It's all available, in the manual, the videos, Cakewalk TV, Cakewalk Uni, Cakewalk blog. There are so many tutorials on various aspects of Sonar.

Some features may be explained by a video from Sonar X1 because that feature hasn't really changed since then. For other things you need a more modern video or article because the feature was added more recently.

In the stickies section of the Sonar forum there's a section on Craig Andertons weekly tips which is up to about number 64 now. Have a read through them.

You have to remember that in Sonar you have access to facilities that would have cost 100s of thousands of dollars just 10 or 15 years ago. In those days it was a full time job for a number of years getting to grips with what you could do in a pro studio. Do you put in that kind of time to learn? Do you practice recording, mixing etc. there are more resources out there than ever before.

There is a Techniques forum here that hosts discussions on various techniques to do with the craft. Give it a look see.

orangesporanges
I, for one would be very interested. Like mudgel said, there's a lot out there already. Post in techniques and I for one will lurk or post. To offer some perspective, I am an educated musician,(primary guitar). I understand just about any practical theory, but I couldn't ever use it all. I love many musical styles, but I will never be the greatest jazz, rock blues,metal, country, classical, bluegrass, flamenco guitarist out there. You have to expose yourself to raise the scafolding somewhat evenly, and use that as your springboard to showcase your strengths. Learning the basics of tracking and mixing in Sonar will give you that same foundation. Then you can tackle some of the features that help you get there. Example: my guitar is too loud, but it still gets buried in the mix. Solution: EQ the guitar so it isn't  competing with other instruments.Tool: Sonar has quad curve  on every channel.OR drop levels of competing instuments when playing guitar so it's the predominant track using automation lanes. OR feed the guitar track to the side chain of a compressor so it automatically pushes the other instruments down when it is sounding. If you don't know how to do these things (yet)start your search there. Start with a problem that needs addressing. Use the materials out there like you would a dictionary, not to memorize it, but to find the right word.

The OP didn't state he's a beginner. He stated he has been a long time user that simply don't understand all features offered. I think one part of the issue, is when the promo comes out for a newer version, you're hit with a number of features that you obviously want to investigate. Trying to learn multiple new features at once, on top of what you really haven't learned previously, only makes it more frustrating. Sure, there's video tutorials and the PDF manual, but you still have to shift threw numerous material that may not be simple so and clear enough to understand. It can be like learning music theory on top of trying to learn an instrument, by the same means. Add to that, when you have no idea why something doesn't seem to work as described and it's due to a bug you have no idea exist.
 
Sonar... Re-Imagined, frankly, became a clunkier GUI, which can make learning certain things a bit steeper. CW- got rid of other programs like: Project 5 and Kinetic, to focus solely on Sonar, even though there were numerous pleas to continue these programs that were geared toward users that made dance and urban music. Since then... Sonar has been marketed towards anybody they can get to make a purchase. Yeah, even the first time novice to DAW's. Ok... I took a wrong turn somewhere, but anyway, The new Sonar may simply be more than you have a need for. If you get a version that offers less, like the Music creator version, you won't have all those new features to temp you.
 

Rather than try to understand them all, a simpler approach is to do things you want to do, then when you have an idea of something you want to do look it up. Often it is best to ask in here since the "keyword" you are looking for may not be known yet and this forum is full of helpful folks.
 
If you think from the perspective of time alone, there is little use "knowing" something you would never use... the key is to just know it exists, then can find/use when/if you have the need.

Thanks guys.... I think part of my point was missed.  The key here is, you might have 1000 tools in your tool box but only are familiar with 50 of them.  You use those 50 over and over and have them mastered.  Because you don't understand or are totally oblivious to the other 950, you may not be aware of what your options are.  You may not even make a connection that there is a solution to a potential problem or technique if you have no idea that a solution potentially exists...  If you eat bologna every day, you have no idea what steak tastes like.
 
The Sonar manuals are decent but they don't provide practical advice.  That's why I love the Sonar Power books but I am looking for more.  I own several Moog synths and was at the factory recently.  The rep was showing what all of these features would do.  I asked "why would I use that feature?" and the guy looked at me and said, no one has ever asked that.  He then explained HOW and WHY the feature could be used and the conversation was much more helpful. 
 
So my thoughts are just a simple discussion of various options Sonar offers and with an explanation of HOW and WHY.  I hope this makes more sense.
 
Thanks
 
Joe

Kine 321, I never meant to imply he WAS a beginner. I read his post and empathize with it wholeheartedly, as I'm sure most of us do. I was merely offering some analogies to encourage. I'm sorry if this was not the way my post read.

