Setting the Metronome and Tempo settings

The metronome counts off each beat in a measure, so you can hear the tempo of your project. You can choose to have the metronome sound during recording, during playback, both, or turned off. When you start recording, SONAR can play any number of beats or measures of metronome clicks before recording begins. This can help you “get in the groove” before you start performing. These beats or measures are called the count-in. When you create a new project, you should set the metronome to play during the count-in and while recording. If you are adding material to an existing project, you might only need the metronome for the count-in. You can customize the metronome sound to use audio or any note on a MIDI instrument. By default, SONAR uses a hi-hat cymbal sound from a General MIDI drum kit for the MIDI metronome, but you can change this setting to anything you like by changing the MIDI output, MIDI channel, and duration. You can also choose the note and velocity (volume) to use for the first beat of each measure and for all other beats. The metronome settings are stored separately with each project, so you can use different settings for each one.

To enable or disable the metronome during playback or recording, click the Playback Metronome on/off button or Record Metronome on/off button in the Control Bar’s Transport module.

Figure 109. The Transport module.

A. Metronome during record B. Metronome during playback C. Click to open metronome settings

To configure metronome settings, click the metronome icon in the Control Bar, right-click the Playback Metronome on/off button or Record Metronome on/off button , or go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Metronome.

Note: If you are synchronized to an external clock source, you cannot use the count-in feature. For more information, see Synchronizing your gear.

To set the tempo and metronome for a new project

1.	In the Control Bar’s Transport module, click the Playback Metronome on/off button and Record Metronome on/off button .

2.	Right-click the Playback Metronome on/off button or Record Metronome on/off button to show metronome settings.

3.	If you want to hear a count-in before recording begins, set the count-in to 1 or more. Select either Measures or Beats for the count-in.

4.	Select Use Audio Metronome or Use MIDI Metronome.

5.	Arm at least one track.

6.	Press R or click to start recording. The count-in will play, and the Now time will start to advance.

7.	If necessary, stop playback and adjust the tempo using the tempo control in the Transport module, the restart playback. Repeat until the metronome plays the desired tempo.

8.	Press the SPACEBAR or click to stop recording.

9.	Press W, or click to rewind to the beginning of the piece.

Your tempo and metronome settings are now ready. When you save the project file, the metronome and tempo settings will be saved as well.

To change your Metronome settings

1.	Do one of the following to access metronome settings:

Click the metronome icon in the Control Bar’s Transport module.

Press SHIFT+F3.

Right-click the Playback Metronome on/off button or Record Metronome on/off button in the Control Bar’s Transport module.

Go to Edit > Preferences > Project - Metronome.

2.	Change the metronome settings as indicated in the following table.

To do this	Do this
Enable the metronome during playback	Select the Playback check box.
Enable the metronome during recording	Select the Recording check box.
Enable the count-in	Enter the number of clicks for the count-in in the Count-in box, and select Measures or Beats. Note: The Record count-in always applies if there is a specified value, even if Playback and Record are not selected.
Use the audio metronome	Select Use Audio Metronome.
Use a MIDI note as the sound	Select Use MIDI Note and choose the output, channel, and other settings.
Enable beat subdivisions	Select the desired subdivision value in the Beat Subdivision list. The selected value is the subdivision for non-accented audible clicks.

3.

Click OK.

Your metronome settings will be saved with the project file.

To set the MIDI metronome sounds from your MIDI instrument

1.	Select a track in the Track view that is assigned to the MIDI device you want to use for the metronome sound.

2.	Right-click the Playback Metronome on/off button or Record Metronome on/off button to show metronome settings.

3.	Make sure that the settings in the Port and Channel fields match those for the track in the Track view.

4.	Click on the Key box in the First Beat or the Other Beats section.

5.	Play a note on your MIDI instrument. The note number is entered automatically. The velocity is not updated.

6.

Click OK.

Your metronome settings will be saved with the project file.

For more information about the metronome, see Project - Metronome.