please be patient! Newbie qs!

Hi folks...

a couple of questions for you patient ones!

1) how can I move a clip to the NOW line? I want to add a sound effect where the Song Pointer is sitting. I add an audio effect, and then I want to select the clip and hit a key command to move the clip to the NOW time line....?

2) How can I get SONAR to name audio files the same as my track names? So I click record on my BASS track, and the resulting file would be BASS_01 (or whatever.). Or is there a 'batch mode' so I can tell Sonar to name all the audio clips according to the track they're on?

thanks again!

Thanks Bit!

Actually, I would say that selecting a clip and then hitting the key command to MOVE TO NOW is much much faster... especially when trying to time a door slam after a specific word (in my radio play project).

But, if that's the only way to do it (select clip, right-click, properties, look at NOW time, enter timecode into clip dialog box, hit enter)..I guess that's what I have to live with.

Thanks again!

That's a great idea!! I think that's how I'll do it...

now...

1) does Sonar ever import audio files to the NOW time, instead of the beginning of the project every time? Is there a pref so when I import audio, it will import to my NOW position?

2) has anyone figured out where I can change automation modes yet?!?! (overwrite, touch, latch..etc...) please?

ORIGINAL: mabian

ORIGINAL: Mick

The problem is when you select the clip you are likely to move the now time. You could of course "cut" the clip in question, then move the now time to the location you want it to be, and simply paste the clip.

AFAIK, there aren't automation modes in SONAR 7, but I could be wrong.

- Mario

oh.....my.......God......

You CAN'T be serious.....frkin hell...

CAKEWALK!!! HELP ME LEAVE CUBASE PLEASE!!! I spend $1000s of dollars trying to run away from Steinberg!!! (I bought Samplitude, I bought Logic Studio 8, I bought Sonar, I bought Cubase 4, Pro Fools....)
I need to leave Steinberg, and Sonar was going to be my main DAW now...but simple things like not having different automation modes (WTF is that about?), not being able to move clips to the NOW time, etc... is really making me re-think my conversion to Sonar....

Sonar is supposed to be light-years ahead of the competition, but....hmm....

ORIGINAL: mabian

I didn't mean to frighten you, there's no reason for me you should be afraid migrating.

Actually you have different ways to move clips to now, even though there's no magic "Move to now" command.

About automation, this is from the in line help:

"
There are several ways to automate controls in the Track and Console views:

Recording the movements of individual faders, knobs, or controls--this method includes any knob, slider, or control except the Solo, Arm, Phase, Interleave, Vol Trim, Bus Enable, Pre/Post buttons, bank, patch, channel, key+, time+, input and output

Drawing envelopes in the Clips pane for audio and/or MIDI data--an envelope is a graph of the change in level of a particular parameter over time

Recording automation data from an external controller

Snapshots
"

Hope it helps,
Mario

Thanks Mario...

yeah...I guess there are different ways of doing the same thing!! I'll just have to re-learn the clip moving commands!

BUT...I really really really really really really need automation MODES. It has nothing to do with which controls I can automate, it has everything to do with doing automation-write passes on the same track (overwrite, latch, touch, ramp etc...). Please oh please CAKEWALK..respond to my question please?! No one here really seems to need different automation modes.

Anyone here know what automation modes are? And, can you tell me how to change them in Sonar?

When Touch Fader mode is selected, the program starts writing the automation as soon as you click the control and stops writing when you release the mouse button.
If you are overwriting existing automation, the Automation Return Time setting determines how fast the automated parameter returns to its original automated value when you release the mouse button.


• When Autolatch mode is selected, the program starts writing the automation as soon as you click the control and stops writing when you stop playback or turn off the Write function. The last automation value will be continuously written until you stop or turn off Write. This is useful if you want to overwrite a long section of previous automation, and also when you are recording automation from a remote device. However, make sure you only touch the desired control(s) when recording automation in Autolatch mode – and remember to stop playback when you’re done!


• X-Over mode works like Autolatch mode, but with one difference: As soon as you “cross” any existing (previous) automation curve, the writing is automatically turned off.

• Overwrite mode affects volume automation only. It works like Autolatch mode, with one significant difference: the program starts writing the automation as soon as you start playback, and stops writing when you turn off Write. This means that automation will be written continuously from the moment you start playback until you turn off Write – even if you don’t touch any controls. This is useful if
you want to have a “clean slate” and redo previous volume automation.

whew....now you can see how useful those different modes are when working on commercials or film mixes. Super easy to re-write automation for a specific length (PS: I use the Mackie Control, so these modes are even more important). Even when re-writing automation for a lead vocal...doing several adjustment passes in real-time is MUCH more efficient than trying to fiddle around with little automation points!

