Soft synth audio recording

In addition to recording a performance as MIDI data, you can also record a soft synth’s audio output to any audio track in real-time. This allows you to treat a soft synth like an external hardware synthesizer.

If your project contains any soft synths, each soft synth audio output will be exposed as an audio track input source. If your soft synth has multiple outputs, you can record the audio from each output onto a separate audio track.

You can choose to record just the audio output, or record both the MIDI input and audio output simultaneously on separate tracks.

Note: If you record both the MIDI input and audio output, you will want to mute one of the tracks during playback in order to avoid doubled audio and potential phasing issues.

There are many reasons why you might want to record a soft synth’s audio output, including:

Capture all the nuances of your performance real-time.

Use SONAR’s advanced audio tools to process the synth (AudioSnap, VocalSync, envelope automation, etc.).

Create Groove clips from the synth performance.

Play back MIDI performance while manipulating controls in the soft synth UI. This is especially convenient if you want to manipulate controls in the soft synth that are not automatable.

Instrument track types

The workflow for recording audio from a soft synth differs slightly depending on the instrument track type your project uses. SONAR supports two different instrument track types:

Simple Instrument Tracks. Simple Instrument Tracks combine a soft synth’s MIDI input and main audio output in a single track strip. You can only record MIDI data onto a Simple Instrument Track. In order to record the soft synth’s audio output, you must record to a separate audio track.

Split Instrument Tracks. With Split Instrument Tracks, you can create a separate audio track for each of the soft synth’s available outputs, plus a single MIDI source track. You can record the soft synth’s audio output directly to the split audio tracks.

You specify the desired instrument track type in the Soft Synth Options dialog box when you insert a new soft synth. For details, see Inserting soft synths and Insert Soft Synth Options dialog.

Simple Instrument Tracks and Split Instrument Tracks can easily be identified by their different default track icons. Splits instruments also contain a Waveform Preview button , while Simple Instrument Tracks have an Input Echo button .

A. Split Instrument Track icon B. Simple Instrument Track icon 

 

Note: It is possible to not create any tracks when you insert a soft synth, in which case the synth is only shown in the Synth Rack view (see Using the Synth Rack). In order to record audio from a soft synth that only appears in the Synth Rack, you must first insert at least one MIDI track and one audio track and assign the MIDI track output and audio track input to the soft synth. For details, see Inserting tracks.

 

See also:

Using instrument tracks

Converting an audio and MIDI track to a single instrument track

Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks

Triggering a soft synth in real-time

There are several ways to trigger a soft synth in real-time while recording:

From an external MIDI controller (see To play a soft synth from a MIDI controller).

From SONAR’s virtual on-screen keyboard controller (see Virtual Controller/Keyboard).

By interacting with the soft synth’s UI (see Opening a soft synth’s property page).

By playing back recorded MIDI data (see To play a soft synth with recorded MIDI data).

To record audio only

You can treat a soft synth like an external hardware synthesizer and record only the synth audio instead of the MIDI performance.

Using Simple Instrument Tracks:

1.	Insert a new audio track to record the soft synth’s audio onto. For details, see Inserting tracks.

2.	Click the audio track’s Input control to show all available inputs, then point to the name of the soft synth you want to record and select the desired synth output. The Input control is available in the Track Inspector, Track view, and Console view. For details, see Choosing an input.

3.	Arm the audio track for recording. For details, see Arming tracks for recording.

4.	Begin recording. For details, see To Record Audio.

Figure 364. Insert a new audio track and assign its Input control to the desired soft synth output.

 

Note: If you do not see the Input control, click the Track Control button at the top of the Track pane and choose All. For more information, see Configuring Track view controls. Also, make sure you have expanded the track fully by dragging it down.

Using Split Instrument Tracks:

1.	Arm the split audio track for recording.

2.	Begin recording.

To record MIDI and audio simultaneously

You can record both the MIDI performance and synth audio onto separate tracks.

Using Simple Instrument Tracks:

1.	Arm the Simple Instrument Track for MIDI recording.

2.	Insert a new audio track to record the soft synth’s audio onto.

3.	Click the audio track’s Input control to show all available inputs, then point to the name of the soft synth you want to record and select the desired synth output.

4.	Arm the audio track for recording.

5.	Begin recording.

Using Split Instrument Tracks:

1.	Arm the split MIDI track for recording.

2.	Arm the split audio track for recording.

3.	Begin recording.

To prevent MIDI and audio doubling during playback

If you have recorded both MIDI input and synth audio output on separate tracks, you must mute the recorded MIDI data in order to avoid doubling and phase issues during playback. You can completely mute the synth MIDI track, or mute individual Take Lanes.

Make sure the Enable Smart Mute option is disabled in the Synth Rack Synth Settings menu to avoid also muting any related audio tracks (see Smart Mute for Split Instrument Tracks and Muting and soloing soft synth tracks).

Smart Mute for Split Instrument Tracks

When a virtual instrument MIDI track is soloed or muted, SONAR automatically manages muting or soloing the related set of audio/MIDI tracks in order to properly playback the soloed/muted tracks.

In order to facilitate audio recording on Split Instrument Tracks, Smart Mute is no longer the default behavior for Split Instrument Tracks. By default, you can now individually mute individual split MIDI/audio tracks for soft synths.

If you want to enable Smart Mute for Split Instrument Tracks, open the Synth Rack view, click the Synth Settings menu and select Enable Smart Mute on the drop-down menu.

Figure 365. Synth Rack view.

Punch recording

Unlike recording hardware inputs, where input is always present, audio generated from a soft synth will always be delayed by at minimum one buffer size. This is due to pre-roll buffering. As a result, audio from a soft synth can only be recorded after this buffer has been processed by the synth.

During normal recording and punch recording, SONAR compensates for pre-roll buffering and places the recorded audio at the correct position on the timeline to ensure it is in sync with MIDI events. However, if you punch in on-the-fly (enabling Record during playback), you are technically punching in into the future (PunchTime + 1 buffer). This is normally unnoticeable at low latencies.

When punch recording, the current Record Mode determines whether you hear recorded audio or live audio while recording. To only hear the live audio while punch recording, use the Overwrite record mode.

 

See:

Punch recording

Recording modes

Mixing latency

Live Input PDC override

 

See also:

Recording

Synth tracks

Inserting soft synths

Using instrument tracks

Converting an audio and MIDI track to a single instrument track

Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks

To play a soft synth with recorded MIDI data

To play a soft synth from a MIDI controller

Live Input PDC override