Good day!  Just want to see if I'm out to lunch on this.

Creating a finalized vocal track from takes seems like chaos to me in Sonar.  I don't understand, because REAPER ($40) offers a Beautiful workflow.  If Sonar were to adopt it, it would truly stand alone as a one-stop-shop for DAWs...because it's just so damned awesome at everything else!

REAPER method:  The highlighted portion of any clip/take is the ONLY thing that plays, so... you Split to isolate what you want, Click the portion of clip you want to use (to activate it), and move the split to account for any phasing, and move on.  Split, Click, Move Split if necessary.  Once you "activate" one of the take portions, everything else vertical mutes.  It's PERFECT.  

SONAR method:  Everything is playing all at once... so, solo one of the tracks...is it good?  Ok now mute the rest (or exclusive-select tool)...oops, now there's overlap that doesn't work properly.  Fudge the muted section so it hopefully works nicely.  Still doesnt...try a "manual crossfade".  Ugh.  Oops there's a small piece of a lane that I forgot to mute...ok good, first line is now sounding okay.  Phew!  

So I ask:

Why on earth do Lanes play at the same time?  This "functionality" (?) is completely contrary to what the spirit of a lane should be.  Lanes are "versions" of ONE track.  At any given time, only ONE lane should ever be active.  Ever.  It's one track!  Lanes hold the potential 'pieces' of one track.  If you like the first two words of Take 3, split to isolate the first two words -- all the takes should split.  Click that piece -- it should mute every other take above/below it!  If there's phasing, simply move the split until you find a nice crossover point...and move on.  

I LOVE the lanes approach, but the way it is set up is basically overcomplicating and breaking a super useful new feature of Sonar X2.  It would be so simple to fix this!!!  Allow only one clip to ever be vertically-active, splits should split all the takes together, the split point should move together on all of them, and in no circumstance EVER should the takes ever play together... because why?

Thoughts?  :D

Choose the Mute tool from the Control Bar (instead of the Smart tool) then Ctrl+Drag across the region you'd like to hear.   That activates the "Isolation" mode, the opposite of Mute, and might do what you need.
 
If it does work, you can thank Karl for that one, otherwise known as FBB.  He seems to have a "talent" for finding nice usable workflows.    
 

This seems to be a common misunderstanding with a lot of SONAR users. You can use SONAR's "Isolate" feature exactly how you described in Reaper.

Maybe that feature is hidden deep in SONAR's manual, but it works and is great. Many claim SONAR lacks this work flow, but it does not, they just are not aware of all of SONAR's capabilities. Reading the manual, getting Scott Garrigus' SONAR Power books, or asking forum members if something is "possible" seems to be the thing to do rather than just assume the negative.

Just one SONAR users opinion. Take lanes could use a little tweaking, but I am liking them more than the layers. I know other feel the opposite and that is ok. Maybe SONAR can make both available or something down the road.

Just one SONAR users opinion. Take lanes could use a little tweaking, but I am liking them more than the layers. I know other feel the opposite and that is ok. Maybe SONAR can make both available or something down the road.

 
A big ole "+ 1" here!
 

nderstanding with a lot of SONAR users. You can use SONAR's "Isolate" feature exactly how you described in Reaper. Maybe that feature is hidden deep in SONAR's manual, but it works and is great. Many claim SONAR lacks this work flow, but it does not, they just are not aware of all of SONAR's capabilities. Reading the manual, getting Craig Anderton's SONAR Power books, or asking forum members if something is "possible" seems to be the thing to do rather than just assume the negative.

stevec

Just one SONAR users opinion. Take lanes could use a little tweaking, but I am liking them more than the layers. I know other feel the opposite and that is ok. Maybe SONAR can make both available or something down the road.

 
A big ole "+ 1" here!
 

Now that I know about the isolation method...I certainly like take layers a lot more. 

Sylvan
the manual, getting Craig Anderton's SONAR Power books, or asking forum members if something 

Hey Charles,


You mean Scott Garrigus' SONAR Power books, right? 
http://www.garrigus.com/powerbooks.asp


Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar ProAudioTutor video tutorial series: http://garrigus.com/?ProAudioTutor
* Publisher of the DigiFreq free music technology newsletter: http://digifreq.com/?DigiFreq
* Publisher of the NewTechReview free consumer technology newsletter: http://newtechreview.com/?NewTechReview

Who is Scott Garrigus?
 
 
 
 
 

stevec

Who is Scott Garrigus?
  

Just a poor, lowly, anonymous writer... 


Although, he did happen to write the first book about Cakewalk software... 


Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar ProAudioTutor video tutorial series: http://garrigus.com/?ProAudioTutor
* Publisher of the DigiFreq free music technology newsletter: http://digifreq.com/?DigiFreq
* Publisher of the NewTechReview free consumer technology newsletter: http://newtechreview.com/?NewTechReview

If you come back, perhaps you could change thread title to "SOLVED", please.

garrigus

Sylvan
the manual, getting Craig Anderton's SONAR Power books, or asking forum members if something 

Hey Charles,


You mean Scott Garrigus' SONAR Power books, right? 
http://www.garrigus.com/powerbooks.asp


Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com/
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar ProAudioTutor video tutorial series: http://garrigus.com/?ProAudioTutor
* Publisher of the DigiFreq free music technology newsletter: http://digifreq.com/?DigiFreq
* Publisher of the NewTechReview free consumer technology newsletter: http://newtechreview.com/?NewTechReview

 
 
 
Hey Scott, I am sorry, I totally blew it! Ha ha ha. I had just watched the Console Emulator video from Craig so his name was in my mind. But yes of course, The most excellent SONAR Power books are definately by you... Man, I feel lame now. Makes me look like I am not an experienced fan boy. I will regain my status soon... Ha ha.
I corrected my "typo".