Hi
How far can you go with 12gig of ram truthfully before things crack up.
This Is the ceiling that I can go to with the motherboard I have got.
 
A lot of people I know have 16 and even 32 gig but I have always got away with 4gig of ram.
 
I would be happy to put a 12 track at most together and perhaps experimenting with a little home made movie track.
Just would like to know roughly.
I should have thought guys using 32 gig must be making 100,000 tracks!!!!!
 
 
All the best
John

Depends on how SONAR is used. If there are a lot of in-memory sample based instruments, RAM is a consideration. If SONAR is primarily used for recording and editing audio, RAM is not an issue. To me those are the two extremes when determining how much RAM is necessary.

John,
 
Don't get Gear Acquisition Syndrome, spend it on private training with someone instead.  Knowledge is better than nuts and bolts. 12 gigs will get you very, very far.

Must agree with eph221. Even using VST instruments, 12 gig of ram will get you far:)
 

Yes I agree as from what you have told us of how your working 4 GIGs would probably even be enough. RAM is not going to be an issue for you. 
You can even test this by loading up your bigest project and look at the little meter. 
 

Hi to All
 
Thanks very much for your replies as I am about to put In a triple 2gig Corsair ram upgrade .Puts me up to 12 gig.
Not bad for £46 pound off of Amazon.
Just to future proof me until 2020 and possible upgrade to windows 10 when all gremlins have been worked out.
I am not mad on the power ,I just wanted a sensible guide.
 
All the best
John

If you can do 16gb it's worth it. Anything above that is moving into more specific needs (e.g. a particular plugin that takes a lot of resources).

Hi Dok
I mainly use a Tyros 5 and do a lot of midi ,so that  almost takes 0 ram until converting to wave.
I have Fm7 ,Pro 57, Sampletank ,Miraslav etc, and the Korg collection plus additive drums and all that Sonar Platinum gives you.
I am more rock orientated , LURVE Camel, Emerson Lake and Palmer,Santana,also loved the American bands, Starcastle,Boston,Doobies,Chicago and late 60s upwards Stax, Atlantic, bluebeat ,ska etc
I have just retired now and at a young 64, I have great ambitions to make something worthwhile.
I rather play music and do slight editing,than do Lego brick cutting and pasting.Hate Coldplay--depressing like most modern stuff.
Music to me must have a story and not too repetitive. Jeff Wayne's War of the worlds a masterpiece and a lesson In great music.
O'l Black Betty ram ram Ram!!!
 
All The Best
John
 
Ps Yes "I am an old ------'  "
 

FWIW, I use 8GB here and haven't run into any memory related resource issues.  Granted, I don't use any of the really big sample libraries, but do use Kontakt and many synths.    And, my influences tend to gravitate towards many of the bands you've mentioned, so I'm with you there.  

As SCook mentioned, the amount of RAM used depends on what you are doing and whether or not you are using sample-based VSTs. I just completed an orchestral piece that used about 18 GB. If I had less RAM, I would have had to bounce some tracks to audio to free resources. But I am using the fairly large samples in EW Hollywood Orchestra. If I took the same score and used something like Garritan Personal Orchestra, RAM usage would be much, much less. Before working with VSTs like EWHO, I was getting away with only 8 GB.