Can the step sequencer skip steps?

Do you mean like creating a one-off odd time signature in a beat? I don't have Sonar in front of me right now, but if I understand what you mean correctly, I believe you can achieve what you're after by creating a new SS clip for just the particular beat in question, then adjust the number of steps to fit your needs (i.e. subtract a step for a "skipped step"). After that, resume your normal pattern with another SS clip right after the one you just created, and the result should be seamless. A little tedious if you have to do it often, but it gets the job done.
 
Is this what you were trying to achieve, Dan?

Dan,
 
Is there a similar example on YouTube or elsewhere that you can share, to give a better idea of just what you're going for? I follow you all the way up until you refer to changing pitches.
 
But generally speaking, it seems to me that patching together multiple clips may be the only way (using the step sequencer at least, as it's a pretty uniform tool within each clip). Either that, or you might be able to do it with just one big single-beat (as in SS beat) clip that contains the total number of steps (musical beats) in the whole measure (e.g. 15), then construct the whole measure, including the skipped step part. That will give you one full clip, complete with the skip, that you can duplicate and repeat over and over, if that's what you need. You may or may not need to play around with your tempo setting using this method though, to get it to play at the desired speed.
 
Let me know if we're making any progress toward your goal.

@dan check out some VSTs that can do this, like http://music.service-1.de/html/clockwork_stepsequencer_vst.html
or a reaktor ensemble? http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/threads/analogue-style-step-sequencer-recommendation.192363/
good luck!

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies.
 
Lawp: Yes, I had seen the clockwork sequencer and that is what I'm thinking of.  I didn't try it since they didn't have a demo and I was a little worried about how well Sonar would handle a VST that outputs midi as opposed to audio.  Doesn't Sonar have some issues with that?
 
Craig: Right, that was my intended use as a real time generator of midi data rather than to generate clips that are then pieced together.  I've been looking at using the Matrix view to do this.  I'd still have to create multiple clips ahead of time, but at least I could switch between different patterns and pattern lengths on the fly and do it mid clip if desired.
 
dimelives1: I don't think I've seen any youtube videos that illustrate this well, but some of the Berlin(ish) music by Redshift and Node has sequenced lines that sound like they use the technique I'm thinking of.
thanks,
Dan

clockwork demo http://music.service-1.de/clockworkdemo.zip lower down on the product page

Dan_E10
Craig: Right, that was my intended use as a real time generator of midi data rather than to generate clips that are then pieced together.  I've been looking at using the Matrix view to do this.  I'd still have to create multiple clips ahead of time, but at least I could switch between different patterns and pattern lengths on the fly and do it mid clip if desired.

I was going to suggest the Matrix View, but it doesn't do what you want to do with the step sequencer. However, it is a very flexible way of working with clips and yes, you can do all kinds of crazy start/stop/sync things. The Matrix View is IMHO underappreciated in Sonar and is more versatile than it might appear at first.

Anderton
 
I was going to suggest the Matrix View, but it doesn't do what you want to do with the step sequencer. However, it is a very flexible way of working with clips and yes, you can do all kinds of crazy start/stop/sync things. The Matrix View is IMHO underappreciated in Sonar and is more versatile than it might appear at first.

Gotta agree with Craig here, its easy to see it as an EDM related thing (and it is great for that!) but I use it all the time jamming around on guitar, and some of the stuff you come up with is stuff you would never normally play jsut sitting at the guitar jamming.