Instruction Manual

254 Recording
Recording Audio
Once you have set your sampling rate and input levels, you are ready to
start recording. If the meters do not move, check your sound card
software’s mixer program and make sure that you have the proper input
enabled for recording.
When you record audio, SONAR stores each audio clip in a separate file.
These files have the same format as a Wave (.
WAV) file, but they have
special names and are stored in a separate directory on your hard disk.
SONAR automatically manages these audio files for you, making it easier
for you to manage your projects. If you want to work with these files directly,
or to learn more about how SONAR stores audio data, see Audio File
Management.
Tuning an Instrument
SONAR Chromatic Tuner analyzes any input signal from the sound card
and displays the intonation (in cents) on the meter. The tuner automatically
determines which string/pitch you are trying to tune, so that you can keep
both hands on the instrument while tuning. The VU Meter shows how loud
your input signal is–a strong signal is essential for accurate tuning.
The Tuner works just like an effect and each track can have its own
instance.
With a microphone, you can also tune acoustic instruments.
To Tune an Instrument
1. In the track you want to record your instrument on, right-click in the
Effects bin.
2. From the menu that appears, select Audio Effects-Cakewalk-Tuner.
3. Click the track’s Input Monitor button. If you don’t click the Input
Monitor button on the track the Tuner is patched into, you will not be
able to use the tuner.
4. With your instrument plugged into your sound card and turned up, play
a note.
The Tuner displays the intonation reading on the cents meter and the
name of the note you played between the three arrows. One of the
three arrows lights up, indicating one of the following:
• Up arrow indicates the note is in tune.
• Right arrow indicates the note is sharp.
• Left arrow indicates the note is flat.