I've seen previous posts on this topic, apparently with no definite conclusion on whether this can be done with any version of Sonar.

Anyone know how to do this? I've searched the manual and Sonar Power. The closest I've gotten is to the Key Bindings menu. The only reference to a pedal seems to be the reference to midi controllers. I have sustain pedal for my Roland xp-10 synth. But the menu references using the pedal to toggle whether the keyboard will send normal midi note date versus the data to arm recording. That's arm for recording, not start recording.

Setting punch-in and punch-out times is ok, but it would be nice to be able to control that by pedal sometimes.

Thanks in advance,

Jerry

Key Bindings can definitely give you the functionality you want. Here's what I do ...

Open Key Bindings.
Under Type of Keys, select MIDI and check Enable.
Under MIDI Shift Options, select Controller, and choose, say, 64-Pedal (sustain).
In the Key list, select, say, C3 (the lowest note on a 5 octave synth).
In the Function list, select Transport | Record.
Click Bind.
Check "Save Changes for Next Session", and OK to dismiss the dialog.

Now arm a track and press your sustain pedal, hold it, and play C3. Voila! SONAR starts recording. Press the sustain pedal and C3 again, and SONAR stops recording.

You can use the MIDI controller of your choice, or even another MIDI note, as the shift option. Choose something that's easy for you to remember and isn't something you'd ordinarily do while playing/recording. You wouldn't want to stop recording accidentally, just because you sustained a low C!

Getting warmer, but this is a little difficult if your hands are busy playing your instrument, which is why you'd want the pedal, right? I still like using auto-punch, but I can see some instances where a pedal would be nice.

I agree with Boogie. Autopunch is the way to go. Although there are those in this forum who don't agree for some crazy reason.

I'll grant you this is not the ideal approach to punching in/out. For that, auto punch is definitely the way to go. The key binding approach I outlined is useful when you are at your MIDI keyboard and away from your PC keyboard. Actions like Play, Stop, Record, etc., can be initiated from the MIDI controller.

Is there any way to start record Without using a midi key AND a peddle? I would like to start record from a roland drum pad by sending a note to sonar & binding that note to the record function One hiy on the pad & record kicks in to capture a good jam groove. Another hit for pause etc....Right now, one of the musicians has to stop what they're doing to hit the "R" key.........not good for creativity.

short answer ... Yes. A single MIDI note may be bound to Transport | Record and used to start/stop recording.

long answer ... You don't need a MIDI note and a pedal, but note that any time you hit that note SONAR will start/stop recording. The pedal is used as a sort of "shift" key, meaning the only time it's interpreted as a start/stop recording command is when it's accompanied by the shift key, in this case, a pedal. This gives you the ability to play the note during recording. Without the shift key modifier, any time you hit the note recording will start or stop.

Gang,

Thanks for the responses. Tom, thank you. That's pretty cool of Cakewalk to respond to its customers like this.

I didn't make it clear, but it's when I'm recording guitar parts that I'm looking to punch in via pedal. In a way, it's unfortunate that I can't just use the sustaing pedal to start recording. The sustain pedal would merely shift into the mode where hitting midi note C, or whatever note, starts record, as opposed to creating an event.

However, the post about using a drum trigger gives me an idea for a potential workaround. I have a Roland vdrum set, and I could use the bass drum pedal to trigger the midi note that starts recording, right?

I also have a Peavey midi pedal board that goes with their guitar effects processor. I wonder if it can be set to transmit midi notes.

ORIGINAL: jerrye
I also have a Peavey midi pedal board that goes with their guitar effects processor. I wonder if it can be set to transmit midi notes.

It should be able to transmit controller messages. Do the footpads only change programs, or can they also turn on/off individualy effect blocks on the processor? For example, I have the ART X-15 controller. In addition to bank and program changes, I can activate direct mode. In this mode, each footpad sends a controller message to the processor. ART (and my Alesis) processors interpret this to turn on/off a single effect. Anyway, you could definitely bind that controller to transport commands.

Hi again. I've tried to get sonar to record using a roland SPD8 (midi drums), roland RD-300 (piano) & a yamaha DX7, with & without the sustain peddle & midi note. I've set up everything in the keybindings menu & that looks ok (a line joining the key/note with an astrix to the function) All for not. Sonar won't respond to anything I try from midi. It worked flawlessly with the computer keyboard. BTW, I did enable the midi & save changes. I've shut down sonar & reopened, rebooted......AHHHHH. Am I doing something wrong?