I reckon the OP is watching from afar and thinking it didn't take much.

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
So, what college courses use Sonar?

Berklee might have one. I know they cover a few specific DAWs.
In reply to the OP:
Learning any DAW is a daunting experience, especially if you don't have a tech background. Craig was correct in his characterization of Sonar as a complete studio, it's like the head engineer of a major studio handing the keys to the door and telling you "Good luck, make sure you lock up when you're done".
The simplest possible approach:
1. Make sure your audio interface works.
2. Verify that Sonar can see it.
3. Add an audio track and set its input to where you have your mic connected.
4. Hit record on the track and set your record level, -12 to -18 Db is a reasonable level on the record meter.
5. Hit the record button and play your part.
The rest is up to you. It'll probably take you around 10 years to get up to speed, that's normal.
 

Three pages and still going.. good work everyone... 
There's actually some excellent information and funny stuff here so it's a good thread compaired to some. 
I think if the OP did return we might have scared them off by now.. after all, how could you reply to this. 
 

Cactus Music
Three pages and still going.. good work everyone... 
There's actually some excellent information and funny stuff here so it's a good thread compaired to some. 
I think if the OP did return we might have scared them off by now.. after all, how could you reply to this. 
 

 
The same way that other people did when they got off to a bad start..."Okay, I've cooled off now, I'm really not a troll and I've tried to get things working but I still have some questions..."
 
If I read this thread I'd think there are a bunch of people who are sympathetic to my cause but I kinda did a faux pas upon entering this thread, so I'd reboot and try again. Or, register under a different name 

It is a pretty innocuous and harmless first post. I have to say if I hadn't had any previous DAW experience when I first installed Sonar I would have been pretty much in the same boat. And recording audio was pretty much the ONLY thing I managed to figure out that first night.
 
I don't even think I figured out how to use the input echo to monitor what I was doing. I just armed the track, hit the record button, noodled a bit and sure enough it produced a wave. The rest of it was all "huuuwhaaaaa????"
 
That said I knew it was going to be a challenge so tossed my crotch berries right into the thick of it (and this forum) until I could actually do some more useful stuff. It was infuriating though because I had recorded and mixed mountains of material in my old DAW. Very different workflow/environment. Worth the effort though.

Now if I could just figure out how to work the forum... lulz.
 
Dupe-ty dupe dupe doo waaaahhhhh...

If the OP registered with a real email can shoot them a PM and let them know a hundred folks are hanging around waiting to help them out.

TomHelvey

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
So, what college courses use Sonar?

Berklee might have one ...

They do have one ... http://www.cakewalk.com/Page/Learn-SONAR-Online-with-Berklee.
 
Not required ... nor hard to find. There's 'LEARN' links on the Cakewalk site footer for a start.
 
 
 

I"m currently talking with a school in India that wants to use SONAR as its default DAW for recording courses. Apparently they need something really versatile that runs on Windows.

Anderton
I"m currently talking with a school in India that wants to use SONAR as its default DAW for recording courses. Apparently they need something really versatile that runs on Windows.

What's to stop them doing so?
 
... or ... are they after e.g,
- using your name / expertise e.g, courseware creation
- discount pricing, and/or for students
- a spot on Cakewalk's homepage
- Official endorsement
 
???