ORIGINAL: rdolmat
1) does Sonar ever import audio files to the NOW time, instead of the beginning of the project every time? Is there a pref so when I import audio, it will import to my NOW position?

I'm still useing Sonar 4 and If I've selected a track and import audio it always loads where I've got the now time. Maybe there's a setting for this, I'm not sure.

Also I can drag audio in from a folder and place it where ever I want. If "snap to grid" is on it will locate to the nearest grid point and if "snap to grid" is off it will stay where ever I place it.

T.S.

In SONAR 7, there's also an entry on the Track View right-click menu to import audio (and MIDI) which places it at the Now time.

Anyone here know what automation modes are? And, can you tell me how to change them in Sonar?

When Touch Fader mode is selected, the program starts writing the automation as soon as you click the control and stops writing when you release the mouse button.
If you are overwriting existing automation, the Automation Return Time setting determines how fast the automated parameter returns to its original automated value when you release the mouse button.

• When Autolatch mode is selected, the program starts writing the automation as soon as you click the control and stops writing when you stop playback or turn off the Write function. The last automation value will be continuously written until you stop or turn off Write. This is useful if you want to overwrite a long section of previous automation, and also when you are recording automation from a remote device. However, make sure you only touch the desired control(s) when recording automation in Autolatch mode – and remember to stop playback when you’re done!

• X-Over mode works like Autolatch mode, but with one difference: As soon as you “cross” any existing (previous) automation curve, the writing is automatically turned off.

• Overwrite mode affects volume automation only. It works like Autolatch mode, with one significant difference: the program starts writing the automation as soon as you start playback, and stops writing when you turn off Write. This means that automation will be written continuously from the moment you start playback until you turn off Write – even if you don’t touch any controls. This is useful if you want to have a “clean slate” and redo previous volume automation.

whew....now you can see how useful those different modes are when working on commercials or film mixes. Super easy to re-write automation for a specific length (PS: I use the Mackie Control, so these modes are even more important). Even when re-writing automation for a lead vocal...doing several adjustment passes in real-time is MUCH more efficient than trying to fiddle around with little automation points!

Holy smokes... for a minute there I thought I fell into a time warp!!! I haven't heard anyone talk about automation modes since the good old days of DiskMix<G>!

I'm not trying to be a trouble-maker, but I'm not sure how automation modes apply to a software interface. There are a lot of things I miss about the old days, in fact I still have a conventional console and analog tape decks in service, but automation is not on the list. Even moving fader solutions left something to be desired when compared to anything I can do with a any sequencer since the late 1980's.

BUT, I'm always willing to learn something new! How is that you use these older techniques for automating things, and how are they better than simply adding nodes to an envelope? Also, what hardware controllers support these modes?

I'll concede that there is a certain "musical-ness" one can get by riding a fader to create an automation curve, and if you are going to use a hardware fader to enter automation it would seem to me that at least an update/overwrite switch would be invaluable. But then you have to figure out whether it is a moving fader or not, and if not you need a way to null the fader unless you can do a relative/absolute thing too.

Anyway, I am curious...

Thanks,

Bill

Well Bill.

I use the different automation modes for mixing film and ads. Especially in film. Instead of using paddles and writing to stems, I use automation modes like this...

ie: let's say I'm mixing several dialog tracks. On my initial pass I would use automation mode (Write). Because this is the first pass, so I don't care if I overwrite anything. So I'll write the volume automation with my Mackie Control for a few scenes (let's say 10min).

Then I'll sit back and playback the scenes. Now let's say everything sounds great except for a 2 minute section (everything else outside those two minutes are perfect). Instead of going to each and every dialog track and then sit there for an hour playing with the automation points on the envelope, I would engage Automation Mode Touch (which writes automation ONLY when I touch the Mackie Control Fader, and stops writing when I let go. Automatically going to the next original automation point). I might have to do this 3-4 times over the same spot with all the faders (at the same time) to make it perfect. I might even need to Touch Automate one or two words a couple of time. This also works great for panning (car byes etc), to get the pan to match picture. And it at the end of the pan write pass, it will automatically pan back to the center (when using TOUCH mode). No fiddling with tiny automation points.

Now we play back again, and it sounds perfect.

Anyhow...it's hard to explain, and according to Brandon, Sonar doesn't support different automation modes. Maybe Sonar isn't made for mixing radio shows and TV commercials..

:( It looks like I'm stuck with Cubase SX and Pro Fools for Post-pro work still.

BUT! I did get some kick arse mixes on a new album I'm producing!!!!

Before I'll help I need your dongle number.