old member midi question

What is the procedure for changing the volume of only certain tracks in a midi file?

Example: I have a midi file that plays in "Windows Media Player" (probably using the Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth) and I want to change the volume of one of the instruments or tracks. When I do this in Sonar it works, but when I save the file and play it back in "Windows Media Player", the changes are not present.

I would also like to be able to alter the instruments, and make the changes stick.

I have tried saving the file as Midi 0, and Midi 1, but without success.

Altering instruments is through patch changes in midi events.

Either record from keyboard or input manually in midi events view.

I'm not at sonar right now to look at it and I almost never use the event list.  how exactly did you change the volume in the event list?

you should be able to add a parameter MIDI Controller Code (CC) 7 controls the MIDI volume.

I alter MIDI files I download all the time. Mostly I want to get rid of those terrible Vocal and guitar parts and just leave Piano, Bass and drums. So mostly I'm just deleting tracks. I too gave up on Sonar for simple MIDI tasks that I used to perform easily on my software on the Atari.
Just to verify your problem - I opened a Midi file with Sonar, Lowered the volume and changed a few things and saved it. I opened it in both Media player and Win amp and it played exactly the way it originaly played, no changes.
So It would seem like a simple task that would be under Process Volume? Right. This was a mystery to me, why can't you simply highligh a track and open a MIDI control box that has PRG, Volume and Pan. There isn't even a Velocity change box??  So I use different software for event list editing now. Sonar will hide the Program changes from you, They show up plain as day in other software. If a track changes Program on the same channel half way,  this is a mystery where this will show.

There's lots of MIDI free editing software and I'm using one called Power Sequencer. It's event list is so simple a child could edit it. And you can hear your changes right away.
My method:  
You have to run Sonar in MME mode and select MS wavetable as your synth output. No point in Soft Synths for songs headed back to GM playback on computers.
I open the file, I do not import. This will set the song the way the composer intended. Importing will result in unwanted changes happening.  

My housekeeping starts with first deleting all empty tracks.
I'll then solo each track so I can identify and name ( and possible delete)
I then go to properties and make changes to instruments.
SAVE.
If I need to change the volume then I just open the events list and see if I'm lucky enough to find the controllers!

If not I find it easier to open the song with Power Sequencer and quickly edit them.
Somehow the event list in Sonar eludes me as far as editing goes. It's not really designed for editing I guess.  Might be because I learned all MIDI editing using event lists back in the 80's and I like them. I like the numbers and quick access to the raw data. To bad it's not as well implemented on Sonar. Example is I have found 3 identical notes hiding under each other in Piano view that would have been plain as day on the event list. Each view has it's merits for editing. I only wish Sonar added a few more buttons to process for me.
 

Well dang, that was easy, ha ha!
Thanks for sharing, I might give it a go. Then again I might dream on about a SOnar global MIDI control panel ( mixing board)  like you get in TTS-1. I guess one should just avoid MIDI files and MS wavetable, life will be fine.

Thanks Beagle and thanks John. That might just be the ticket, but it's too late to mess with it tonight, I'll give it a go tomorrow. I'll let you know if I can't change the file.

There was a time when I thought I knew all there was to know about midi. Either I have forgotten a lot, or I didn't know as much as I thought I did.

glad to help (even in a "convoluted" way! )

here's a reference for the CC codes.
http://www.indiana.edu/~emusic/cntrlnumb.html