Assigning Inputs & Outputs

You assign each track to a MIDI or an audio output using the Output drop-down in the Track view. From then on, material on that track will be sent to the appropriate output device.

Note: If you rearrange your MIDI output devices after making output assignments, you may find MIDI information being sent to different instruments than you expect. Also, SONAR allows you to define instruments that are associated with certain outputs and channels. If you use this feature, the name of the output will change to reflect the instrument you have chosen.

To assign a track to an output

1.	Click the Output drop-down of the track you want to assign.

2.	Select the output you want to use.

To assign a group of tracks to the same output, select the tracks you want to assign, then hold down the CTRL key and assign the Output control in any selected track. All selected tracks will be assigned to the same output.

Note: Outputs that are used by the External Insert plug-in (see External Insert plug-in (Producer and Studio only)) cannot be assigned to track and bus outputs. The only exceptions are master buses that have other instances of the External Insert plug-in routed to them.

Notification when track/bus outputs are assigned to silent output

When you load a project, SONAR checks to see if the exact same output ports are assigned as when the project was saved. SONAR’s port assignments can change if you load the project on a different hardware configuration or change driver models. If there is any discrepancy between the port assignments that were saved and the ports that are used in the current configuration, the ports are set to “None” and the Silent Buses Detected dialog box displays all track and bus outputs from the current project that have been assigned to a silent output.

The Silent Buses Detected dialog box also appears if any track or bus output is assigned to None as a result of changing the audio configuration. For more information, see Silent Buses Detected dialog.

To assign the same audio input port to multiple tracks

1.	In the Track view, select the tracks whose audio input port you want to assign.

2.	Click the small drop-down arrow in any selected track’s Input control .

The Input Port menu appears.

3.	Choose Selected Track Inputs from the context menu.

The Track Inputs dialog box opens with the selected tracks initially highlighted. You can modify the track selection from within the Track Inputs dialog box. For more information, see Track Inputs dialog.

4.	Select the desired audio input port and click OK.

The audio input port is assigned to all selected audio tracks.

To assign different audio input ports to multiple tracks

1.	In the Track view, select the tracks whose audio input port you want to assign.

2.	Click the small drop-down arrow in the first selected track’s Input control .

The Input Port menu appears.

3.	Choose Selected Track Input Series from the context menu.

The Assign Series of Inputs dialog box opens, which lets you choose the first input port in the series.

Figure 54. The Assign Series of Inputs dialog

4.	Select the audio input port that should be assigned to the first selected track and click OK.

SONAR will assign consecutive mono input ports to the selected audio tracks, beginning with the track that was clicked in step 2. If a left or right input is selected, then mono inputs will be assigned. If a stereo input is selected, then stereo inputs will be assigned.

To assign the same audio output port to multiple tracks

1.	In the Track view, select the tracks whose audio output port you want to assign.

2.	Click the small drop-down arrow in any selected track’s Output control .

The Output Port menu appears.

3.	Choose Selected Track Outputs from the context menu.

The Track Outputs dialog box opens.

4.	Select the desired audio output port and click OK.

The audio output port is assigned to all selected audio tracks.

To assign the same audio output port to all stereo buses

1.	In the Track view, click the small drop-down arrow in any stereo bus’ Output control .

The Output Port menu appears.

Note: Surround buses are ignored.

2.	Choose Set All Bus Outputs from the context menu.

The Output port submenu appears.

3.	Select the desired audio output port.

The audio output port is assigned to all stereo buses

Note: Only hardware main outputs may be assigned, not other buses.