I like my SONAR Artist, BUT

With regard to 2):
 
Clip Gain:
Hold Ctrl and click in the lower half of a clip, then as soon as you drag up or down a new Clip Gain envelope will be created to adjust the level only for this clip.
 
 

Vatche
But I still prefer visual response to the clip gain modification, like many other DAWs.

"Many other people" prefer blue over red, not that it make mush sense for Sonar or music in general
My point, in case you like some particular feature in particular program, you can name it directly. From what I know, mentioning "Concurrent DAWs" in this forum is not forbidden. That will also can help other to understand what exactly you expect...
 
For 2: any temporarily volume change is an automation. Different people/DAW can use different word for it, but it is still an automation.
 
There are 2 automaton types in sonar, clip and track. Switch to the required view (default view is "Clip"), for example to "Clip automation / Gain". Select the region you want adjust, move mouse into the clip caption. The cursor will change and you can adjust the gain (with visual effect, what you mean by that?). The same works for track automation. The overall gain adjustment for the clip was already mentioned by Klaus.
 
For 1: there are several methods. For different purpose and with different quality.  From your description, you are looking for quick, not destructive real-time method. One possible approach: make the clip a Groove clip (Right-click, "Groove-clip looping"). In the track inspector, select "Clip" and there "Groove Clip" section. Adjust Pitch/Fine pitch parameters, works during playing and you can revert to zero any time.

Every DAW has their weak points and strong points.
Not all DAW's can do everything. some are better, easier to work with than others.
What you may find cumbersome in Sonar, Reaper has an easier approach, what you may find difficult in reaper, sonar has a feature that makes it simple.
 
What we do is create the imaginary scale with our hands and weigh out the pro's and con's.
the good's and the bad's. Then we make a choice.
I have found Sonar to do most of those things I want it to more than anything else out there and that's why I use it.
I didn't start using Sonar because I liked the look of the cakewalk logo
I started using it because it did what I wanted it too and it did it productively.
Through process and elimination I have landed here on planet Cakewalk.
 
With all this declared, I would like to see a easier way to control transposing audio with a twist of a knob.
I have no problem with gain automation. I've been doing it this way for years. its typically the first thing I do when handed a mix, I listen for imperfections, fix out of tune vocals, then go straight to gain adjustments.
this way you don't slam the snot out of a compressor with varying levels and volume automation is much easier in the end.
 
Chuck

Regarding transposition, I don't have Artist but I assume it uses the iZotope algorithm as Professional and Platinum for transposition. If so, yes it is destructive (although of course you can undo it). The reason it is slow is because offline processing allows for higher quality. These days computers have become fast enough that it's possible to do decent real-time transposition, but still, offline rendering will give better quality. The higher SONAR versions have Melodyne Essential, which does non-destructive, real-time transposition.