Preparing to mix

The Console view, Track view and Track Inspector contain all the controls you need to mix your project. To open the Console view, choose Views > Console or press ALT+2. To open the Inspector, choose Views > Inspector or press I. The Track view is always open.

Note: You can control all sliders and knobs in the Console and Track Views by hovering over them with the mouse and manipulating the mouse wheel.

Figure 366. The Console view.

A. Console view menu B. ProChannel (Platinum and Professional only) C. Pane splitter bars D. Track channel strips E. Bus channel strips F. Main channel strips

The Console view contains the following main elements:

Menu. Use the menu to configure channel strips. You can filter the display of specific channel strip types and modules within channel strips. For details, see Console view menu and To show/hide specific tracks, buses and hardware outputs.

Track, Bus and Hardware Output panes. The Console view has three separate panes: the left most pane contains track channel strips, the middle pane contains bus channel strips, and the right pane contains hardware output channel strips. You can drag the pane splitter bars to resize the panes.

Channel strips. Each track, bus and main in the project is represented by its own vertical channel strip. Use the channel strip controls to mix and process tracks, buses and hardware outputs. For details, see Channel strips.

Modules. Controls in channel strips are grouped into modules that can be shown or hidden. For details, see Modules.

The Console view can show the following channel strip types:

Audio track. Use to control tracks that contain digital audio data, which is routed to your hardware audio interface. For details, see Audio track controls.

MIDI track. Use to control tracks that contain MIDI data. MIDI tracks can control external MIDI devices or software instruments. For details, see MIDI track controls.

Instrument track. Use to control software instruments. For details, see Instrument track controls.

Bus. Use to create submixes, headphone mixes, and effects sends. SONAR supports both stereo buses and surround buses. For details, see Bus controls.

Hardware Output. Use to control the physical audio outputs of your audio interface. A main channel strip contains both a left and right output and two volume controls. For details, see Hardware Output controls.

You can adjust Console view controls in the following ways:

Click on the center of the knob and drag the mouse up or down to adjust the knob

Click and drag a fader up or down

Double-click the center of the knob to return it to its snap-to position

Volume and pan faders also have snap-to positions; double-click a fader’s knob to return the fader to its snap-to value.

The controls and effects patch points all have tool tips associated with them. To see a description of a particular control or effect, simply rest the cursor over the item for a few seconds.

For information on using the controls in the Track view, see Changing track settings.

Volume, pan, bus send level and bus send pan also have snap-to positions; double-click the control to return it to its snap-to value.

The controls and effects patch points all have tool tips associated with them. To see a description of a particular control or effect, simply rest the cursor over the item for a few seconds.

 

See:

Configuring the Console and Track views