Hi!
 
I'm currently working on a project where we need to simultaneously track 24 channels @ 96 kHz, 24 bit i.e. lot of information to be captured and written to disk.
 
While all is working fine and as expected on the first few takes, I do have troubles once there are 3+ takes for each channel i.e.  we're trying to (remotely via MIDI control or MIDI synced) trigger the start of recording, but very often recording stops immediately with audio engine drop out, but probably due to having too much traffic to/from the HD because I believe Sonar tries to read the 3 takes in the take lanes while writing back the 4th that is currently being recorded (this is my assumption as problems never happen when we start with empty tracks).
 
Increasing "Playback I/O buffer size" and "Record I/O Buffer Size" to really high values (1024 or 2048) helps but just delays the arrival of the issue, while increasing time it takes for Sonar to start recording ...
 
Hence, I was looking for options to sort of automatically archive the previous takes until we later go into comping/editing, but could not find anything like it.
 
Any suggestions??
 
 
BTW, I just found this, but have no experience with it ... whether this could help or have some side effects ... from Preferences/Playback and Recording => Record Pre-allocate File (seconds). When this option is set to a value greater than zero, SONAR will pre allocate the file to be recorded to the size specified (in seconds). This means that the file will not be resized while recording until it reaches the allocated size. The setting has the potential to reduce disk activity while recording and allows for more possible tracks. The valid range is 0–14400 seconds and the default value is 0. A reasonable setting would be 10 minutes (600 seconds) to 30 minutes (1800 seconds).

Not sure what that is but sounds interesting.
 
Instead of take lanes ( I hate that idea anyhow) what I do is just save the take and open a fresh project for each take. But this is live recordings and no pre recorded material. So not sure how your working.
I make up dozens of blank projects ahead of time and I open them all, then minimize them. You can have them all lined up across the bottom of the screen.  So it takes 2 seconds to open a new project and be ready. I save them all with all tracks record ready. Just hit "r" and go.
 
If your projects need already recorded parts just do the same thing and have a bunch of copies of the same project open, each one re named to keep track. You can open a lot of Sonar projects if your memory is up to snuff.
I only have 4 Gigs on my laptop and have had 20 blank projects open and ready to go.
 
Using alternate takes of each instrument from different takes is still possible if you were playing along to a pre recorded part or even just a click track. Just not as slick as all in one project. But if 24x 4 takes is not possible ..then this would work for sure.
 

Don't rewind between takes! Just keep them sequentially....
 
R

Cactus Music
Not sure what that is but sounds interesting.
 
Instead of take lanes ( I hate that idea anyhow) what I do is just save the take and open a fresh project for each take. But this is live recordings and no pre recorded material. So not sure how your working.
I make up dozens of blank projects ahead of time and I open them all, then minimize them. You can have them all lined up across the bottom of the screen.  So it takes 2 seconds to open a new project and be ready. I save them all with all tracks record ready. Just hit "r" and go.
 
If your projects need already recorded parts just do the same thing and have a bunch of copies of the same project open, each one re named to keep track. You can open a lot of Sonar projects if your memory is up to snuff.
I only have 4 Gigs on my laptop and have had 20 blank projects open and ready to go.
 
Using alternate takes of each instrument from different takes is still possible if you were playing along to a pre recorded part or even just a click track. Just not as slick as all in one project. But if 24x 4 takes is not possible ..then this would work for sure.

 
Thanks, I have not thought of that yet. That would work but require a bit more interaction and "project management"

eikelbijter
Don't rewind between takes! Just keep them sequentially....

Thanks. I realized that this might help, but I was using MIDI synced started with a separate DAW providing click track and scratch tracks so that the recording DAW only acts as a "tape machine", which always puts the start back to the original timeline from the MIDI master ...
 
However, I might have to move away from that approach because I realized some drift between takes (i.e. although click tracks line up at start, they diverge up to 42ms after 5 min tracking) ... which I cannot explain yet ...

Why not put the click and scratch tracks into Sonar? Yes you will get drift unless you have a good master clock source. Syncing machines is not for the faint of heart. 
 
My method will work for what you are doing. Like I said the only hitch is the drummer might love the last take but the bass player said he nailed it the first time.. So as long as the backing track is identical , no problem to drag and drop the best take of the bass player into the best take of the drummer. 
As long as all tracks are starting at zero they will be bang on. 
 
It's a lot of prep work to make the templates. I even add all the effects and bit's and pieces I know I will end up using. I just disable them to keep things tidy. But this helps to allow a quick and dirt playback during the session without it sounding too raw. 
 

 
 

thanks again for your suggestions. we're actually working on that template you suggested, but we were using the MIDI sync hoping we could use one generic tape machine like project template to record the entire album more or less live and only merge it with the synths later on ... anyway, looks like I'll drop the MIDI sync using a 2nd DAW, but will give it one more chance tomorrow (had to some mixing for a video commercial so I will only get back to this tomorrow) ...
 
one thing I meanwhile thought of but haven't yet tried would be to archive the recordings after 3 takes, pull in the same template again and keep recording there ... this way I could potentially solve the bass from take 27 and drums from take 83 problem quickly ... however, the goal is to have minimum interaction required during these tracking session

Hmm my picture didn't take ill try again,, You can see at the bottom I opened a bunch of projects and if you float the Sonar window and move it up you can keep them all within one click to maximise. I know what you mean about keeping things moving at a session,, The band is zero interested in your gear,,, they just want to keep going. 
That's why I came up with this system which involves me doing a lot of prep work before hand. I've used this at at least a dozen sessions,, both live and studio and Sonar never let me down.. I even used WDM mode on the one shown below. That way I used my Tascam for the first 14 tracks and the Yamaha mixer usb output for 15/16.  And 17 is midi another brilliant idea I had  ( I thought) the keyboard was a POS anyways so much better to use a good VST later. 
 

OK, all sorted.
 
No more MIDI synced start, but I still record the other DAW's click track for quick alignment later on.
 
I use a template project containing all tracks and a marker every 200 measures. I record 3 takes, then jump to the next marker and record the next 3 takes there. Works like charm as long as I don't go over 3 takes (*24 tracks @ 96kHz) per project section. Just did it for hours and everything worked fine.
 
BTW, all other options (like Record Pre-allocate File (seconds)) did not help. Hence I put in a FR to allow disabling take lane content reading for armed tracks.

Cactus Music
Why not put the click and scratch tracks into Sonar? Yes you will get drift unless you have a good master clock source. Syncing machines is not for the faint of heart. 
 
My method will work for what you are doing. Like I said the only hitch is the drummer might love the last take but the bass player said he nailed it the first time.. So as long as the backing track is identical , no problem to drag and drop the best take of the bass player into the best take of the drummer. 
As long as all tracks are starting at zero they will be bang on. 
 
It's a lot of prep work to make the templates. I even add all the effects and bit's and pieces I know I will end up using. I just disable them to keep things tidy. But this helps to allow a quick and dirt playback during the session without it sounding too raw. "
 
 
 what great advice-much tidier and quicker than using a single template and renaming it each time.
thanks