Waves Vocal Rider VST configuration setup in Sonar

I had some trouble remembering how to configure Waves Vocal Rider in Sonar X1 X2 X3 Platinum.  After being unable to find the instructions via the site's search tool, I decided to post this to the group as a searchable reference.

 
From Waves Tech Support.
 
Here are the basic setting for the Vocal Rider in Sonar.

Insert Vocal Rider as the last plug-in on your vocal or vocal group track (make sure that you load it as VST3).

Open a new Bus track and send all the instruments tracks to it. 

Open a Send from the new Bus track to Vocal Rider mono... 

Begin playing your song, then set the Vocal Sensitivity and Attack controls.

Set the Target control by moving the transparent screen to the Vocal range peak.

The main Rider fader will begin to move automatically, levelling your vocal.

Limit the amount of automatic gain change by setting the Range faders.

To correlate the vocal level to the instrumental level, adjust Music Sensitivity.

Arm your track to Write automation, then press Automation Write in the plugin at any time to send the Vocal Rider Fader to your host application automation edit lane, make your manual edits, and then press Read in plugin and track.

Using your ears, find the sweet spot and trim using the output fader. 
Writing Automation with Vocal Rider
After setting Vocal Rider according to your program material, follow the steps below.
Writing Automation
1. In your DAW, set the vocal track’s automation mode to 'Write' or 'Latch'.
2. Enable automation for Vocal Rider's main Rider Fader.
3. Set Vocal Rider’s automation mode to 'Write'.
4. Hit Play.
Please note: The Vocal Rider interface window must be open during automation writing. 
All previously written automation will be lost in Write/Latch modes.
 
Reading Automation
1. In your DAW, set the vocal track’s automation mode to 'Read'.
2. Set Vocal Rider’s automation mode to 'Read'.
3. Hit Play.
Editing Rider Fader Automation
Controlling Vocal Rider Using a Mouse or Control Surface
1. In your DAW, set the vocal track’s automation mode to 'Touch'.
2. Set Vocal Rider’s automation mode to 'Read'.
3. Hit Play.
4. Use the main Rider Fader to manually ride as needed. 
When you release the Rider Fader, it will return to the previously written automation.
Using the main Rider Fader automation line in the track editor
1. In your DAW, set the vocal track’s automation mode to 'Read'.
2. Set Vocal Rider’s automation mode to 'Read'.
3. Open the Rider Fader automation line in the track editor to manually draw in your edits.

thanks, I'll bookmark this :)

Zurc2cruz,
 
Great Instructions they worked for me great, but I would like to add, if you are placing your vocal Rider on a Stereo Bus to add the Stereo Vocal Rider Plugin. 
 
Secondly,  When using a send to add the all music Bus (Sub Mix) to the Vocal Rider FX, use the Send Side Chain as this is how you enable the Music Sensitivity control and light on the vocal Rider. 
 

 
Other than those two, it was a great Tutorial.

oh, you want to use V-Rider in stereo mode because the music is in stereo.
Have a good one! :)

Jesse G

Kristianzhe
I followed this tutorial. No idea how old this thread are, but if anyone here uses Waves Vocal Rider, it would be great with a few things cleared up.
 
When I followed these  steps, the "Music" sensitivty button gets active and the green light is active too. So, when that is the case it is working as intended, right? The reason I ask is because on all the tutorials videos I can find (Not any with Sonar), then there are a "Key Input" option with a key symbol at the high/left. Can not see this here in Sonar Platinum.
 
I guess all is good when the "Music" knob and the green light is active.?.

The Key on the plugin is for users of Daw's (Pro Tools) that support Side Chaining via the plug in.  Cakewalk doesn't use side chaining that way.  You are suppose to use the sends and select the bus that contains Vocal Rider with the option for side chaining.  Don't just select a Bus, select the Bus that has the long name with Vocal Rider in it.  Look at my previous pic above, there are bus names and below then\m are the plugin names and buses which support side chaining, select the one with Vocal Rider.

I know what you mean & got it too work. Thanks.
 
Actually got it too work by following the main post tutorial. Just needed to be sure that I did it correctly. It was actually the key on the plugin that confused me on all the tutorial videos.

The Vocal Riderr manual is exceptionally well laid out with all the above info easily found.
For future reference:
Manuals are all in the Download link on the Home page where you select Manuals/Plugins. All the manuals for every plugin and every bit of hardware are listed alphabetically.

Just reviving this thread (very useful thanks OP).
 
Also, I am having difficulty getting Sonar to "see" anything other than the 32 bit Vocal Rider plugin.
It wouldn't be so bad but every time I try changing something and rescan it takes about 10 minutes each time only to find that the 64 bit plugin is still not visible.
 
Is there a specific location that needs to be added to the plugin folders for 64 bit Vocal Rider to be included?
 
Note that the only locations on my SSD with Vocal Rider.dll in them are:
 
C:\Program Files (x86)\Waves\Plug-Ins V9\Vocal Rider.bundle\Contents\Win32
C:\Program Files (x86)\Waves\Plug-Ins V9\Vocal Rider.bundle\Contents\Win64
 
and I have C:\Program Files (x86)\Waves\Plug-Ins V9 in my scan options which should pick up both although to my mind there should be an equivalent folder in C:\Program Files (not the x86 one) with 64 bit plugins but I guess Waves were trying to simplify things.
 
For that matter I would like to exclude any 32 bit Waves plugins from the scan if that's possible as they are cluttering up all of my plugin menus?
 
Thanks
ZT
 
EDIT: To answer my own post I re-installed Vocal Rider and the 64 bit version showed up. No idea what happened the first time.
I just wish Waves gave the option of only installing 64 bit plugins.