Recording Midi - Sonar x2

So I have had Sonar x2 for about a month now and have read the manual and watched the videos, and have a problem.  When I try to record a midi track in a new project, I can see the meters moving but I dont hear any sound at all.  When I arm and record, I can see that the track shows that something is being recorded, but then on playback there is now sound.  Any suggestions?  I can play the demo songs inculded with x2 and hear them just fine.  I need assistance please. 
 
Ken

I have just started experimenting with MIDI and Sonar using a USB connected Edirol PCR500, although I've used Sonar for several years strictly for "analog" recording. 

The MIDI track has to be configured so the "output" is to the "master" and then I can hear what I'm inputting or recording  through my Roland Octa-Capture Headphone/Studio Monitors.  I've been experimenting with MIDI using the Dimension Pro Synth.

fireberd


I have just started experimenting with MIDI and Sonar using a USB connected Edirol PCR500, although I've used Sonar for several years strictly for "analog" recording. 

The MIDI track has to be configured so the "output" is to the "master" and then I can hear what I'm inputting or recording  through my Roland Octa-Capture Headphone/Studio Monitors.  I've been experimenting with MIDI using the Dimension Pro Synth.

There's a little confusion here between a MIDI track and a simple instrument track with a soft synth loaded e.g. Dim Pro
 
A simple instrument track bundles together a MIDI track and a soft synth, the input to the track is a MIDI in, but the output from the track is an AUDIO out which goes to a bus.
 
When you set the output to master you are setting the output of Dim Pro's audio output to the master bus, not the midi track itself.
 
MIDI as Jonesey says does not contain audio, MIDI is just a list of events e.g. note on,note off, pitch bend wheel data etc.
 
So, for OP, you need the MIDI track you record to go to an instrument which then generates sound to a bus which you will then be able to hear from your speakers.
 
Press B to open the browser then click + and select a softsynth e.g. Dimension, when the dialogue box pops up make sure 'Simple instrument track' is selected and click OK.
 
Double click on the synth icon to the left of the word Dimension in the track name to bring up Dimension, you can then select a patch to play...the audio out of Dimension should by default go to your master bus and you should hear the sound when you play.

I am using the APro and I am using dimension Pro.  It seems to be recording something, and levels are moving when I play the keyboard, but I do not hear any sound during record, or playback.

OK - for a soft synth, there you need:

1.  Inserted soft synth, with some sort of loaded preset (some have a default sound, others you have to load one to hear anything)
2.  EITHER a simple instrument track (combined audio and midi into one track) OR 1 audio track and 1 midi track.
3.  IF you used a simple instrument track, then you need to set the input to the soft synth's audio output channels (primary stereo), and the output of the track needs to be set to go to the soft synth itself.  These settings will send any midi events for that track to the soft synth for processing, and the audio outputs from the soft synth will then get routed back to the audio input to the simple instrument track.
4.  IF you instead set up a separate audio and midi track for the soft synth, then you need to set the midi track Output to route to the soft synth, and you need to set the Input for the audio track to pick up the audio output from the soft synth (primary stereo), ALSO making sure that the Output for the audio track is set to route to some buss (default is Master).
5.  Make sure that levels are not turned all the way down.

For monitoring, the short answer is to simply click on the track number on the far left of the track, which will bring the track into focus, and if you left the defaults alone, Sonar will automatically set the Input Echo button to On for you, and will turn it back off when you bring a different track into focus (so - no need to touch).  To clarify, for a simple instrument track, there will be just the one track, so click on that track's number on the left.  For a paired audio/midi track, you want to bring the MIDI track into focus to be able to hear the soft synth audio (Not the audio track - it's just how it works).

Give the above a try and post back your results.  If you want the long explanation, indicate that in your post-back, and I will oblige.

Hope the above makes sense AND works :)

Bob Bone

Ok, tried last night, but nothing much happened.  I was able to play some midi on my A-Pro 800 and pick some instruments in the browser and was able to get sound.  I have Dim Pro installed and when I click on it in the browser, it opens a new Dim Pro Track.  How to I get the sound I want in Dim Pro into the track?

I have done the tutorials and can record midi without a problem.  The problem is getting a sound from Dimension Pro.  When I click on Dim Pro in the browser, it opens a new midi track called Dim Pro.  I need to know how to assign a sound.  I thought that the sounds were also in the browser but I dont see them.  I can open Dim Pro and choose an instrument, but I dont know how to get the instrument into X2.  Sorry to sound confusing, but I dont know how to explain it.  I am having the same issue with the DSF Symphonic Strings. 

Kalle, I AM in his head, and you are reading this I am in YOURS too.  :)

+1 on the poster needing to give us enough information to be able to assist.

Pretend we are not actually sitting beside you right now, and that we don't even have any idea as to what your system specs are, since you didn't post them.  

Do you have a sound preset loaded into the instance of Dim Pro that you inserted?  It does not load any default sound, so you have to tell it what sound to use.

Please detail your tracks/synths/assignments, so that we can see how you have any of this set up in your project.

Thanks,

Bob Bone

See if this video helps at all. It's a MIDI for beginners video that explains routing etc.

HTH

If you have Dim Pro in the synth rack with a preset loaded, then you just have to tell a midi track to send its output to Dim Pro - using the Output selection drop down on the midi track, and then you have to have an audio track pick up the AUDIO output from Dim Pro, which you do by assigning the audio track Input to the output from Dim Pro - also done through a drop down - this time the arrow to the right of the audio track's Input button.

Your midi track sends any events to Dim Pro, Dim Pro processes the events and routes sound to its audio output channels, and your associated audio track picks up that audio output from Dim Pro as its input.  The audio track should have its Output assigned to a buss - which by default would be the Master buss.

If you want to hear notes while you are playing some midi controller for that midi track, select that midi track to bring it into focus, and be default Sonar will turn on the Input Echo for the midi track, which will allow you to hear the audio output from Dim Pro.

Please set up a project per the above, and post back results.

Bob Bone

Hey - Alegria, I thought that too, but his most recent post indicated he gets no sound on playback either, so something else is going on.

That's why I went ahead and posted some hopefully easy to follow projects for him to create a new project, with Input Echo on, to see what happens - I am trying still to get a sense of how he has it all set up, and just thought having him start over on a new project per a recipe might help me to figure out what he has set incorrectly, 

Bob Bone

+1 on all of the above (except the stand-alone part - only because I really really hope not)

Mr original poster - you have been asked at least a couple of times about your track assignments and such, but have not responded with that information.

If you wish assistance, but do not respond to questions put forth by the people you have asked for assistance, then you will likely find folks quickly dropping out of the thread.

I am looking for you to create a NEW project, following the steps as I outlined in my earlier post, and then after you ACTUALLY try it out, I want and expect you to post the results.

Someone else had asked about buffer size, and someone else I think asked about something else.

If you want help, you need to read AND respond to posts in the thread, PARTICULARLY those that ask specific questions.

Bob Bone

OK. I finally have sound when playing. Now, I need to get sound when recording. I'll keep plugging through this and let you all know how I'm doing. At least I can here the sound I loaded from Dim Pro.