Hello all,

I am using an external sequencer (MV, MPC, etc) and I am using Sonar 8 as a sound module, using multiple VSTs.  I sequence all my tracks on the external hardware sequencer, and then I want to mix the song down (bounce the track) so I can mix the song down. 

When Sonar is the master sequencer, you can just "Bounce" the track to a wave; however, I am using an external sequencer, so all the MIDI information is on the hardware.  How can I bounce the track down for each VST in Sonar 8 without transfering the MIDI file on the external sequencer into Sonar?

Thanks!

Why not record the external MIDI in Sonar then bounce it?

Because I am doing all my sequencing on the hardware, I am using a minimal setup and makes it much easier to control it that way, plus a few other reasons that would be too much to explain lol.

I know other producers use Sonar as a sound module (or Cubase, Pro Tools, etc) and sequence with hardware, then bounce the tracks in the DAW.  How would I do this in Sonar using an external sequencer?  I can't "arm" the audio track that is connected to the MIDI track that the VST is assigned to, otherwise I would imagine I could just do it that way.


Thanks

This is something "live bounce" should take care of, but it only claims to record live audio. Worth trying once, though.

(Sonar 8 Ref. p.1028)
Live input bounce
When using the Bounce to Track(s) command to bounce audio in realtime,
you can now choose to include any live audio input in the bounce.
To allow live input during bounce
1. On the Edit menu, click Bounce to Track(s) to open the Bounce to
Track(s) dialog.
2. Under Mix Enables, clear the Fast Bounce check box and select the
Live Input check box.

Thank you for the reply.  I tried this and the "Bounce to Track" option is grayed out.  I believe because the MIDI track is empty, because the MIDI information is on the hardware sequencer.  Any other options?

This is not possible in SONAR. The only viable option is to patch an output back to an input, either analog or digital (if your audio interface's mixer supports this) and record the live output of the soft synth in real time to a new audio track.

I did try that, (I use an Edirol with that option) and it worked well.  I can just create a new audio track for each track I wanted to 'bounce.'  I was hoping that maybe there was another options that was easier but this isn't too bad =0)

Thanks again y'all take care.

The problem is that Sonar is a sequencer and is meant to act as one. You are using it, as you say, a sound module when fundamentally that is not what Sonar is. If you can drive the synths in Sonar with the external gear there is no reason you can not record the MIDI that is being sent to Sonar.  Once that is done you can freeze all the synths. This is the only good way to do this. Further, if it is working as you say then Sonar can record the MIDI without any problems.

I tried something freaky and got a result. Perhaps you can make a procedure out of it.

I made a project with just one softsynth track pair. I entered one MIDI event on the midi track. As you predicted, this enabled "bounce to tracks" in the edit menu. I enabled the echo on the midi track. I selected "all" and then went through the bounce to track procedure, with the synth audio track as the source and a new track as the destination, and with fast bounce off, live bounce on, audible bounce on. The trick is to place an event far enough out on the timeline so that the bounce will spend enough (real) time to let you play the whole song from your external sequencer. While the bounce was running, I played notes on my controller. I could see meters running and hear the audio. When I canceled the bounce and elected to "save the audio", I saw the new track and an audio waveform appear and I could play back that track and it did indeed record the audio of what I played.

Bill B.

I selected "all" and then went through the bounce to track procedure, with the synth audio track as the source and a new track as the destination, and with fast bounce off, live bounce on, audible bounce on.

I'll be danged. I almost gave this a try, but I didn't think it would let the Soft Synth host track generate new audio. I just tried it, and it worked for me as well. You've solved the real-time soft synth recording conundrum, my boy. Nice work. Better go holler this from the rooftops. There have been a lot of people out there asking about it.