I have the manual. It's about half and inch thick and seems entirely geared to other needs than mine, but I'll go back to checking it first and see what happens. 
 
Thanks for the tip on Tempo view. It's WAY COOL! I cannot tell you all what you're doing for me with these breakthroughs, gang!!!
 
There's no timer, right?  

Found webpages on the Now marker -- problem solved thanks to you! Had never thought to right-click the counter
 
Next stop -- how do I take an existing track and play it through a built-in Sonar synth? I open TTS-1 and it's a fence of identical piano units. I change one to another instrument -- what next? Or am I already off in the wrong direction. 
 
 
 
 

TTS-1 only seems to want to open if a track is already open? 
 
I then locate the same existing track via the Windows key and drag it from there to the synth but it registers no change. When I close it, the synth closes with the track.
 
Trying this again, I try to "assign instruments" under Options, but it only gives me the keyboard (Korg Microstation) as choice even though I've unplugged it from the computer. I uncheck the Korg under Options > MIDI Devices. In Track Inputs I accept the default it gives = #5. Track Outputs: I set it for TTS-1, but going back a little while later it didn't take so I do it again. In Track Channel (these are under Tracks > Property) I set it to 5. How many more steps till I hear the synth playing the track? Puter and Sonar volume are up. 
 
Opening Cakewalk after switching MIDI instruments or whatever, it tells me the sound card is inadequate in some way and I check the given option "use anyway". I know it can produce some sound, though, because a computer whiz I knew got it to play a track once. It had an annoying electronic hum but it did finally work. He also got it playing the sample classical track that comes with Sonar -- Bach's Invention in D minor. He said the laptop's soundcard is indeed lamentable but the point is of course to learn the process. 
 

It should, but it doesn't, or it does under terminology I don't recognize. Not faulting Cakewalk at all -- obviously it's a huge job to craft a program like this and get it all user-friendly. 
 
Any pointers for me on #36 above?

Yesterday was a massive success thanks to you all -- I created a track on digital guitar and harpsichord and instead of having topic through it for lighter dashes = weaker notes, I just reset the velocity values and it was done -- in a few seconds. You've really done it and I'm feeling the sky's the limit as a result!
 
Quick questions for the moment -- the Select Tool icon, why does it sometimes appear dark gray like the others, and sometimes permanently lit with a sort of three-star "constellation" added, even if I test-punch it twice? I resort to it often when I've pressed a wrong key by accident, and feel 60% sure it's only been lit when pressed before. (The PRV select tool is also "permanently" lit at the moment.) Besides this, the pointer sometimes has a tiny grayed-out rectangle attached when passing over a track in track view. At the moment all of the above ishappening, and clicking on a track selects all notes in it in track view. I know for sure that for 99% of the time I've used Sonar, the pointer's had nother visually attached, though I've seen this rectangle before.
 
Due diligence: Have got the manual home now, and see nothing on these subjects in its SIX whole pages of index or SIX-page table of contents. Am googling for this info as we speak. BTW -- I see no mention of velocity ANYWHERE in the index.

Also get to know the functionality of the Smart Tool:
 
https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=Tools.04.html
 
I rarely have to switch to other tools as the Smart Tool does virtually everything I need

Bristol_Jonesey
Also get to know the functionality of the Smart Tool:
 
https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR&language=3&help=Tools.04.html
 
I rarely have to switch to other tools as the Smart Tool does virtually everything I need

I don't see the Smart Tool on or around Sonar 7 – no star button or control bar (including in the manual). Hitting T in PRV beings a Pick Tracks popup, does nothing in TV. Hitting P5 brings a Go To Time popup in either view.   

OMG, it WORKS with Process > Interpolate!! Had tried this but apparently done something wrong. 
 
Minor detail -- when I undo the change with Ctrl-Z (everybody knows that little universal trick, right?) or even by closing the file and telling it No on Save changes, when I go to the Replace screen all notes in the piece are showing the duration I changed the small group of them to. Doesn't seem to affect things -- durations are normal throughout in PRV.  
 
Do I have Lassoing right -- is that selecting a bunch of notes with click/drag? I'm not getting the directions on the Select Tool page -- I don't "select by time," just go to the part I want to change with the slider. Is "select by time" just doing the same thing with keystrokes? 
 
It's not possible to select a non-rectangular group of notes at once e.g. with the Draw tool or whatever, correct? 
 
You're changing my life, crowd!

Go back to basics.
 
Go Insert > Soft Synth > TTS-1
 
You should see the following screen, make sure you have exactly the same options ticked as in my screenshot
 

 
This will insert 2 tracks - one audio, one midi.
 
And the gui for TTS-1 will display:
 

 
Click and hold one of the green "notes" at the bottom of the screen to Preview the piano sound which, if all is well, should be audible through your monitors.
 
Try that and report back and we can discuss the next steps.

Sorry -- I press and hold one of the green notes but don't hear anything. Trying others, ditto. Computer sound is turned way up and I haven't touched the GUI's red slider button which is set in maximum position.
 
An existing MIDI file that I created in Sonar is open, don't know if that helps.
 
I'm home and not connected to an instrument, but apparently don't have to be for this part?