Sonar 8 Wish List

I would like to see a MIDI track-to-track equalizer function. This functions would balance track input levels across multiple H/W and S/W synths.

Exactly how can you change the H/W synths EQ when the Sound Engine is External in the Module or Keyboard??. Sonar can't be expected to know every module and synth on the Markets NRPN / RPN / Controller assignments ??

Great Ideas so far:

I'd just like to bump
1.) Instrument tracks - projects that are all MIDI become increasingly unmanageable as project complexity grows
* Currently I cannot group audio and midi track together because the midi tracks show up on my MCU+XT and that is a waste of a faders
2.) simpler GUI. Less tracks / panes/ windows makes work flow easier and allow for more creativity

I'd also like:
- hide MIDI track in MCU

- Show busses and audio track in same MCU view.

- Bounce busses or better yet make busses just like regular channals in the arrange view (no more bus pain) which can be bounced. The split bus pane track pain and bus CV / track CV is added complexity that only cause problems with my peripherals

- Something like Logic 8 "Quck-swipe comping". Yesterday I re-comped a vocal track in 15 minutes in Logic. This had taken me 3+ hours to do in Sonar.

- A REAL drum machine (synth/sampler). SDII is pretty lame IMHO.

- Built-in P5 arpeggiator

- better built-in effects, like transient modifier, auto filters, vocoder, multi-tap delays, resonant filters, etc.

- wet/dry mix parameter for sonitus compressor - give ability to do parallel compression all in the same buss/track. again less tracks/buses is always better!

ORIGINAL: cGar

Great Ideas so far:

I'd just like to bump
1.) Instrument tracks - projects that are all MIDI become increasingly unmanageable as project complexity grows
* Currently I cannot group audio and midi track together because the midi tracks show up on my MCU+XT and that is a waste of a faders
2.) simpler GUI. Less tracks / panes/ windows makes work flow easier and allow for more creativity

I'd also like:
- Built-in P5 arpeggiator

- wet/dry mix parameter for sonitus compressor - give ability to do parallel compression all in the same buss/track. again less tracks/buses is always better!

+1 for instrument tracks. mute/solo and export are additional pain along w/ track clutter in the current scheme

and a BIG +1 for rollling P5 features into Sonar. isn't it about time?

A PRV with integrated staff view.

Computer keyboard shortcuts for inserting and change notes in Score view.
A new tool for the Score view similar to keyboard note entry in Finale, Sibelius and NoteWorthy where you can use up and down key to change the pitch of a note. The left and right key to move the selection between notes. Enter key to add a new note and tab to add a rest.


Enhancement in midi step recording
Today you select a fixed duration for step entry f.x 1/8. It would be nice if this value could be depended on how long you hold down the midi keys. That is this value is the minimum value if you play short note. If you hold the note a little longer it would be added as 1/4 note, some longer as half note and if you hold the key down a long time it would be added as a whole note.

Play Order or option to import pointers to other projects
Something to arrange the structure of large works.

Best regards
EyjolfurG

2) a "dissolve track" function - say you are writing a 4 note chord on a single midi track, this function would create a seperate midi track for each of the 4 notes. This can help string section sequencing quite a bit! also great for surgical drum editing!

There's a CAL script which can do this. Can't remember what it is though...

1. No option to pick-up/chase held midi notes. This is mandatory. Don't know why it's not an option.

2. No time-slider in Import>Audio or Rip CD dialog?! What?!?! What if I want to hear the last 12 seconds of a 5 minute file?

3. Plugin delay compensation bypass. ie: I'm at 99% of my finished mixdown (with plugins and UAD plugs etc), but got inspired to add one more piano MIDI track. I will get 100ms of latency with all the plugins, so I have to bypass every single effect bin in every track and group...blah... One button would solve this.

4. OGG File compatibility. Please...can we have the ability to import OGG files without crashes? Thanks.

5. Record in Play..."capture up to 10 minutes of any incoming audio you play in Stop mode or during playback, “after the fact”. This is possible because C****e can capture audio input in buffer memory, even when not recording." Very life-saving if you've needed it!

6. Console/Track highlighting. Another feature I thought would be obvious. Select a track in the track view, the same channel highlights in the console. Simple. Smart.

7. Tape-Machine Style monitoring. (http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=1215835&mpage=1&key=??) - Implemented in 7.0.2!!!

8. "Select All Following" - hit a key command, and all the clips FOLLOWING the NOW TIME get highlighted. SUPER important when editing for film, dialog etc.

9. "Move to Now" - select a clip, hit a key command and the clip snaps to the current NOW TIME position. VITAL when syncing effects etc for film etc...

10. Macro Recorder. For the ability to chain several Sonar commands in a row and trigger it by a single key command.

11. Much more flexible track/channel preset handling. (ie: Saving and loading track presets (with sends, FX bin setting etc) OVERTOP of a current track, without adding a new track and having to drag and drop audio clips from old track to new etc..

12. The ability to scrub clips WITHOUT having to turn off a mute button or putting the channel fader up. Handy if you are importing someone else's OMF and need to hear what a specific clip is without going through more steps/mouse clicks.

13. Perhaps simmer down on the vertical scroll? ie: I'm zoomed in to see two audio tracks at a time, and I want to ALT-SELECT a region across several tracks to remove silence..when I bring the mouse cursor down to the bottom of the track view...the page just TAKES OFF and I'm suddenly looking at my last track (and have WAY more tracks selected than I wanted). Can we SMOOTH the vertical scroll a little more (instead of JUMPING track by track?)

14. Fix the V-Station Powercore Bug

15. When adjusting the pan control in the console with a WHEEL-MOUSE wheel, at a certain point when moving the wheel, the whole console suddenly starts scrolling.

16. I have a 64 track song, and I'd like to organize the mixer so I can select which tracks to show at one time. IE: is there a way I can 'group' all my drum tracks and then assign that to a key command to show only those tracks? And also do this with all BG Vox, etc...? That way I can flip between the track views as I need... instead of scrolling for 64 channels in the console (since SONAR refused to do auto-scroll when selecting a track in the track view)...similar to the current "Track Manager" but able to save view presets etc...instead of simple check on/off.

