Reference Guide

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Synchronizing Your Gear
Choosing Clock Sources: SONAR as Master
When you use either the internal or audio clock, SONAR can control other MIDI devices using MIDI
Sync. In this case, SONAR is the “master” device and the other MIDI devices are the “slaves.”
When MIDI Sync is the clock source, SONAR operates either in response to incoming MIDI
messages or as the sender. In this case, SONAR can be either the master or the slave. Note that
audio playback is not supported when using MIDI Sync with SONAR as the slave.
When SMPTE/MIDI Time Code (SMPTE/MTC) is the source of timing information, SONAR operates
in response to incoming MTC messages. These messages could be generated by:
• An external MIDI device that is capable of generating MIDI Time Code (like the Roland VS880)
• A MIDI interface that is converting other time code signals (like SMPTE, EBU, or film time code)
into MIDI Time Code
When you use some of these synchronization options, some SONAR commands work differently.
This section describes each of the synchronization options, how and why each is useful, and the
effect each option has on other features and commands.
The Sync toolbar lets you change back and forth quickly between the different clock settings:
Figure 136. The Sync toolbar
You can also choose the sync mode as follows:
1. Choose Options > Project, and click the Clock tab.
2. Choose the desired clock source from the Clock list.
3. Click OK.
The clock source and the type of synchronization that is used are options that are stored as part of
your project files. For example, one of your projects might be set up to use the internal clock; a
second might use the Audio clock and MIDI Sync with SONAR as the master timing source; and
another might use SMPTE/MTC Sync as the clock source.
Many technical support requests concern synchronization problems, which are among the hardest to
diagnose and duplicate over the phone. If you experience problems, before you call, perform as
much experimentation and gather as much information as possible about what does and doesn’t
work. The more prepared you are, the more we can help.
Choosing Clock Sources: SONAR as Master
When SONAR is used alone, or with an external device that does not have its own clock or timing
signal, you use one of two clock sources: Internal or Audio.
When the clock source is set to Internal, SONAR uses the clock built into the computer or the
computer’s MIDI interface as its timing source. If your projects contain only MIDI (no audio), this is
the most efficient method of playback.
If your projects contain MIDI and audio, or only audio, you should set the clock source to Audio. This
lets the sound card clock determine the correct speed for audio playback and automatically