Hi,
 
Does anyone know how to use Sonar to get that classic old reverb they used in the crooner days? I try but don't come close.
 
Thanx, FW

The people you list in my understanding used the room they were in to have reverb. The studios in some cases had their own sound. However, spring and plate reverbs were in use for at least part of the time many of the recordings were made. A very light delay also can be used.
 
In truth a book or article that goes into the techniques and equipment used in those days might be very helpful.  I would keep is as simple as you can.   

http://www.acontinuouslean.com/2013/12/02/secret-capitol-studios-sound/
 
at time 6:28 to hear chamber
http://americanroutes.wwno.org/player/playlist/26388

Can't speak to all of them, but I can tell you that a big part of the Sinatra sound was the infamous chamber that they used. Nothing sounds like a chamber!

I've only worked in a couple of studios that had chambers, but they were always used!

The rooms in which the recordings were made also add a lot, but I'm pretty sure the part that makes you smile is the chamber.

so you're saying I need to build an underground cavern...hmm....
 
I'm trying out the Waves H-Reverb and it sounds pretty nice and I put a question into them asking if they had a "crooner" preset - still no response but it's only been a few hours.
 
Thanx to all for the info and the links to the story.

If you have a Waves collection check out IR-L (or IR-1), they have a bunch of rooms and famous studios you could try as a starting point. 

Ditto on Sanderxpander's recommendation: I just picked up the Waves IR-1 on sale for $29.  With it, you can download for free 4 GB of impulses from lots of different spaces.  Worth checking out!

For chamber reverbs, try the following:
 
1) I assume I have a version of SONAR that includes ReMatrix Solo. If not, never mind.
 
2) Read the info box (Impulse Management) at the end of this Craig Anderton article in Sound On Sound: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun15/articles/sonar-0615.htm
 
3) Download Samplicity's Bricasti M7 impulse library (donation ware; includes a bunch of chamber IRs): http://www.samplicity.com/bricasti-m7-impulse-responses/
 
4) Let us know how this all turns out for you.
 
I got to hear Frank live once in a club where Rush St. ends in State St. (it's Gibson's Steakhouse now) in Chicago. Very cool. But nowhere near the quality of his recordings. He was a master. Always such great arrangements behind him. I've got his early teenage stuff with Tommy Dorsey, his a cappella work recorded during WWII. But his best work was from 1950 to 1970 or so, when he started making movies. I have pretty much everything up to that point...and nothing after.
 
One of the best all time.

I agree with a conv reverb and some judicious use of EQ on it as well, until it starts to get close...  then trim to taste.  Lots of studios had nice reverb rooms, but although they sounded good, they may have had anything but flat responses coming out of them (except the verb, of course).  IOW, no low end and probably fairly midrangy as well.

Sanderxpander
If you have a Waves collection check out IR-L (or IR-1), they have a bunch of rooms and famous studios you could try as a starting point. 

+1 for Sanderexpanders idea.  This would be a good starting point.