sonar producer questions

[thehook]

I got number 4 and am wondering how to multi track...I have a pre recorded guitar and vocal track and want to add harmonica and then banjo I want to be able to play and hear the recording through my speakers and record over the top while it is playing (a seperate track) how do I do this?

 

[dachay2tnr]

I got number 4 and am wondering how to multi track...I have a pre recorded guitar and vocal track and want to add harmonica and then banjo I want to be able to play and hear the recording through my speakers and record over the top while it is playing (a seperate track) how do I do this?

If you playback the pre-recorded tracks over speakers, they will be picked up by your mic and be recorded along with your harmonica/banjo on the new track.

You should use headphones, rather than speakers.

Essentially what you want to do is to set-up a new track in Sonar. Select the appropriate input for that track (i.e., the input connection in your sound card that your mic/pre-amp is plugged into). Then arm that track, click the Record button on your transport, and play your ass off.

 

[thehook]

ok....so I think I can plug regular headphones into the sound in on my card (size looks right) can I have the original track playing and have a new track recording the new stuff? I am sorry I think you just told me but how does it work again?

 

[dopey]

every little step

you'll want to make sure that you uncheck the 'R' for record on the old tracks so you don't accidentally record on that track (although depending how you have it set it won't delete the old track, but you can set it to do that). Then make a new audio track, go to it on the event view (where you see the waveforms etc), select which input you want to use for it, hit 'R' to arm it for recording, and then hit the record button up top. You might also want to hit the little wave button on the track to monitor it while you record, but depending on your soundcard you might get a lot of latency and not wanna do that. Hmmm, I guess you also need to make sure that the old tracks are using an output that is active or you won't hear them. each track has a selector for input and output. I don't think i'm leaving anything out. hope this helps, sonar is complicated to use at first, but it's WELL worth it once you get used to it (it's really the best for multitracking, and all around).

 

[Trumpspade]

ok....so I think I can plug regular headphones into the sound in on my card (size looks right) can I have the original track playing and have a new track recording the new stuff? I am sorry I think you just told me but how does it work again?

I don't think you want to plug headphones into sound in on your card....What do you have an Amp, Mixer, or are you just using the pc speakers? Either way, plug your headphone to one of the outputs.

Record on a new track and like Dope said, make sure the other tracks are not armed. You don't want a new track recording everything just yet. After playback, you will be able to tweak the new recorded tracks so it will blend with the previously recorded tracks well. (You don't want one or the other to stand out!) When it is done save it as is, so that you will always be able to go back to the original mix..... Once that is done, you can always go back to it to experiment further without messing up the original. Whatever you think is worth saving, save it again and label it as such #1,#2,#3, etc...(For example)

 

[thehook]

would the old track be playing and how? a cord is plugged into the output which goes to my stereo..I guess I could just plug headphones into my stereo then huh?

as far as blending goes and not recording all at first....I guess I don't understand this either can I have the track playing and be recording the new take of just one of the instruments? how can I tweak stuff and make it blend better? can I take multiple takes and use bits and pieces of the best stuff? I I am going to be recording with a mic that is a piece of crap computer monitor mic for now it is plugged into the mic slot of my computer.

 

[Trumpspade]

would the old track be playing and how? a cord is plugged into the output which goes to my stereo..I guess I could just plug headphones into my stereo then huh?

as far as blending goes and not recording all at first....I guess I don't understand this either can I have the track playing and be recording the new take of just one of the instruments? how can I tweak stuff and make it blend better? can I take multiple takes and use bits and pieces of the best stuff? I I am going to be recording with a mic that is a piece of crap computer monitor mic for now it is plugged into the mic slot of my computer.

Yeah, you should plug your headphone into the stereo. When you hit record, the old tracks will play as long as you have the volume up and at the same time you will be recording only the instrument you're playing on the new armed track. After recording it, you can do multiple takes by erasing what part of the recorded track that you don't like. If some parts are hard to play in realtime, you can use multiple tracks to record one part. Just stop the recording, use the cut/delete feature to take out what you don't want, and you can continue on that same track or I recommend creating a new track.
That is the luxury of it, you can have as many tracks as you pc can handle and then bounce it all to one stereo track. When you're satisfied, the tweaking comes in to play by experimenting with different plugins/effects. That is trial and error, just looking for what sounds the best. Some Studio Monitors could help alot, so don't expect your product to be squeaky clean!