SONAR 6 FAQs

From Sonar

Revision as of 10:00, 3 October 2006

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In late September 2006, the much-anticipated SONAR 6 was released. For a variety of reasons, including a very slim manual and sparse documentation, this latest version of our favorite DAW has generated a large number of questions. We address as many of these as we can here, attributing the source if it is a Cakewalk employee. Our goal is for this FAQ to be the definitive source of answers to these questions.

What's up with the new manual?

It's not very big. But you knew that. Here's the lowdown:

• Cakewalk, I want a hard copy Reference Manual
• Too bad no manual. More videos instead?

Where are those videos I keep hearing about?

You can download them from Cakewalk's FTP server. As of October 3, they cover ACT, Audio Snap and Session Drummer.

ACT

I'm having trouble with ACT!

Initial reports of SONAR 6's ACT technology show it to be extremely problematic for virtually everyone who has tried to use it. Whatever your current problem is, chances are that others are experiencing it, too. Chances are also that there is as of yet no known solution, workaround or fix. In theory, ACT should be as easy as 1-2-3:

"The ability to remap plug-in parameters is one of the powerful features of ACT. Simply click the ACT Learn button on the Controllers/Surfaces toolbar, wiggle the parameter(s) you wish to map in the effect/synth property page, wiggle the physical contrl(s), then click the ACT Learn button again to exit learn mode." (SOURCE: Morten Saether, Cakewalk).

Note, however, that ACT is limited to controling whatever paramaters a given plug-in exposes:

"Rapture--and all other effects/synths that expose automatable parameters--can be controlled with ACT. If a synth or effect does not expose automatable parameters, then there is no way for ACT to adjust the plug-in parameters." (SOURCE: Morten Saether, Cakewalk).

But that's just the beginning. As misery loves company, we refer you to the following SONAR Forum threads for specific tales of general ACT dread and gnashing of teeth, along with the occasional happy ending:

• Tackling ACT
• The Solution to ACT's parameter jumps {would be} Value Scaling
• RESOLVED - ACT: Can can change default parameter mappings!!
• Another ACT question & request
• Sonar 6- ACT- what am I doing wrong
• Act undoing controller
• S6: How to use M-Audio USB Kbds as BOTH instrument and control surface
• So, anyone with v6 using a mixing control surface?
• S6 and control surface support
• ACT: Recommend a controller?
• "ACT Learn" button has to be added manually?
• ACT control of transport
• Bangin my head with ACT (SOLVED)
• S6 ACT Preset Problem

Does ACT work with my controller?

Not to be overly pessimistic, but... probably not. Numerous user requests for templates for different control surfaces have been made known to Cakewalk in various forum threads. What will come of this is still to be seen. However, a Mackie Control template for ACT is suppossed to be under development. (SOURCE: Morten Saether, Cakewalk).

The following is a list of forum threads discussing the use of ACT with various control surfaces:

• Axiom Keyboards
• BCR2000: Here, here and here
• Evolution 449c
• KeyStation Pro 88
• Korg KONTROL49
• M-Audio USB Keyboards (O2)
• Novation Remote SL
• NovationRemoteSL 21
• Oxygen 8 v1
• Oxygen 8: Here and here
• Tascam US2400
• Trigger Finger

Then what controllers does ACT support out of the box?

"SONAR 6 ships with three [generic] control surface plug-ins that support ACT." (SOURCE: Morten Saether, Cakewalk).

Do these plug-ins provide full support for the control surfaces?

No. Among other issues...

"Due to their generic design [they] do not know anything about the physical controllers/surfaces that are connected, and therefore cannot write any proprietary messages to LCD displays." (SOURCE: Morten Saether, Cakewalk).

Staff (Notation) View

What changes are there in SONAR 6's Staff View?

There are exactly two:

1. "Added a track list view pane to the staff view, similar to the one in the PRV. Lets you view any number of tracks and set a track active or set its MSR state"
2. "Select tracks using the PickTracks button in the toolbar"

"Early on in the SONAR 6 development cycle we did look at some notation technology that could have potentially plugged into SONAR as a replacement for the existing Staff View. Unfortunately, it would have meant a step backward in functionality."

(SOURCE: Tom Roussell, Cakewalk

Are SONAR 6 files backwards compatible with Sonar 5?

"Yes, SONAR 6 files are backwards compatible all the way back to SONAR 3. As long as you don't save projects with 64 bit audio they will open in SONAR 3. To clarify - obviously SONAR 5 won't understand any new features from SONAR 6 such as audio snap and will discard this information when the file is loaded. So if you do save in SONAR 5 make sure you save as a new file name - otherwise the new data will be lost permanently on resave." (SOURCE: Noel Borthwick, Cakewalk).

How does Crash Recovery work?

"Many crashes in DAW software are caused by plug-ins causing 'exceptions'. That's a kind word. Normally when this happens Windows will display an error and the application is terminated, typically resulting in data loss. SONAR 6 now attempts to detect such exceptions before the application is terminated and allows you to save your work. A dialog is displayed which allows you to save a copy of your currently edited project before SONAR shuts down. In most cases you can save a valid project when such a crash occurs. This can save you many hours of lost work in the case of a ill timed crash." (SOURCE: Noel Borthwick, Cakewalk).

Home Page * Getting Started * Workflow * Tips, Techniques and Tutorials * Errors and Workarounds * Making Music * Composing, Arranging & Songwriting * Optimizing Your DAW * Recording Gear * Included Components * Third-Party Effects * Third-Party Virtual Instruments * Computer Systems and Components * Free Downloads * External SONAR resources