I'm trying to figure out how to best use Sonar X3 to capture my musical ideas.
 
I like to just sit down at the keyboard and let my mind (and fingers) go where they go.  Usually I get a handful of good ideas (improvisations).  I would like to capture those performances and then work them up into more structured and orchestrated works.  I find having a metronome and specific key forced on me stifling to my creativity.
 
Is there an easy way to have Sonar figure out tempo changes?  key changes?  Any suggestions on how to use Sonar more as post-processing to my playing versus having my playing being post-processing for Sonar?  (Hope that makes sense...)
 
Thanks
 
 

Try this. (for tempo changes)

This may be a bit loaded question. Which version of X3 do you have?

While there are tools all over for such, my experience has been that trying to "recover" an improvisation to be a final cut has always paled to re-tracking (with the implied rehearsals).

Are you intending to put improvisations into final material or analyze them (big difference between the two).

I do most of my recording without a click and align the timeline to it after the fact, using Set Measure/Beat At Now. I've posted quite a few times about the process, myself, but recently stumbled on this post that has nice screenshots in it:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/1989048
 
Fit Improvisation is less flexible as it requires a reference track with a note event on every beat, which isn't always easy to produce, depending on the composition, and it can't accommodate timing that changes at smaller note durations, while Set Measure/Beat At Now will let you set as many or as few points needed, and at any fraction of a whole note.
 
Here's a post withe step-by-step procedure. Works pretty much the same for MIDI or audio:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/2922802
 
I should add that it's best to work with a copy of the project, because the tempo changes of both Fit Improvisation and SM/BAN can be undone at the time, but once you've closed the project and lost the undo list you can't easily reverse the changes if you find something wasn't done right later.

Interesting stuff.  I'll be certainly trying these!

Thanks for all the info.  I'm going to need to try this a few times so it becomes second nature.  Sounds like there are two approaches to investigate...
 
My intent was to just get a sketch of the composition in quickly, then record separate parts as I orchestrate, probably deleting or muting the original "noodle" track in the end.  But I'm just figuring out how to integrate Sonar into my creative process, so I'm not sure.  Open to ideas...
 
Another approach I thought of trying was to record little themes on either one or multiple tracks, turn the themes into clips or loops, then play around with arranging the clips/loops to create a larger composition.  So again, I'm wanting to use Sonar to assist me in the creative process.  So any relevant posts on using Sonar in that way would be appreciated.  :-)