Project structure:
Converted:
- all planed connections are implemented, so
- strip outputs
- sends
- MIDI
- side chained plug-ins
- multi-output synth
- synth inside FXBin
- frozen tracks (see comments)
Partially converted:
- no MIDI tracks parameters, so no forced channels, program changes, etc.
Unclear how to convert:
- Drum maps do not exist in Reaper. That is not so hard to implement, with EXACT conversion from Sonar drum maps. But it will take time and has very low priority.
- Sonar folders are visual feature only. I do not see a reason to convert them.
Can not be converted (or I do not know how):
- ProChannel and all related routing are ignored
- "external insert" from what I know does not exist in Reaper
- set external signals in general according to Sonar project is relatively difficult. So hardware audio and MIDI inputs and outputs are not assigned.
- MIDI tracks with input from Synth outputs are normally unintentional bug (when the input set to "All") or a dirty workaround for MIDI FXes in VST format. What is the case in not possible to auto-detect, so such routing is ignored during conversion.
- surround is not converted
Comments (difference in behavior and conversion decisions):
- in Sonar, synth is a separate quantity but directly connected with corresponding tracks. When frozen synth is converted, corresponding tracks are frozen separately, unfreezing one is not automatically
unfreeze another.
- if plug-in with MIDI input (Synth, Guitar amp, etc.) is inserted into FXBin, Sonar also show in inside Synth rack. Converter route corresponding MIDI tracks directly to the track with that plug-in and does not create it in the "Synth Rack" folder.
- Reaper has only one strip type, Track. But tracks can be buses, folders (by default folders are also buses for included tracks, but that is configurable), AUX tracks and MIDI tracks.
- There is no explicit separate "Output" for tracks. It is called "Master send" and always target next upper level folder. It has less options then "normal" sends. Can be disabled.
- Reaper tracks have from 2 to 64 audio channels. There is no "mono" tracks, but plug-ins can be configured to work with particular channels. So f.e. for Mono effects, it is possible to select it should work with "channel 45" and output to "channel 14". Also sends can sum or transmit individual channels.
- each reaper track also carry 17 (!) separate MIDI buses (not called "channels", since that clash with "MIDI channels"). Each bus has 16 MIDI channels. VST/VSTi capable to work with MIDI can be assigned to work with one particular bus. If VST/VSTi has MIDI output, it can be specified how it should influence used bus (replace, merge, or ignored). JS effects are (always?) working with default ("zero") MIDI bus.
- Sends can transfer audio and MIDI, they also specify explicitly which audio and MIDI from the original track should be sent to which destination in the receiving track.
- there is no explicit "Synth rack". VSTi/DXi are routed as normal MIDI capable FXes
For reference, in Sonar:
- an audio track can be mono or stereo only
- a bus is always audio, can be stereo or surround (with project configurable surround configuration)
- audio only sends and effects are fixed to use strip channels
- everything with MIDI input is a "synth"
- a MIDI track always work with one MIDI stream, the only inputs are hardware and "synth" outputs, the only outputs are hardware, synth or a combination of them wrapped as a "Drum map"
- synth with MIDI output ALWAYS have it enabled by default
- MIDI tracks ALWAYS have some MIDI input, by default "Omni" or "MIDI Omni", which erroneously also called "None".
So in general: project structure, audio routing and MIDI routing in Reaper restless (and hopeless) supersede Sonar in all directions. Any imaginable signal routing in Sonar possible to configure the same way in Reaper (but not in other direction).
To say several good words about Sonar:
- Piano roll MIDI editor in Sonar has several features not existing in Reaper.
- Sonar support aggregated MIDI messages ((N)RPN) as a separate MIDI events, while Reaper is able to work with "raw" events only.
- As I have mentioned in MIDI clips, Sonar also support subtick accurate MIDI timing.
- Sonar has automatic and manual (instrument definition) note names. Reaper has manual definition only, just note names (decoupled from program changes / instrument selection, which is done using separate plug-in there).