Well,  I can certainly understand the reason for this topic and thread .Yep, been wrestling with this one for a while .
 
I'm somewhat of a mental guy or a mental case depending on who you ask , so I use mental tools .
It's a given that my approach may not work for anyone else here on the forum , yet I will offer it anyway…..
 
Am I overwhelmed with all the features in SONAR that I don't know how to use ? YES
Does it get me down and make me feel stupid sometimes , or even all the time ? YES
Do I get any sort of comfort in knowing that I have the tools on hand even if I don't know how to use them yet ?
YES , knowing  that I have the tools on hand does give me a sense of accomplishment for having acquired them ….
Am I gonna let all the pent up frustration I feel make me want to give up and quit Music ?
Hell effing NO , I didn't come this far to let that happen ..  
 
What can I do ? …take baby steps 
Why baby steps ? because people don't harass and beat up babies when they are trying to learn how to walk …
Are you serious ? Yes I am  ….
What do you actually mean by baby steps ?
By taking baby steps it means I have to put myself in a state of mind where  I willingly have to parent myself on one level,  by putting myself in that state of mind I no longer have the need to beat myself up or hold it against myself that I'm gonna crash , burn and make a lot of mistakes as I learn my way around all the new features I don't have the slightest clue on how to use ….or learn .
 
OK , that sounds " suspiciously "  reasonable , give me some examples of what you consider baby steps …. 
Sure , to go there means we have to define a few characteristics and differences of the mind set between a baby and an adult …
A baby (and a young child )  possess a very clear mindset that is unencumbered by any number of learned bias's when they are young …they only know the moment , everything is pretty much new and exciting to them …
They have the capacity to soak up everything with each unfolding moment and their imaginations are not jaded by the world .Also they do not feel the boundaries of separation and everything is fresh and new to them …
except when they soil a diaper …
An Adult on the other hand may indeed have many resources and experiences that a baby may not have .
When it comes to learning new things an adult has to navigate around a couple of obstacles that may have imprisoned the adult ….
What the heck do you mean by that ?
As people mature and become adults , they develop some very strong opinions about things they may or may not like
( preferences / bias's ) , in many cases they rely more and more on filters they may have put in place when it comes to their ability to cope and learn new things in life … When confronted with learning something new Adults can be like a time traveler who is jumping across time comparing the new information they are trying to learn up against  the accumulated knowledge they have stored over the years …
This can create a conflict of interest because what ends up happing is an adult may find it hard to shut off his or her   coping and discernment filters when confronted with learning something new ….
 
What ends up happening in that scenario is the new knowledge can be there right under their nose , yet they do not have the capacity to learn it because they are no longer present in the moment ( like a baby would be )……
The adult ends up struggling because they are caught up in a multitude of distractions …
 
OK, What are some of these distractions you speak of ?
 
In my case I have had to do a little soul searching and I have found a number of sticking points that have hindered me in my process of learning the new features I'm looking to learn ….
A big stumbling block for me comes from the standpoint of my Ego . I can honestly admit that I don't know a whole lot about computers and recording using a DAW , but man , the old Ego want's to throw down a fight when I'm trying to learn something from somebody that my Ego has determined to be a threat to it …
Silly I know ,but thats a big one for me , it brings up the whole I thought I knew something and now I find out I didn't know squat about it at all ……for that one I have to practice principles over personalities / humble pie …
Another one is , I may have unreasonable expectations when it comes to learning something new regarding how long it may take to learn how to do it ….That one still keeps tripping me up . I just have to give time , time …
 
Yeah , theres more …I'm gonna stop for now …
Oddly enough , I learned how to do this sort of thing on guitar …
The bottom line for me is , I have to clear my head to forget what I think it is that I know and just try to emulate the ability to be like a baby to be able to soak up everything I can when I can find myself in that mind set …
 
 
Kenny 
 
PS , Yeah ,  I know this one is coming from the Far Side 
What's the point of trying to watch a video or read a tutorial if my body is there , yet my mind isn't ? …

Anderton
  
Also FWIW, you've given me some ideas for articles that are less about describing how something works and more about what tools to use for specific projects. I think there would be some merit there...like what tools will help you create the best vocal parts - procedures, plug-ins, and mixing techniques.

I, for one, would like that a lot, please do.  I think that your tip about using noise to understand the QuadCurve EQ is a very good example of that approach and was very helpful.

I use about 5% of SONAR's functionality and I am as happy as a clam; whatever that means ... :-) It bugs me that I don't know any of the advanced features, but then I have four kids, a busy day job and a mortgage to pay. I am just happy when the core functionality works for the few hours a week I get to play in the studio.