Tips Techniques and Tutorials for Sonar

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Revision as of 02:25, 18 September 2006

Bussing Tutorial

This is an introduction to why and how to create and use busses in Sonar. I hope somebody finds it useful. --Geoff Francis

(The tutorial is also available as a ZIP file containing a Word document and an Excel spreadsheet here)

This tutorial aims to illustrate a simple example of how bussing works in Sonar. When you finish it, you will have created a project which includes:

1. Three audio tracks – Vocal, Guitar and any Other
2. One Main Output Bus
3. Two auxiliary send busses for Reverb and Chorus FX

See the diagram (link to Sonar_Bussing_Flowchart.gif) for more details.

You will also need three existing wave files from any earlier project – one vox, one guitar and one other, for importing into this project.

OK here we go:

1. Create a new Sonar Project file using Normal template. Display Track View.
2. Delete all tracks and busses from this file. We’re going to start from scratch.
3. To start, let’s create the Main Out Bus. This will be used to direct our output to the sound card.
   1. Right click in the Buss pane area, choose Insert Stereo Bus.
   2. Change its name to Main Buss out. Direct the Output of this Buss to your sound card.

   (Link to Sonar_Bussing_01.jpg)

4. Now go to the Track Pane, right click and choose Insert Audio Track.

   (Link to Sonar_Bussing_02.jpg)

   1. Repeat this twice.
   2. Rename each track so Track 1 is Vocal, Track 2 is Guitar and Track 3 is whatever the other source you are using.
   3. Do Control A to select all tracks, then from Menu do Tracks, Property, Outputs and from the list choose Main Buss Out then OK.
   4. Now select Track 1, Do File, Import Audio and select the Vocal Track and import it. Repeat this for Track 2 (Guitar) and Track 3 (Other).

   You should be able to now play the three tracks back and will see activity in all meters and can hear them. Of course you can adjust panning, volume etc to suit.

5. Now to create the Reverb Bus.
   1. In Buss Pane, right click and Insert Stereo Bus.
   2. Rename this Reverb Bus.
   3. Direct its output to Main Buss Out.
   4. Insert Reverb Plug In in the FX Bin (right click over bin to get to menu to do this):

   (Link to Sonar_Bussing_03.jpg)

6. Now to create sends for Vocal and Guitar to send to Reverb.
   1. Right click in Tack Pane in Vocal Track area, choose Insert Send, then Reverb Bus.
   2. Set Send Level for Buss to about –10dB. Make sure you enable the Buss by setting the little Green Light On.
   3. Now play. As you adjust the Send Level, you should find that you can hear the Reverb.
   4. Repeat this for the Guitar Track.
7. Now to create Buss and sends for Chorus. Here’s your chance to do it yourself!
   1. Using the same method as steps 5 and 6 above, create a new Buss in the Buss Pane
   2. Rename it Chorus Buss
   3. Direct its output to your Main Buss Out and insert a Chorus FX plug in.

   (Link to Sonar_Bussing_04.jpg)

   Now add a send to the Gtr track (Track 2) and the Other Track (Track 3), in both cases directed to the Chorus bus. Adjust levels to suit.

8. Now have another look at the flow chart (link to Sonar_Bussing_Flowchart.gif). Does it make sense?