John T
Another way of looking at it, is that this is a "making things simple and obvious for new users" feature. I very much welcome stuff like that, as the more new users Sonar can attract and retain, the better for me in the end, as the company is a stronger position.
 
I've long thought that the remaining open battleground between DAWs is mostly around with ease-of-use and shallowness of learning curve.

Thanks to Cakewalk for working to make things easier than ever. I agree with your comment that if it helps to get users running faster they can become fans quicker and that can help contribute to keeping the fan base active.

For me it seems like a useless feature. I would insert a softsynth to get up and running with my midi tracks. That alone saves about five clicks from the new feature demo with regards to midi tracks. For audio, since I'm a routine user, I have preferences for my audio track routing including auxiliary tracks and busses, and color preferences, and track icon preferences. Either jumping from a track template or starting up from a template project file gets me to where I would want to go way faster than this new feature.

But for a beginner, this looks like it could be a stress saver. So, mild, polite applause from me to the bakers for this one.

Funkybot
For instance, 1) clicking the Add Track button should just automatically add an audio track routed to the master output. One click. Covers probably 90% of audio track use cases.

 
Fortunately, the Add Track flyout settings persist. So if you have an audio track assigned to the master, it's two clicks - one to add track, one to click on Create. The assignment won't change unless you change it.

Anderton

Funkybot
For instance, 1) clicking the Add Track button should just automatically add an audio track routed to the master output. One click. Covers probably 90% of audio track use cases.

 
Fortunately, the Add Track flyout settings persist. So if you have an audio track assigned to the master, it's two clicks - one to add track, one to click on Create. The assignment won't change unless you change it.

That's still 100% MORE clicks than my proposal. ;-)
 
I'm half-joking in that statement, but serious in the overall point of the prio feedback: there should be a concerted effort to reduce clicks, eliminate pop-ups, clean up menus, etc. I've been using a DAW well known for workflow as of late, but keeping an eye on Sonar updates, as I was a longtime user and want to see what's going on. What struck me in a recent video (wasn't this one - but
 
What struck me in a recent video (wasn't this one - but same point) was the number of additional clicks due to the various options Sonar presents users BEFORE they do something. Want to load an instrument? Answer these questions first, review these options, check the right boxes, then click OK. I just want to click and drag an instrument into a project, no questions asked. If I want to setup multiple outputs, make it easy for me to do that after the fact (which features like templates already do). But most times I just want that instrument loaded onto a channel and fast. 
 
At work, we frequently talk about the 90-10 rule when designing a particular feature. What are 90% of the people going to be doing, and how do we make that as easy as possible for them? Then assume the user has no prior knowledge on the topic and ask, can they figure it out? If you can remove a pop-up box here, a mouse click there, clean up a menu item here, you'll end up with a faster, more intuitive to use DAW. 

Funkybot

Anderton

Funkybot
For instance, 1) clicking the Add Track button should just automatically add an audio track routed to the master output. One click. Covers probably 90% of audio track use cases.

 
Fortunately, the Add Track flyout settings persist. So if you have an audio track assigned to the master, it's two clicks - one to add track, one to click on Create. The assignment won't change unless you change it.

That's still 100% MORE clicks than my proposal. ;-)
 
I'm half-joking in that statement, but...

 
I understand that, but think how upset all the MIDI people would be if Add Track was a one-click solution for audio but didn't accommodate MIDI. Ultimately, people who've used SONAR for a long time have templates and such that provide super-fast solutions, or just hit the Insert key to add a track, which is even easier than grabbing a mouse and navigating it to a "one-click" solution. I suspect the Add Track flyout was based on new users getting lost in the menus and drop-down items. And I can see that. If you'd never seen SONAR before and wanted to add a track, a button that says Add Track is probably more helpful than knowing to right-click on an empty space, or go to an Insert menu.
 
But I also think that DAWs in general need a new paradigm, and have thought so for years. No other DAW is significantly easier to use; no one has truly "cracked the code" yet on how to make the whole process of making music on a computer less intimidating. I think some of the responsibility for that falls on Apple and Microsoft as well.
 
 
 

Nice!
 

John T

Dan Gonzalez [Cakewalk]

azslow3

ampfixer
Another way to do something that's already pretty easy. Meh, sorry.

Right clip menu, keyboard shortcut, control surface binding... But on that place I currently see time display, which is definitively more useful that this "+" button. Is it going to be removed?

No, this won't be removed.

Ah, cool. I do use that from time to time. Useful to have two different time-bases visible sometimes, eg: MBT and absolute time, or (in a recent case) absolute time and samples. I would have missed it a bit, I think.

This thread is a good example of how differently we all use Sonar. I couldn't function at all without being able to monitor MBT and time simultaneously, but I'm often writing cues to specific time lengths.

The best response to this new feature I've seen here in the forums is that it really helps the newbies. Creating new tracks could get more intuitive, making the learning curve to start recording quicker . . . less steep. This will be good in the long run for the Cakewalk product. Those who have used Cakewalk for a long time will be bored by this new feature, and may even have to rewire part of their brains to adapt. (Or just keep creating tracks the old way)
In any case, I see why they have done it, but now we need something for the long time users to be added next month . . . to keep the balance working and moving ahead.

Great move... very simple, very obvious, gives lots of choices (pop up help/explanations would be even better for newbs)... and yes I'll use it... it's RIGHT THERE!
 
My best friend found sonar inscruitable (X series)... spent a lot of money and ended in Ableton...it was simpler enough he could grasp it.  Sonar is HUGELY powerful... and NEW users are very challenged and anything to simplify/streamline/intuit things is good.  I think this is great...
 
I've been muckin' on and off since Sonar 5 or 6... and I still learn new stuff all the time... almost every time I visit this forum.  
 
Think what a NEW user has to contend with!
 
Luv you bakers... ur doin' nice things!
 

Looks good, I'll be using it when necessary.

I'd love to see Sonar move in the direction of "FEWER menus, windows, and clicks" to truly speed up the workflow. For instance, 1) clicking the Add Track button should just automatically add an audio track routed to the master output. One click. Covers probably 90% of audio track use cases.2) Clicking and dragging an instrument to the Project pane should automatically add a single instrument track routed to the master bus. Single click and drag operation, covers most use cases. No pop up windows, no extraneous options.

 
Both these already exist.
 
For number one Press "Insert" in the track view or if it's a button in particular you need just assign "Add track" as a button in the custom module.
 
For number two just open "insert soft synth Options" (found in the synth rack) set up your preference, in your case single instrument track and deselect "Ask this every time"