• SONAR
  • [Solved] Sonar importing audio file in wrong key. It's nuts!
2016/01/04 18:09:13
EFaaT
I've exported some wav audio tracks from Band-In-A-Box into Sonar Platinum for tweaking. The song file is in the key of F, but Sonar imports it in C. It's an audio track!! Go figure. How can that be? The wav tracks play fine in Windows Media Player, but Sonar doesn't like them. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I might try importing the wavs into another DAW [which I don't have] and see how that handles them. Any thoughts? Please?
2016/01/04 18:18:06
Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
Is biab using the same audio driver? You may have a sample rate conflict.
2016/01/04 18:33:04
BbAltered
Hello. 
1) The default "key" for CW audio projects is the key of C.  You can change any audio file to a different key by opening the file in the Groove Construction window, and look for the drop-down list at the top of the window that specifies the key.  You can turn off the automatic key transposition, tho' I don't know off the top of my head how to do that in Sonar (I'm not in front of my DAW now).
 
2) Make sure the original audio file and the CW project have the same sampling rate.  If the CW project sampling rate is different from the sampling rate of the original audio, CW will change the sampling rate of the imported audio.  Change the sampling rate could cause a change in pitch and the length of the audio file.
 
I am sure other more knowledgeable people will be along shortly to help with more specific instructions.
2016/01/04 18:38:03
Anderton
I wouldn't be surprised if the BIAB files have Acidization/Groove Clip metadata to allow them to transpose, in which case (1) in the post above would be right on the money.
2016/01/04 19:32:42
EFaaT
Oh man! This is why I love this forum, and this DAW. "BbAltered" gets the correct answer prize. I set the default Groove Clip Pitch to None and it's fine. Thanks for the help, guys. You're the best!
2016/01/04 19:52:50
jpetersen
And a lurker (that's me) learns something new!
2016/01/04 21:02:39
BbAltered
Hello.
1)  99% of the time, when I see something weird happening in Sonar (and most other audio software I use), the problem is between my two ears: either I am doing something wrong, or I am not understanding something, have forgotten to do something, etc.
2) This is a really good forum with intelligent and helpful people, where most questions expressed coherently can get answered.  I'm glad you got it figured out, EFaaT.  Rock on.
2016/01/04 21:59:12
Cactus Music
And just as an aside to this,, isn't it better to import BnaB as midi and use Sonar's better quality midi playback synths??? Last time I messed with BinaB it used sort of wavetable style synths... 
2016/01/04 22:26:51
Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
I've imported waves from bb and never had this issue. The only time the groove pitch would have an effect is if you turned the imported wave into a groove clip in SONAR.
2016/01/04 22:53:18
Anderton
Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
I've imported waves from bb and never had this issue.



But Noel - did you sign up for the BIAB membership? I think in their "Toronto" update, they added acidization metadata to WAV files. 
 
[kidding!]
© 2026 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account