Sonar MP3 encoder- has to be a better way

After waiting for almost 8 months and looking for MP3 encoder, I settled to unlock Sonar's built in MP3 encoder. Today- I needed to convert .wav file of my song to MP3 to upload on a profile. OMG- this took almost forever! So the song (.wav) opens with Windows Music. I used "Open With". Sonar was not on a list. Eventually found it, and... Guess what- it could not open it's own file that it created. It said- my file must be corrupted or damaged. So I had to open Sonar manually and import the file in to it. Guess what: I had time to go on Cakewalk site, log in to the forum, type this message, and it still did not finish to build a preview track. (There is a place holder but the wav would not materialize.). I keep talking with you, while it still can not open or import its own file. So how long it going to be before it actually converts it to MP3? I was looking for a converter that would just do it without drama. Opening Sonar itself is a big deal- it needs to scan plug ins, then it needs to check for Audio. Midi devices and tell me what I have and do not have connected, then I have to create new song, then import .wav and then hope- it will convert it to the MP3. I have no time for this. Is there a better way? Thank you.

 
Hi there
 
I think you're getting a little confused here. SONAR doesn't actually 'open' .wav files as such, it is designed to open, for example - Cakewalk project (.cwp) and bundle (.cwb) files, among others.
 
To 'open' a .wav file, you'll first have to open SONAR and then use File>Import>Audio. Then, to create your mp3, use the File>Export>Audio dialogue.
 
Although this will work, it's a rather convoluted process, and I'm guessing that most of us would actually use a 3rd party mp3 encoder to convert .wav files on our hard drive; I'd imagine that the mp3 encoder incorporated inside SONAR is really there to export project mixes if they are required in that format.
 
I use the excellent, and free, CDex software to convert .wav fies to mp3, although there are other good free ones available.

I know about the plug ins and opening a project and importing. It just that we were discussing it here, trying to figure out what MP3 converter to get and came to conclusion that Sonar's native converter would be easiest- I did not think about reverse process when I will need to open wav file from the hard drive and convert it to MP3- it is a pain. I have tried those few most- commonly advised free once- I was not able to install the codes- it was full of span and adware and was asking me to listen some people's music... I want to buy one and have no drama- so I bought Cakewalks Sonar's. And it was bad spent $20- got nothing out of it. Any better ideas would be appreciated- except Audacity- did not work for me- needed that code that I could not install. Thanks.

Actually, rather than me trying to re-explain this process, check out this video on YouTube, showing how to export to mp3 directly from Sonar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lRbRr-0wwjQ#t=369
Sometimes it's easier to be shown ;) The video jumps to the relevant part. It's made for total noobs, but shows the mp3 encoder integration towards the end, where this link points to.
 
So, you can either do this directly when exporting your project - works very well! Or you can open Sonar, drag and drop your .wav-file into the track view, click on it so it is selected and choose export ->mp3 -> set quality and ID3 tags. It really should be easy and if you have the mp3 encoder, you shouldn't have to use additional software. That's why i bought the mp3 encoder upgrade, and I feel it's saving me a ton of irritation and boredom
 
 
EDIT:: Seems like the video doesn't skip to where I want it to because of the stupid ad break at the beginning, but jump to 6:10 and you'll find what I wanted to show you Best of luck!

I use the wavepad free converter.   http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/index.html
 
The DL is free and then shuts off after 10 days or so.... but there is an option to continue using it with limited options working. The options that continue to work are MP3 conversion and trimming as well as a few other useful things.

I think the OP may be looking more for a simple audio editor like Cakewalks "Pyro" Audio Creator 1.5 than a DAW
It has mp3 conversion/export
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/AudioCreator/feature.aspx/Convert-using-pyro-Audio-Creator

Pyro is $20 in the store.
http://www.store.cakewalk.com/b2cus/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=10-CWAC1.00-10E

@Beepster - Vlada maintains multiple computers.  I believe the XP one is there if needed for some of the older hardware she has - but my memory is a bit fuzzy on the details of her setup.
 
I had talked her into building one - hopefully she is happy with that choice.
 
But I do know she has some complicated needs, and I am not sure I understand her setup anymore, but will try to help if I can.
 
She had SIGNIFICANT prior hardware/software trauma, but much of that went away (at least until now) with her new computer.
 
Bob Bone
 

Thanks - Beepster, a friend of mine took me last night to see Steve Morse Band and Joe Satriani last night, so other than recovering from the physical toll that took on me, I had a GREAT time.
 
