In other daws, I edit audio by using the cursor and highlighting the area I want to copy or cut. In order to get it right, I loop the selected area and then adjust the selection using the left and right locators or adjusting the actual selection itself. The now time follows the beginning of the loop, or I use a predefined keystroke to move the cursor to the beginning of the selected audio so I can loop it and hear it from the beginning. I then copy the audio selection to a different track. I don't want to cut the original audio, I just want to copy pieces out of it.
 
Is there any way to work like this in Sonar?
 
I know from an earlier thread that I can use Shift+L to get the loop locators to match my selection. But, if I adjust the locators, the selection doesn't follow. Also, the now time only goes to the left locator when I press Shift+L if it's located after the selected area, but not before. And, the now time doesn't move to the left locator if I adjust the locators.
 
Is there something I'm missing? I've been all over the preferences and haven't seen anything that would help me out.
 
 

You can bind a key or controller to do this. Thanks for the great idea!
 

Selection start and end points can be adjusted by Shift-clicking inside or outside either boundary.
 
And there are keyboard shortcuts for Goto From, Goto Thru, From = Now and Thru = Now. Mine have been reset to pre-X1 defaults, F7, F8, F9 and F10,  so I don't know offhand what the current hotkeys are.

I think neither of those accomplish what the OP is asking for. Or rather, you would have to hit SHIFT+L every time you slightly change the editing region. I don't really use this workflow in Sonar but I have used it in wave editors and it would definitely be welcome. To recap, what you want is:
1. Select a region for editing and have the loop region match the selection (can be done with SHIFT+L)
2. Adjust the beginning or ending of the selection range with hotkeys and have the loop region update automatically.
 
Perhaps the loop construction window can do something with this? I never use it.

Sanderxpander
I think neither of those accomplish what the OP is asking for. Or rather, you would have to hit SHIFT+L every time you slightly change the editing region. I don't really use this workflow in Sonar but I have used it in wave editors and it would definitely be welcome. To recap, what you want is:
1. Select a region for editing and have the loop region match the selection (can be done with SHIFT+L)
2. Adjust the beginning or ending of the selection range with hotkeys and have the loop region update automatically.
 
Perhaps the loop construction window can do something with this? I never use it.

 
It's not gonna happen automatically unfortunately. The closest the OP will get to what he wants to do is to map a key to the "Select Loop Region".
 
Having said that, yes I'd love to see some of the selction features other DAW's have, but key binding really makes many things possible if not perfect. There is no perfect DAW.

 

PilotGav
You can bind a key or controller to do this. Thanks for the great idea!
 

 
Thank you. I went snow blind looking through the different keystrokes. This does get me much closer to my target.

brundlefly
Selection start and end points can be adjusted by Shift-clicking inside or outside either boundary.
 
And there are keyboard shortcuts for Goto From, Goto Thru, From = Now and Thru = Now. Mine have been reset to pre-X1 defaults, F7, F8, F9 and F10,  so I don't know offhand what the current hotkeys are.

Thanks for the info. This makes it easier, too. Amazing how long I've used this software, but still learn new things.

I made this video back in the X1 days, not sure if it will be of any use for you but this is how I select and loop audio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtKF7kWqh80
 
 
I use Mackie control for setting my points up so I don't know of the K Shorts.

chuckebaby
I made this video back in the X1 days, not sure if it will be of any use for you but this is how I select and loop audio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtKF7kWqh80
 
 
I use Mackie control for setting my points up so I don't know of the K Shorts.

Jeeze! You have the coolest voice and accent I've ever heard. Make more videos :-)

 
I believe this will accomplish what you want, but with a different workflow. You need to think in reverse...
 
1. Adjust the loop start and end, not the clip start and end, to define the parts of the selection you want. SONAR will keep looping while you do this.
2. When the loop length is just right, select the track (if it isn't already) by clicking on the track number header.
3. Float the cursor just above the timeline so it becomes a magnifying glass, then click inside the loop brackets. This defines the part of the clip that's looped as the selection.
4. Ctrl+click on the clip handle anywhere within the loop bracket, and then drag the selection where you want. If you don't have ctrl selected, then you can extract the selection from the clip.
 
The only difference compared to editing the clip start and end is the loop brackets can't snap to audio zero crossings, only whatever snap you specify. Of course you can turn off snap (keyboard shortcut N) and place the loop start or end manually on a zero crossing.
 
Check out this technique and see what you think.