Loop recording

When recording a vocal or an instrumental section, you might want to record several different takes so that you can choose the one you like best. You might even want to record several takes to double a part or merge the best parts of each.

Normally, to record each take you would have to arm a track, start recording, perform the take, and then stop recording. You can record multiple takes more easily using a feature called loop recording. Loop recording lets you start recording and record as many takes as you like, all in a single step.

Sonar loops between the loop start and loop end time, allowing you to record one take on each pass. Sonar creates a clip for each take. You have three choices for where these clips are stored:

All clips can be recorded in Sound on Sound mode and stored in a single track, where they are stacked on top of one another. You can use Take lanes to display overlapping clips in separate lanes.

Note: When loop recording in Sound on Sound mode, you will not be able to hear the prior loop passes until you stop recording. This is because takes are only committed after recording is stopped.

All clips can be recorded in Overwrite mode in a single track, where each take is successively muted except the last one.

Each clip can be recorded to a different track. Sonar automatically places each take into a new, empty track. No existing tracks are changed in any way.

When you finish recording, you can use the Edit > Undo command or CTRL+Z to erase all your takes in a single step.

To use loop recording

1.	Choose the input for the track(s) you want to record, and arm the track(s) for recording.

2.	Set the loop start and end times in the Control Bar’s Loop module.

3.	Right-click the Record button in the Transport module to access recording settings.

Figure 96. The Record section.

4.	Choose to stack all takes in a single track or to store them in separate tracks.

5.	If you choose to stack all takes in a single track, choose either Comping, Sound on Sound or Overwrite mode.

If you use single track and Comping or Sound on Sound with Track Lanes enabled, selecting the Reuse Existing Lane, Unless Takes Overlap radio button will create another Take lane if your new clip overlaps an existing clip.

6.	If you stack all takes in a single track, you can audition them later by using the Expand/collapse Take Lanes button in the bottom left corner of the Track pane (each take will have its own Mute and Solo buttons).

7.	Click OK to close the Preferences dialog box, and set the Now time to the point in the project where you want to start recording.

8.	Click or press R. If your metronome count-in is turned on, it will play the count-in measure.

9.	Play or perform the material you want to record. At the end of the loop, Sonar will return to the start of the loop and you can record the next take.

10.	Click or press the SPACEBAR when you want to stop recording.

The takes are stored in the manner you requested.

Automatically extend final take when loop recording in Comping mode

When loop recording in Comping mode, the last take now automatically extends to the loop end time if more than one loop iteration was recorded. This prevents previous takes from being split at the transport stop time, and makes comping much easier because each take is a complete clip.

 

Note: If you loop record in Comping mode and also have auto punch Extend Takes to Punch Out Time enabled, then the last take will be extended to whichever occurs first: loop end or punch out time.

A. Transport stop time 

See:

Recording modes

Take lanes

Comping

Loop module

Looping