1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
D. I use it occasionally
 
but only because the work I've been doing lately doesn't really require it (live audio tracking).
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
A. Bus waveform preview
B. Instrument track waveform preview
 
When I use it I've used it for both.

3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
A. Wasn't aware of this feature
 
or maybe I was aware of it but forgot because it's been so long.

4. When do you use this feature in your production?
 
I've used it on MIDI Drum outputs (instrument tracks) just to see what things would look like as a wave before doing a freeze/export (which I then mix as if they were live recorded tracks). I've used it on busses to again see what's going on with the output. Like is it dynamic or totally squished. I usually use the meters to check for clipping or extreme spikes but of course seeing a wave visual is extremely helpful too and is an easier way to hunt down problem areas.
 
I think it's useful. Hope ya'll ain't considering removing it... unless it is necessary for something even more awesome and useful. If so then that should be put up for a vote or maybe coded in as a preferences option so people can choose. Doubt that's what's happening though.

C
A
C
At mix down to make sure I didn't miss anything. The visual prompt helps in case I didn't hear something I should have.

 
1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
C. I use this feature often
 
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
A. Bus waveform preview
B. Instrument track waveform preview
(both)
 
3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
D. I use it occasionally
 
4. When do you use this feature in your production?
My main use for it is to generate a rough visual guide for where I might use gain and / or volume automation on a bus. It's also a good visual confirmation of what a compressor is actually doing to a track. I usually have it switched on all the time on the master bus, and can solo individual tracks or groups of tracks to see what's going on with them in terms of amplitude. I'm sure there are other things I use it for that I can't quite remember off the top of my head; I see it as an extension to metering in general.
 
 
 

 
1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
C. I use this feature often (all the time, every time)
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
A. Bus waveform preview (Yes)
B. Instrument track waveform preview (Yes)
 
3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
C. I use this feature often (all the time, every time)
 
4. When do you use this feature in your production?
Top to bottom

1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
D. I use it occasionally
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
A. Bus waveform preview
 
3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
D. I use it occasionally
 
4. When do you use this feature in your production?
During mastering, I am often trying to maximise loudness. Peak markers help me know which parts of the song I need to pay special attention to, as they are the ones that need to be compressed or limited once the gain is turned up.

 
1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
D. I use it occasionally
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
both
 
3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
D. I use it occasionally
 
4. When do you use this feature in your production?
 Just ocassionally - to check for peaks....
 

Nearly every audio software I know shows a preview of the waveform as it records.
Am I misunderstanding something?

quote=Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]]
SONAR has a unique feature that allows you to view waveform previews in realtime during playback on Instrument tracks and buses. This can be useful during mixing or drawing automation. I'm curious how many users take advantage of this feature or what you use it for.  I would appreciate it if you could answer this brief questionnaire. 
 
1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
C. I use this feature often (ALWAYS!) 
 
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
A. Bus waveform preview
B. Instrument track waveform preview
BOTH!
 
3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
C. I use this feature often (ALWAYS!)
 
 
4. When do you use this feature in your production?
I use it in every project on every bus and every instrument track during mixing.  I use the peak marker during recording also.  I have my normal template set up so that peak markers are always on every track and every bus.  This feature is INVALUABLE to me to help me find problems with compression and volume levels both in the box and out.
 
PS: If you find this feature useful please upvote this post by clicking on the star rating next to the title.
 

jpetersen
Nearly every audio software I know shows a preview of the waveform as it records.
Am I misunderstanding something?

Yes, you are. This is not about the usual audio input track recording. This is for the audio outputs of softsynths (which do not generate waveforms by default) and/or bus outputs (which again do not output waveforms by default).
 
I've only used a few DAWs but I've never seen any of those create visual wave outputs for synths or busses by default (but the option to do so may be there).

@Beepster - Thanks! So that waveform in the bus when I mixdown? Yes, I want to see clipping/optimal mix level.
 
1. Do you use the waveform preview feature?
C. I use this feature often
 
2. Do you use this on buses or instrument tracks?
A. Bus waveform preview
B. Instrument track waveform preview (Drum replacement instruments - otherwise everything else I do is live)
 
3. Waveform preview allows you to display historical peak markers on the timeline. Do you use this feature?
D. Occasionally, useful to find place where it's clipping and check which track pushed it over the edge.
 
4. When do you use this feature in your production?
A: Mixdown (bus)
B: Drum replacement, using midi drum synths,
in both cases to keep an eye on optimum levels