I’m having a difficult time developing a practical work-flow for instruments using mod-wheel for e.g. articulation switching or dynamics. Examples of this would be Albion and EWQL HO.
 
If I use the Piano Roll View (PRV) and add controller lanes (e.g. page 859 in the PDF manual), the editing capabilities are extremely primitive. Using the PRV and editing controller lanes is akin to attempting to do photo editing with Microsoft Paint – just tortuous.
 
Using automation is another approach, where the editing functionality is excellent and functional. However, that takes me away from the PRV where I’m composing. It also requires me to map the automation events in the VSTs, which should be unnecessary as I just want to transmit CC events. So Automation makes certain simple things difficult.
 
For just Albion, this affects at least CC1 (modweel), CC7 (volume), and CC11 (expression). Ditto for just about all of EW libs.
 
I hope I’m missing some feature in Sonar, and would much appreciate any guidance regarding how other address this using Sonar.
 
Thanks in advance,
Allan

AllanH
It also requires me to map the automation events in the VSTs, which should be unnecessary as I just want to transmit CC events.

You can use MIDI (track) automations to send CC, so effective result is the same as CC in PRV. Note that synth parameter automation can have better resolution. I am not sure what you mean by "mapping in the VSTs" in either case. If you have already some CC data in MIDI, you can convert them to envelopes (from Clip menu in the Track view). Track automations can not be used for note velocity (since that is per note information, I mean there can be several different at the same time). But CC 7 is possible.
 

My workflow is this :
Record CC messages with my controller
Convert them to automation lanes
Edit them as needed

I seldom edit controllers in the PRV. It's just too difficult IMHO. I find the automation lanes easy to use and I'll sometimes use note view to see the inline PRV while I edit the automation. It works for me.

Controller lanes and automation in general could use a big overhaul. With the revolutionary new features introduced lately I have my fingers crossed that they have something of this nature on the cards, but who knows!

Thank you for all the suggestions and ideas. It still feels to me as if I'm missing some important aspect of how to make this useable, so here is where I am:
 
1) using PRV and playing CC1 in along with the melody. This works well for single handed playing. This requires a CC1 controller lane. Alternatively, I simply add CC1 with the mouse after the fact (painful but controllable if I set the autosnap to something reasonable)
 
2) add Automation via "Write" and then "Read". The editing tools are good. However, this requires me to define for each instrument in e.g. Kontakt/Albion that Kontakt Automation #001 corresponds to dynamics (CC1) on Strings Long. Ditto for all other instruments. This seems painful, and somehow unnecessary as CC1 already is mapped in Kontakt/Albion and works fine outside Automation. But, I just cannot figure out how to make this work without defining all the automation events for all instruments.
 
DRanck did mention converting the PRV/CC events to Automation lanes. I still have to figure that out.
 
Thanks again.
 
 

AllanH
 
DRanck did mention converting the PRV/CC events to Automation lanes. I still have to figure that out.
 

It is a function on the Track View Clips Menu called "Convert MIDI Controllers to Envelops..."

AllanH
1) using PRV and playing CC1 in along with the melody. This works well for single handed playing. This requires a CC1 controller lane.

 
You don't need a lane for this to work - the lane is just a visual tool. You do need to enable Automation Write.
 
If you need to write a controller value while playing with 2 hands, maybe an expression pedal plugged into the keyboard would help?
 

2) add Automation via "Write" and then "Read". The editing tools are good. However, this requires me to define for each instrument in e.g. Kontakt/Albion that Kontakt Automation #001 corresponds to dynamics (CC1) on Strings Long. Ditto for all other instruments. This seems painful, and somehow unnecessary as CC1 already is mapped in Kontakt/Albion and works fine outside Automation. But, I just cannot figure out how to make this work without defining all the automation events for all instruments.

I don't understand your problem here because I automate parameters in Kontakt all the time without any intermediate step - if I have CC1 values recorded, whether in the Piano Roll or in an Automation Lane, it works in Kontakt. It sounds like you've somehow introduced this 'Kontakt Automation #001' and I don't know how.
 
If I want to create an extra controller lane, I press the [+] icon to add one, click the drop-down, select MIDI, then enter the CC value in the middle box. Some of them have names, and I don't know exactly where those names come from, but it seems that I can enter any number I want. (Although Volume and Expression are already in there, at least for me.) If the controller matches the one assigned in Kontakt, it will work with no further assignment necessary.

Kylotan - thank you very much for the detailed answer. I understand what you explained about lanes and the fact they only are a tool in the PRV. I have tried both playing in CC1 and drawing in CC1 as a second step. Works as you describe.
 
The automation is where I cannot make things work as you indicate: When I add an Automation lane to the track my choices are:
https://goo.gl/photos/Vr1DMbwwAa34WCsE9
 (This is the link to a screenshot)
 
This is where I was expecting CC1 along with Volume and Pan.
My install could be corrupt, or maybe Albion (my only loaded Kontakt instrument) is not exporting CC1.
 
Any further thoughts would be immensely appreciated.
 
Thanks again!
 
 

sharke
Controller lanes and automation in general could use a big overhaul. With the revolutionary new features introduced lately I have my fingers crossed that they have something of this nature on the cards, but who knows!

I TOTALLY AGREE, Sharke!
Why CC can't be done in either place is a mystery to me... automation should just be "automation", as pan or expression are just CCs in midi... also, the way PRV automation shows up all together, in one color, in the track is frustrating...
 
I haven't tried other daws but I hope the bakers have taken a look and are planning for a wonderful overhaul...many people over at VI Control love cubase for it's controller control... and I'm sure all DAWs have unique and exciting elements we could use... as I get into more cinematics, orchestrals, and even guitar samples, a better system would be much appreciated.  I have no idea of what that would be but that's probably because I'm dumb

A few weeks (months?) ago I pointed out what a great way the new Vocaloid4 editor has of handing midi CC drawing, and comparing one CC to another.   Maybe someone at CW will do some imitating.   I fully agree that midi controller handling is very weak, though I manage to get by day after day using bad tools.