what i'm doing is trying to loop a clip of ocean waves for a film - the problem is that it keeps trying to sync to tempo i think. Obviously tempo is rather unimportant with that. It sounds like an overly stretched piece of audio, as if i've stretched the sound too far, so I'm trying to figure how to turn that part of sonar off in this partiuclar track, or even all of sonar, for this project.

For looping clips, you have an option which says something like "Clip follows project tempo" or something similar (sorry I don't have Sonar open in front of me).

You need to uncheck that and it should play 'as is'.

psychwardmedia


what i'm doing is trying to loop a clip of ocean waves for a film - the problem is that it keeps trying to sync to tempo i think. Obviously tempo is rather unimportant with that. It sounds like an overly stretched piece of audio, as if i've stretched the sound too far, so I'm trying to figure how to turn that part of sonar off in this partiuclar track, or even all of sonar, for this project.

Instead of trying to use Groove Clip Looping (right-click the clip and disable it which should cause it to return to it's original length), select and then Copy the audio. In your Snap settings enable Landmark and Audio Events. Place the cursor at the end of the audio clip, it should now snap right to it. Go to Process>Paste. In the dialog you'll see an option for "Repetitions" so you can have it repeat numerous times. No matter how many repetitions it will not increase the file size and you can always delete unneccessary copies later.
 
Alternately, throw it in any VST that supports samples. Set the sample to loop and then use a MIDI note to trigger it. The MIDI note should last as long as you want the sound to loop. The added benefit to this approach is you can trigger the sample at different pitches, overlap notes, or easily modulate them. This means, for example, wind/ocean sounds can easily be set to slightly raise and lowering pitch and or volume, get louder, softer, more intense...whatever you like. A very simple way to do this would be using the included DropZone softsynth. This also allows the use of Filters and LFO's to subtly (or dramatically) affect the sound in a natural way.

you could also try stretching some of the clips and shrinking some to remove the rhythmic effect that will inevitably occur when you do this type of thing.

Also try to over lap some of your clips and fade them in and out to mix things up a little,

Try inserting EQ on some of the clips, and adjust the amount of high or low, with a wide Q, this will also reduce the repeativeness.

Or you can still use the clip as a groove clip, but turn off "Follow Project Pitch" and "Enable Stretching" in the Loop Construction View so the original sound is not modified.

Don't make it a Groove Clip and just copy and paste it with as many repetitions as you need. 

I use Control L ( groove clip ) then I right click and bounce to clips , then I arrange using those bounced clips.. 

Open the inspector and un-tick "groove clip looping"

but i dont think thats your problem,it sounds like you have time stretched enabled on the clip.
untick that in the inspector as well.
once you untick time stretch,set up a 10 second loop,groove clip it and stretch it,it wont do what its doing now.

bvideo


Or you can still use the clip as a groove clip, but turn off "Follow Project Pitch" and "Enable Stretching" in the Loop Construction View so the original sound is not modified.

With Groove Looping activated "Enable Stretching" is not available as an option (greyed out) and "Follow Project Pitch" has no effect on the length of the clip. When you say the original file remains unmodified, have you actually tested and confirmed this before advising? It doesn't work for me.

thank you so much everyone, the overwhelming response has been very useful. I loved the idea of sampling and using pitch to subtly change the sound, but I don't get to play with my toys so much on this one, the director/producer is very decided on how he wants it to sound. I think I learned something from just about every post too. Thanks people.