I was hitting the books tonight and was surprised by the Sonar Reference Manual.
 
So much stuff in there that I still come across for the first time. SO MUCH STUFF! The new features section of the manual is now about 250 pages long. There's a doc for every feature that's been added. I don't know when a new feature becomes a used feature but I think the list goes back to the Gibson purchase.
 
I know that I would be working more efficiently had I kept up with my reading. I only just learned that I could create custom fade curves. I've always just used the clip handle and thought there we 3 curves. I can't be alone in my ignorance. 
 
Personally, I think the manual could be laid out more efficiently. There's things that I consider basic functions that aren't addressed until 1,100 pages in. I'm sure that it's on Cakewalk's To-Do list, and it won't be a small task to get the "New Features" integrated. Regardless of any short comings, I urge everyone to check out the Reference Manual to see how much has changed.

I read the manual often. You're right about what has been added to it. I have often thought how a new user handles all thats in the manual. I suspect they may not open it up at all. There is something there for everybody.
 
Of course it could be better but as manuals go I believe its one of the best I have read. Everything is covered. What is good about it is the easy style of writing. Its informative without being too technical.
 
One area where it shines is the index. A good index is worth its weight in gold.  
 
One thing I have stopped doing is print it out. Its simply too big. 

I've read the manual in drips and drabs when I've had to look up stuff out of necessity, however I was put off reading it all the way through when I tried to do so a few years ago and found so many errors and stuff that was just plain wrong. It was a source of much frustration and I started to worry that I was picking up lots of erroneous info. I'm also not a fan of manuals that are full of hyperlinks which have you running around in circles from one article to another. 

I have read the manual, but like John stopped printing it out a few years back.  It is certainly convoluted in its layout and repeats itself often and could probably use a rewrite. Big job though! I find the online searchable knowledge base more useful for quick reference. 
 
That said, it is far more comprehensive than most user guides these days.

The last manual I read from cover to cover was Sonar 3XL.  It was a big release for me, but I agree with tenfoot, it's a lot more productive to use the online searchable knowledge base now. 

I often Google for Sonar knowledge but that's has its own issues - more often than not the results direct you to outdated Cakewalk articles for the likes of X2 and X3. Maybe it's about time Cakewalk removed the old knowledge bases from its site and made them available for download or something? In order to give the most up to date knowledge base a chance to rank to the top of the search results. 

I agree with you, James. The old references should be removed. As a new Sonar Artist user, I'm really put at a disadvantage because of the "legacy" info, and most of the new information in the knowledge base seems to be mostly for Pro and Platinum users.
I am constantly getting stuck with what should be simple processes like inserting and configuring soft synths. Sometimes it works, then I do what I think is the same thing, and no sound emits from the track. So I'm left fumbling from here to there until I might finally get it working.
There are too damned many links. I find I have to continue on the page/subject that I'm trying to understand, jot down the name of the link, then go to it when I've gotten all I can get from the page that I'm currently on.
As Logic Pro (Mac) is my primary DAW and just using Sonar to record my vocalist, which is the main reason I bought it, as she has a Windows computer, I find Sonar (and Windows) somewhat convoluted. I'm getting there though, and I like many of the features in the program. I can't complain since I got it for $49.00. (I had Sonar LE 8.5 that I got with my purchase of the SD-50 Sound Canvas some years back.) Any one who knows of some Sonar Artist specific tutorials, please pass the info along. Will be greatly appreciated.
 

I've been away from the forum in a frequent level for a while but before that, apart from just reading the manual I found the best thing I ever did was this;

When I came across a question (to which I didn't know the answer) asked on the forum, I would go to the manual and use it to find out how to do that thing. It's a great method for informal study. It's a bit like doing the tutorials at the beginning of the manual. Give it a try next time there's a thread asking a question to which you don't know the answer..

sharke
I often Google for Sonar knowledge but that's has its own issues - more often than not the results direct you to outdated Cakewalk articles for the likes of X2 and X3.

+1 to this.
This happens to me so frequent that I had to add the platinum help shortcut to my favorites bar.
But this doesn't always work when trying to search something out. because like James said, search results end up giving you X2 or X3 help and while some of it still pertains, so much has changed with platinum that its enough to drive a person all nuts and bolts.
 
Agree with John though, the manual has some great info. Sunday night I read the whole section on Region FX / ARA integration.
Drum Replacer, Vocal Synch, Melodyne. There is a lot of cool features (hidden gems) that are not so well known.
 
Though I still cant find that shortcut for Drum Replacer.
CNTRL+M = Opens Melodyne
SHIFT+V= Opens Vocal Synch
 ?  = Opens Drum Replacer ?

I find the manual invaluable also and often find features I was unaware of. For example I created some sfz files to use with drum replacer using samples from loop loft. Didn't realize I could just drag a sample into the window.
The one thing I would like as mentioned above would be a search that works purely within the manual contents rather than across the site or failing that to have a download pdf link so that I could download it and use adobe search within the contents.
https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/Home