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Samuel540
 I checked all the MIDI outputs per instrument and they were all linked to the respective instrument so I can't understand why they are also controlling another track. Why are instrument tracks being controlled.......interrrrrnallyyy? That shouldn't be happening. Should it???

One cause for this is when a synth has "Enable MIDI Output" active in the "Insert Soft Synth Options" and the other tracks are set to Omni. While I rarely use specific channel assignments, I do set MIDI input to a particular device such as my interface Omni, LoopBe1 Omni or in the case where I want the MIDI data from a plug-in, the plug-in Omni. Other than quick test, I rarely use the Global Omni setting.

brundlefly
If you're going to use 'Always Echo...', you just need to ensure that you set a specific port and channel as input for every new MIDI/Instrument track as you add it. Once you do that the input will never again spontaneously change to  All Inputs - Omni.

It's starting to look like I will have no other choice but to manually select the specific ins and outs for every track as I insert them...
 
I just inserted an instance of the Cakewalk TTS-1 plug-in with 'Enable MIDI Output' unchecked and after playing the project for a few seconds, playback stopped, SONAR froze and then crashed (after I tried to exit).
 
Reopened SONAR with the same project, inserted Cakewalk TTS-1 with 'Always Echo...' turned on (with 'Enable MIDI Output' checked and then unchecked), so OMNI is set by default as the input source, pressed play and the other tracks DIDN'T transmit to the Cakewalk TTS-1 track!
 
So it's not a consistent problem since other projects seem to be working like normal.
 
I don't know, guys.

AFAIK, TTS-1 does not send MIDI. Starting with X3 any synth capable of sending MIDI has the option enabled. Sometimes it is hard to guess what is happening in an existing project without actually loading the project.

scook
AFAIK, TTS-1 does not send MIDI. Starting with X3 any synth capable of sending MIDI has the option enabled. Sometimes it is hard to guess what is happening in an existing project without actually loading the project.

TTS-1 was just a random plug-in I chose to test... not to send but to receive.
 
Bottom line, I have no idea what is going on. It may just be the VSTs in my project (Kontakt, Battery 4 and NI's new Komplete Kontrol) that is causing SONAR to behave like this.

While those are common plug-ins, I do not have them. Hopefully someone with Komplete will offer some insight.

I don't understand this issue, because I never set the midi input assignment to anything, and just let it be to whatever, because while I have 2 midi controllers connected, I am only playing on one or the other while recording a single midi track.
 
When I use an instance of Kontakt, loaded with multiple instruments, Kontakt automatically assigns the next incremental midi channel number to each loaded instrument, so if I load: Piano, Organ, Strings, Bass, it will by default assign those midi channels to be 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively.  The trick is to make sure to set the Midi Output Channel in each midi track to match the midi channel for the corresponding instrument in the Kontakt instance.
 
The Midi Output Channel parameter is just below the FX bin of each midi track, so for the Piano track I would set it to 1, Organ to 2, Strings to 3, and Bass to 4.  Then, as each track is brought into focus, even with midi omni set, that is only for the INPUT - the output is filtered by the Midi Output Channel setting to only transmit the outgoing midi data on the assigned Midi Output Channel value.  So, even with Omni, midi data triggered while the Piano track is in focus will ONLY trigger the instrument loaded into that Kontakt instance with its channel set to 1, etc....
 
As I change midi track focus, the default setting of Always Echo Midi On will DE-select the prior Midi Echo On, and set it on for the track focus moved to.
 
Because of the above, I never ever have any issues where any midi instruments are triggered errantly.  It just works.
And when I want to hear myself playing a layered sound, I bring one of the desired midi tracks into focus, which sets that track's Midi Echo to On, and then I manually turn on any other midi echo buttons for other midi tracks I want to also trigger, creating whatever layer I am going after.
 
So, that is why I am confused - could it be that you are not setting the midi output channel for midi tracks that point to multi-timbral synth rack instances? (like Kontakt)
 
Bob Bone
 

Bob I'm glad you posted because I was not understanding the OP at all. Your post cleared up everything. BTW thats the way i do it too. 

robert_e_bone
 
So, that is why I am confused - could it be that you are not setting the midi output channel for midi tracks that point to multi-timbral synth rack instances? (like Kontakt)
 
Bob Bone
 

Maybe I can simplify my problem a bit more so you guys can understand and follow me better...
 
The problem I'm having is not about setting up MIDI channels for playing multiple instruments in Kontakt. I have a pretty good understanding of how to route MIDI locally within SONAR and with third-party VSTs like Kontakt. The problem I'm having is, individual instrument tracks IN SONAR sending MIDI data to other instrument tracks.
 
I inserted Battery and recorded some drums. Then I inserted Komplete Kontrol, loaded up a piano and recorded a part. Then Kontakt for some bass. When I added the next VST instrument and started recording, I can notice other MIDI notes showing up in the clip along with the notes I played. Both the piano (Komplete Kontrol) and the bass (Kontakt) that I recorded was somehow being sent to the last instrument that I added to the project. As long as this track was in focus, the other instruments will mirror whatever they're playing to this new, empty track. That's it. I'm trying to understand why one instrument track is transmitting MIDI notes to another!
 
Before, I had to do nothing extra. Just add instruments and record without touching the MIDI I/O.
 
I hope this clears things up.

Thank you for explaining - I had not quite grasped what you had posted earlier, because I was comparing it in my head to what I do, and got confused.
 
I DO have an additional question - are you using Simple Instrument Tracks for these?  I am trying to figure out why it happens to you and not to me, so am just searching for what's different.
 
I think that if there is some sort of bug, it would likely be related to the Enable Midi Out parameter being checked (by default) when inserting some soft synths.  I would like you to try a test of this, where you do everything else the same way, but that you make sure that you remove that Enable Midi Output check box during the test.
 
I would be curious to see if that clears it up for you.
 
Bob Bone
 

robert_e_bone
I DO have an additional question - are you using Simple Instrument Tracks for these?  I am trying to figure out why it happens to you and not to me, so am just searching for what's different.
 
I think that if there is some sort of bug, it would likely be related to the Enable Midi Out parameter being checked (by default) when inserting some soft synths.  I would like you to try a test of this, where you do everything else the same way, but that you make sure that you remove that Enable Midi Output check box during the test.
 
I would be curious to see if that clears it up for you.
 
Bob Bone
 

I do have the 'Simple Instrument Track' option checked when adding instruments.
I am more convinced now that it is a bug of some sort because the other projects I created afterwards are fine.
The 'Enable MIDI Output' is pretty much always unchecked.
I will try recreating the project and see what comes out of it.