Hi all,
 
I'm currently running Sonar Platinum 21.7.00, 64x, on Windows 8.
 
Would like to check if it is in any way possible to automate the expressions, reverb etc. on a particular MIDI track in SONAR using MIDI controller.
 
This is what I have done so far:
 
1) I am able to automate volume / pan, from the "Inspector View", by merely enabling "Automation Write Enable" - then set "Remote control" to the pitch bend wheel (can't set to mod wheel - but that is a non-issue for now)
 
2) For certain parameters, such as Expression, right now I am able to automate manually using the mouse. But I cannot seem to get it mapped to the pitch bend wheel.
 
Please see the image below:
 

 

 
I tried to do the same, by selecting the parameter "Expression", enabling "Automation write enable" and then set "Remote Control" to the pitch bend wheel. But when I tried recording, moving the pitch bend wheel did result in some signals increasing and decreasing according to the position. I'm not sure what input is that though, because the Expression level still remains constant, unaffected by the wheel movement.
 
Is there anything I did wrong?
 
Also, on a related note, is there any way I can automate tempo changes using the MIDI controller wheel, as opposed to changing it under "View-> Tempo"?
 
Please advise, thanks a lot in advance!

By Expression, I assume you mean CC11. The Mod wheel is a better controller for Expression than the pitch bend wheel. The only caveat to recording CC11 into the automation lane is that it will also be recorded into the clip. I usually just record the CC messages on a clip and them convert to automation later for editing. You do not want them in both places.
 
To automate reverb, you can put the reverb on a send buss and automate volume, panning etc. there or your reverb VST may support midi learn so you can automate its controls that way.
 
I do not know of any way to input tempo via a controller. There are some feature requests for similar functionality.

Thanks for the reply. 
 
I apologize for this, but I am still a bit lost as to how to use my MIDI controller to record the expression (CC11) settings, or Pan or Reverb etc.
 
So this is what I am able to do:
 
"Pan" and "Volume" are found in the "Inspector View". I right click these and enable "Automation Write", and direct "Remote Control" to "Wheel". Then when I record the track I am able to move the Pitch Bend Wheel to change the Pan and Volume level (I can also see the sliders moving, and the MIDI controller data will also be captured.
 
What I am unable to do, though, is that I cannot use the mod wheel to control Pan. Turning the mod wheel will only change CC1 value (I'm presuming so, because I can hear the volume changing as I move the mod wheel up and down.
 
Also, for things like "reverb", "expression" etc that are not found in the "Inspector View", I do not seem to be able to use the MIDI controller to record these values. Under Clips, I can select these from the Automation, and I can then see them on the Trackview. But regardless whether I turn the pitch bend or the mod wheel, I cannot record these data.
 
I guess I may need help to know how to assign the mod wheel to certain CC, be it pan, reverb, or expression? Otherwise I am only able to use the mouse and change the levels on the Trackview, but I really would like to be able to record this real time for greater accuracy.
 
Sorry if this is a basic question. Thanks for the help in advance.

If you are using "Simple track" for synth, Pan and Volume are a bit confusing. Just in case you have not found that, there are 2 views in inspector, Audio and MIDI. Audio controls the output from the Synth while MIDI modify the input (MIDI data sent to the Synth). I guess you are talking about MIDI.
 
"Remote control" has a feature (more bug for me...) to not block used MIDI control from recording to the track (DRanck has already mentioned that). So, for example, if you "Remote control" Pan automation by Mod Wheel, record arm and automation arm the track, you will record Pan automation (yes, it should work... may be you have not assigned it as remote control correctly) AND modulation (CC1) into the MIDI clip. And that is not going to work well for life recordings (since you will hear both effects).
 
I would recommend configure your hardware to send correct CC (you have not mentioned which controller are you using, most controllers can do this) for all performance parameters in question (Volume, Pan, Expression, etc.). So you can record all of them into the clip without extra setup.
 
For "outside MIDI domain" (Audio Volume/Pan, Synth parameters, transport) you can use Control Surface plug-in (see Sonar reference guide chapter 40). Start with Generic Surface. Note that you can use the same approach for MIDI Volume/Pan (not for other), but I would not recommend that.
 
If your hardware does not support reconfiguration, you can use some software translator between the device and Sonar.
 

To add even more confusion, you can manipulate midi cc data using automation envelopes. This allows you to accurately draw changes and even use shapes like curves and sjne waves. You can get very fine grained control by using envelopes. I use envelopes exclusively for CCs