When I’m starting a new project in Sonar I have no idea what I’m going to call it until I get a ways into it. I’m also used to working a certain way in Sonar and X1 by default has a cramped and busy interface.

My solution to these two problems was to create a default project that looks the way I want interface-wise and allows me to use the Save As function to name the project at any point. Generally I have a Sonar Projects folder and place all projects inside, each in a folder with the project’s name. When Sonar opens I choose to open the Default project I created, start adding audio and softsynth tracks until I reach a point where a name comes to mind. At that point I manually create a folder with that name in the Sonar Projects folder and then use Save As function and save the project into the new folder using the same name as the project name (it’s very rare that my project folder and the project inside have different names). I have the option to save audio into the project folder rather than a general location to avoid confusion and make it easier to transfer projects between locations.

I’m using two Samsung 226BW 22″ monitors on my DAW machine and work with the Track View on the left monitor and the Console View on the right monitor. In track view I have the Multidock minimized as I have no use for it, the Track Inspector minimized to keep real estate for the tracks themselves, and the Browser minimized as my only use for it is to use it to call up softsynths once I have inserted them into the project. I like to move the softsynth or processor plugin to the right monitor so it’s fully visible without interrupting the Track View.

Here’s a look at the left monitor when I first open up the Default project-

Here’s a look at the right monitor-

As an update I’m currently using Sonar X2 Producer Edition but my workflow remains the same.

-Bill