Sonar X3 (Studio) user.
 
I don't know if it is a necessity to do it this way, but when I bounce down a mix to a stereo WAV file I highlight one (any) track, hit Control+A (for All), then go to the File menu and choose Export.  I would like to apply some compression or EQ to the MASTER track to brighten up the entire mix but the MASTER track does not get included (highlighted/selected) in the process I use above.  I tried once just highlighting the MASTER track (thinking it would include all the instrument and audio tracks), but I guess it doesn't work that way because I got an error saying nothing has been selected.  So, how do I include any change I make on the MASTER track?  Or will that just be included in the bounce process by default?
 
Thanks!
 
John B.

SONAR doesn't have a "Master" track per se, though you could make one. 
 
What it has is a flexible bussing system. So, in this case, you'd want to create a bus called MASTER (this is exactly how I do it with my own projects) and route all your relevant tracks to it. Then you can add effects to the MASTER bus just like any track/bus. You can have multiple buses that specialize in something, like say DRUMS, or a REVERB bus that acts more like an AUX track. But the first step is the create the bus structure you want.

Most do it that way Wicked. We have been promoting that way for a long time. Use a Master buss. If everything is routed to it you can use it as the export object. 

...wicked
SONAR doesn't have a "Master" track per se, though you could make one. 

 
I must be seeing things then, because I'm sure in every project I've done there is a channel called MASTER.  It has a blue fader and if you move that fader up or down the volume of the entire project goes up or down. It also has an EQ and a drop down arrow marked FX. It comes alongside of a channel called Metronome and another called Preview.  Is that just there as a decoration?


 
 

That's a bus. It can be part of your default project but isn't necessarily so. In Sonar you can route any track directly to your soundcard outputs if you want. In most projects, tracks are sent to a master bus before hitting the main outputs. If you then export audio any audio that goes to the main outs will first have passed through the master bus so any and all effects on it will be applied. If you want to export audio from a specific bus (including but not exclusively the master bus) you can choose "buses" as source category during export.

Sanderxpander
That's a bus. It can be part of your default project but isn't necessarily so. In Sonar you can route any track directly to your soundcard outputs if you want. In most projects, tracks are sent to a master bus before hitting the main outputs. If you then export audio any audio that goes to the main outs will first have passed through the master bus so any and all effects on it will be applied. If you want to export audio from a specific bus (including but not excluding the master bus) you can choose "buses" as source category during export.

That makes a bit more sense.  Thanks for clearing it up.
 
JB

Johnbee58

...wicked
SONAR doesn't have a "Master" track per se, though you could make one. 

 
I must be seeing things then, because I'm sure in every project I've done there is a channel called MASTER.  It has a blue fader and if you move that fader up or down the volume of the entire project goes up or down. It also has an EQ and a drop down arrow marked FX. It comes alongside of a channel called Metronome and another called Preview.  Is that just there as a decoration?



 

This is important for you to fully understand. Its what makes Sonar a very powerful DAW. In the Track View you have the track pane and a buss pane.
 
 
As you see in this picture the track view is divided into two sections and are labeled in the picture.
The buss pane can have any number of buses plus auxiliaries which are just buses used with sends.
 
The reason those buses are there is its the default setup. The metronome buss is for the output for the guess what, the metronome. The preview buss is for previewing loops and other audio files from the browser.
 
In a full project with audio and MIDI I often have a buss for drums and instruments and aux 1 for reverb and so on. I have been known to have a master sub buss that feeds the master buss. One has total control over what buses and how many are used in any project. 
 
With Sonar 2016 Platinum you also have aux tracks which can record the output of a track. 
 
I suggest you read up on this in the manual or help file. Its fundamental.  

Is there any video that explains this?
On second thought, never mind.  I think i understand it.

John, it might make more sense if you look at in in Console View, rather than Track View.
 
Your tracks will be to the left of the screen, busses in their own section to the right and your interface outputs at the far right.
 
This closely follows signal flow: Tracks > Busses > Master Buss > Mains
 
You have to create your own busses including the Master (unless you start a project from a template with them already created)

Thanks.  Maybe I should've just tried this myself first, because I haven't really yet.  I haven't really established that if I apply, say, an EQ to the Master buss (as seen) it won't do what I want it to.  All I know is that this bus effects where the master volume of the whole project is (ie, if I want more volume on the whole project I can accomplish that with this bus).  I never really tried to do anything else with it.  I appreciate all your help.  This just might have been a case where I was making assumptions and should've tried something on my own first.  Also, it might have seemed that I had an attitude there and I want to apologize for that.  I didn't mean to make anybody feel bad.
 
Thanks again.
 
John B