Sonar free tier issue recording vocals - SOLVED

[greg54]

When I first downloaded Sonar free tier, I had issues with not being able to hear any sound.  I finally configured it so that I could hear playback.  However, I was just trying to record vocals, and I can't record vocals.  I have it set to input 1, where the mic is plugged in, but no signal gets through.  Everything is on, as it always is.  This is a Sonar issue, because I never had this issue with CbB.

I posted some screenshots in case someone sees something I don't.  

 

Edited July 27 by greg54

[Colin Nicholls]

43 minutes ago, greg54 said:

This is a Sonar issue, because I never had this issue with CbB.

I'm not so sure, because I've been able to configure CbB also such that I can't record anything,  😉

Seriously though, I would start with the basics. Enable one set of inputs and one set of output only.

Then create an empty project, no plugins.

Add an audio track and assign output to the one output that you enabled. 

Drag a known good test audio file into the track and test playback. Works? Good, discard that track now.

Now add a new adio track, and set the input to the one input you enabled. 

Arm the track for record and press Record in the transport. Are you getting data printed into the audio track? (could be a flat line (i.e. no signal) but is it recording?

If so, great. Now double-check that your mic is plugged in to the right input. Does it need +48V phantom power?  Re-do the test. Getting signal? (Whether you can hear the output as you record (i.e. input monitoring enabled) isn't the test you're doing right now. That's for later.

Report back on your progress. 

 

Edited July 26 by Colin Nicholls

[Noel Borthwick]

46 minutes ago, greg54 said:

This is a Sonar issue, because I never had this issue with CbB.

This sort of reasoning is not useful for troubleshooting. Until you have done all the steps to make sure you are exactly setting up the same way, you can't make that conclusion.
You will not hear sound from the recorded track while recording unless input monitoring is enabled on the track OR you have enabled direct monitoring in the UA console.  

[greg54]

After looking around in Sonar, I decided to go back to CbB.   I opened the project up in CbB and it allowed me to record vocals.  When I went back into Sonar, it also allowed me to record vocals.  I did not change anything in either Sonar or CbB.  I simply looked around to see what was off.  Nothing was that I could see.  Doesn't make a bit of sense to me, but it works.

Thanks for the comments!

Edited July 26 by greg54

[57Gregy]

3 hours ago, greg54 said:

After looking around in Sonar, I decided to go back to CbB.   I opened the project up in CbB and it allowed me to record vocals.  When I went back into Sonar, it also allowed me to record vocals.  I did not change anything in either Sonar or CbB.  I simply looked around to see what was off.  Nothing was that I could see.  Doesn't make a bit of sense to me, but it works.

Thanks for the comments!

Whenever I encounter a track I can't record on (rarely*), I move to another track which does work. At some point, the other one starts working correctly.**

*I say rarely because it's been several years since it has occurred here.

**In previous Cakewalk programs, NOT Cakewalk Sonar.
 

[greg54]

13 hours ago, 57Gregy said:

Whenever I encounter a track I can't record on (rarely*), I move to another track which does work. At some point, the other one starts working correctly.**

*I say rarely because it's been several years since it has occurred here.

**In previous Cakewalk programs, NOT Cakewalk Sonar.

That's happened to me before with CbB.   In fact, it's happened a couple of times since I switched to Sonar free tier.  But when the vocals wouldn't record or playback, I thought it was something different.  I should have done what you suggested first.