17. Update the 'remove silence' function to 2007 (ie: a little graphics with the waveform might be nice).

18. Ability to automate mute & solo buttons on busses/groups!?!?!?! How can you miss this one?!?!

19. Make the KEY BINDINGS window searchable? Instead of forcing the user to spend two hours looking for one command.

20. Is there a way we can dbl-click the track/channel FX bin and get a BIG window that shows all the plugs at once? (instead of scrolling up and down each bin)?

21. Make a more obvious indicator in the FX bin when editing a plug. So I double-click a compressor plugin, perhaps highlight/circle the compressor name in the FX bin with a bright red or light blue color so I know which plug on which track I'm working with? especially helpful when having 4 plugins open at once.

22. Where the heck are the simple RW/FF controls? Yes, I know we can go measure-by-measure, or spend all day making markers. But what if I just want to RW back a few beats in front of the current bar?

23. How about the simple ability to ENABLE WRITE AUTOMATION while already in playback?!

24. Some kind of indicator on controls that already have automation? (check out REASON for this feature). Highlighting or circling the control with a green colour to show it already has automation? (of course, this will be user optional in the prefs.)

25. More automation modes please!! (ie: Touch, Latch, Overwrite, Jump, Skip and Hop).

26. The ability to move more than one track at a time with the mouse(in the track view window). (note: NOT audio clips, but actual tracks) without having to go through the whole long process of Select multiple tracks, Track->Sort, choose selected and ascending/descending etc...Just make it a simple mouse drag.

27. Simple Waveform drawing tool (to take out 1-sample ticks etc....). Very basic, Very obvious, Very useful...please?!?!

28. A MUCH more accurate (aka: LESS WILD) scrub. Something smooth with shuttle option on single tracks.

29. The ability to assign the track name to all clips on the same track. ie: I dbl-click the track name, rename it and hit SHIFT-ENTER, and that will also rename all clips to the same name.

30. Please tell me there's a way to GROUP CLIPS in the track window? PLease!?!?! please tell me. I can't find anything in the help file.

31. A useable AUDIO POOL (like Cubase SX)!!

32. Make the GRID LINES IN THE PIANO ROLL change to the same as grid value. ie: if I select 1/8 note for grid, put some darn 1/8 note grid lines! If I select 1/16 notes for grid value, then show some 1/16th note grid lines!

33. Give us at least a LITTLE flexibility with fades on audio clips!!! (ie: more than 3 basic fade curves, the ability to use points in a fade-curve option window etc)

34. Please make it possible to turn on/off the audio metronome during playback.

35. Make the MUTE and SOLO buttons on audio track layers a little bigger please?

36. Make the Maximum Zoom Out REALLY ZOOM OUT! I have 45 tracks, and I want to see ALL of them. Not just the top 16....zoom out should actually ZOOM OUT. Thanks.

37. When adjusting volume envelope points on automation, can you also display the DIFFERENCE in db? and not just the actual value (ie: I move a point from -8dB to -6dB, can you display a +2dB tooltip too?)

38. Make it possible to move crossfades between audio. ie: I x-fade two audio clips, and after listening I realize I need to move the x-fade a little farther. Let me just grab the x-fade and slide it anywhere I want.

39. Make the dB range in the Sonitus EQ selectable? I don't think many people here ever use 15dB of cut/boost when eq-ing, so perhaps having the default at 6dB range makes more sense? BUT, also add a drop down to the EQ to select 12, and 15dB range too? Will make it easier when changing EQs with the graphic points. Just an idear!

40. Treat the bus channels more like regular mixer channels! ie: we should be able to Actively SELECT bus channels (the same way as tracks), and ALSO MAKE THE SELECTED BUS CHANNEL SHOW UP ON MY MCU'S SELECT LIGHT TOO PLEASE!!!

41. another 'inspector' type of window for showing audio clip information (ie: total clip length, start time, end time etc..) in user selectable time bases, ie: ms, samples, beats, smpte time etc... IN REAL TIME. Not some kind of right-click>show info window...

42. The abilty to 'split' control surfaces (ie: Mackie Control + XT) into two devices. So we can have audio tracks show on the Mackie XT, while showing Bus channels on the Main MCU!

43. Make the 'un-solo ALL' button work for busses too please! Please do not treat the busses so differently from the regular audio channels (ie: allow selectable busses, allow mute/solo automation etc).

44. When dragging/dropping midi or audio clips from explorer to the track view, please make it a more obvious display of where we're dropping them? (ie: make a long vertical bar pointer at the beginning of the clip along with a tooltip stating current bar position?!)

45. Allow us to select multiple tracks/channels in the console view (for easier output routing when changing several channels at once. IE: I want to see all the current tracks that route to FF800 Analog 1 ONLY and re-route them to FF800 Analog 3 etc).

46. Capture last take as recording ( if you just play around with your song on a miditrack whithout being in record mode, you can press a key and Voilá what you just played is now recorded, like magic. Logic and Cubase have the feature since years ago)

47. Legato "quantize" Your midi notes will be shortened or lengthend( is that a word?) to just reach the next midinote and not overlapping

48. Don't let Roland take your programmers away from working on this list.

49. The ability to change project sample rates WITHOUT having to start a new project and re-import the tracks and re-create the busses and the mix levels etc.

50. Have an 'auto mute' option for track layers. When I record onto a single track with track layers enabled, please mute the previous layer when recording a new take. Instead of having the user try to click that dang super-duper-small mute button on the layer. This should be an option in the prefs.

51. introduce a track delay positive or negative, I've found only Time+ for midi, But Audio?

52. Pen tool to draw out single sample clicks etc...!!!

an export-memory-function.. so that Sonar remembers the folder and preset which was used during export and stores these settings as default. (or "it" remembers these settings for each project separately)

It would also be great to have the option to export 2 fileformats at the same time.. when exporting to mp3 there's a temporary wav-file generated which will be deleted after converting to mp3..
would be nice to keep that file !! would save a lot of time!
also I can't keep track which exported mp3/wav belongs to which project.. so as a default, the exported filename should have the projects name instead of being blank.

