Michelle911
My Hothand ring... I don't even know where to start with this in ACT.  By its nature, if it's on, it's constantly sending out midi commands even if resting still on my desk. so as soon as I try and Learn something the parameter I'm trying to control picks up whatever it sees first - which is consistently what I don't want LOL  In Guitar Rig you can either Learn a command or assign one manually, and assigning manually is pretty much the only way to get the Hothand mapped.  I can see no way at all to do this in Sonar.

Instead of simple click for MIDI learn, "Ctrl"+Click. There will be dialog for manual assignment. If you have commands incoming all the time, most probably you are forced to define everything manually.
 
There is a link in my signature. My whole site is about using control surfaced with SONAR. If you decide to try AZC, assign your hot signal to a System Control so it no longer disturbs you (you will understand the meaning of these words when you follow "ACT MIDI Explained" tutorial).
 

I've got a device that sends some odd commands at times and I use a midi filter plugin to filter them out.
 
First, I just put it on a track and hit record. For me I had to turn a dial to get the problematic message, but maybe for you the messages will just come.
 
Then you can identify those events and filter them out with the midi filter plugin.
 
So I made some videos as I was trying to figure out my setup (and I did get my setup figured out)...
 
This one shows how to use the midi filter and record to a track to see the midi messages that are coming in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3KFP1D6qgw
 
This one isn't likely to help you much but it shows that I did finally get all my stuff working as I wanted...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Lqj6-j05Q
I have the string decay envelope from my GR20 mapped to parameters in the Synth as well as using my foot pedal to control other params.
 
There is a person in the world who goes by BRock. He's pretty much a midi god as far as I'm concerned. Every time I've had a question or needed help he's risen up out of the ocean and pointed his trident and my problems have evaporated.
 
I don't know if he's out there and listening but I thought maybe invoking his name might do the trick. ;-)
 
This video might also be helpful...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51o-IRKx0aY
 

I wrote an article for the Cakewalk blog (which has a ton of information) on getting started with ACT. It simplifies the ACT concept for use with general-purpose controllers. 
 
The premise is that you don't necessarily want to map everything to a controller because ultimately, what you want to do is control parameters when you need to control parameters, not set up the perfect template. So it treats ACT as a quick way to get the control you need, when you need it. You might find this a good way to get started.

sorry, I get busy in real life, but I have not forgotten this thread.  I really appreciate the help and the welcome.  I will put this advice to good use!
 
any thoughts as to getting two usb midi keyboards working at the same time?
 
thanks you guys!

That should be as simple as plugging them in and making sure they are checked in Preferences-->MIDI-->devices. Probably better to keep using the same USB slot for each if you are disconnecting and re-connecting them regularly.

FastBikerBoy
That should be as simple as plugging them in and making sure they are checked in Preferences-->MIDI-->devices. Probably better to keep using the same USB slot for each if you are disconnecting and re-connecting them regularly.

thanks, but yeah, it's just not working like that, was the first thing I tried as I didn't expect any issues.  one seems to override the other.  I tried reinstalling drivers, and I've looked in device manager and both appear without any problems according to it.  But none of my midi capable programs recognize more than 1 keyboard.  All other midi devices are there, just not both keyboards.
 
sorry, I should probly start a new thread (and that at m-audio's forums) instead of going on about this here.
 
thanks tho!

It's ok to post this in the sonar forum. Do you see both devices in preferences? Is your midi input set to omni? How about your midi output?

Are you familiar with MIDI channels? By default, many controllers and synths respond to all inputs/outputs (MIDI Omni), so separation of note data requires channel assignments.

Can you please explain what you mean by one midi controller/keyboard 'overriding' the other?
 
Also, if you are trying to play more than one controller at the same time and trigger sounds from different synths, then you DO need to assign which input midi controller each midi track should use.  So, if I have 2 controllers and two midi tracks, and controller 1 is supposed to control piano, and the other is supposed to control strings, then change the Input assignment for each midi track to point to the corresponding controller you want to have triggering notes for each of the two synths.  In this example, assign the Input device for the piano midi track to be controller 1, and assign the Input midi device for the strings track to be controller 2.
 
If you make assignments the above way, AND these are not 2 instruments loaded into a single instance of a multi-timbral soft synth, then it should work fine.
 
When I DO have multiple instruments loaded into a single instance of a multi-timbral synth, such as Kontakt 5, I then will assign particular midi output channels (just under F/X bin in a midi track), to keep the responding instruments in Kontakt triggering only notes for the intended instrument.
 
Hope any of the above helps, 
 
Bob Bone
 

ok, well cool :)  I did post at M-Audio forums too after writing this early this morning.
 
Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with Midi, setting up channels and so forth.  As a side note I've configured my keyboards in Sonar to respond to keys on Midi Channel 1 for Piano and Synth etc, and my Drum Pads on Midi Channel 10 for Drums and Percussion... works great, so I have a rudimentary knowledge there.
 
The problem is when attempting both keyboards at once.  Sonar, in the Preferences window, only sees one keyboard at a time. And is seems a random chance as to which one decides to show up.  So it's not a midi configuration thing or getting them to respond to midi messages together. 
 
Oh, and it's not just Sonar, but Ignite, MidiOx (a little free midi monitor I found for testing) and every other music program that works with midi devices.... but Device Manager in Windows sees them both.  So I'm at a total loss here.  Especially since I have other midi gear and those are all available.
 
Thanks for the help btw :)