Stone House Studios
It really shouldn't be that much of an issue to have a sliding reference point so that the bar/measure you are on, actually corresponds to the bar/measure of the song!
The tape analogies are about how you can't begin before you start - I guess I just find that amusing.
It is interesting how dependent we have become on our eyes for something that we experience through our ears, now that you mention it!
Brian
Hey Brian -
Not to be argumentative, but there's a difference between playing a song and recording a song... for example, an organic recording of a song is not going to have everyone starting EXACTLY on the first click, of the first beat, of the first measure. Some will be a split second early, some a split second late. The inability for Sonar to start
recording prior to bar 1 means any interesting things happening, or someone coming in with a little lead in prior to the downbeat on the first measure (during the count in) is truncated and thus feels inorganic and less real.
I'm actually arguing the same point you are, except I believe the markers in the machine should represent the actual measures of the song.