I have a brand new computer with a windows 8 OS, installed with Sonar X2a.  I have been working with Native Instruments' Maschine MK2 for about 3 days now as a VST plugin integrated with Sonar X2a.  I am interested in understanding how to capture a group of sounds as MIDI input into Sonar.  I understand how to export the sounds generated by MK2 as individual audio files and then importing the audio files into Sonar, but I have had no success in trying to record onto a MIDI track the real time taps on the 4x4 keypad and get associated sounds with it. Any support from forum members with this configuration would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Next2Eden

Did you switch it into MIDI mode? The Controller Editor manual has a lot of information about using MIDI. 

Hi Dave,
Thanks for replying to my message.  The MIDI mode is gained by concurrently pressing the <SHIFT> and <CONTROL> button, right?  In this mode I am able to get MIDI input but the actual sound associated with the MIDI notation is a dull thud.  I will look for the controller editor manual.  
Much thanks, Chris

Midi does not produce sounds on its own. You will have to attach a sound generator to it...
If you put Maschine into Midi mode, it acts as a normal Midi controller. It does not generate any sounds, nor will the plugin.

I think what next2eden is getting at is that he wants to sequence Maschine by recording a pad performance to a MIDI track in Sonar (correct me if I am wrong). This should not involve MIDI mode at all. There was a thread on this a while back (well over a year ago) that did provide a setup solution. Unfortunately that workflow method didnt work out for me, so I forget the details. Another solution is to sequence into Maschine and then just drag and drop the MIDI onto the Sonar track (then switching to a blank pattern in Maschine to avoid double triggering). If you havnt read up on audio and MIDI drag and drop, do so now; great feature and no need for exporting/importing

Sonar works no differently from any other daw really.

into a group in maschine... right click it...

sound midi batch settings, sounds to midi channels.

That will give you a seperate midi channel for each sample loaded into each pad per group. In essence a 16 part multi timbral sound  setup for a bank.

In sonar, create an instrument track, then add in midi tracks for each individual channel.  Set up output and input ports to maschine and  you should be able to playback and record on that midi channel.

If you want all 16 different sounds on an individual midi  channel, choose sounds to midi notes instead of channels. This will spread the sounds across keys and one bank will have one midi channel. This is what you would do with drumloops usually. So you have 16 different drumloops per midi channel.

check out the maschine tutorial in groove 3 free vids if you have x2.

I thought it was easier since we are in the third millennium :-(
I can not synchronize and ring Sonar Professional and Maschine Mikro Mk2.
I tried and tried not to come out a bloody sound!
There is a person who is able to synchronize Sonar and Mikro Mk2?
Help me! ... I'll have to sell the Mikro Mk2?

You might try posting a new thread on this issue since you are asking about Sonar Professional and not X2.