When opening a project the "open window" should be in detail-view and have the projects ordered by date.

Feature request has been made for numbers of recent file names.. the last 8 filenames are far too less.. make it selectable how many the user wants..

I also placed a feature request that I'd like to have concerning mixing.. I'd like to be able to compare/switch between (a-b) the momentary mix and the saved project.. (only for console view and volume/fx settings)

an even smaller console view would be nice to have all tracks/meters side by side without scrolling.. maybe only a meterbridge and a zoom-option (mouse over) that will open the fader when moving the mouse over the meter..

additional "aux"/"monitor"-view/window instead of the 2 send-busses that are currently shown in the console view.
would be nice for headphone/aux-mixes..

I'd like to see the development and inclusion of Sonar bass & guitar plugins that rival AmpegSVX and AmpliTube! That would be a great selling point by itself!

User presets for Audio Snap. I was working with Audio snap this weekend and converting audio to midi rhythms and it would have been nice to save certain settings so that I could go back to them again.

Mine:

1 - Rework the wave drawing system completely! C'mon guys, it's been eight versions already, get this right. I want the wave drawings to be saved with the project folder and be there forever, I don't want a unified folder that doesn't work well. Every time I open a big project (24 audio tracks recorded for four hours straight, for example) it starts recomputing the waves. It is SUPREMELY annoying to wait for 5 mins every time I open a large project. And enlarging the cache size in aud.ini is no good either, it makes it all crazy and most waves draw out as empty...

2 - Easy trim buttons, as in Vegas, instead of slip-editing with the mouse I want to be able to snap the clip's start/end point at my cursor position

3 - Auto Trim: automatically slip-edit to the beginning/end of a previously-set threshold of audio data

4 - Make FF and REW buttons that actually fast-forward and rewind: just for complete MMC implementation, I want to be able to fast-forward and rewind with my hardware buttons

5 - Make the track templates accept folders! It's rather tiring, after bringing in a template of a drums recording setup for example, to move it into a folder and naming it every time you start a new take!

6 - Built in Wave editor / pencil tool for existing track view

7 - Soloing a drum map soloes all of it's associated instruments as well

8 - It'd be nice if V-Vocal stopped crashing so much, and giving that retched "Invalid V-Vocal Data Detected" message every time you save it in a complex project and then try to load back again.

9 - And most importantly for me - Add support for HUI protocol remote mode (so we'll finally be able to use Yamaha digital mixers). No, scratch that, I don't want to wait for Sonar 8 to get that, that should be added to 7.03!! That should have been added years ago to Sonar 4. And VERY annoying that it is still not implemented!

To every bird it's own tree

You already have a "Synth Rack" how about an "Effects Rack" window where all your plugins go and you can neatly scroll to access them? I hate having 30-40 little plugin windows scattered all over my screen, and I think the tabbed view is inconvenient and awful.

Oh yeah, and while Cakewalk has that "By Roland" thing going on, how about:

- A virtual Jupiter 8
- A virtual Super Jupiter
- A virtual Juno
- A virtial Super-JX
- A virtual D-50
- A virtual SH-101
- A virtual TB-303

I love it when these threads come up.

• Audio Latency Slider toolbar
  
• Key-bind Clip-gain envelope
  
• Asset Management tools/view!! MIDI, audio, presets, ideas, meta tags, libraries... it's time!
  
• GLOBAL fx-bin bypass (at least multiple selects)
  
• fx-chain presets
  
• smarter bounce (selecting a MIDI track also "knows" it's soft-synth)
  
• Bring us P5's arpeggiator
  
• A better "archive" or "bundle" option. Preferably one that consoldiates our audio AND our presets and soft synth patches (and banks) so we can have a true portable archive of a
• project that includes all the sound sources
  
• Rubber-band track widget height please
  
• A "regions" or "playlist" function, either with markers ("smart" markers?) or some new function. Just like Play Order Track in Cubase
  

I'm pretty easy, I'm not looking for whiz-bang innovations, just some small steady improvements to refine the already great product.

ORIGINAL: ...wicked

• A "regions" or "playlist" function, either with markers ("smart" markers?) or some new function. Just like Play Order Track in Cubase
  

That would be cool. Sore of like a linear version of the P5 Groove Matrix, or maybe sort of a "Clip Matrix" (though the Groove Matrix itself would not be bad either).

- A virtual Jupiter 8
- A virtual Super Jupiter
- A virtual Juno
- A virtial Super-JX
- A virtual D-50
- A virtual SH-101
- A virtual TB-303

Some of them are readily availeble as freeware VSTi's. Haven't used the real hardware so can't judge them as such but google and it might be worth a try.

Personally I would like a midi-strummer effect (kinda like the one in FL Studio) to make it faster making guitar strums etc in the piano roll.

I wish to have PRV with integrated staff view that is on par with what the Samplitude guys are doing. Much improvements to the staff capabilities.

I wish to have better midi plugin support without timing problems and support VST midi plugins directly inline in midi tracks just like MFX and without timing issues.

I wish The GUI had just a hair more 3Dness to it. About to the same degree as Cubase3X is. C4 went flat also from what I have seen.

I wish to have more elaborate V-vocal stuff, that is more on par with Melodyne, and the ability to edit and tweak vocal harmonies directly in the PRV and/or track views in some way.

I wish to have a somewhat nicer drum grid that displays more information related to quantizing, groove quantizing, etc..

I wish for more full, complete and correct Quicktime support, including H.264, etc.

I wish for the ability to use more midi resolution and some resolutions that aren't currently supported such as 768 and 1536. Also, make sure the internal midi resolution is sample accurate rather than 960ppqn, or the ability to have the internal storage of midi events to be according the current midi resolution which might not be 960.

I wish for the ability to specify midi event location with sample accurate resolution.

I wish for MusicXML export

I wish for arranger facilities like Cubase has, or P5 too. Some way to create sections of songs, organize them and then string them together later.

