Using the Synth Rack

 

Note: The core Sonar installer does not include all available software instruments. Please download and install the optional instruments via the Quick Start Screen’s Product Updates page (see Checking for product updates).

The Synth Rack view lets you view, insert, delete, and configure your soft synths. You can also mute, solo, and freeze any active instruments in your projects. Each time you insert a soft synth into your project, a new row appears in the Synth Rack view with the name of the soft synth and its current preset. You can select different presets directly from the Synth Rack.

When a synth is highlighted in the Synth Rack, the corresponding tracks in the Track View and Console View are also highlighted.

You can insert as many copies of the same soft synth as you like; each new copy appears in a new row and has the same name, but has a higher number after the name (ReWire soft synths can only have one copy open). The new higher-numbered name also appears on the menus of Instrument track inputs and MIDI track outputs.

When the Synth Rack is undocked, or docked in the MultiDock, additional controls become available. These include synth icons and control knobs to control and/or automate parameters.

Synth Rack interface

Figure 311. Synth Rack.

A. Insert Synth B. Delete Synth C. Synth Properties D. Synth Settings menu E. Insert Synth F. Dock/undock G. Docking options H. Expand/collapse I. Instrument list J. Synth Automation menu

Figure 312. Synth control bar.

A. Bypass/unbypass B. Synth name C. Preset picker (only when floating or docked at top or in the MultiDock) D. Mute E. Solo F. Freeze/unfreeze G. Automated knobs H. Synth icon I. Automation track J. Automation Read K. Automation Write L. Assign Controls M. Show/Hide Assigned Controls

Synth Settings menu. The Synth Settings menu lets you insert, delete and freeze the selected soft synth, and specify other related options. The menu contains the following commands:

Open Synth. Opens the user interface for the selected soft synth. You can also double-click an empty space in the synth’s Synth Rack row to open the synth’s user interface.

Replace Synth. This submenu lets you replace the selected synth with any other available synth.

Delete Synth. Deletes the selected soft synth or ReWire device from the current project.

Note 1: Always close any ReWire applications in their own interfaces before deleting them from Sonar.

Note 2: Deleting a soft synth from the Synth Rack view does not delete the tracks associated with the soft synth, but does change the associated MIDI track’s output to the next lower-numbered output.

Synth Bypassed. Bypass/unbypass the selected synth, mute all tracks associated with it, and free up memory and CPU cycles.

Bypass All Synths. Bypass all synths in the Synth Rack.

Note: Bypass/unbypass can take a while on projects with large numbers of synths if they are big. The progress is shown in the Control Bar Transport module. You may cancel a long bypass/unbypass operation by pressing the ESC key.

Unbypass All Synths. Unbypass all synths in the Synth Rack.

Set As Default Synth. Set the default synth for use in the Add Track menu.

Enable MIDI Output. If the selected soft synth can create MIDI data from built-in arpeggiators or other components, select Enable MIDI Output if you want to record or redirect this new MIDI data.

Unload Synths When Bypassed. When this option is selected, you can freeze a soft synth or disconnect the synth in the Synth Rack view and free up the memory that the synth was using. With some synths this can be a lot of memory, especially with synths that use samples. Of course, if you remove the synth from your computer’s memory, reconnecting or unfreezing the synth will take the same amount of time that it did when you originally loaded the synth.

Archive Tracks When Bypassed. When a synth is bypassed, archive any source tracks that are routed to the synth.

Always Echo Current MIDI Track. Select this option to force incoming MIDI data to always echo through the current track, even if the current track’s Input Echo button is in the Off position, and regardless of which synth has focus in the Synth Rack.

Show Synth Icons. Show/hide synth icons in the Synth Rack.

Enable Smart Mute. When this option is disabled, you can individually mute individual split MIDI/audio tracks for soft synths.

Synchronize Track and Synth Rack Views. When this option is disabled, clicking on an Instrument track will also focus the corresponding synth in the Synth Rack.

Insert Synth . Insert a new soft synth.

Insert Synths. This submenu lists all available soft synths. Click the desired soft synth to insert it in the current project and add an Instrument track. You can also preview MIDI files through any active soft synth in the Media Browser.

Insert Synths > Plug-in Layouts > Manage Layouts. Opens Cakewalk Plug-in Manager, which lets you create, delete, and edit plug-in layouts.

Insert Synths > Plug-in Layouts > <list of layouts>. The Plug-in Layout menu lists all layouts stored by Cakewalk Plug-in Manager. Select a layout to change the plug-in list.

Insert ReWire Devices. This submenu lists all available ReWire devices. Click the desired ReWire device to insert it in the current project and add an Instrument track. You can also preview MIDI files through any active ReWire device in the Media Browser.

Delete Synth . Delete the selected soft synth.

Properties . Opens the user interface for the selected soft synth. You can also double-click an empty space in the synth’s Synth Rack row to open the synth’s user interface.

Insert Synth Options . Open the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box, which lets you specify options for new soft synths.

Synth Automation menu. The Synth Automation menu lets you specify on which track to display and record automation data for the selected soft synth.

<name of track synth was created with>. By default, automation data is displayed and recorded on the track the soft synth was created with.

Audio Tracks. This submenu lets you choose any available track in the project to record and display the selected synth’s automation data on.

Instrument list. Each inserted instrument in a project appears in the Instrument list, and shows the following controls:

Note: Certain controls in the Instrument list are only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Bypass/unbypass. Bypass a synth, mute all tracks associated with it, and free up memory and CPU cycles.

Synth icon. The synth icon provides a graphic representation of the soft synth. You can right-click the icon to manage the assigned icon. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Synth name. The default name of the soft synth. To rename the synth, double-click the name, type the desired name and press ENTER.

Preset picker. The preset picker lets you select any available preset for the soft synth when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock. Click the up/down arrows to step through the available presets.

Automation. The Automation list lets you specify on which track to display and record automation data for the soft synth. This list is identical to the Synth Automation menu at the top of the Synth Rack. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Mute. Mute/unmute the synth, and all tracks associated with this instance of the synth.

Solo. Solo/unsolo the synth, and all tracks associated with this instance of the synth.

Freeze/unfreeze . Right-click the Freeze Synth button to access various freeze options on a pop-up menu.

Freeze Synth. Freeze the soft synth.

Unfreeze Synth. Unfreeze the soft synth.

Quick Unfreeze Synth. Quick unfreeze the soft synth.

Freeze Options. Open the Freeze Options dialog box, which lets you specify what happens when you freeze a synth.

Quick unfreeze / refreeze synth. Quick unfreeze/refreeze the soft synth. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock. You can also hold down the SHIFT key and click the Freeze Synth button to perform Quick unfreeze / refreeze.

Read. Enable/disable automation read for the soft synth. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Write. Enable/disable automation write for the soft synth. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Assign Controls. Lets you choose which parameters in the synth’s interface to create control knobs for. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Show/Hide Assign Controls. Show/hide any automated knobs you have created with the Assign Controls command. This control is only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

Automated knobs. These are knobs you create by using the Assigned Controls button. The knobs are displayed below the synth’s control bar in the Synth Rack. Automated knobs are only available when the Synth Rack is undocked or docked in the MultiDock.

 

See:

Managing instruments in a project

Using the Media Browser

Using the Plug-in Browser

Using the Notes Browser

Keyboard navigation

Browser

Software instruments

Using instrument tracks

ReWire

 

See also:

To create Instrument tracks