who here starts every project the same way ?
you open up preferences, you change some settings, like the metronome,EXC.
then you go to to screen sets, set a few of those up.
then you go to session drummer or superior drummer, or BFD and set up all your outputs.
by the time you start working you've spent 10 minutes setting up ?
 
like I said, even if you open up every project with no tracks and just want to save your settings,
the vid is worth checking out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJmu4pqZthU
 
 
 

hellogoodbye
Just out of curiosity: can Track Templates be backed up easily? For whenever you get a new computer?

yes you can, the file is tiny too, so you can save 20 of them with a file size under 1 megabyte.
 
the file extension for cakewalk project templates is .CWT
and are stored in C:\Cakewalk Content\SONAR X2 Producer\Project Templates.
 
the track template extension is .CWX is stored in C:\Cakewalk Content\SONAR X2 Producer\Track Templates.

Charlie, I appreciated your video.
 
One of the things I use a ton is saved Pro Channel settings. This is separate from the Project Templates and Track Templates, but also pretty useful.
 
This works for me because I tend to record for hours and then mix the whole project one song at a time without splitting it into lots of different projects. So, after mixing the first 4 songs using one set of FX and etc, and the musician changes instruments and I'm going to make lots of more changes for the next songs, but I might also want to go back to the first 4... I'll export the PC into a folder for the project.
 
I know no one else works this way. I pretty much ignore project tempo for most of my projects. :-) I use project templates to change the timeline to Hour Minutes Seconds rather than measures and beats since none of my friends will tolerate a metronome. :-)
 
I know one day I'll meet someone who likes a metronome, but I'm pretty much the only one of my friends willing to work with it.

I have three project templates for the genres I play a lot (fingerstyle guitar, jazz, blues) but I tend to just use my Normal template which has two tracks set up for acoustic guitar and two for electric. As others have said it is kind of hard to pre-determine what I want to do but my Normal template gets me going on a typical project which for me is probably going to be writing a new song.  I do use track templates a lot though and not just for drums, I have various soft synths pre-configured and ready to go such as a Kontakt organ, Rhodes, acoustic piano; Battery with different set-ups etc. and so on.
 
That said, IMO there is something to be said for just experimenting with instruments and, for that matter, FX. In the end it's all good, and it is really nice to be able to have so much capacity at our fingertips.
 
Regards,

I usually start up with my modified "normal" template. No tracks browser and browser and multidock minimized. Project templates never seen to be quite right so I like to start as bare as possible.
 
I have a growing number of track templates, mainly for multi out scenarios with busses. This includes several for Superior Drummer and Neil Peart drums in Kontakt.
 

gswitz
Charlie, I appreciated your video.
 
One of the things I use a ton is saved Pro Channel settings. This is separate from the Project Templates and Track Templates, but also pretty useful.
 
This works for me because I tend to record for hours and then mix the whole project one song at a time without splitting it into lots of different projects. So, after mixing the first 4 songs using one set of FX and etc, and the musician changes instruments and I'm going to make lots of more changes for the next songs, but I might also want to go back to the first 4... I'll export the PC into a folder for the project.
 
I know no one else works this way. I pretty much ignore project tempo for most of my projects. :-) I use project templates to change the timeline to Hour Minutes Seconds rather than measures and beats since none of my friends will tolerate a metronome. :-)
 
I know one day I'll meet someone who likes a metronome, but I'm pretty much the only one of my friends willing to work with it.

that's very interesting.
and creative.
I work using tempo but also use minutes and time to keep a close eye on project time.
I like having both.
 
im also a big saver of the pro channel presets.
the ones that cake offers aren't to bad either.

I also use both.
 
I find I use track templates more often cuz the full templates have too much stuff, and I have to delete, and then add some of the newer track template stuff,...
 
I have a bunch of track templates for loading synth configs with dimension pro (strings, horns, organ), vsampler (hammer dulcimer, bells, choir voices, pianos),... guitars, vocals, purc,...
 
And: i have a track template folder that has all of these to add to an empty project.
 
What is great about track templates is the buses and routing are included. So, I have a track template with a bunch of sends that creates the bus structure I cherish most.
 
What is still way stupid is still not being able to save and load data with track templates. Even PT has provision for importing tracks (with all settings/routing,...) from other projects. Reaper has track templates with data I/O.     6+ years and Sonar still does not?
 
To me this is another example of a feature that is not completely implemented.
 
An example:  I have 3 versions of a project that have 3 versions of the samples/tracks used for each midi/audio rhythm.  I want to export the tracks with data and ALL settings to then combine them for further joy and happiness.  But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.   
 
 

jm24
I also use both.
 
I find I use track templates more often cuz the full templates have too much stuff, and I have to delete, and then add some of the newer track template stuff,...
 
 

they don't need to, you can have a custom blank project template with no tracks, nothing.
remember you can always set up your preferences the way you like them, screensets the way you like them and then save that as a project template.
 
that means your new project template has no tracks, nothing, just your set up setting (screentsets,preferences,EXC.)