Weird - some kinda hybrid "instrument track" created ??!?!

Apologies, got to give you the backstory....So I am trying to figure out how best to use Sonar the way I like to work.  I experiment, focused on the song, looking for sounds/instruments that go with my little song kernel.   I inserted a synth as a simple instrument track (for Kontakt), and was using layers on the track to try different instruments available in Kontakt.  Only I discovered that all the layers show up on the same piano roll.  No good. So, I cloned the simple instrument track and moved my layers to their own tracks.  Okay, then I found out that all three tracks I now had in this synth folder were linked.  Meaning I muted one, I muted all.  Making this approach useless.  
 
So I go to insert a new "instrument track" and find that they are special creatures, created 1) when you insert the synth, OR 2) by combining an audio track and midi track.  So, I create both of these, and then select the context menu item "Make Instrument Track".  But I get an error that says "Making an Instrument Track requires that a single Audio and MIDI track are assigned to the same synth."   So I play around some more, always getting that same error. 
 
BUUUTTTTT...I look up and I notice the icon has changed on the Audio track, which originally had the default waveform icon.  The new icon was a combination of the round MIDI-plug icon for a straight-up MIDI track, AND the default keyboard icon that goes with a "simple instrument track".  Both icons or images are smaller versions, and the MIDI-plug image/icon overlays the keyboard image/icon.  AAANNNDD, more importantly, the track functions as a "simple instrument track".  Furthermore, I can clone it, and they are not linked.  BTW, the MIDI track I had created to combine with the Audio track, its still there.  Only the Audio track changed.
 
I presume I created a simple instrument track, even though I got the error.  I am going to try saving it as a track template...and see if it will be usable/useful.  Oh, and another thing, whereas a system created simple instrument track has the context menu item "Split Instrument Track", this new one does not.  It still displays "Make Instrument Track".
 
Wondering what I have here...any thoughts?  UPDATE:  I think this new track is an Audio track.  There is no record button.

I don't completely understand what you're trying here. You have Kontakt open to try various sounds, but you're feeding different midi to each sound? In that case you'd normally use multiple instances of Kontakt OR create a multi-output version of Kontakt and route each instrument to its own set of outputs so you can mute those. 
 
Alternatively, if I'm understanding your workflow correctly, you could try muting the midi clips (select+K or use the mute tool) instead of the tracks. 

twanger
..So I am trying to figure out how best to use Sonar the way I like to work.

Hey twanger.  There seems to be a fair bit of confusion in your post. Sonar is very flexible and I am sure you will get it to fit your work flow in time,  but it is best to learn a bit about how It actually works first:)  
 
Mike's advice is good -  you really will save yourself a lot of time, pain and confusion by doing some tutorials and reading the getting started manual first.