Hello!
 
Yesterday, I tried using the Comping feature in Sonar X3 Studio for the first time and I guess I'm missing a point because when I record a new track it overwrites the previous take.  I checked and I have Comping selected and not overwite.  What I should be getting is a new take written over the old, but without erasing the old, correct?  Then, when I hit the icon I should see all the takes, right? I really would like to use this feature but I got tired of trying to figure it out and just did the old fashioned Punch in/out thing I did on previous DAWs I used.  Can somebody tell me what I might be doing wrong?
 
Thanks
John B.
 
 

You need to select 'sound On sound' in the preference menu in sonar. You probably have 'replace old with new' selected..
 
CJ

When you select "Comping" as the record mode, existing takes are kept in the track but are auto-muted by the fresh take. You should be able to see the previous takes by opening lanes.
 
The comping feature itself is the ease with which these takes can be comped together. Either by speed comping or manual comping. To speed comp, split the clips into manageable sizes to audition them, all takes will split at the  same point. Press Shift+space bar to start playback and the use the keyboard arrow keys to navigate the clips.
 
Manual comping is slightly different but just as quick. Start playback normally and split the clips as the transport is running. Click in the lower half of a clip and the now time jumps back to the start of that clip. Split and click as required.
 
At any time in either method the split points can be click dragged left/right to move them as well as up/down to adjust the crossfades.

I'm sorry, but I'm still not clear on some of this process.  I did manage to do a test recording creating 4 takes.  Now I need to know what to do next.  I make sure I select the Smart tool and when I run the Smart tool over a take it turns into the isolate icon.  But when I left click over a region I want to promote and click on it, the entire track turns white as if to highlight the entire track.  What am I doing wrong?
 
Thanks
 
John B.

Maybe the "X3 Comping" video on this page http://www.cakewalk.com/CakeTV/SONAR-University/Get-Started will help

No.  I'm sorry, but that video is absolutely useless!  I've looked it over several times and it is so vague.  It tells you what the feature can do, but not how to do it.
 
At this point I'd like to say that I'm totally disgusted by Cakewalk Sonar an wish I'd never bought it!  So far I've had issues with Comping, Backing Up projects and other issues and have not been helped much.  I know people here have tried to help as I have tried, and I appreciate the effort but I'm getting nowhere with any of the issues I've asked about.
 
Maybe it's me.  It's just not a very user friendly program and the documentation is terrible!
 
John B.

I really don't want to come off sounding like I have an attitude or don't appreciate the help people here have tried to give me, but I really can't get any of these issues resolved.  I've watched the comping video you mentioned several times very carefully and I just can't get past the recording of the takes.
 
Somebody has to put out a book called "Sonar X3 For Dummies".
 
John B.

John, here are the links to the reference manual, quick start and user guide for X3
 
http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013322/SONAR-X3-Reference-User-and-Quick-Start-Guides
 
The reference is around 2000 pages which you can read offline as well as print. 
 
Clint

Sonar X3 Power! by Scott Garrigus is considered the standard for books.  Scott does a superb job of explaining Sonar.
 
http://www.digifreq.com/digifreq/
 
That is Scott's website for his books as well as other goodies.

Try this:
New project

• set record mode to Comping
• add track
• expand take lanes
• record three takes

You should see something similar to:

 
Observe:

• The take lanes are added at the top of the stack (i.e. most recent at top)
• The previous takes are muted - where they overlap the most recent take
• SONAR automatically breaks up the clips on take bounderies

 
I'm not saying I totally approve of this behavior (I don't use Comping mode myself) but this is what is happening.
If you can get to this point, come back and let us know and we can answer questions or talk about how to use the Smart Tool to pick the best take.