Steinberg CUBASE techniques
Sound Advice
People Microphones Mastering |
