Exporting Old Sonar Project Data with New Computer

[haskins02]

Since Cakewalk Sonar is out of business, I have decided to switch to another DAW, Presonus Studio One, instead of continuing with BandLab Cakewalk.  However, there will be times when I will want to import the audio and MIDI tracks from some of my old Sonar projects for continued refinement in Studio One.  I already found out and tested how to do this from my existing PC – no problem.  But I will be buying a new computer soon (discarding my existing one) so I am left with two choices, either:

1.       Install my old Sonar X1 app from disks into a new Windows 10 computer and export the audio and MIDI tracks from select Sonar projects, or

2.       Download and install the free (correct?) Bandlab Cakewalk app, open up old .cwp project files in it and export the audio and MIDI tracks from there.

 

Which method will be simpler and most efficient?  I read that I should be able to install the old Sonar X1 app into a Windows 10 computer but I wonder about the problems I will run into.  Will I need to “register” Sonar again?  But how can this be done considering Cakewalk is no longer in business?

 

Regarding the second method, I have read there are issues importing old .cwp files into BandLab Cakewalk.  Also once in Bandlab Cakewalk, I don’t know if I can export the audio and MIDI tracks from a project as easily as I can do it from the old Cakewalk Sonar.

 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[chuckebaby]

12 hours ago, haskins02 said:

Which method will be simpler and most efficient?

Its up to you really, but I would use Bandlab. Only because X1 needed like 4 patches (updates) and its 10 years old compared to a new product that's being updated and less is apt to go wrong.

What you really need to make sure is you have done your house cleaning on previous Sonar tracks. IE- Bounced all your clips to tracks (made all your tracks one whole clip Vs. 20 little clips in one track) Then drag your files to the desktop or Browser for storage. Audio files can be retrieved from the Projects audio folder, midi files can not. Thus those need to be dragged to a folder somewhere.

12 hours ago, haskins02 said:

I read that I should be able to install the old Sonar X1 app into a Windows 10 computer but I wonder about the problems I will run into.  Will I need to “register” Sonar again? 

You wont need to register it again per say, but you will need to complete the Serial/registration codes in order to use the program (those should be in your account or hopefully you have them written down some where.)

13 hours ago, haskins02 said:

I have read there are issues importing old .cwp files into BandLab Cakewalk.  Also once in Bandlab Cakewalk, I don’t know if I can export the audio and MIDI tracks from a project as easily as I can do it from the old Cakewalk Sonar.

Its the same thing. I've loaded Sonar X1 projects in Bandlab, they open fine. Not sure I would say they are ready to go, because plug ins are missing at times, exc. but all you need it for is to load the Wave and midi files.

[haskins02]

Thanks Chuck E Baby for the great advise!?

 

[mettelus]

On 10/30/2019 at 6:08 AM, Chuck E Baby said:

Its up to you really, but I would use Bandlab.

+1 to this. The only issue I know of is backwards compatibility with Aux tracks/Patch points. Forward compatibility is not an issue (X1 files open in CbB). You will simply get a warning that "x VST failed to load" without re-installing those missing VSTs, but all MIDI data and audio will be there.

Chuck's cleanup advice is definitely advised. Anything you want to pull into SO as a "project," I would also recommend exporting audio as broadcast wav files, one per track, so all audio will line up for you during the import into SO.

Edited November 1, 2019 by mettelus