Hello, 
Question. I've transferred my old analog tape tracks to digital in Sonar X2. However, in the old days we would track the rhythm section (drums, bass) first on 8 tracks...mix down to 2 tracks on DAT, then transfer back to another section of tape and add the other tracks (keeping the original rhythm tracks).  This was done by many. Obviously, the drawback of that DAT mixdown is very evident...especially now in the "advanced" digital age. 
 
Now the possibility of going back and putting the original unmixed drum tracks back together with the second tape tracks (vox, guitars, etc) is what I am interested in doing, eliminating the losses from the DAT mix down. However, as you know the tracks play back does not match exactly (or even closely). 
 
Using audio snap, or another function, is it possible to line up the transients on the second generation tracks to match the original rhythm tracks? Or possibly even drop transient markers on the second generation tracks to align up the the first. 
 
I've been reading, but don't see anyone else referencing this issue. Thank You. 

it possible to line up the transients on the second generation tracks to match the original rhythm tracks?

If your just importing tracks into sonar that are not Broadcast wave files or that have not been exported form the same exact spot, you will need to manually line them up with your mouse

Yes it is possible, but hard.  Tape machines don't necessarily run at a constant speed.  There is wow and flutter.  So simply lining up the tracks may result in drift as the song goes along.  It depends upon the recording and playback.
 
I would start w/ the rhythm tracks and play them in first.  It should be easier to line up lead/vocals etc. if the rhythm is tight.
 
 Then You can cut and line up tracks as you go along.  But I don't know how well for entire multitracked songs will snap.  You can try.
 
@

First I'd use the Snap Offset feature to line the tracks up. Basically find the first beat of the drum tracks, put the now time at that point (best to have the audible beat slightly later than the measure marker than earlier) and set the Snap Offset for each track (you want these to be at the exact same point on each clip to preserve the phase relationship across the drum tracks). Then line up the offset point to the measure marker on the timeline you want the song to start at. Then repeat this process for the other tracks that were recorded to the mixdown. Then you'll have to check that the newer tracks line up through out the song because depending on the tape machine the recording speed might have changed. Hopefully that is not the case. If it is then us audio snap/transient markers/timestretching to fix it. It might be a simple case of inserting a user defined transient marker at the start and end of the newer clips and just moving the one at the end (using the timing tool I think) into place. You may however have to go through the whole song. Remember to clone the tracks before audio stretching so you can always go back if needed and also be sure to use the Offline Render after you have things lined up to get rid of any artifacts introduced by the stretching.
 
At least I think that's how it would be done.
 
Cheers.

Thanks for the assistance.
 
Anybody else want to chime in?....I appreciate everyone's knowledge 
 
It's easy to line up the first beat of the song...but as stated, the wow, flutter, and simple small change in tape speed diverges the two tracks....but I'll try doing it as stated above and see what happens. 
 

Yanno... it might actually be easier to use the newer tracks as your guide and line up the drum hits to that. I think drum transients might be easier to work with than more steady stuff like guitar, bass, vox and the rendering will probably turn out better. Take a look at the Cake TV webinar entitled Drum Production to see how that's done. Also you may want to create a tempo map that follows the song so you can use the time ruler as a guide for your corrections. You just have to listen to the track, find the downbeats, right click the time ruler, select Set Beat/Measure (or something like that) and the beat marker on the ruler will adjust itself to land on your beat. You can then look at the map by selecting Views from the global menus and Temp. The tempo map will load in the dock. It's time consuming but I'm finding having that reference very useful. Cheers and good luck.

You need to resolve the tape transport to video black burst while also deriving the digital clock from the same black burst to ensure that everything's running at a constant speed.  This will require the use of a synchronizer like a Timeline Lynx or similar device.  Your best bet is to try and transfer all analog tracks at the same time.
 
Another option is to print SMPTE to a track in Sonar and with the use of a synchronizer use Sonar as a "Code Only Master" and have the tape transport chase and resolve to the incoming LTC.
 
Rail

Oh and in the drum production webinar they are moving the individual transient one at a time (well the group of transients). It might be easier to use the Timing Tool to fix whole sections at once. In theory it will stretch the time between two transients evenly but you have to disable all the transients in between (lasso, right click a marker and select disable). That might compensate for the tape lag if it is even. Maybe not. Either way those are some things to look at. I have yet to get to these functions yet but I've been studying the heck out of them.
 

@rail...
 
That's all Greek to me but I wanted to say hi.
 
Hi.
 
;-)
 
edit: I seem to have overlooked a very important question. Do you still HAVE this tape machine or at least access to it? Then it should be easy to just use the clock of the machine to sync the tracks which I think is kind of what Rail is referring to. I have never done this or worked with tape aside from old Tascam/Fostex units but between the manual for the machine and learning how to make Sonar use it's clock (setting Sonar to External Clock) you should be able to sync this without any futzing about with the waves.

I'm doing all my old stuff. 
1. 80's stuff was tracked with a Tascam 38. I recently purchased a Tascam ATR 60-8 machine (I wish I had this in the 80's..it's incredible) to do the playback...and still have it. 
 
2. then moved in early 90 to Otari MX-7800 1" 8 track....still have it.   Sounds incredible as you can imagine...a bear to keep the channels running. 
 
So, yes I still have the machines. working the tascam now. 
 
using the Antelope Orion 32 to do the transfer with sonar X2. works perfect. 
 
Not sure I'm clear on the syncing the machine to Sonar...but I can look deeper into this.