Trying to explain Sonar Platinum to new users!  

konradh
I've never been able to automate track mute, so I have to draw a volume envelope.  That's a pretty basic function.

Yes, exactly. All functions should be automatable reliably, consistently and easily. Especially simple/basic things like Mute, Solo, Module on/of, etc...
 
It might require some kind of hook in to Aero (or whatever MS is using now) so these actions can ALL be in some kind of shell that obeys commands.
 
Total revamp of automation would be wicked awesome.
 
Essentially if I can click it/adjust it to cause an audible action it should be automatable (reliably/consistently).
 
The handling/writing/editing of envelopes after that would be another thing that could be made way easier.
 
Cheers.

gbowling

slumbermachine

1. A wish - a special freeze audio button that just creates a new audio track and copies the audio to it, leaving the original un-frozen. Just could speed up a workflow for me, and yes I know I could just record the audio to a new track, but I want a way to quickly just lock in a sound mid workflow.

 Your wish is granted, it's called "bounce to tracks"  Just select the track you want to "special freeze to a new track" and pull down the track menu and select bounce to tracks. It creates a new track with all the FX, automation, whatever you select in the dialog. The original track is left un-frozen or as is.
 
gabo

Lol   see recent post, fast bounce, slow bounce for some cautions.  http://forum.cakewalk.com...t-bounce-m3328112.aspx

Things that are hard for me are more "administrative" tasks that suck me in and let me lose momentum. So, config stuff and saving stuff and other things that should happen more seamlessly.
 
ACT: well controller setup business in general but since Cake's built in method is the obvious choice I'll single it out. Lets face it, it was a great idea that didn't quite cut it when it first came out and it hasn't improved at all. It's just too clumsy, and takes too much side-task brain space that it takes your mind out of the zone in a big way.
 
Preset mgmt. I wish there was an easy way to scroll through presets using some kind of universal key combo, perhaps through the synth rack. Some synths you can just use the arrow keys, some arrow keys + enter key, others require a mouse. I'd like a one hand solution involving keys and not a mouse so I can play with one hand and change presets with the other.
 
Advanced Audiosnap: making tempo maps out of pre-existing material can still be a total pain and requires jumping through a few windows to get there, a few too many. I'd like to keep my eyes on the waveform where I can spot measure boundaries and toggle through the transients.
 
More options for project functions. New tracks destination options (top, bottom, at selection), options for separate destinations for MIDI and audio components of synth tracks. Options to have synth tracks insert with volume levels other than 0dB would be great (because lets face it, all these new synth presets are pretty darned loud, too loud for a mix). 
 
A "record start on note-on" option would save me a lot of time sliding clips over after I've recorded them because I would put the Now Time at 0:00 and just start playing. (I know, you can use a count-in as well).
 

Yeah, this menus are really crazy, I can't understand why it is not improved yet. There must be the options in preferences how to display these menus: plain, nested, or somehow else.

Razorwit
 
3. Selecting outputs for tracks/sends/whatever. Why? Because output types aren't nested into folders and so I do this when, e.g., adding a send:
 
Dean
 

And this^^

I'm not sure you really want Sonar to make drum tracks for you automatically.  Drummers have very specific things to do in most songs that have to do with understanding the phrasing, chord progression, melody and various important parts of a song or composition.  Sonar is not really designed to make great use of these things as automation.
 
With that in mind, there are a few techniques towards creating a good start...
1.  Make sure your meter is set correctly.
2.  Make a few "sample" bar patterns that work well together and convert them to groove loops.
3.  Stick with one drum synth and sound (kit) to begin with until you have a solid line.
4.  Do your best to keep the drum lines mathematically metrical until you have really solid parts.
5.  Use the MIDI filter to copy individual drum parts to other parts, i.e. move the high hat to the ride.
... once you have good loops, it is a good idea to replace them with copied (non-loop) parts so you
can modify individual hits, fills, flams and crashes.  Be careful about your cursor placement and quantize
settings as they can modify great lines into aweful parts (this isn't a Sonar problem; all sequencer programs
do this).
 
Personally, I use a lot of techniques to get great drum lines in Sonar, Pro Tools, Nuendo and Finale.  Some
are very time consuming.  Depending upon the style, I usually imagine I am performing the drum parts and
imagine the physical things I would do on an actual percussion instrument kit(s).
 
I hope this is helpful,
 
Tom
 

What's the hardest thing you do in sonar?

 
The hardest thing for me is turning it off :)

For me it is the slice and dice drum editing (multi-track acoustic drums). Audiosnap is not very intuitive, and even when you do figure it out - the results are often buggy/glitchy sounding. Even sometimes when there are only a few samples/milliseconds of correction.

Midiboy

vanceen
Moving around take lanes, especially moving take lanes from one track to another. They proliferate so fast that you run out of vertical screen space quickly and have to move groups of takes in jumps, i.e. drag, sroll, drag, scroll...

I'm trying to understand.  Why would you move take lanes?  That defeats their very purpose.  Leave the take lanes and use comping to create the final track. 

That is a narrow view of their "very purpose". There are myriad cases where I (and folks posting in other threads here) ) want to easily be able to move / copy clips from one take lane to another, but find it a PITA. Can really slow down types of editing / comping.

BobF

Zargg71
I would say Automation and MIDI editing is the hardest things I do in SONAR.
The rest is up to me to get right

Yes, add these to my list!

+1
 

Primetime
Mastering multiple songs

I agree, and started using Studio One for this. They have an amazing interface that allows all kinds of mastering specific ways to match volume, cross fade and all sorts of good stuff.  Everything else is in Sonar for me but this.