Hi, gang - 
 
I need some ideas, please.
 
MY Kronos MIDI out goes to a USB+ 8-port MIDI switcher, then to a MOTU 828, and rides USB back to the DAW. Other devices are connected to the USB+ as well. When I play the Kronos and switch-in other modules attached to the USB+, they play... so I know there is MIDI out coming from the Kronos.
 
But the MIDI is not being recognized by SONAR (Professional, 21.5.00 Build 32)... even when I run a MIDI cable straight from Kronos to the 828 and then SONAR (that is, bypassing the USB+ and all the other modules).
 
I have CAREFULLY reviewed the Preferences, Devices, and track-specific MIDI channel settings. Also the Project settings. For Audio, I see the 828, but the MIDI Preferences for the 828 do not appear (although they used to, before the latest SONAR update).
 
When in stopped mode, I see no MIDI activity in on the SONAR meters when I play. And when recording, although the audio records fine, no MIDI tracks record. The 828 MIDI light illuminates, showing a MIDI communication with the computer (I think! Maybe it only indicates a valid downstream connection to the USB+!!).
 
So... I am trying to determine whether this is an 828 failure, or whether (as they are so apt to do) Cakewalk has added new "features" to further confound the workflow. Any ideas, here? I'm stumped.
 
Thanks!

What's checked in Preferences > MIDI > Devices? If any MIDI I/O are missing there then the drivers have probably gone AWOL, and need to be reinstalled. If they're there, but unchecked, then they just need to be enabled. If you can select MIDI ports as input to MIDI tracks, then that's all good, and you should be able to record. If not, possibly your Kronos changed channels; try setting the track input to All Inputs Omni.
 
The meters are output meters, and will not show live input from a keyboard unless it's being echoed. This can either be by enabling Always Echo Current MIDI Track in preferences, or by forcing Input Echo on.
 
And make sure you didn't mix up your cabling when you pulled the switcher out of the mix - OUTs to INs. 
 
 

If you've not come across it, MidiOx can be useful in these circumstances. It's a free MIDI monitoring application that can tell you exactly what's going on with MIDI in the PC. It has its' own virtual MIDI in and out ports and can be inserted between the DAW and the MIDI ports Windows and hardware drivers sets up.

As a way to find out if MIDI is being transmitted or received it's invaluable.

Thanks, guys. Brundlefly - I checked that last point of yours; I've been known to have "head-slap moments" more than once ! :) Unfortunately, this isn't one of them, though. 
 
I checked the drivers state; after refreshing them, they now show up again in SONAR, but still no MIDI activity is seen by Sonar.
 
My suspicion now is that the MOTU has had a failure (would't be the first time; I've had ongoing issues with this damn thing over the past 5 years).
 
TLW, I'll check out that MidiOx, and see what it knows. 
 
I'm still in "F#%@ing Technician Mode", versus "Jolly Musician Mode", so any other ideas are welcomed!

A week later, still in MIDI INOP HELL. Got a new interface from Sweetwater, and bypassed the MOTU. Checked in Ableton Live - MIDI goes in and out of Ableton just fine, but SONAR does not recognize it. 
 
Updated SONAR and all related files, SONAR is not recognizing MIDI at all. All my settings are the same as they've always been... but no MIDI.
 
Anyone? I'm jammed-up, here. 

Very frustrating. I find myself in same situation from time to time w sending midi from my Kurz PC3X. Usually related to one of the following in my case:
 
Sonar listening for midi on wrong channel - either set Sonar input to Omni or make sure keyboard is set to same midi channel as Sonar.
 
Keyboard set to 'local' or 'midi' or local + midi' - set to 'local + usb' or just 'usb' . Not sure how Kronos is set up but on Kurz, midi can be sent thru usb and/or midi port. You have to select the right one for your setup (usb in my case).
 
I have also been duped into thinking that midi is not being transmitted even though it is, because the midi meters only show midi output. They will light if midi being echoed to a vst but not if you are not sending the midi message anywhere, for example recording midi while monitoring the Kronos audio. If you turn on midi echo with the Kronos selected for output you will quickly get a nasty midi loop.
 
Good luck! I have encountered this at least a hundred times and it has never been a hard or software issue. Always a setting on the keyboard or in Sonar.
 
 
 

All this time later, and still nothing. At one point, SW logged into my Creation Station and had it working, but after a reboot it was back to Inop.
 
What they said they did was "reset the MIDI preferences", but I have no idea how to do that. The issue was DEFINITELY within SONAR. Ableton works just fine. 
 
Ugh. My new Ztar is on the way... worthless without SONAR doing what it says it does. 
 
More Ideas to try?