Should I create two projects to end up with one?

Hi all. I'm trying to figure out how to get started on the recording of a song of mine. It's easy enough to play live; I just slow down and speed up to taste as different sections arrive. Now to record it and add bass, drums, etc. I realize that I need a plan or the recording will likely sound very sloppy since there are frequent tempo changes. There will be many instruments and voices involved, all layered on by me, so it will help if there is some sort of established tempo to follow.
 
I have figured out that I usually do the many verses at about 170, the two bridges at 125 or so and both choruses blaze along at approximately 205.
 
Should I record just the bare bones of each section into one project but not try to place them into their eventual final order? For example:
1. Start at 170 and record the acoustic guitar strumming the chords for all the verses one after the other (later placing markers to separate the different verses, since they're not all the same length) (or maybe leaving a couple of empty measures between verses)
2. Leave a few empty measures and change tempo to 125 and do both of the bridges one after the other (they aren't the same length either, just both the same tempo)
3. Leave more empty measures, change tempo to 205 and do the choruses, intro and coda 
 
 In this case, would it make sense open a different project and try to assemble (by pasting from the first project and adding markers) the verses, bridges and choruses in the order they really belong in?
 
At this point, I'd start adding vocals and other instruments to the second project to try to get the "real" song.
 
Or am I thinking illogically here? It's a very wordy and I hope, comical song that should come in at about six minutes in length. It's hard to get a handle on the right way to get started.
 
Thanks for any help!
LJ
 
 

I would lean toward doing it as one project.
Use the tempo map to your advantage. MIDI will inherently follow the tempo. Audio, not so much.
I t looks like you have the overall song concept in place, so an audio scratch track might be in order.
Play the song through, and use that to define your tempo map.
Don't worry if it's a little sloppy. Consider this first track disposable. You can refine it as you go.
Do plenty of "save as" versions. If you find the song heading in a direction you don't care for, you can back up to a version you liked.
Don't over-think it. You have some remarkable tools at your disposal.

I agree with the one project approach. A couple suggestions which will make things easier for you:
 
   Shift-M - "Set Measure/Beat at Now..." - this will automatically insert project tempo changes, which is crucial to mate MIDI work with an audio track. SONAR can readily handle tempo changes without issues for you. Even without using a metronome, you can record an audio track and use Shift-M every couple bars or so to align the bars to the music. When done, if you hit View->Tempo you will see all of your tempo changes.
   M - "Insert Marker..." - this will make it visually easier to find thing and edit (especially years from now).

You can update time signatures as needed. There have been a variety of previous threads/answers about that previously.

Here's one:

http://forum.cakewalk.com...ignature-m3096154.aspx

Many thanks again, lawajava and mettelus ! Your answers have really helped me to enjoy recording my song so far instead of feeling stressed.
 
I performed the song in order, singing and playing my guitar into one mic. I let imprecisions go (very hard for me to do!) and tried just to get a pretty solid take rhythmically and characterwise from start to finish. This method of not stopping the whole show for each tiny fault took lots of pressure away as I usually feel like I'm on razor's edge about to screw everything up and don't give a relaxed, natural performance as a result.
 
Next, I added markers and tempo indications as advised.
 
Once this was done, I played along with the guitar (replaying the same part) on a new track, being a little fussier to get it just right.
 
I just finished singing the (same) lead vocal three times and am now taking a break to write to you before going back to see if any of the singing is a keeper.
 
Thanks again for your generosity :)
LJ

It's nice to hear from you again, robert_e_bone. I always enjoy your posts and also like looking at DJ Kitty :)
 
I do often have a problem with getting midi onto the early, foundation tracks of certain songs. The problem songs are generally those that I write on acoustic guitar, singing in a kind of ebb-and-flow ballad style. I tend to slow down and speed up to highlight the feeling for the lyric at certain points. The trouble is, the points may not be the same at each performance.
 
It's hard to anticipate the exact tempo and feel of the vocal in advance of actually singing the song; that is, it's hard to put the midi there before the audio of the vocal has been recorded.
 
Sometimes, when I try to figure it out, I feel like I'm spinning in circles. I want to make good recordings that have true spontaneous feeling in them but are also precise and not sloppily accompanied. It's almost like trying to play as a team player in an experimental jazz group or , say, trying to accompany early Barbra Streisand (no, I don't imagine I can sing like her. I'm confused about recording technique, not crazy! :) ) without being able to see the body language of the one calling the shots.
 
Sorry to bend your ear,
LJ