Well .. . . . .

My favorite yearnings for the last several versions:

Score enhancement - Before we get into an all out war on Sonar's audio ware vs. notation, I'm just wishing for a better import/export. Perhaps Musicxl or direct import into something. I use SmartScore and Sibelius, but unless I miss my guess, Sonar seems to be leaning toward a partner with Finale. Regardless, I just want to compose in Sonar and be able to print easily either in Sonar (preferred) or another program. I just should go smoother.

Loop explorer - With the latest MIDI enhancements, how'd they ignore this? It can't be that hard to preview MIDI loops.

Back to Staff View, There's been a lot of people wishing for "fixes" on triplets and such, but how about making this pane work like the rest? Why can't I scroll down the tracks with my mouse wheel? Also, I use the Staff View to display the words for people to sing along during recording ('course if I could get a readable lead sheet . . .) I'd love to see a "karaoke" type feature that would fix the cursor at one point and let the score travel instead of the "follow and jump" mode that it has currently. I'd like to see that also in Track View (maybe a lock on the F3 key????)

All in all, I do applaud Cake's determination to improve each version in some dramatic AND useful way. I've never regretted any upgrade I've bought. Looking forward to S8. 7-8 months can be soon enough!

Ed

3 - Auto Trim: automatically slip-edit to the beginning/end of a previously-set threshold of audio data

Process &rarr Audio &rarr Remove Silence does this already.

A pen to edit the waveform.

My Only wish list is that they stop making new version every year and that they keep stabilising the same version a bit longer... they could put add on in update rather then in upgrade.

My two cents

-Alxi-

Mute previous take when using track layers, I would have upgraded to Sonar 7 if it had added that one feature.
A 'Bypass All Effects Bin's' button. Handy when you have to go back and re-record or add a track.
I would add my vote for an Improved GUI, that's the one thing I miss coming from Audition which I think has much better workflow/user interface.
Along with the suggestion to give a warning when multiple tracks are being deleted.

ORIGINAL: cGar


- Something like Logic 8 "Quck-swipe comping". Yesterday I re-comped a vocal track in 15 minutes in Logic. This had taken me 3+ hours to do in Sonar.

sonar has pretty good comping features.
not quite as slick as logics, but since logic brought out its own version after sonars its bound to have a few extra bells and whistles on it...
or maybe you use this functionality already and find it wanting..
HTH

Simple interface for time-stretch/pitch-shift based on Radius algorhythm.

I would like the app. to be more "creation friendly"

I own and use a few programs,
and Sonar is the SLOWEST for getting stuff going,
there is WAY too much to do.
It is very counter intuitive/productive when it comes to "inspired creating"

Now,
before sum1 says RTFM...

I am no idiot , (very high IQ) - ((from REAL IQ tests))
I read ALL the books and buy ALL the videos...
Straight A's at Berklee in stuff like Sonar and Reason,

Cakewalk
if you really want to take over the world
I would say SIMPLIFY Sonar toward the future....
or it'll never be bug-free,or Rock-solid.
ADMIT IT!!
by the time 7 is TRULY stable,
8 will be out.
& this is a travesty of justice. and kind of insulting

You could at least slow down the 'year by year version' attitude and only put out stuff that is SOLID

Kind of like Propellerheads for example,

I know they owe their stability to its closed-architecture....
but look at the frequency of # and point releases from them....

Go figure -
Reason 4 its the ONLY app. on my pc ((nice ADK Pro)) that never wiggles or glitches or bends.
and i use it the most....
probably because its the simplest and most intuitive...


theres a dollar, you owe me 98 cents

being able to extract transient info from Midi files in Audiosnap. Intsead of having to render a drum midi file into an audio file first, it would be nice to directly extract timing and velocity from the drum midi file.

ORIGINAL: oo8

I would like the app. to be more "creation friendly"

I own and use a few programs,
and Sonar is the SLOWEST for getting stuff going,
there is WAY too much to do.
It is very counter intuitive/productive when it comes to "inspired creating"

Now,
before sum1 says RTFM...

I am no idiot , (very high IQ) - ((from REAL IQ tests))
I read ALL the books and buy ALL the videos...
Straight A's at Berklee in stuff like Sonar and Reason,

Cakewalk
if you really want to take over the world
I would say SIMPLIFY Sonar toward the future....
or it'll never be bug-free,or Rock-solid.
ADMIT IT!!
by the time 7 is TRULY stable,
8 will be out.
& this is a travesty of justice. and kind of insulting

You could at least slow down the 'year by year version' attitude and only put out stuff that is SOLID

Kind of like Propellerheads for example,

I know they owe their stability to its closed-architecture....
but look at the frequency of # and point releases from them....

Go figure -
Reason 4 its the ONLY app. on my pc ((nice ADK Pro)) that never wiggles or glitches or bends.
and i use it the most....
probably because its the simplest and most intuitive...


theres a dollar, you owe me 98 cents

for being real smart, why aren't you using reason?

F@KKER
I'm just sayin'

a P A U S E B U T T O N

obligatory per version...

F@KKER

Noise Reduction Audio Processing Function:

A "Process/Audio/Noise Reduction" function that would allow for selecting a section of an audio clip to characterize the noise to be reduced, and then use that characterization to remove the noise from a selected region in an audio clip. Much like Cool Edit 2000's "Transform/Noise Reduction" functionality used to provide.

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

I wish The GUI had just a hair more 3Dness to it. About to the same degree as Cubase3X is. C4 went flat also from what I have seen.

I actually preferred the flatter lighter colored Toolbar Buttons in S6 compared to what's in S7. I wish they'd make the Toolbar Buttons customizable in S8, so the user could revert back to the older style S6 buttons or more 3D for folks who prefer it that way.

How about a multiband stereo imaging plugin?

