lawp
clockwork demo http://music.service-1.de/clockworkdemo.zip lower down on the product page

I missed that, thank you!

Dan_E10
Craig: Right, that was my intended use as a real time generator of midi data rather than to generate clips that are then pieced together.  I've been looking at using the Matrix view to do this.  I'd still have to create multiple clips ahead of time, but at least I could switch between different patterns and pattern lengths on the fly and do it mid clip if desired.

I was going to suggest the Matrix View, but it doesn't do what you want to do with the step sequencer. However, it is a very flexible way of working with clips and yes, you can do all kinds of crazy start/stop/sync things. The Matrix View is IMHO underappreciated in Sonar and is more versatile than it might appear at first.

My personal answer to this problem was to go the hardware sequencer way. There's nothing quite like setting up a sequence then flicking the switches and tweaking other parameters in real time. The sequencer becomes an instrument in its own right.

As a dedicated sequencer (as contrasted to a synth with a sequencer built in) I use a Doepfer Dark Time, which outputs MIDI as well as cv so can drive software synths as well as hardware and the MIDI output can be recorded into Sonar like any other controller.

Which is useful because not only do you have a permanent copy of the sequence you also get to see which notes it was playing which makes building arrangements round it easier.

Sequences can also be played back pitched via MIDI notes, so if you play e.g. a C then the sequence will pitch to that, a G and it pitches to that and so on, so it can follow the harmonic progression of the rest of the music.

Anderton
 
I was going to suggest the Matrix View, but it doesn't do what you want to do with the step sequencer. However, it is a very flexible way of working with clips and yes, you can do all kinds of crazy start/stop/sync things. The Matrix View is IMHO underappreciated in Sonar and is more versatile than it might appear at first.

Gotta agree with Craig here, its easy to see it as an EDM related thing (and it is great for that!) but I use it all the time jamming around on guitar, and some of the stuff you come up with is stuff you would never normally play jsut sitting at the guitar jamming.

tlw
My personal answer to this problem was to go the hardware sequencer way. There's nothing quite like setting up a sequence then flicking the switches and tweaking other parameters in real time. The sequencer becomes an instrument in its own right.

As a dedicated sequencer (as contrasted to a synth with a sequencer built in) I use a Doepfer Dark Time, which outputs MIDI as well as cv so can drive software synths as well as hardware and the MIDI output can be recorded into Sonar like any other controller.

I had looked at the Dark Time as well.  I'm working with a dotcom modular so there are a bunch of analog sequencer options for that too.  I was hoping to use Sonar's step sequencer instead since I already have it, but as I was beginning to understand and as Craig stated, Sonar's step sequencer isn't really aimed at real time use.  It seems like it's more useful for quickly coming up with patterns.  I'm going to play around with Matrix view to string together a few different sequencer clips to simulate real time sequencer tweaking.
 
I'm also going to look at modding Reaper's megababy step sequencer.  That sequencer is a bit cruder than Sonar's in that it just generates midi notes when Reaper is playing or recording but that opens up some real time options.  As I understand, it's just a text file so it shouldn't be too tough to add some functionality to it.
Dan