In older versions of Cakewalk, there was a simple 'switch' in the transport tool area that enabled one to record MIDI at half-tempo or double-tempo without altering the tempo map. Is there still a simple way to do this in Sonar X1? I keep getting directed to the arppegiator, and that's just NOT the same thing!!! Note: Responses like 'man up and learn to play better' are not helpful - We're talking about doing a complex fully orchestrated piece, and I've found that recording at half-speed, while a learned skill, enables a reasonable facsimile of phrasing to be achieved while simulating non-keyboard instruments in rapid passagework.

I think that nice feature was removed from SONAR, probably because it was not compatible with projects containing audio tracks. As a lousy keyboard player I frequently need to record complex parts in slower tempo. I may add a tempo change to the end of the project and record a clip there at slower tempo and then move clip to the right place using Snap By Measures command.

That's kinda what I thought, but this is an absolute deal-breaker for me. I cannot BELIEVE I'm the only one who has a serious problem with this! I like your solution and will probably use it, even though it takes all context out of the equation. Thanks for responding! Mac

As I worked with PT some years ago, there could be easily record or play with half tempo without altering the tempo map. I found that very useful and miss such a feature in Sonar. So I put in an Idea on this to the bakery. Please vote for it if you find it useful too.
 
http://bakery.cakewalk.com/Idea/16596/Half-Tempo-Recording
 
greetings
Markus

Because of this very thing I always make sure to record all my midi parts before I record audio. I too often slow a song down to play difficult  keyboard parts.  I never use tempo maps so I'm fine. I guess a solution might be found in manipulating the tempo map, Not at my DAw but can you not highlight the whole tempo drawing and drag it down? 

Oh I'm so with you on this one. I still miss that feature, years later. The excuse of it not being compatible with audio tracks is, frankly, BS, because I'm perfectly capable of altering the tempo in my project by hand, then changing it back, so why can't that be automated? That is my "workaround" btw, if you could call it that. Another workaround I frequently use is this, which I know also completely sucks:
1. Say you're recording a flute track. Choose a single existing comping track that you can play back during recording, such as a piano
2. Solo the (empty) flute and piano
3. Select the clip in the piano over which you'll be recording
4. Edit the length of that clip to 200%, which makes it half as fast. Be sure to check both the Start Times and Durations boxes
5. Record your flute at half speed over the half-speed piano
6. Select both the piano clip you altered in step 4 and the newly recorded flute clip
7. Edit the length of both clips to 50%, restoring it to its correct tempo
8. Un-solo

mdages
As I worked with PT some years ago, there could be easily record or play with half tempo without altering the tempo map. I found that very useful and miss such a feature in Sonar. So I put in an Idea on this to the bakery. Please vote for it if you find it useful too.
 
http://bakery.cakewalk.com/Idea/16596/Half-Tempo-Recording
 
greetings
Markus

Upvoted.

I also would like to have this feature.
Just like a tape machine, playing half speed and 1 octave deeper.
Better is varispeed. So you can sing or play an instrument two tones deeper or higher without much effort.
 

This feature has been restored to Sonar; however, you have to look for it - it's not automatically placed on the control bar as it was in earlier versions. Open the keyboard bindings dialog and search for "tempo ratio." You can then assign the various ratios to custom keystrokes or to buttons in the custom module. Remember that these will not work unless your clock source is set to "internal."

To add to the above post, the clock is set to Internal by going Preferences > Project > Clock.
 
HOWEVER< I can add the Tempo Ratio 1,2,3 buttons to the Custom MOdule, but where do I actually set what those ratios should be?????