Reference Guide

Controlling Playback

Changing track settings

In some projects you want the volume or panning of a track to change while playback is in progress.

You can accomplish this by drawing a volume or pan envelope in the Track view, or by recording

automation. For more information, see the online help topic “Automation”.

To set the initial volume setting

1. Move your cursor to the Volume control of the track you want to change.

2. Click and drag to the left to lower the volume or the right to raise the volume.

You can also change the volume settings in a variety of other ways. To change the volume settings

for more than one track at a time, select the tracks you want to change and choose Tracks >

Property > Volume.

To set the initial Pan setting

1. Move your cursor to the Pan control of the track you want to change.

2. Click and drag to the left to adjust the pan to the left or to the right to adjust the pan to the right.

Hard left is 100% left. Hard right is 100% right. Pan is centered at C.

You can also change the pan and volume settings in a variety of other ways. To change the pan

settings for more than one track at a time, select the tracks you want to change and choose

Tracks > Property > Pan.

Configuring panning laws

You can choose from six different panning laws, if you want. A panning law is the mathematical

formula that a sequencer or mixer uses to control panning.

To change panning laws

1. Use the Options > Audio command to open the Audio Options dialog.

2. On the General tab, in the Stereo Panning Law field, choose one of these options:

• (Default) 0 dB center, sin/cos taper, constant power. This choice causes a 3 dB boost in a

signal that’s panned hard left or right, and no dip in output level in either channel when the

signal is center panned.

• -3dB center, sin/cos taper, constant power. This choice causes no boost in a signal that’s

panned hard left or right, and 3dB dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center

panned.

• 0dB center, square-root taper, constant power. This choice causes a 3 dB boost in a

Note: SONAR processes the volume and pan settings by transmitting MIDI volume and pan

events (controllers 7 and 10, respectively) when playback starts. If two or more MIDI tracks are

set to the same output and channel but have different volume or pan settings, the settings for

the highest-numbered track will prevail.

Note also that not all keyboards and synthesizers respond to these events. Check your instrument’s

manual for more information.