Please dont laugh at me...Im a newbie.

Hi all...I have a version of Sonar X1 Studio in my laptop...and I literally know NOTHING about how to use it.

My goal is to record MIDI drums from my Yamaha DTX-550K kit. Friends send me mp3's to play to and I track digital drums to those tracks.

I know I need to import the mp3, but know NOTHING about MIDI. I did buy a MIDI cable today-do I need anything else, and if not, how do I get started?

Anyone that can take the time to answer me (in layman's terms) will be my hero.

Thanks
Glen

Work your way through some of the tutorials that came with X1. They are extremely helpful and are quite simple if you follow them step by step. It will help you learn basic set up stuff. Welcome to the forum.

Thanks-the guy at the music store told me that MIDI cables would be all I would need...from drum brain to USB in laptop.

FML.

The Yamaha DTX-550K kit has 5 pin MIDI connector (not the same as a USB cable). According to the pic I saw on the Yamaha site. 


So, you need a MIDI cable and a MIDI interface that connects to the computer. Many MIDI interfaces today are USB cabapable (meaning the connection to the comouter) so you would connect the MIDI interface to the laptopn (via USB cable) and connect your Yamaha brain to the interface (via MIDI cable).


Now, you should realize (if you do not already) that when you record this way, you are NOT recording the sounds in your Yamaha brain into SONAR but you are recording the timing, velocity and kit piece events into MIDI which can be used to drive any VSTi drum Module in SONAR. VSTi drum modules are a program you install like Toontrack's EZDrummer, Fxpansion's BFD etc.


Now if you want the actual sounds of the Yamaha brain then you simply need to plug the audio outputs into the laptop's audio inputs. This opens a whole new can of worms. Is your laptop sound card capable of recording with low latency (the time between the hit of kit piece and the time you hear it in your speakers/headphones).  And do you want multiple outs from the Yamaha brain to record to multiple tracks (i.e. 1 for the kick, 1 for the snare, a stereo track for toms, stereo track for OH's etc.). So much to consider.


Maybe you can better describe what you want to do based on the outline I just gave you?

Make sure Input Echo is selected in the track (it looks similar to ")))" )

... it's actually closer to _^*)))
 

UltraNewbie,

Do you hear the sound when you play back the audio you recorded?

Do you hear the song you are playing to while you are recording your drum tracks?

You guys have been tremendously helpful, thank you! I now hear all the audio, drums included, but...there is a time-lag on the drums (ie; I hit them and hear it a second later).

Sound card setting or problem, Im guessing?

UltraNewbie


You guys have been tremendously helpful, thank you! I now hear all the audio, drums included, but...they is a time-lag on the drums (ie; I hot them and hear it a second later).

Sound card setting or problem, Im guessing?

That is what is called latency.


If you are using an onboard sound card you may be in big trouble as onboard cards have terrible latency.


In SOANR press the P key (preferences) and then select Driver settings.


Here is an example of extremely HIGH (i.e. bad) latency settings.


See if you can get your as low as possible using the slider bar, then press apply.

And 5-10ms is usually achieved with minimal plugs in. If you have a lot of plugs/VSTs you may have to freeze the tracks with the plugs/VSTs in order to drop the latency without getting pops and clicks.