I'd like to use X2 at gigs to select different guitar treatments. I've set up several tracks with different effects on each. I can sort of get it working by switching on input echo on all the tracks and then use midi to control the mute buttons to select a single track but this uses a lot of CPU and it struggles to operate with a low buffer setting (needed for playing live).
 
It seems better to 'switch on' each track by using midi to select its input echo but this option doesn't appear in the list of things you can control under the generic control surface. (I know you can right-click each input echo button and assign a midi note but this isn't flexible enough to ensure only 1 input echo is selected each time. Maybe Ableton Live is the answer!
 
Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Richard 

Hi. I am not sure, but maybe you could group the tracks, and assign solo to the track needed. You could perhaps use a multi-function shortcut (I thinks that is possible). It would take the know-how of the wiser people to hopefully get you closer to a solution to your question.
Best of luck.

Problem is just solo'ing a track doesn't seem to route the live guitar input through to the output. Need echo input selected but don't want them all on as it kills the performance. 
Maybe Sonar is just unsuitable for using live.

what does your signal chain look like, how are you creating the fx?.. your rt latency will be a function of your system, any optimisations done for audio latency, your audio interface, and the amount of fx you are using.
if you have Guitar Rig or similar then these can operate standalone with pretty decent rt latency and support midi switching of presets... 

I have an Edirol Quad capture and I'm using ASIO drivers into Sonar X2 running on Windows 7 (and a 1980 Music Man Sabre II :-)  ) 
 
I have Guitar Rig and Amplitube and using these as VSTs but on some songs I'm also using some of the build in Sonar fx like BREVERB, hence the use of tracks rather than a standalone guitar effects processor because I want to recreate the sounds I get in recorded material.
 

In case you have nothing against using "one man closed source project"  (some people here do not want that by definition), my plug-in can help (see my signature). Sure, I can help you with the configuration.
 
The approach can be just switch focus from track to track, all with auto-input-echo. Or switch input echo on particular track. May be combined with mute/solo to avoid overlapping in sounds. May be also with disabling/enabling VSTs to save CPU. Whatever works best for you.

To be honest I'm a bit nervous of installing closed unsigned software on my computers.
Are you using mechanisms that are hidden from normal X2 users?
 
Does that mean you have found a way -
1) to control individual track input-echo with midi via a control surface or
2) is there a way to configure Sonar to automatically switch on input-echo when a track is in focus?
 
If so could you just send me the controller template? 
 
I don't want to have all the input echos on and then switch focus/mute/solo between tracks as having all the input echos on kills the delay performance.

rjjacobs
To be honest I'm a bit nervous of installing closed unsigned software on my computers.

From what I know, a certificate costs starting $75 per year. Pure waste of money if you ask me. My site is official, the registration is easy to find. That is even more information then you can get out of official certificate.
 

Are you using mechanisms that are hidden from normal X2 users?

I use Cakewalk Control Surface API. It is open (also in source) and available for any Sonar user. All Control Surface plug-ins (ACT MIDI, Generic, VS-700, etc) are using this API. But they expose different sets of supported functionality to the user. My plug-in is yet another one is the list, but unlike other it pretend to be universal.
 

Does that mean you have found a way -
1) to control individual track input-echo with midi via a control surface or

Yes.

2) is there a way to configure Sonar to automatically switch on input-echo when a track is in focus?

Sorry, my mistake. It is for MIDI tracks only. But the answer on (1) is still "Yes" (I have just tested it, to be sure).
 

If so could you just send me the controller template? 

If/when you decide to give it a try, I will need some information from you (about the controller, number of tracks, exact behavior you prefer, etc.). That conversation we can do ether here, in PM or inside my forum (preferred way, so other can benefit/participate in the discussion and it is not "lost" within CW forum). I will make the preset and give you exact instructions how to install/use it. You can find examples for the whole procedure on my site (see "Discussions" section with threads about particular devices).
 

I don't want to have all the input echos on and then switch focus/mute/solo between tracks as having all the input echos on kills the delay performance.

We can mute/solo (and many other operations) in addition to the input echo switch to reduce the CPU load and avoid overlapping of effects from different tracks.

Ok thanks I'll have a closer look at your website.
I have played a bit more with the ACT controller. Just to be absolutely clear about what I am trying to achieve, I know it is possible to toggle input-echo on the track in focus but their is no way to toggle input-echo on a specific track. It seems you can assign sliders to specific track pans/volumes (e.g. track 1 vol, track 2 vol etc) but there doesn't seem to be a way to do this for input-echo - assigning input-echo to a button just controls whichever track happens to be in focus. 

AZ Controller can operate with almost any parameter of any track, FX, synth and some ProChannel modules without focusing them. Think as you can "remote control" everything. Configuring the plug-in is not so simple because it allows not only "one control for one parameter" but far more complicated logic.