Using instrument tracks

SONAR has a track type called instrument track, which makes it very simple to work with soft synths. An instrument track is essentially two tracks—a MIDI track and an audio track, both associated with the same soft synth—contained in a single track strip. An instrument track allows you to control the MIDI data that is sent to a soft synth and the audio signal that is returned from the soft synth.

To create an instrument track

In order to create an instrument track, you must first insert a new soft synth.

1.	Do one of the following to insert a new soft synth:

On the Insert menu, point to Soft Synths and select the desired soft synth.

In the Synth Rack, click the Insert Soft Synth and ReWire devices button and select the desired soft synth from the pop-up menu.

The Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box appears.

Figure 250. The Insert Soft Synth Options dialog

2.	Select the Instrument Track check box, then click OK to close the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box.

A new instrument track is inserted.

Instrument tracks have a unique track icon . The track name defaults to the soft synth name.

Figure 251. Instrument track strip

Instrument track controls

Because an instrument track is a hybrid between an audio and a MIDI track, an instrument track strip contains both audio and MIDI controls.

The instrument track strip exposes MIDI input and audio output controls. Internally, the MIDI output is assigned to the soft synth’s MIDI input, and the audio input is assigned to the soft synth’s main output.

The following table shows all controls that are availalbe on an instrument track, and indicates if a control applies to audio or MIDI data.

Table 156.  

Control type	Audio	MIDI
Mute	X
Solo	X
Arm		X
Input Monitor	X
Automation Read/Write	X
Inline Piano Roll		X
Volume	X
Pan	X
Trim		X
Input Quantize		X
Input	(Internally assigned to synth output)	X
Output	X	(Internally assigned to synth input)
MIDI Channel		X
Bank		X
Patch		X
Time+		X
Pitch+		X
Sends	X
Snap to scale		X
Effects bin	X
Meter	X
Track scale	(When track is frozen)	X

Editing in the Clips pane

By default, MIDI clips are displayed and can be edited in the Clips pane. MIDI track and clip envelopes are not available.

If an instrument track is frozen, audio clips are displayed and can be edited in the Clips pane. Audio track and clip envelopes are also available.

Note: The inline Piano Roll is not available on a frozen instrument track.

Exporting and bouncing

When exporting or bouncing an instrument track, both MIDI and audio data are taken into account. The result is the same as if the track is frozen.

Converting an audio and MIDI track to a single instrument track

If an existing audio track and MIDI track are assigned to the same soft synth, you can convert the two tracks to a single instrument track.

1.	Select the audio and MIDI tracks that you want to combine into a single instrument track.

2.	Right-click one of the selected track strips and select Make Instrument Track from the pop-up menu.

The audio and MIDI tracks and combined into an instrument track.

Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks

You can split an instrument track into separate audio and MIDI tracks. The audio and MIDI tracks will remain assigned to the same soft synth.

Click the Track view Tracks menu and choose Split Instrument Track.

The instrument track is converted to separate audio and MIDI tracks, both assigned to the soft synth.