new computer fast, BUT

3.2 milliHertz?    don't you mean 3.2 GHz  (Giga)?

why are you trying to RECORD the tamborine from MIDI to AUDIO?  use the BOUNCE or FREEZE features if you need to save it to a wave track instead of a MIDI/OUTPUT track.

and latency is caused by the soundcard and its drivers.  if you're using your onboard soundcard then you're not going to get low latency.  but you didn't mention what soundcard you're using so I don't want to assume and give advice based on an assumption.

I'm very sorry, Larry, I misread your initial post.  I thought you said you were recording MIDI to an AUDIO track.  I just reread your initial post and I'm not sure why I thought that now unless it was before my 2nd cup...

you are correct you don't need to freeze for recording midi - only for saving resources or if you want to work completely in the audio realm for mixing.

anyway - this sounds like a latency problem.  what are your buffer settings on the D66?  you're in WDM driver mode, and that's OK, probably, we might want to try ASIO, but either should work at low latency for m-audio drivers.  so first let's look at what you currently have your latency slider set to in the OPTIONS>AUDIO window.  and what does the reported latency at the bottom of that window say about your ROUND TRIP LATENCY in millisecs?

The statement, by me, just above is probably confusing and misleading. When I went back and again tried to copy and paste a midi clip to another midi track, it did paste to the correct measure.

HOWEVER, I still have the same curious problem: in this case, I am simply trying to record 1 tambourine hit per measure already recorded to MIDI. Thus, I am soloing the MIDI track and pressing the Record button on a new Audio track. The audio track comes outs with good clarity, but just significantly EARLIER than the midi track. THus, when I solo and then play both the MIDI track and the just recorded audio track together, the AUDIO track is significantly earlier. I am able to correct this by "nudging" over the audio track, but I don't think I should have to do this all the time. I guess since the audio track is coming out earlier, there must be a delay concerning when I hear the whole project being played. However, the part that "hears" the midi part and is recording it does not experience this delayed signal. Curiously, the rest of my project, which is so far made up of MIDI and audio projects, seems to play on time.

I did write my audio settings on the post above this one.

Any suggestions. Thank you again.

LarryN

Now I understand some of your confusion. Yes, I AM running external gear. Thus, I recorded a midi drum part using the sounds from my Motif--in this case just a tambourine to go along with the already (audio) recorded snare drum on every 3rd beat of a measure. Then, I pressed solo on that track--so other MIDI sounds on my project would not get recorded--and simply pressed record on a free audio track. As I said, it recorded fine, except the audio tambourine hits came out significantly earlier than each midi hit-when played simultaneously.

Ifm says to read about using external midi equipment; how to tell Sonar about calibrating this. I DID do an audio calibration  after loading Sonar onto this computer, but perhaps you are talking about something else. Do you know under what topic I would find this info? My old computer used to handle this without a problem, but perhaps it was calibrated differently.

You say I must be running a MIDI clock or something on the external synth. I am simply playing the same drum patch I have been using for years with Sonar, and have not had this problem before.

I now plan on recording a part live, while listening to my project. Then I will be able to see if what I record is still earlier in time than it should be, since I will be able to compare it to the rest of the project. If it is on time, then that distinction may help.

Thanks again for your time.

LarryN

Thank you JohnnyV, but you lost me on TT's. I know Audi has a TT, but I doubt you mean that.
Oh, now I think I realize. You must mean the soft synth called TTS (or TTS1)? Actually, though I was joking about the Audi, I really did not know, and am still not sure, what the  TTS1 is, but I'll look for that in my list of soft synths.
However, I'm really not sure what this means: You can test if this is working properly with a round trip test and comparing the wave form.
Thanks
LarryN

[pedantic] The TTS-1 is a softsynth supplied with all versions of Sonar since version 5.  Sonar came with Edirol VSC with S3 and S4, but I don't know about versions prior to S3.  [/pedantic] 
 
TTS-1 is a GM2 based softsynth with easy to work parameters (GM is very easy).  it's not the greatest of sounds, but it's better than the MS GS wavetable anyway and as Kev says, it's a great one to start with.

JohnnyV, I'm sure that going into my virtual synths would work, and prob sound OK. However, I have what I feel are some excellent hardware synths,  such as a Triton, Motif, and some Roland's . I enjoy and am used to playing them. I have gotten to know their sounds, and I find it  easy to negotiate their keyboards and functions. For years, I  have recorded in this fashion. There is just something off with this new computer--or more specifically, with the settings of Sonar or my soundcard in relation to this  new computer.
I will be putting the question to Sonar support. I'll let you know if they answer and what they say.
Thanks.
LarryN
PS: However, what I will first do is the following. I'll start a new project, and again try to first record a simple  track to MIDI. I'll then play it while I record to an audio track. If that DOES match up in timing, than there is something wrong with the old project file on my new system.
 

Progress!
A few minutes ago, I wrote a note, which I can't even find now. I thought I had posted it. However, during writing it, I thought of trying out my recording problem with a brand new project.

I thus recorded a simple MIDI track of occasional percussion hits.

I then played the just recorded MIDI track while recording a new audio track. Voila!, they were now in sync. Thus, it must be that when I saved my project info from my old computer, it influenced some of the setting on this new computer. I will try to find a workaround. I guess I'll try to copy my MIDI tracks to a new project, convert them to audio, and then bring them back. I would think that should work. I guess there might be an easier way to do it, but changing something under the multiple fields in the audio options page, but that's all above me.
LarryN

yes he did and you're just here to spam people with your signature.  people - don't be fooled by these guys who come in here making "semi-relevant" comments but offer no real advice and all they want is to show you the link in their signature so that you will click on it.

vijays - you have been reported as a spammer.

LarryN - glad you made some progress.