Let's be clear - the forum has been wonderful.  ANY help by the forum is above and beyond.  
 
However, I found Sonar's initial documentation/instructions lacking.  No matter how much I grow to love this program, I'm not going to back off of that. One shouldn't need blogs and tutorials to get started.  If this were a 30 day trial/demo - Sonar would have lost a sale.
 
How many people have asked 'where can I find the manual?' Answer:  Go to Edit/preferences/accept local help.  Come on, put yourself in a newby's shoes.  How is that acceptable? 
 
Basically five posts here have been key to figuring out what would have prevented me ever sending this thread.  Many more have been beyond that.  The information in the mentioned five posts could have been clearly referenced in the software documentation. 
 
And I am a little humiliated by this experience.

My addictive drums are now set up.  Separate drums routed to tracks, saved the step sequencer pattern and track template.  And now that I've got it working the Addictive Drum Sounds are all ridiculous.
 
Tomorrow,  I'm going caveman - 16 bars of music with the step sequencer set at 8 steps per beat and 64 beats fit to 64 quarters. 
 
I guess the only way to toggle between swing and regular time would be to set it at 24 steps per beat? 
 
 

This is excellent. Glad your all set Anthony and any issues in future let us know.

Thanks Saussy - the part where you changed the level of the drum hits in the step sequencer was awesome. Varying volume slightly on my tom rolls made the drums sound - real. I even was able to enter a 4 bar Piano track with the soft synth. Used step sequencer and then altered the notes in piano roll. Too much fun. Having problems with Synth strings getting sound.

Actually it was just the soft synth that totally threw me. Recording instruments seems to be the same as PA9 with a few cool short cuts thrown in. Cakewalk effects are infinitely better, I used to only use the Vegas Audio effects that came with my old Delta 1010. This phaser sounds like my old phase 90 pedal.

The reality is learning to use a program as complex as SONAR, or any other program of similar complexity like Cubase, is not easy. Cakewalk is aware that there is a desperate need for tutorials that take people from "Square 1" to where they're comfortable with the program, and is investigating ways to solve this need. The biggest problem is defining "Square 1." Is it a sound card? ASIO? Does it have direct monitoring, or should people be made aware immediately of Input Echo? Are they mostly interested in MIDI? Audio? Beats? Loops? Every one of these is a different "Square 1."
 
Granted, having no "Square 1" at all is no solution, but I've put a lot of thought into what a solution would look like, and so far (emphasis on "so far") it has eluded me.
 
It's pretty easy to take people from intermediate to advanced; the success of "Friday's Tip of the Week" confirms that. People already know the lingo and the basics, and you can build from there.
 
To add insult to injury, one of the biggest problem with any DAW is that it runs on an operating system made by Apple or Microsoft, and you need to learn that as well.
 
This is not to make excuses about Cakewalk not being able to lead people by the hand and get them up and running with SONAR, but there's no obvious answer to me. Fortunately there are very bright people in this forum and I wouldn't be surprised if someone here DOES see an obvious answer. If so, Cakewalk will be on it faster than a tick on a feral cat in the spring.
 
Meanwhile, this forum is nothing if not an exceptional resource...I consider it one of SONAR's main features. It has certainly helped me out more than once, which is why I want to give back.

mettelus

Anderton
 
[....] Granted, having no "Square 1" at all is no solution [...]

Square 1 was free at the CW store for a while and is still on KVR Audio (free). Everyone can have Square 1

And the forum is also not without its moments of humor 

It turns out the volume in the step sequencer strikes was set to zero.  I unfolded each note and 'plussed' up the hits and it worked fine.   Killin' me!!   

Meh... I don't like the fact that Sonar's "Help" files defaults to the online docs either. I remember it seriously screwing me up when I first got going too because my system was offline (intentionally).
 
The default really should be to the local files with a popup that explains a) there is online documentation available and b) it is more up to date.
 
Just having it as default means LOTS of new users are gonna get boned/confused when they really are trying to do the right thing (by which I mean R-ing TFM).
 
I had to come here to the forum to learn about the "Use Offline Doc" setting which is in a shizzy place for a n00b to be looking for or expected to find on his/her own.
 
Fortunately this forum IS a pretty wicked helpful/friendly place but we also have to remember that intertubey forums can be extremely intimidating for those not used to them (or even more so sometimes for those that ARE used to them).
 
I was a little concerned myself about stickin' my D in these waters at first because... well... look at the other tech forums. They can be VICIOUS. I was quite pleased that was not true here but still.
 
Whatever. The Help file should not default to online is my point. Absolutely counterproductive setup IMO.

"Whatever. The Help file should not default to online is my point. Absolutely counterproductive setup IMO."
 
Maybe, but you only have to change it once.  And if it gets reset accidentally, you know how to fix it.  Takes less time than typing a gripe.
 
PS:  In my 20 years as a Cakewalk customer, this forum and its predecessors (wasn't there one on Compuserve?) have been indispensable.  Thanks to everyone,

AnthonyMangos
Well, I've recorded 4 covers and one original. They came out great. I love addictive drums. I've done 1) Never -Ozzy, 2) China Girl - Bowie, 3) God of Thunder -Kiss and 4) Bloodletting - Concrete Blonde.. Thanks again! !

Awesome! next step is share with soundcloud ;p

AnthonyMangos
Well, I've recorded 4 covers and one original. They came out great. I love addictive drums. I've done 1) Never -Ozzy, 2) China Girl - Bowie, 3) God of Thunder -Kiss and 4) Bloodletting - Concrete Blonde.. Thanks again! !

Very considerate of you to circle back and give an update. Keep making music!!!