Tools

Sonar has several different global tools that allow you to edit content in your projects. The global tools live in the Tools module in the Control Bar, and allow you to edit content in the following views:

Track view

Piano Roll view

Staff view

Tempo view

The selected tool applies to whichever editing view has focus. There are several ways to select tools:

From the Tools module in the Control Bar. For details, see Using the Control Bar to select tools.

From the Tools HUD (Heads Up Display). For details, see Using the Tools HUD to select tools.

By pressing the tool’s keyboard shortcut. For details, see Using keyboard shortcuts to select tools.

Figure 178. Global tools are accessed from the Tools module in the Control Bar.

Each tool serves a specific purpose, and the most suitable tool depends on the editing task you want to accomplish. The default Smart tool can be used for most tasks, but there may be times when a specific tool is either required or makes the editing task easier. For instructions about common editing tasks, see Using tools to perform common tasks.

To use a tool in the Track view, first select the desired tool, then select the data type you want to edit (clips, track automation, clip automation, audio transients, or notes). You can specify the desired data type independently for each track. For details, see Selecting the data type to edit.

Sonar provides the following global tools.

 

Table 13. Tools  

Tool	Button	Shortcut	Description	How to use
Smart tool		F5	The Smart tool is the default tool in Sonar. The Smart tool is a multi-function tool that combines functions from several other tools. The function is determined by where you click.	Using the Smart tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips Take lanes PRV notes Automation AudioSnap transients
Select tool		F6	The Select tool lets you select data. You can select a time range, or select entire clips, MIDI notes, envelope nodes and transients.	Using the Select tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips PRV notes Automation AudioSnap transients
Move tool		F7	The Move tool lets you move selected data. You can move entire clips, partial clips, MIDI notes, envelope nodes, transient markers and clip tempo map markers.	Using the Move tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips PRV notes Automation AudioSnap transients
Edit tool		F8 (cycle through Edit tools)	The Edit tool lets you adjust data. You can slip-edit clips, adjust note start/end times, adjust fades, and raise/lower note velocity and automation envelopes.	Using the Edit tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips PRV notes Automation
Stretch tool		F8 (cycle through all Edit tools)	The Stretch tool lets you slip-stretch audio and MIDI clips, drag-quantize MIDI notes, and stretch audio using transient markers.	Using the Stretch tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips PRV notes AudioSnap transients
Comping tool		F8 (cycle through all Edit tools)	The Comping tool lets you isolate clips in Take lanes.	Using the Comping tool in Take lanes
Split tool		F8 (cycle through all Edit tools)	The Split tool lets you split clips, cut clips, split MIDI notes, and split clips at transients.	Using the Split tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips Take lanes PRV notes AudioSnap transients
Freehand tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Freehand tool lets you draw MIDI notes and freehand automation envelopes. You can also create and promote transient markers.	Using the Freehand tool on: PRV notes Automation AudioSnap transients
Pattern tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Pattern tool lets you select MIDI data, and “paint” it elsewhere in your projects as if it were a brush.	Using the Pattern tool on: MIDI clips PRV notes To paint a pattern with the Pattern tool
Line tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Line tool lets you draw straight automation envelopes and “paint” MIDI notes.	Using the Line tool on: PRV notes Automation
Sine tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Sine Pattern tool lets you edit automation envelopes by drawing sine shapes.	Using the Pattern tools on automation
Triangle tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Triangle Pattern tool lets you edit automation envelopes by drawing triangle shapes.	Using the Pattern tools on automation
Square tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Square Pattern tool lets you edit automation envelopes by drawing square shapes.	Using the Pattern tools on automation
Saw tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Saw Pattern tool lets you edit automation envelopes by drawing sawtooth shapes.	Using the Pattern tools on automation
Random tool		F9 (cycle through all Draw tools)	The Random Pattern tool lets you edit automation envelopes by drawing random shapes.	Using the Pattern tools on automation
Erase tool		F10 (cycle through all Erase tools)	The Erase tool lets you delete clips, partial clips, MIDI notes, automation envelope nodes, and transient markers.	Using the Erase tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips PRV notes Automation AudioSnap transients
Mute tool		F10 (cycle through all Erase tools)	The Mute tool lets you mute clips, mute partial clips, mute MIDI notes, and disable transient markers.	Using the Mute tool on: Audio clips MIDI clips PRV notes AudioSnap transients
Scrub tool	None	J	The Scrub tool lets you play all displayed tracks as you drag the mouse pointer forward or backward at the desired speed.	To scrub: A single track All displayed tracks
Zoom tool	None	Z	The Zoom tool lets you change the vertical and horizontal scale of a view. You can lasso select a specific area to zoom into.	Using the Zoom tool

 

See:

Selecting tools

Selecting the data type to edit

Snap to Grid settings

Specifying note durations

Mouse cursors

Using tools to perform common tasks

Tools

 

See also:

MIDI Transform tool