Please let me know if there is a simple way to do this.
 
I have multiple projects i'm transferring from my old recorder to mix.  Many of these tracks are stereo sources like stereo keyboard, stereo mics, stereo mixes etc.   All of these files are recorded as 2 mono tracks panned left and right.  I want to convert each stereo pair of mono tracks to a single stereo track on Sonar X1.  The reason is so the EQ, level, panning, fx sends, etc can be controlled by 1 knob, slider, etc.
 
(the following is sort of a feature request to make one of these methods work)
Attempt 1:   Select the 2 tracks, right click, select "convert to stereo"..   Creates 2 tracks that look stereo but are acutally mono sound.
Attempt 2:   Select the 2 clips, right click select "convert to stereo track"..    No such option
Attempt 3:   Select the 2 tracks,  look for option to link tracks as a stereo pair..  No such option
Attempt 4:   Select the 2 tracks,  select File\export\audio,  select source category "Tracks",  Select channel format "Stereo"  woohoo almost there..  Click "Export", get message back explaining it will create 2 files.   Result is 2 Mono files that appear stereo.
 
Attempt 5 (this worked):  Mix the tracks to a bus....., then export the bus as a stereo file.... Then import  back to the project.     I don't really like this option as it's too many steps and appears it process the files more than necessary.  If I'm doing this to a master mix Left and Right I would prefer to simply combine the left and right into a stereo file with no unnecessary "mixing" or processing. 
 
 
 
 

martinv

...then export the bus as a stereo file.... Then import  back to the project.

Instead of exporting and re-importing, just use "Bounce to Track" (via the Edit menu) to created a new track from your submix.

Similar to as the guy above said...


first, make sure the tracks are panned left/right respectively,
second, select those two tracks,
third, Edit>Bounce to track

You should now have a stereo file made up of the combined two tracks.

Iron Keys


Similar to as the guy above said...


first, make sure the tracks are panned left/right respectively,
second, select those two tracks,
third, Edit>Bounce to track

You should now have a stereo file made up of the combined two tracks.

^^^^ THIS!!

I'm willing to bet a case of beer that they are either a) both panned centrally, or b) were never stereo to start with

Sorry it's not cold,,, but then you might like it that way right?

Iron Keys


Similar to as the guy above said...


first, make sure the tracks are panned left/right respectively,
second, select those two tracks,
third, Edit>Bounce to track

You should now have a stereo file made up of the combined two tracks.

It appears this option is not avaialbe in Sonar X1 Producer?.   I found a bounce to track option in the 'Tracks' menu, but this created 2 files.   One file was the Left track that was converted into a false stereo track as it contained the Left channel on both the left and right waveform,  the 2nd file was the same, but it contained the right track on both the left and right waveform. 
 
I'm trying to get this to work   [****UPDATE*** I did get this to work by checking "Track Automation" under the "Mix Enables" options. This must have been disabling the PAN controls. However, I would still like to do this process without bouncing, exporting, importing..] 
    but the result is a stereo track that actually has the same signal recorded to left and right, and it still seems like too many steps:
1.  Select the tracks,
2.  Pan the tracks left/right,
2.1 Make sure the levels are at unity, 
3.  Setup a bus that only has these 2 tracks routed
4.  set the bus to unity.
5.  Select Tracks>Bounce to Track(s)>
6.  Select Source Category: Buses
7.  Select the Bus that you setup to bounce to under 'Source Buses'
8.  (not sure if this is required)  Under "Mix Enables",  uncheck Track FX
9.  Click OK 
 
What would be nice is if you could drag and drop a clip onto another channel and have an option to convert to stereo, or select 2 tracks and select "convert to stereo".  
 

Bristol_Jonesey

Iron Keys


Similar to as the guy above said...


first, make sure the tracks are panned left/right respectively,
second, select those two tracks,
third, Edit>Bounce to track

You should now have a stereo file made up of the combined two tracks.

^^^^ THIS!!

I'm willing to bet a case of beer that they are either a) both panned centrally, or b) were never stereo to start with

I hope it is something simple like this, but I have confirmed it is not "a)" or "b)".
a)  I can see the pan knobs,  one is full Left 100%, the other is full right 100%.
b)  In my current example I have a double tracked acoustic guitar rhythm, the stereo effect is very obvious when panned/unpanned. 
 
Is there a way to import  2 mono audio files into a single stereo track?  

I'm now curious, if you try exporting your whole track, does it give you one stereo file? Or do you get like endless amounts of stereo files when you try to export your whole track?

'cause if you're able to bounce down your whole track into one file, you should be able to do the same with just 2 tracks, using whatever method you're exporting your whole project with...

Iron Keys


I'm now curious, if you try exporting your whole track, does it give you one stereo file? Or do you get like endless amounts of stereo files when you try to export your whole track?

'cause if you're able to bounce down your whole track into one file, you should be able to do the same with just 2 tracks, using whatever method you're exporting your whole project with...

It seems to me you use the word "track" when you actually mean "project"??
 
In any project ALL the tracks should go through the master bus. When the source for exporting is set to "Master", you always get one stereo wav as result, if you've selected "stereo".
 
If you set "Tracks" as the source, you can get every track in separate wav, if you choose.
 
There's actually nothing complicated in this. It's all explained quite clearly in the Reference Guide.

OK, here is the latest info:
 
I can get a true stereo track of two mono tracks using either the export/import or the Bounce to tracks, IF i get all the settings correct.   Both of these methods require me to route the tracks through a BUS, and get the correct "Mix Enables" settings. 
 
I still CANNOT bounce 2 mono tracks to get a single stereo track created without routing through a BUS.   I get 2 stereo tracks, one of these is the left channel, the other is the right channel.  On the left channel the right waveform is blank and vice versa.
(This is if I have the "Mix Enables" option "Track Automation" selected.  If it is not selected I still get 2 stereo looking tracks but both left and right waveforms are the same).
 
So the only way that works is to route the tracks through a BUS, then bounce the BUS to a track.    This works fine and makes sense how I would do things in the analog world,  but was hoping for a convenient digital solution.  I would like a simpler option as I will be doing this a lot for several projects i'm working on until i'm finished with all the projects on my previous DAW/machine (Mackie HDR 24/96).   Another option I may look into is trying to convert the files into stereo before the initial import into SONAR.   Let me know if you have any ideas.
 
Thanks,
Martin