Understanding the Routing Process in Cakewalk Sonar

Routing in Cakewalk Sonar is the process of directing audio and MIDI signals to specific destinations, such as different tracks, buses, or outputs. Proper routing ensures that your audio and MIDI flow through the appropriate channels, giving you full control over your mix. This guide will help you understand and configure routing in Cakewalk Sonar.

1. What is Routing?

Routing refers to directing the flow of audio and MIDI signals from their source (e.g., a track or an input device) to various destinations (e.g., output channels, buses, or other tracks). It enables you to control how sound is processed and mixed within your project.

2. How to Set Up Basic Routing

A. Routing Audio from a Track to an Output

1. Select the Track: In the Track View, click on the track you want to route.
2. Open the Track’s Output Control: On the track's control panel, find the Output section (typically located just below the track’s volume fader).
3. Select the Output: Click on the Output drop-down menu and choose the desired output. The output can be your main Master Output, or it could be a specific Bus (if you want to route the track’s audio to a bus for further processing).
4. Confirm the Signal Flow: Ensure that the audio is properly routed by watching the meters in the Console View. The signal should be flowing from the track to the selected output.

B. Routing Audio to a Bus

A bus allows you to combine the signals of multiple tracks for collective processing or effects.

1. Insert a Bus: To create a new bus, right-click in the Mix Console and choose Insert Bus. The bus will appear in the Mix Console.
2. Route Tracks to the Bus: On each track you want to route to the bus, click the Output drop-down and select the newly created bus.
3. Apply Effects: After routing tracks to the bus, you can apply effects or processing to the entire group of tracks at once by adding effects to the bus.

C. Routing Audio to External Outputs (Audio Interface)

If you're using an audio interface with multiple outputs, you can route tracks to these outputs for separate monitoring or hardware processing.

1. Select the Track: In the Track View, select the track you want to route.
2. Choose the Output: In the track’s Output section, select the appropriate external output from your audio interface’s list of available outputs.

3. Routing MIDI Signals

Routing MIDI signals allows you to control virtual instruments, external synthesizers, or other MIDI-enabled devices.

A. Routing MIDI to a Virtual Instrument

1. Insert a Virtual Instrument Track: Go to Track > Insert Virtual Instrument and choose the instrument.
2. Select MIDI Input: In the track's control panel, click the Input drop-down menu and choose the MIDI input source, such as your MIDI keyboard or another device.
3. Set MIDI Output to the Virtual Instrument: Ensure the track’s Output is routed to the inserted virtual instrument.

B. Routing MIDI to an External Device

1. Select MIDI Input: Choose the input device that will send MIDI data (e.g., a MIDI controller or another software instrument).
2. Route MIDI to External Output: In the Output section, select your external MIDI device to route the signal to an external synthesizer or other hardware.

4. Monitoring and Checking Your Routing

After setting up your routing, it's important to ensure that your signals are properly flowing.

1. Check Track and Bus Meters: Use the Mix Console or Track View to monitor the levels of your tracks and buses. If the routing is correct, you should see the meters lighting up when audio or MIDI signals are playing.
2. Test Your Outputs: If you've routed your tracks or buses to external outputs, make sure your speakers or headphones are connected to the correct output channels.

Troubleshooting Tips:

• No Sound: Check if the output routing for your track is correct. Ensure that the correct bus or master output is selected.
• MIDI Not Working: Verify that the MIDI input and output are correctly configured. Ensure that your MIDI device is properly connected and recognized by Cakewalk.
• Confusing Routing: If the routing becomes too complex, try using the Patch Bay to visually manage and troubleshoot connections.

For more information, please refer to Page 918 of the Cakewalk Sonar Reference Guide:
Cakewalk Sonar Reference Guide PDF