A)I would prefer a flatter (less 3d) interface. Cleaner, simpler. Less colors. Easier to see.
B)make it easier to switch audio interfaces/modes. When I go from my onboard sound, to my portable interface, to my MOTU Each time I have to restart several times. Please! Driver profiles should make this a one step process. I work in IT and desktops are really going the way of the dinosaur. Trust me. I see whole companies with no desktops. I know dozens of people with only a laptop. Working with multiple audio interfaces on the same project is not an exceptional situation.
C)quit adding every damn feature under the sun and make it more stable. you guys are already ahead of most other DAWS. I know guys that record in other DAWS like Logic and PT then mix in Sonar. But I hate how Sonar crashes. Can't you make it crash in a way that it TOTALLY crashes instead of leaving a broken process? As it stands the times it does crash I have to restart entirely. Which involves muting the monitors and such. Annoying.
D) if you have to add any new plugs make it a tape sim or warmer. I have enough synths.
E) make the midi ports sticky. It is so agravating that moving a project from system to system can dislodge a drum map.
E2)how about just a button for "drum track"? Why do I have to jump thru hoops to get my drum tracks to show up as drum tracks. Assign to midi ch10, open drum map manager etc. I am used to it now, I have templates and stuff. But for newbies I can imagine it is quite opaque.
F) puppies and kittens
G)C'mon fix the wave redraw. I have a pretty fast system, with multiple hard drives all over the Everything is on its own drive. It still takes forever to redraw waves. And every once in while it gets all corrupted.
H)I use the clip colors to organize clips when I am comping vocals or guitars. Right now it takes waytoo many clicks to get in and out of that dialogue, and it doesnt even follow in a logical way so you can click properties>color> then hit ok - ok by hitting enter twice!
How about a little drop down or palette so we can just choose color on the fly. I mean REALLY. How do you guys organize your clips when you have 14 tracks of guitar, all colored green?

It would be nice if Sonar could automatically set the output channels of multi-channel VSTi such as BFD, Battery, Etc. to the way they are meant to show up. Example: Both of those VST instruments have a mix of stereo and mono channels by default. When I want to open one of them, Sonar gives the option of either all stereo or all mono outputs, unless I'm missing something?

Also, to solo one of the audio output channels of one of these VSTi's when using a drum map, I have hit the solo button on the audio channel, then hit the solo button on the MIDI track that is driving the VSTi. It would be nice if Sonar had the logic to automatically solo the associated MIDI track when I want to solo the "snare" or "Kick" or whatever.

ORIGINAL: rdolmat
Ability to automate mute & solo buttons on busses/groups!?!?!?! How can you miss this one?!?!

and track FX send on/off as well.

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

I wish for arranger facilities like Cubase has, or P5 too. Some way to create sections of songs, organize them and then string them together later.

my number one request!

ORIGINAL: Notecrusher

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

I wish for arranger facilities like Cubase has, or P5 too. Some way to create sections of songs, organize them and then string them together later.

my number one request!

+1000.

I sent a Feature Request several months ago for a Groove Matrix Plugin (the guts of P5 including Arranger)

ORIGINAL: SongCraft

ORIGINAL: Notecrusher

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

I wish for arranger facilities like Cubase has, or P5 too. Some way to create sections of songs, organize them and then string them together later.

my number one request!

+1000.

I sent a Feature Request several months ago for a Groove Matrix Plugin (the guts of P5 including Arranger)

COOL, tho i think it makes more sense as a view than a plugin.

Bump!

ORIGINAL: Notecrusher

ORIGINAL: SongCraft

ORIGINAL: Notecrusher

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

I wish for arranger facilities like Cubase has, or P5 too. Some way to create sections of songs, organize them and then string them together later.

my number one request!

+1000.

I sent a Feature Request several months ago for a Groove Matrix Plugin (the guts of P5 including Arranger)

COOL, tho i think it makes more sense as a view than a plugin.

Sonar's platform is completely different to P5, and not all projects and studio users require the use of pattern/loops. Having the option to have P5 as a Plugin would be very cool for many reasons....

> For anyone on a limited budget, The Groove Matrix (P5 Plugin) and Sonar HSXL would be a ideal.

> Patterns can be re-used in other songs as a starter --- example: instantly load a drum Pattern (P5 Matrix) as backing/inspiration for a new song. (This would be much nicer than having a Metronome continuously clicking) --- And it's a quick way of building up a user Pattern Library for future projects....

> Integrate cool features into the Matrix, ability to load anything such as samples, other sound sources, FX, levels, pan, automation all saved with the Pattern for later reloading.

> Unlimited Tracks per Pattern and Unlimited Arrange.

> Include Flexible Groove Quantize Tools within the Groove Matrix AND smart lock to time/tempo for the current project without hitting the Pause button....Great for LIVE use. (Sorry Ableton)

> No Dongle required

> The Groove Matrix (P5 Plugin) would be a valuable asset allowing CW developers to focus more on the one product having it available for EVERYONE as an option no matter what DAW host they use.

3. Plugin delay compensation bypass. ie: I'm at 99% of my finished mixdown (with plugins and UAD plugs etc), but got inspired to add one more piano MIDI track. I will get 100ms of latency with all the plugins, so I have to bypass every single effect bin in every track and group...blah... One button would solve this.

I understand what you need, but I dont think that disabling pdc is going to work like you suggest. Your tracks will still be running through the plugins and with pdc off I dont think your newly recorded track would line up properly when you reengaged pdc. Maybe a feature that temporarily removes all plugins from a given project would work better, with a simple way to recall them after adding another track. The only other way to do it that I know of is to bounce down a stereo track of your mix, open in a new project and record additional tracks then import them back to the original project. Not ideal I know.

I believe he meant the button to bypass the entire plug (audio path) as well as cancel the delay compensation that it imposes.

Yes, this is a compromise, but a tolerable reality when you have to go in and track that one more synth.

a few things I would like to see..

1. stereo panning options for stereo tracks.

2. I would like the buss system, mainly the location of it to be reworked. I like how in cubase it has the buses right up there with your audio, in a folder of course.

3. not as many plugins included, but higher quality ones.

4. audiosnap in my opinion is not very friendly, i think that should be reworked.

5. a new and simpler interface for sonar overall.

