Sonar / Cakewalk

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...

This month, find your way around projects, undertake hands-free recording, configure an external MP3 encoder and create pseudo-Track Folders for MIDI.

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...

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.

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.

We explain how to use the handy Scrub tool, how to customise your track view, and detail the procedure for setting up remote control of Sonar effects parameters.

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.

This month, fun things to make and do with Lexicon's Pantheon reverb, plus how linking clips can make your life easier...

We explain how to transfer projects between DAWs that speak OMF, and look at some clever envelope tricks.

We investigate a new DXi option that makes vocal manipulation as easy as editing MIDI data. Plus the usual haul of Sonar power tips...

Find out how to load REX files into Sonar, discover which digital audio editors work best with loops, and explore some useful envelope techniques.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Extremely flexible busing and assignable effects controls are just two of the extra features brought to Sonar by the 3.0 upgrade and explored here.

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.

There's more to plug-ins than audio, as we discover when digging deep into the world of MIDI plug-ins and effects.

This month, using markers for navigation, getting the most from the piano roll view, and undertaking pseudo-mastering in Cakewalk's Sonar.

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...

Track down hidden sources of distortion, make your audio playback more reliable, and manage your window Layouts.