I even got to talk for a few minutes with Steve's bass player, Dave LaRue (was also in the Dixie Dregs with Steve).  Dave is a phenomenal bass player, and is also playing in a band with a guitar-playing friend of mine - along with Rod Morgenstein (also formally with the Dregs).  I am HOPING beyond my wildest dreams that I would get to do some keyboard tracks for either my friend Brian (the guitar player), or for Steve.  One can only hope that 48 years of getting ready for it is enough time :)
 
Vlada has done a remarkable job of digging into the middle of all of the new hardware, as well as her new OS, a Sonar upgrade, and all of the new software, all the while keeping a GREAT handle on making sure her vast army of old-school keyboard synthesizers all play nicely in this brave new world of hers.
 
HOPEFULLY, we can 'twixt us help get her issues sorted out.  She has been through the WRINGER in the past with trying to remain productive in a sea of crashes.
 
Bob Bone
 

Yup - I always convert things outside of Sonar, although I will export straight to MP3 if that is the end-format I am aiming for.
 
Vlada, the Cakewalk MP3 component is for ENCODING, not for converting.
 
Bob Bone
 

That's awesome, Bob. I haven't been to a show (or played one) in freaking ages. Probably why I'm getting crazier, lol.
 
As far as Vlad sounds like you've got her on the right track. I'd just muddy the waters with my hackery at this point. ;-)

Again, please consider the following:
 
1.  The Cakewalk MP3 encoder is NOT NOT NOT intended to be used for conversion.  It is for exporting your project's audio to MP3.  If your audio file to be converted is already a saved wave file, then you should NOT NOT NOT be loading that into Sonar to do the conversion.
 
2.  You can export directly from Sonar to MP3, from your project, now that you have the MP3 encoder purchased from Cakewalk.  For projects created in Sonar, you just select all, or whatever portion of your project you are exporting, then tell it to export audio, and choose MP3 as the output file type.  You then get to not only control the MP3 quality, but also you can encode the song/artist info into the MP3 file.
 
3.  For converting wave files to MP3, it is best to do that with any of the zillions of free converters out there.  The YTD Video Downloader I mentioned does a great job of file conversion.  Just click on Convert and a few clicks and in about 30 seconds to 1 minute, your conversion is complete.  This same process is available in lots of converter programs - just pick one or two from what was posted earlier and try them out.
 
4.  As far as your scan time, please list the search paths you currently have set for your Plugin Manager to find plugins - I would like to see how hard you are making it work, and looking at the paths may help expose something that can be tweaked to help shorten that time.  So, please post the paths for VST searches.
 
Bob Bone
 

Vlada - good morning.
 
1.  Exporting Audio as MP3.  I do not quite understand your comment about 1 wave file or 20 making no difference and being inconvenient.  I was trying to communicate earlier that if I am exporting audio to MP3, I select all of the tracks in the project, then click Export Audio, set my bit-depth and sample rate to usually 16 bits and 44100, and then export the entire mix, with all options checked (except the option to add to Cakewalk Publisher), and then export.  Any discussion I have made on this subject has NOT mentioned mastering - only the mechanics of exporting to MP3.
 
2.  Regarding your comment about encoding to MP3 from within a project leaving you without a mastered project.  As I noted above, my earlier comments did not reference mastering at all - just the MP3 encoding process from within Sonar.  There are many approaches to mastering, and a whole bunch of different topics there.  If you have finished the mixing process, but not yet mastered, you would not want to encode to MP3 yet - you would want to EITHER add some buses and use those to 'master' within Sonar OR export your finished mix as a stereo broadcast wave file and then determine how you wanted to approach mastering.  At that point, you could follow an external mastering service's instructions for how they want things sent to them and do things accordingly, you could do your own mastering outside of Sonar, or you could set up a new project within Sonar and import the finished mix and then master it in Sonar.  IF you master within Sonar, either within your original project or as a new project where you have imported the finished mix, once you finished mastering you would THEN export the mastered audio to MP3 following the instructions I gave earlier.  If instead you master outside of Sonar, then you would use some MP3 converter program OUTSIDE of Sonar to convert the mastered audio to MP3.  (Such as the convert function in the YTD Video Downloader - which is what I use when I work with conversion outside of Sonar).
 
My own approach is to use the services of a mastering company, and each one will have a set of instructions for how they want things prepared and sent to them.
 
Here are some Sonar threads I think you will get something out of going through:
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Mastering-in-Sonar-X2-Producer-m2871356.aspx
 
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Mastering-in-Sonar-why-not-m604999.aspx
 
Bob Bone
 
 
 

Well, I provided the explanation because I was not sure exactly where you were with understanding it from earlier posts.  
 
Good luck, 
 
Bob Bone
 
 
 
 

I use Aaron's Sonar MP3 Patch.
 
http://www.softpedia.com/...-Sonar-Mp3-Patch.shtml