I'm stumped!  I've used every version of Sonar (although hardly touched X1) and very excited about some of the user workflow features I saw in a video, so I purchased X2.

My question is this: how do I add an instrument track - from the browser?  I'm fairly certain X1 allowed you to see a list of soft synths on the right and drag one of them to an empty space and have it create the instrument track for you (much like Studio One does).   Am I correct?  If so, how?  

I know that all my VSTs are loaded because I can load old Sonar 8.5 projects that use them just fine, but the browser only seems to show the exact instruments that are already loaded in the project rather than all of the ones that are available.

Thanks in advance!

If you aren't seeing all your VST instruments, try running the plugin scanner.

You are correct, dragging an instrument from the browser into the clips pane will insert the instrument into the synth rack and allow you to choose which tracks, if any are created. i.e. Simple Instrument Track or a MIDI and associated audio tracks.

HTH

madfloyd


I'm stumped!  I've used every version of Sonar (although hardly touched X1) and very excited about some of the user workflow features I saw in a video, so I purchased X2.

My question is this: how do I add an instrument track - from the browser?  I'm fairly certain X1 allowed you to see a list of soft synths on the right and drag one of them to an empty space and have it create the instrument track for you (much like Studio One does).   Am I correct?  If so, how?  

I know that all my VSTs are loaded because I can load old Sonar 8.5 projects that use them just fine, but the browser only seems to show the exact instruments that are already loaded in the project rather than all of the ones that are available.

Thanks in advance!

If you are seeing the existing project instruments I think you may be looking at the Synth Rack tab and not the Plugins tab.  If you widen the browser a little the icons will change to include text.  Select the Plugins tab (the middle one) and the select the Instruments button.  This is where the soft synths / instruments should appear.  Drag one to the track view (an empty area) an release.  You will then get a dialogue asking if you wan ta simple instrument track or a specific source / output configurations.


Cheers


Grif

Thank you, Grif.  I did see the Plugins tab but it seemed to contain only some Cakewalk FX.  Didn't notice an instruments button within that.  I'll look for it!

The Browser does work in a very S1-ish way when dragging synths, FX or clips into the TV.   
 

madfloyd


Thank you, Grif.  I did see the Plugins tab but it seemed to contain only some Cakewalk FX.  Didn't notice an instruments button within that.  I'll look for it!

Ahhh, ok: you need to change the Menu Layout option. In the browser right+click the word "Plugins." You probably have "X2 Producer Effects" checked, change it back to "Default All Plugins." Now all of your effects will appear.


Then, to load an instrument, just click on the keyboard icon in the browser, pick your synth, and click and drag.

I think an exorcism would help your system - that's one FUNKY screen.

Yeah, it's hard to test when you can't even make the change.  DOH!

Well, at least you seem to have a work-around (I think).

Bob Bone