Hi all, I am a newbie to Sonar X1 so excuse my naviete :) I have a two-part question. 1. How do I import WAV tracks into Sonar? I have lots of old song projects from other DAWs and gear that I've owned that I have saved with each track as WAVs, that want to import into Sonar. 2. How do I import full backing tracks that are already done (e.g. Karaoke or instrumental) tracks into Sonar? I have a friend who is doing a Christmas project, and a few of the songs she wants to use, already have finished tracks. thanks for the help, Ryan

1.  Your post indicates you are using X1, and yet your import question is for X2.  No problem - if it is one or the other you are going to want to figure that out, and it is both cool too.
2.  Cakewalk X1 and X2 both allow direct importing of WAV formatted files.  You just insert an audio track, select it, then click on File>Import>Audio.  Sonar will bring in the WAV file on the track you had selected.
3.  Your old projects can be opened in X1 or X2 - I would NOT recommend doing that, as it exposes the old projects to accidentally getting saved in the newer version of Sonar, when you may decide you did not want to actually do that.

        I would recommend that you create a folder within your Cakewalk Projects folder called 'Prehistoric Projects' or something to indicate that the contents came from some prior release.  Then move all of the old projects into this archive folder and begin a conversion process.  The conversion process would involve copying back one of the older projects into the Cakewalk Projects folder (yes I know they were already there, but bringing them back one at a time doesn't make you guess as to where you left off).  You would work on converting each project only within the regular Cakewalk Projects folder, so that you preserve your original oldies/moldies.  You would likely be swapping out plugins and remixing projects - that is really the conversion - and over time all of your projects will be upgraded to the newer version of Sonar.  You could also take advantage of newer functionality as you are editing each project.



4.  I am not sure I understand your differentiation for bringing in finished tracks.  You would import individual tracks (songs?) in an import audio step - to load up an audio track in the newer Sonar with each finished track for a given song, then mix down when finished.  If each one is its own finished song, they would simply occupy one track within the new project in the newer Sonar.


Does that answer your questions?  Or, did I fall and hit my head again?


Bob Bone

If they are done and WAV files, just drag and drop them onto a track.

X1 will do it for ya from there

Wow - I never do drag and drop - guess I'll start now.  I always did an import.

Thanks, 

Bob Bone

Yeah dragging and droppping WAV's  to and from the Browser is sweet. So simple. the hard part is finding where the heck you put it.

Yup
Dont even have to do it from the Browser

Can be directly from iTunes, My Documents, where-ever straight on to the track

Thanks, Glenn - I learn soooo much from this forum.

Bob Bone

And if the WAVs are showing up in weird places on the timeline, it could be that they are Broadcast WAV files. In that case, in SONAR, choose Edit > Preferences, choose the File > Audio Data category and then remove the check mark next to the option called Always Import Broadcast Waves At Their Timestamp.

Now when you drag-and-drop a file, it will be placed at the mouse position.

Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
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You can also export the tracks as waves from the other DAW's/software to a folder on your desktop.... I highly recommend creating a new folder for each different song project..... export them to it, and then import them into a new X1 project..... 

I have used drag and drop as well as the X! import file function quite well.  My normal process to move waves cross platform from unrelated programs is to create the folder and export them to it, then into Sonar in two stages.... it only takes a minute or two to do it this way, and I have the files in the folder if anything screws up...I can import them again without effort. 

Be sure the BPM is set correctly and the timeline is at the fully reset position. This way, everything should line up properly.

  No what I meant is that I have projects saved from older equipment - I was a Tascam DP-08 and 2488 user before this - so I have all of the individual WAV tracks for each song off of the hard drive of those workstations. As far as "finished" tracks go, I'm talking about like full-band instrumental tracks (almost like karaoke) that would be used for a singer to just record vocals over.