I've made this request many times over the years since 8.5 even making an official "service ticket" on the subject if I remember correctly.
Just as we have "Count In to Record" I find "Count In to Playback" very useful. It's for when you want to practice a part without committing to record. I use it every day. 
 
I'd love to see this relatively simple feature added to one of the updates to Sonar........

Hi Teksonik- I just voted, but not sure it's something I'd personally get a lot of use out of. (I tend to capture everything in case I get it right the first time. Unlikely - still hoping Lol). But I see the value for practice prior to recording. Just curious which DAW you're using that has the feature.

My metronome does both? Or am I clueless as to what you mean?

Brando
Hi Teksonik- I just voted, but not sure it's something I'd personally get a lot of use out of. (I tend to capture everything in case I get it right the first time. Unlikely - still hoping Lol). But I see the value for practice prior to recording. Just curious which DAW you're using that has the feature.

Thanks for voting! I'm using Reaper over Sonar for my guitar work simply because of the Count In to Playback feature.  Like I said I use it every day.  Sometimes you just need to practice or work on chops. Being able to get a count in to get the groove before a drum part starts for example is pretty useful. Yes you can insert empty bars at the start but what if I want to practice from a certain section of the song ? In Reaper I simply hit Play from any part of the song and get a count in......once I've used it I can't live without it........

charlyg
My metronome does both? Or am I clueless as to what you mean?

Unless this feature has been added in a version later than Sonar X3 you can have the Metro run while playing or recording but you can only have Count In To Record. You can't have Count In to Playback. In other words if you're in Record Mode you get 1,2,3,4 Record (or two bars if you want etc). In Play Mode you just get Play....no time to get ready to play....no time to get the groove. The Metro page in X3 is a little misleading in the way it's worded. I'd love to find out this has been added in a later version of Sonar.
 

Teksonik

charlyg
My metronome does both? Or am I clueless as to what you mean?

Unless this feature has been added in a version later than Sonar X3 you can have the Metro run while playing or recording but you can only have Count In To Record. You can't have Count In to Playback. In other words if you're in Record Mode you get 1,2,3,4 Record (or two bars if you want etc). In Play Mode you just get Play....no time to get ready to play....no time to get the groove. The Metro page in X3 is a little misleading in the way it's worded. I'd love to find out this has been added in a later version of Sonar.
 

SPlat is still the same - count in to record only, can select metronome for both play and record.
Thanks for the explanation regarding Reaper - good luck on the feature request.
 

My bad, I misread the label

Brando
SPlat is still the same - count in to record only, can select metronome for both play and record.
Thanks for the explanation regarding Reaper - good luck on the feature request.

Thanks for letting me know that Count In to Playback has still not been added to Sonar.  I would upgrade as it's that important to me.  Oh well maybe in a future version......

Voted Would definitely be useful for practicing.

Thank you !