Sonar Demonstration: Jim Lucas: February, 2003


This demo will have two sections: one dedicated to "How to Learn Sonar" and the other a "Demonstration of Basic Sonar Audio Tools".
 

How to Learn Sonar

Get a Free Trial/Demo version:
    From Cakewalk's web site at http://www.cakewalk.com/download/
    From the CD-Rom of "Quickstart Sonar" or "Quickstart Sonar 2" (see Books, below)

Join a group like those at http://groups.yahoo.com
    Cakewalk Sonar (a large group, including Scott Garrigus) at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CakewalkSonar
        Note: use Internet etiquette (wait a while before you post)

Check out Cakewalk's web site at http://www.cakewalk.com/
    Join/attend the Sonar User Group
        Illinois - Chicago Chapter: Regional forum meetings will resume in the near future.
        Location: Columbia College Audio Technology Center, 676 N. LaSalle, Studio H, Chicago, IL
    Use the Online Sonar Support at
        http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/SONAR/default.asp

Look on the web for all kinds of support:
    You can buy Acid Loops online (advantage: you own the copyright) at
       http://www.sonicfoundry.com/loop_libraries/ondemand.asp
   Get Recording Info/Help at web sites/mailing lists such as:
      ProRec.com: http://www.prorec.com
      Home Recording: http://homerecording.about.com
   Learn about MP3s at web sites/mailing lists such as:
      MP3: http://mp3.about.com

Use the SONAR Help files:
    E.g., Search: Loop, Audio

Read/buy Books:
   "Cakewalk Power!" and "Cakewalk 2 Power!"by Scott R. Garrigus (at http://www.amazon.com)
       Very readable and helpful book.  Well worth the money. Online reviewers at Amazon rate it very highly.

   "QuickStart: Sonar" and "QuickStart: Sonar 2" by Craig Anderton
       Not really a book, more like an article.  But still, very helpful, especially the CD-ROM.

   "Cakewalk Sonar Made Easy" by Caroline J. Whitear (Illustrator), Peter Lawrence Alexander (Contributor)
       Please note: I have not read or used this book.

   "Cakewalk SONAR: Plug-Ins & PC Music Recording, Arrangement, and Mixing" by Roman Petelin, Yury Petelin
              Please note: this book is NOT recommended!

   "Home Recording Power!" by Ben Milstead (Chapter 14)
       Chapter 14 is a Sonar Tutorial.

Demonstration of Basic Sonar Audio Tools:

This demo is being run on a Dell Inspiron 7000 laptop, with Windows 98 OS (Second Edition), a Pentium II processor, and 128 MB of Ram.  The headset is a Plantronics that I got from MicroCenter for about 30 dollars, and the amp is a Yamaha Monitor Speaker MS202.  The laptop currently has Sonar, version 1.3 (latest version as of this writing is 2.2).

My 'prosumer' home setup is a PowerSpec Pentium 4 PC (1.5 Ghz and 384 MB RAM) with Windows XP Home Edition, a Creative Audigy Ex soundcard , a RODE NT1 microphone, and a Behringer Eurorack MX 802A mixer/preamp.  Although I purchased Sonar XL, I don't think you'll need/use the 'extra stuff' for audio.   I recommend the 'plain' version of Sonar.  The current price at http://www.sweetwater.com is $ 299.97.

If at all possible, turn off all "System Sounds".  I.e., choose the "No Sounds" scheme in the Control Panel/Sounds. Otherwise, you will probably have some sudden loud sounds jumping out of your speakers/headset when a Windows 'error' occurs, etc.

I recommend you make your own templates, such as as 'Audio Template'.
     To do so, go to File/New/Audio Only
     Then, Disable  the Metronome
     (Optionally, Disable Snap to Grid?)
     (Optionally, Change Time Code?)
     Place it on the desktop or easily found location, such as C:Program Files/Cakewalk/SONAR 1
     This file is available at Yahoo Groups at NEIUSonar (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEIUSonar)
     Open it, then use the  "File/Save As" menu option

Become comfortable with the Transport Buttons
    Play
    Rewind
    Now Time

Learn the Tools (Note: these vary somewhat with v. 1, 1.02, 1.3, etc.)
     Select
        Move vertical bar separating Track Pane and Clip Pane
        (Change dB meters)
        Fade in, etc. (non destructive)
        Select

     Split
        Split
        Move
        Undo
     Scrub
     Envelope
     Zoom
     (Envelope Offset Mode)
     Snap to Grid

Play with the Effects
     Right Click: FX/Audio Effects/Cakewalk

Outside of Sonar, Capture the Audio
     CD
          Cakewalk Pyro
          MusicMatch
     Other
          MusicMatch
          Sonar

Importing Types of Audio
     Types:
     Loop (Acid): Use the Loop Explorer
     WAV/MP3, etc.: Use the File/Import Audio menu option
          WAV
          MP3
    Note: you can also import video!

Sonar File Types:
     .wrk
     .bun
     .mid

Cables and Connections:
     RCA
     mini
     1/4 inch

CD vs. CD ROM

MIDI?

Recording Voice
   Windows Mixer (Settings/Control Panel/Sounds and Multimedia/) and Headphones are required to avoid feedback.

Fade in/out

Mixing/Automation

Bounce to tracks

Export WAV
 

Some Guidelines I've Learned

Have fun
You're learning skills that will make you employable
Get your own ax
Remember where you 'put stuff'
    Create directories, etc.
Backup your work
Become a self-learner
    Schedule a demo
    Join or form a group
    Many people use a collaborator/friend
 
MLRC Items: you may have to keep the size of imported audio files down to a small size.

This page may be found at http://www.neiu.edu/~jalucas/sonardemo.html