6. clip envelope keybind

7. more detail in the audio engine (I believe the sound in Sonar is great, but there still is better)

8. less overall program congestion, more intuitiveness.

9. media manager. If you are familiar with mediabay, something along those lines.

10. far more in depth audio editing. Once I also started using Cubase, I had no need for any external audio editor.. it did it all.

11. V-Vocal is kind of a pain to use, plus it also disables exporting bundles.

12. Track presets.

I believe Sonar is at it's all time highest yet, but a few things can be done to bring it to a new level.
More polish and extreme attention to highest details, less mediocre plugs and bloat.. but what is included in S8 should be extremely awesome!

Tempo graph lined up with notes in PRV just like controller data.

I didn't read all 4 screens of replies, so sorry if this is a dupe.

Nested track folders!!!! This would be the bee's knees for keeping things neat and organized.

Hey, mhuang - many of the things you've requested can easily be done in CAL.

i wouldn't want to see the p5 groove matrix chucked into sonar. i'd rather they take a look at that, ableton, and other loop based tools and build something better. i'd like to see an emphasis on a clean way to audition new midi, audio and saved grooves within the context of what you've got playing, then pop in the auditioned content.

I want to see 'MIDI sends' so that multiple softsynths can be driven from a single midi track.

ORIGINAL: Notecrusher
i'd rather they take a look at that, ableton

I love Cakewalk stuff, in fact CW was the first DAW I purchased! Several months ago I was upset to read an article about P5 as it implied that CW is a LIVE or ACID Copycat.

IMHO Cakewalk has been around far longer with Midi and Audio developments, and CW is more than capable of producing outstanding products in their own right!!!

CW has consistently continued to enhance their products giving us excellent tools at fantastic value. I would love to see this trend continue but also see enhancements in other critical areas... (I'll explain later - read on)

Eventually I'll get round to submitting the following Feature Requests:

• New GUI --- I think Sonar needs a totally new clean, lean and mean interface redesign that is built on the concept of simplicity and speeding up the workflow.
  
  01: GUI optimized with lighter-weight graphics, yet more clearer.
  
  02: Have a clever Floating, Dockable, Resizable Properties Box that contains all the tools/menus of the current view. Keeping the workspace uncluttered and speeding up the workflow. (I went into more detail about this in my previous post - see page: 2)
  
  
• Ultimate Midi Sequencer --- similar to the Groove Matrix but much better of course,,, but I'll have to go into a little more detail herein since NoteCrusher misconstrued my post.
  
  AH!! Now that Roland technology is and has already been integrated into Cakewalk products it's about bloody time for THE Ultimate Midi Sequencer. Long, Long ago CW started out as a Midi app therefor it should continue and lead the field in that respect....
  
  01: Pattern Mode for creation of unlimited midi tracks also including multi-fx's patching, ADSR, and various Envelopes (mod). Include RealTime and StepTime modes with Smart Midi tools integrated and various edit views (such as; Staff, Piano, Grid) Based on a new GUI interface (See above)
  
  02: Song Mode (Arranger) This is where the fun kicks in. with included ability to arrange On The Fly (NO need to hit the Stop Button).
  
  03: Performance Mode For LIVE performance. On The Fly adjustments of program-(instrument), vol, pan, fx's, ADSR and other options. Based on a totally new GUI so that the Ultimate Sequencer contains all the options/tools within the same view.
  
  04: Save As ability to save Ultimate Midi Sequencer compositions including all settings such as; Vol, Pan, FX's, ADSR and other settings.
  
  Include...
  
  Smart Sync perfect timing to current Project. Automatically keeps perfect timing of current project with the ability to change Tempo and Transpose 'On The Fly'. Integration with the Ultimate Midi Sequencer ability to Auto-Quantize Audio tacks to the Sequencer.
  
  10,000 Loop Library (included with the Ultimate Midi Sequencer) Covering all Styles/Genres including.... Atmosphere, Film-Score and New Experimental. The library should also includes many Movie Sound FX's. Also... all Libraries presets can be edited such as.. ASDR, Modulation, LFO, HFO, Timbre, therefor allowing far great flexibility.
  
  
• V-Vocal Pro --- Auto Pitch Correction and Harmonizer. (I've seen way too many posts on this forum in regards to Auto Pitch Correction and Harmonizers) So how about beefing up the good old V-Vocal. Oomph!!!!
  
  
• Auto Audio Quantize --- that smoothly integrates with the Ultimate Sequencer Timing/Tempo/Transpose (See above)
  
  
• All CW product-line should be shorten and renamed: ProAVcreator and ALL products should include Surround Sound with improved Panning controls and THE Ultimate Midi Sequencer. --- (2): To allow CW developers more time to focus on QUALITY (before rushing out the next version with numerous patches) there should be only three delicious Cake flavours as follows....
  
  01: Workstation (cross between P5 and HSXL but far more imporved. (see above) This will be very cool for those on a limited budget with the option to later upgrade or add plugins of their choice but still have all the critical things such as the Ultimate Midi Sequencer and editing tools to refine their compositions.
  
  02: Studio Edition a little more packed in, a good balance between the Workstation and Producer Edition.
  
  03: Producer Edition The Ultimate Cake version with all the nice delicious goodies including improved VC-64 with enhanced CPU optimization and the best Mastering Reverb on the planet
  
  
• Focus on much greater enhanced CPU optimization and improved Audio Interface cross-integration that will allow any hardware (including SB, Onboard MB Audio, HD 5.1 and 7.1 Audio) to run smoothly on all CW products. With enhanced CPU optimization this will allow single Core CPU's to run approximately 32 Tracks (including THE Ultimate Midi Sequencer) + CW Plugins without too much a load on the CPU.
  
