What I do with vocal rider is insert it in the fx bin, set the vocal rider controls how I want them and then use vocal rider to print its own automation curves into sonar. That way if I want to make certain phrases louder etc whilst maintaining the automation curve on the syllables I can just highlight the WAV of the phrase and drag the whole automation up.

Not sure if that's what you were looking for but works for me

Only the Sonitus Gate and Compressor work for me when sidechaining in Sonar. Right now I have an instrumental track that i want it to duck a little when the vocal kicks in. I created an aux send on the vocal channel and sent it to Waves F6 on the instrumental. Set the parameters for the band and selected source as external. Doesnt seem to be triggered by the vocal. I havent figured out how to sidechain any waves plugins on sonar, I just use the Sonitus Gate or compressor after the plugin. This works but I'm afraid it's coloring the sound. Any ideas?
 
Thank you

The Waves sidechain inputs should show up as outputs from Cakewalk tracks. I know sidechaining works, I just finished a video for Waves on unconventional sidechain techniques, but they haven't posted it yet.

Did sidechaining work correctly with VST3 in SONAR X3 (which I think Ugly Truth said he was using)?  I seemed to remember there were issues but side chaining did work in X3 with DirectX effects, like Sonitus.
 
This does work in CbB .  Put F6 on the track you want to duck, choose the "Carve Out Space For Vocal (Ext SC)" preset (as a starting point) and on the vocal track add a send to the F6 input.  Dial the threshold back to control the trigger point.  Dial the range to to make it duck more/etc.  If you set the send to be pre the fader and you can even mute the whole track and in F6 use the Solo button to hear the sidechain.