Reference Guide

1160 Synchronizing your gear
MIDI synchronization
SONAR as the master
There are several options, found in Edit > Preferences > Project - MIDI, which you can use when
SONAR is the MIDI Sync master device:
To use MIDI Sync with SONAR as the master
1. Configure your external MIDI devices to receive MIDI Sync.
2. Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - MIDI.
3. Check the Transmit MIDI Start/Continue/Stop/Clock box.
4. For most applications, check the Transmit MIDI Song Position Pointer box.
5. If you are using a drum machine to play patterns or loops, check the Use Start, Never Continue
option and disable the Transmit MIDI Song Position Pointer option.
6. In the MIDI Sync Output Ports field, check off the output ports that you want to send the sync
signal out of.
7. Click OK.
From now on, the transport controls in SONAR control playback on the external MIDI devices.
Option What it’s for
Transmit MIDI Start/Continue/
Stop/Clock
Choosing this option causes SONAR to tell the slave when to start, when to
continue, when to stop, and what timing data to go by (SONAR’s).
Use Start, Never Continue
(greyed out unless above
option is checked)
If you are using an external drum machine to repeat a drum pattern or loop,
you might always want playback on the drum machine to start at the beginning
of the loop. When this option is chosen, SONAR sends a Start message to all
slave devices when playback is started, even if you are in the middle of a
project. (Normally, SONAR would send a Continue message if playback starts
from the middle of a project.)
Transmit MIDI Song Position
Pointer (SPP)
When this options is checked, SONAR sends an SPP message before starting
or continuing playback. If you are using a drum machine as described
previously, you might want to disable this option.
Locate Delay for SPP
Recipient
Some older MIDI devices take a small amount of time to respond to SPP
messages. This option causes SONAR to delay briefly after sending an SPP
message, to give the slave device time to respond. The delay is in 1/18ths of a
second. Enter 1 for a 1/18th second delay, 2 for 2/18ths of a second, or 18 for
a full second delay.
MIDI Sync Output Ports Choose the outputs that your slave devices are connected to.
Table 207.