  
• Enhance Stability to enable On the Fly performances for On-Stage live performance. (see above - THE Ultimate Midi Sequencer)
  
  
• Enhanced Publisher - Add file compatibility for all Video platforms. AND the ability to burn RED Book CD and DVD's. Include Professional CD/DVD Menu import Artwork from apps such as Adobe (compatible with all file formats with conversion of .FLV, .SWi and other animated file formats such as .GIF)
  

Anyway! This post may have in-corrections or be miscontrued!! Hell!! I simply don't have time to spare on BS!! Afterall I'm trying to contribute towards good intentions. I do have a life beyond this forum. Therefor... Goodnight! See-Ya! Chow, Goodbye

GUI-wise more than customizing colors it would be great to be able to choose between topics/scenes like for example one flat and booring but easy to see GUI, one cool vintage-inspired (based on VC64) and one futuristic (based on LP64/Rapture) that way everyone could get what they wanted and you'd be able to use the flat booring one to work with and one of the flashier ones to impress your friend who use an ugly DAW or work with if you like me think an ugly/booring GUI i hampering creativity (as some on the other hand think 3D does and find it cluttered...).

What I would like in the next SONAR is a couple of useful new standard plugins that are low on resource consumption. Just a few:

- A "signal stretcher" à la Waves' S1 Imager: easy to operate and very effective.
- A good low-resource harmonic exciter for both individual tracks and mastering.
- EQ that has built-in frequency analysis à la Voxengo. The Sonitus EQ is nice, but give it some freq analysis and it would own a lot more. Also to remove and add bands as much as you like would own a lot. I'm sure a deal could be made to tweak the Sonitus EQ.
- The free Kjaerhus Classic Master Limiter should be available as standard in SONAR. Perhaps the Cakewalk guys could make a deal to include it out of the box?

There should no more samplers or anything like that added.

The whole program needs a complete rebuild from the ground up to remove the rubbish and it must be perfectly coded for superior performance and bugfree-ness.

Standard keyboard shortcuts must be more "intuitive" and optimally allocated/organized so it isn't necessary to tweak them yourself (unless you have good reason to).

Like it was said, cleaner interface that is more optimal and that more easily makes sense without making it too much different from what is the current one.

Ability to have both the track view and console view on one screen.

In fact, I would very much like it if the whole program could be chosen to use a standard optimal setting for one video monitor.

Simple stuff mainly. Mostly visual. I'm pretty happy with the functionality really.

1) Clean up the track folder.
When you have a synth track folder you get a strip at the top that is of no use whatsoever and takes up space on the screen. When the folder is open this strip is still there doing nothing. When you're focused on the MIDI the audio track is so much blank space.
Instead, I'd like a feature where when the folder is collapsed, you see the MIDI track, the audio envelopes, and the MIDI and audio FX, so it worked like an instrument track, but at the same time you could expand it to see the MIDI and audio tracks so you could route inputs and outputs as you do now. You could just do by tweaking what is displayed, I don't think you'd have to change anything major under the hood. I teach music tech, Sonar is one of our main sequencers (the other being Logic). I can tell you that the messy screen is something that puts students off otherwise excellent software.

Yes, I know you can hide the audio outputs in the track manager but it's still messy to use and doesn't really do what I want.

This one in red because to me it's the most important as far as easy workflow goes.


2) A visible grid in the clips pane rather than just bar lines.
While we're at it, MIDI clips default to begin on the bar so when I copy and paste something that starts 1 beat in I don't have to mess around so much
- edit - not moving the note to the start of the bar obviously. Just the visual representation of the clip on the clips pane. Like Logic.

I know CW doesn't want to be seen to copy other DAWs but dammit those things are there for a reason.

3) Velocity bars instead of lines
So much easier on the eye

4) Instrument selection by type
So If I want, say, strings I can see all the presets in all the synths and samplers, like in Kore or for that matter P5.

5) Bring back colour on the buttons
Remember how easy it was to find the synth rack or the mixer button in S2? Notice how hard it is now they're all grey? Yes, I know we should all learn the key commands but it should still be easier.

6) Improve the track EQ.
It is far from transparent.

7) More intelligent real time fade behaviour
When I have a bunch of identical but delinked clips in the clips view, say kick drum hits, and I want to put the same fade out on them all, it doesn't happen - Sonar seems to take the start of the first fade as the start of all the fades. All the fades except the first go from the very start of their respective clips instead of half way in or whatever. Yes, I know I can use a process dialogue box, but I want to lassoo a bunch of clips and fade them with a simple mouse movement. Am I missing something here?

8) A decent sampler like the EXS24.
Now Logic costs less than Sonar this is a must.

9) Mac version.
Yeah, I know. But I can dream. Last year it was "CW is a small company, we'd have to take 2 years to do this at the expense of developing the DAW". Fair enough, but maybe the Roland cash will enable CW to hire some extra coders to do this.

Oh, yeah, and Pro Tools style swipe select. This one thing would speed up my workflow about 3 times.

Sonar - place cursor at start. Key "S". Place cursor at end. Key "S".
Pro Tools - wave mouse vaguely in direction of desired region, the grid generally sorts it out.

See?

now that I have read thru, I am getting the impression that a lot of what you fellas are asking for is aleady there. I suggest that before you post any dream features you go thru a "Sonar Power" book, chapter by chapter, until you have mastered all the little nooks and crannies of the program. I dont wanna pick on any particular posts because people take that personally.
Quit asking that they make it just like P5, that makes no sense from a commercial standpoint for a company to mush their two products together. Thats why Photoshop and Illustrator are still seperate programs some 12 years later.
I will mention that to see the master buss up there with your audio just click the little "triangle on top of a box" icon at the bottom of the row of track properties, right next to "all/custom/mix/fx/io" tabs.
I think Sonar has a very good audio engine and decent editing capabilty. I agree that they need to stop throwing plugins/synths on it every release. Just make it clean, efficient and stable.

Oh yeah, and can I please get some coherence to the key bindings? Why dont the same keys do the same thing on an in line PRV as a regular PRV? Whats the logic here?

PS but really, can I get a track properties menu bar just for colors and looping/audio stretching. I did a FR for this and it seems to have been promptly ignored.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

now that I have read thru, I am getting the impression that a lot of what you fellas are asking for is aleady there.

I suggest that before you post any dream features you go thru a "Sonar Power" book..

