Hi,
 
I am new to Sonar.
I am using an Audient ID4 Interface.
 
 
I want to understand better  how to use Sonar.
 
Example 1
when I create an AUX Track and insert a Reverb
I only can hear the reverb when the Echo Input Monitoring is engage.
If I have an audio Track  also sounds Better with Echo Input Monitoring in engage. and also  there is no the latency.
 
Coming from Pro Tools I never had that Echo Input Monitoring.
Example 2
I wanted to just make a Balance and be able to record my vocals,  now I have to use the balance  between the ID4 and DAW (Sonar)  to get the balance I want in my headphones.
What I used to do in Pro Tools  was to just make a balance in the DAW (including the mic input) with the faders  and that was reproduce in my headphones.
 
I do not know if that is possible with sonar so I can have in  Audient ID4   the balance full to DAW and just balance the track and Mic input in Sonar.
 
 
So what really is the Echo Input Monitoring ?
 
Do you have to use it all the time?  also  while Mixing??  because as I said  the reverb only goes thru when the Echo Input Monitoring is  engage.
 
Thanks!!
 

Input echo routes (or echoes) the input signal and any plug-ins on that data stream to the output designated for the track. It is most often used when recording MIDI using soft synths. However, it also works for audio tracks (remember an aux track is just an audio track with a patch point for an input).
 
In example 1 input echo is required because there is no data in the track to playback. In order to hear the affected input, input echo must be enabled.
 
In example 2 input echo is required because you have the balance on the interface set to only monitor the DAW. Input echo would not be required if you used the monitor mix control on audio interface interface.
 
Input echo usually is not used when mixing because the clips are already recorded in the tracks and the track inputs are no longer used. NOTE: example 1 is an exception.
 
 

Probably someone with ProTools can explain you in other words, but:
a) do not use AUX tracks, use buses. AUX tracks was recently introduced in Sonar, mostly to allow recording soft synth live. They can be used for other purpose, but Sonar "native" way are buses. Major (and the only) difference: buses can not have recorded material.
2) a track can have 2 sources for sounds: recorded and live. Recorded is always played (till you mute the track), while live can be controlled separately, with "Echo".
 
So, you enable "Echo" when you want live sound go "throw" the track to the output.
 
AUX track, the way you use it, is a bus. So you need set "Echo on" even during playback to it from another track. The sound already recorded into that another track is still "live" for AUX track! Since buses have no recorded material, they always work "live" and "Echo" flag make no sense. You can think it is always On for buses.
 

Without getting into the specific use cases and gear you mentioned (and I won't go into the MIDI input Echo... only the audio because that seems to be what you are looking for)...
 
1) The Echo/Input Monitoring function simply allows you to hear the audio incoming from whatever sound source you have the track's "Input" set to (example: an input on your audio interface or in the case of an Aux Track the output of another track in the project)
 
2) This is ONLY for live monitoring of the input. For example if I want to record my guitar from Input 1 on my interface I would set the track input to draw signal from that physical Input. Of course as I record I'll usually want to HEAR that signal as I play and the signal is recorded. HOWEVER the signal from my guitar/interface will be recorded whether I have Input Echo engaged or not. If it's turned off I just won't be able to hear the incoming signal AS I PLAY/Record. As soon as the recording is done though then the new audio clip will be audible upon playback.
 
3) Some audio interfaces have something called "Direct Monitoring" which is sometimes referred to as "Zero Latency Monitoring". It sounds like your interface may be one such device. When you have the interface's Direct Monitoring function engaged you do not need the Input Echo button engaged. In fact you do NOT want it engaged because then you'd be getting two signals. One from the Direct Monitoring from the interface and the second from the SONAR track. Since the "Direct Monitoring" signal is usually more akin to a straight hardware feed (like from a mixing board) it is not going to pass through the same buffering as the signal from your Sonar track so there may be "latency" between the two (ie: the Direct Monitor signal will have virtually "Zero" latency whereas the signal from the Sonar track may have a delay of X amount of milliseconds (depending on your buffer settings). So the DM signal is "instant" but the sound from the Sonar track can have a 6 or 12 or 20 millisecond delay. This will cause a (usually) undesirable "delay" effect and even if you LIKE the sound of that delay it will not be reflected in the recorded material (you would want to use a delay plugin or other tools/techniques to recreate that delay if you are so inclined).
 
4) Direct Monitoring completely bypasses any effects you have added to the Sonar track or any downstream busses. So let's say I am recording a dry guitar signal and want to use an amp simulator as I record I would need to disable the Direct Monitoring, insert the amp sim into the target Sonar track's FX Bin and make sure Input Echo is engaged on the track. This way all the signal I hear is going directly through the amp sim I've inserted on the track (as well as any other effects). If I left the Direct Monitoring engaged then I would hear both the "dry" guitar signal from the interface AND the amp sim signal at the same time (as well as any buffer related delay/latency). Obviously that is undesirable.
 
5) After tracking/recording is completed turn OFF the track's Echo Input so you are not hearing any unnecessary noise from your live input as you mix or record into other tracks. Example: If I leave my guitar plugged into my interface input and leave the track's Input Echo engaged then any hiss/string noise/etc will be audible while the recorded clip plays back. Like the recorded clip will play but if I nudge my guitar I will hear the string noise. So just turn it off when you are done recording and no longer need to monitor the live input.
 
I could go on but hopefully that's a good start for you to figure out what you want/need to do.
 
I might be back later.
 
Cheers and welcome.

Thank you guys, amazing how fast and how helpful this forum is!
 
How I sould set the input mpnitoring if I want to put a Virtual Piano  and 2 Midi tracks  going to that Virtual nstrument track?
 
How you would set this situation to record ?
 
 

If the virtual instrument was added to the project with only MIDI and audio tracks, then the MIDI tracks would need input echo enabled. If the VI was added using an instrument track and a MIDI track then the instrument and MIDI tracks would need input echo enabled.