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Beginner's Guide To Setting Up SONAR

Booting up music production software for the first time can be a daunting task. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the menus, tools and buttons. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to learn the basics of SONAR, check out this brief Getting Started Guide by the folks of the JSONAR Project. Here you will learn how to incorporate SONAR into your studio environment by choosing the correct options for audio setup, MIDI controllers and hardware, and default locations on your computer for your audio files. You’ll also get a simple tutorial on SONAR’s various project views and how to setup your first multitrack recording project.

The JSONAR Project is a one-of-a-kind resource for finding JAWS scripts for SONAR. JAWS is a visual aid for blind SONAR users. The program provides the visually-impaired  with a screen reader and Braille display, assisting them in the music-making process. This page is full of great tips and links for all SONAR users.

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Configuring the ACT MIDI Controller Plug-in

Setting up Active Controller Technology (ACT) with your software through the ACT MIDI Controller plug-in requires 6 basic steps. This tip will take you through 6 essential steps:

– Enabling the correct MIDI input driver for your controller/surface.

– Enabling the ACT MIDI Controller plug-in in the Controllers/Surfaces dialog.

– Loading the correct preset in the control panel of your hardware controller/surface.

– Opening the ACT MIDI Controller property page, selecting the name of your controller/surface in the Presets window, and enabling the Active Controller Technology Enable button.

– This step is optional if your controller/surface has a preset in the ACT MIDI Controller property page (not optional if your controller/ surface doesn’t have a preset): Mapping knobs and sliders on your controller/surface to cells in the ACT MIDI Controller property page.

– Optional: Mapping the cells in the ACT MIDI Controller property page to various parameters in your effect and synth plug-ins.

Watch the More Reasons to Love SONAR- ACT Part 1 & 2 tutorials

Use our Step by Step Guide to Configure ACT with your MIDI controller

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Choosing The Right Audio Hardware For Your Computer

Cakewalk makes setting up your computer for audio production easier as our software products are designed to work with any audio hardware that supports standard Windows drivers; providing you with the widest range of hardware choices available. These day’s its common for the audio device to be built into your PC’s motherboard, which is commonly referred to as an integrated audio device, such as a MME or WDM.

Whether your PC came with an integrated device or has an actual audio card installed by the factory, the results are about the same. These devices are usually designed for very basic media playback, such as playing an audio CD or listening to MP3 files. We’ve created the What Audio Hardware Do I Need? guide to help you find the audio hardware best-suited for your Cakewalk-based recording system.