I'll promise to read my Sonar 7 Power book again, chapter by chapter before I'm welcome to post on this thread.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

I dont wanna pick on any particular posts because people take that personally.

Heed calaverasgrandes words or don't post here on this thread unless you have read the Sonar 7 Power book again and again chapter by chapter. LOL!!

Oh COOL!! I have the Sonar 7 Power book. That means I can still post on this thread!! Whoo Hoo

:calaverasgrandes

Quit asking that they make it just like P5, that makes no sense from a commercial standpoint for a company to mush their two products together

Nobody said that, I don't see those words written anywhere by anyone except you.

I suggested P5 as a plugin because it would be better than Re-Wire and I also suggested great enhancements to the 'already' included Midi Sequencer capabilities built into Sonar.PE being CW flagship product (Sonar PE) as this would make it more tempting therefor this would be of greater benefit for CW and it's users plus making Sonar PE more tempting to anyone thinking of making the switch from competitors.

calaverasgrandes, I highly recommend you read Scott's book: Sonar 7 Power, read it again chapter by chapter. You will learn quite a lot more from it.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

Photoshop and Illustrator are...

.... are great Sci-Fi movies featuring Henry Fonda and John Wayne respectfully. DOH!!

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

Just make it clean, efficient and stable.

> You need to correctly setup your DAW (including hardware) to make Sonar stable.

> You can customize Sonar view.

I strongly suggest you read the Help Files and Scott's book again and again, chapter by chapter

Peace

Yeah, this is why I dont really hang out here anymore.
but yeah, thanks for your "stars of wisdom"
thats what I'd expect from anyone that wants sonar to add a
"10,000 Preset Sequencer Loop Library"

Just a little heads up, Sonitus wahwah has an auto filter mode thats pretty good,
Pentagon has a vocoder hidden in it, takes some work to make it sound good though. I usually throw a (hardware) compressor on the vocal source when I use it.
But yeah a transient mod like the Sonnox or SPL ones would be neat. Especially if it had a midi feature like the Drawmer 201.

and more goodies to add to the wish list

• If there was some way to use .GIF files for the GUI (including the clips) instead of .bmp. (Gif files are much more clearer and much more lighter in file size compared to .bmp)
  
  
• I would like to see more developments (plugins) such as the VC, LP and PSP. Hmmm how bout (1)-LP-64 Exciter and (2)-Amp Sim with a focus on good 'smooth' clean sounds also and a simple sustain control that would be ideal for lead guitar.
  
  
• And now that Roland has jumped in with a major share invested I would love to see a few Surface Controllers come in various models (keeping costs competitive from $99 and upward to $400 max for larger units with up to 16 faders, smaller cheaper unit with 2 faders) that specifically works beautifully with Sonar. Nice features such as wireless removable/dockable transport control (perfect for the one-man home studio) with smooth 100.mm motorize faders, and of course more than enough dials.
  

I'd like to see a powerful sample player like Kontakt.
I came on board @ Sonar5 and the Vsampler had been dropped by then.

MIDI OUT VSTs in the MIDI track's own MIDI FX bin

Just like we can with MFX. (imo, MIDI outputting VSTs seemingly being more popular thesedays)

Updated to SONITUS EQ

Built in EQ is great for bread a butter subtractive EQ but would like to see a steeper curve response. Hasn't been updated in so long. Still good though...

1. If you MUST add any more softsynths - and I understand the lure as development can be done in parallel without screwing with the core Sonar code - then I second the notion of a decent sampler - playback only would do - that supports streaming from disk and will read (at the least) Kontakt sample sets - but this is going to annoy NI, of course. It would thrill me though because I have several sample sets I have to use the (now orphaned) Kompakt product to play and I don't need a full sampler, and VSampler, even the full version, never really did handle Kontakt sample sets reliably... and Maz seems to have given up, so we're stuck....
(I also though the idea of a speaker emulator was terrific - mono AM radio, for instance. This is a GOOD and USEFUL idea and will keep those plugin people busy! )

2. As others have said, in effect - can we have some non-modal dialogues please for properties etc. I hate, I hate, I hate the fact that the vast majority of Sonar dialogues are modal. This is developer-friendly and user-unfriendly.

3. I still find looping awkward in Sonar. I'd like to play something, hit a button or a key on my keyboard to mark the start of a loop and then another to mark the end, and keep doing this until I've marked everything up (which would be effectively like adding track markers - which, exasperatingly, tend to bring up those wretched modal dialogues!). Then why can't Sonar be smart enough to create a loop region for each pair of markers and then let me switch between multiple loops quickly. Even a 'go to marker and loop on next marker' function would be a real improvement.

4. I'd like Scott to do a deal with Cake and for him to sit and help them rewrite the online help until it is task-centric and actually useful. I'm sorry, but really Sonar's online help is mostly what Jerry Pournelle used to call 'clear if already known'. This is one reason why so many of us say 'but I didn't know you could do that....'

5. Play order lists... bump X 1000.

6. I suggested a while back that the step sequencer would be more useful if it worked like a drum machine i.e you hit a note (or a pad) and it's placed in the step matrix at the nearest quantised point, hit it again next time round the loop and the event is erased. Just like a drum machine. Currently you can't do that.

7. Keyboard binding. Can we please bind to SCAN CODES as well as ctrl+whatever. This would let me bind all those useful media keys etc. on new keyboard to actually useful Sonar functions... like controlling the transport, for instance. And while I'm on the subject, why can't MIDI CCs etc. invoke Sonar events WITHOUT a shift function to enable them?. (I'd be happy to switch to NRPNs for MIDI binding if this makes Cakedevs nervous)

That'll do. I'll get greedy otherwise. But Cake, I promise, I will be grumpy if what we get is a fresh plethora of synths - Rupture XXLE and all that. Stop now!. You're supposed to be building a better DAW....

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

A PRV with integrated staff view.

EXCELLENT!!!...Or at least the possibility of linking both views, so you can have one on top of the other, and zoom in and out keeping both of them aligned.