Insert Soft Synth Options dialog

This dialog box appears when you use the Insert > Soft Synths > (name of the synth you want to insert) command, the Insert > ReWire Device > (name of the ReWire device you want to insert) command, or click the Insert button in the Synth Rack view and choose a synth from the pop-up menu.

This dialog box inserts the soft synth whose name you clicked into your project. Inserting it means that the synth’s name is added to the synth and audio tracks’ Input menus and the MIDI tracks’ Output and Channel menus. Besides inserting the synth, the dialog box has some options:

Create These Tracks:

Simple Instrument Track. If you select this option, the synth’s MIDI input and main audio output appear in a single track strip.

Instrument Track Per Output. This option pairs a MIDI track with a separate audio output track (mono or stereo) for each synth output, assigning sequential MIDI channels. This allows you to have multiple Instrument tracks for a single instance of a synth. Note: If you specify more output tracks than the synth supports, Sonar will create additional synth instances as required.

Stereo Audio Outputs. Create one new stereo Instrument track for each stereo audio output of the synth.

Mono Audio Outputs. Create two new mono Instrument tracks (one Left and one Right) for each stereo audio output of the synth.

MIDI Source. If you select this option, a new MIDI track appears that lists the particular soft synth you chose in the MIDI track’s Output field. You still need to choose values in the MIDI track’s Patch and possibly Channel menus.

Synth Track Folder. If you select this option, new synth tracks and associated MIDI tracks appear in a track folder. Each new instance of a synth gets its own folder.

First Synth Audio Output. If you select this option, a new synth track appears that uses the synth’s first audio output as an audio input.

All Synth Audio Outputs: Stereo. If you select this option, one new stereo synth track appears for each stereo audio output that the synth you chose has. Each of the new tracks uses a different one of the synth’s outputs as an audio input.

All Synth Audio Outputs: Mono. If you select this option, two new mono synth tracks (one Left and one Right) appear for each stereo audio output that the synth you chose has. Each pair of new synth tracks uses a different one of the synth’s outputs as an audio input.

Open These Windows:

Synth Property Page. If you choose this option, the interface (property page) of the synth you’re inserting appears when you insert it.

Synth Rack view. If you choose this option, the Synth Rack view appears each time you insert another synth (or another instance of a synth you’ve already inserted).

Number of Tracks / Track Pairs to Create

When inserting a multi-timbral soft synth, you can specify how many Instrument output tracks to create.

Limit to <n>. Specify how many Instrument output tracks to create (from 1 to the maximum supported by the synth).

Max Available. Create one Instrument output track for each available synth output.

 

Tip: If you create less than the maximum available output tracks, you can later add additional tracks from the Synth Rack view (Views > Synth Rack View). To do so, right-click the synth in the Synth Rack and select Append Instrument Track.

Enable MIDI Output

Some synths can create MIDI data from built-in arpeggiators or other components. If you want to record or redirect this new MIDI data, enable this check box.

Display Automation On

{Automation track drop-down menu}. By default, the automation data for a synth appears on the synth track associated with that synth. Use this menu to choose any other track to display the data on, including tracks that are already displaying other synth’s automation data.

Recall Assignable Controls. If you create some knobs in the Synth Rack to control certain parameters on a particular synth, you can display the same knobs every time you insert an instance of that synth by enabling this check box.

Ask This Every Time

If you check this option, this dialog box appears every time you use the Insert > Soft Synths > (name of the synth you want to insert) command, the Insert > ReWire Device > (name of the synth you want to insert) command, or click the Insert button in the Synth Rack view and choose a synth from the pop-up menu. If you always insert soft synths in the same way, you can uncheck this option so you don’t have to deal with the dialog box each time. To open the dialog box when the option is unchecked, click the Insert Soft Synth Options button in the Synth Rack view toolbar.

 

For step-by-step instructions, see:

Inserting soft synths

Software instruments

ReWire instruments