Reference Guide

272

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 “System configuration” on page 1105.

To Record Audio

1. Choose the audio inputs for the track(s) you want to record.

2. Arm the tracks for recording. The Clips pane next to each armed track turns a reddish hue when

the track is armed.

3. Set the Now time to the point in the project where you want to start recording.

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

or beats.

5. Play or perform the material you want to record.

As you record, SONAR displays a waveform preview of the new material in the Clips pane (unless

you have disabled the Display Waveform Preview While Recording option in Edit >

Preferences > Customization - Display). If you have turned off the option, SONAR displays a

red swath along the area of the Clips pane where you are recording.

6. Click or press the SPACEBAR to stop recording.

SONAR displays a clip containing the new material in the Clips pane. To listen to the new material,

set the Now time to the start of the clip and press the SPACEBAR or click . If you’re not happy

with the recording, use Edit > Undo to erase the new material.

If you do not see a new clip in the Clips pane, you may have a problem with audio input. See

“Troubleshooting” on page 1177 for more information.