I was using Samplitude ProX 3 all year and am jumping ship to return to Cakewalk. I have some unfinished projects that I want to finish. I exported a single midi track by soloing it in Samplitude. In Cakewalk, I imported it into a new project. I see midi data but there is no sound, though I do see the levels moving up and down. My guess is that I must assign an instrument to the midi track. How do I go about doing this? I right clicked on the imported midi track and inserted instrument track. That creates a new track and I can choose the instrument but the midi track knows nothing about this new instrument track.
 
What is the correct procedure on how to import a midi track and assign it the same sound it had originally?

CbB with automatically assign TTS-1 when opening a MIDI file as long as there is no MIDI output device specified in preferences. This automatic mapping only happens when opening MIDI files, import require manually adding a synth and setting the MIDI output to the synth.
 
In this case, the easiest way to add a synth would be either using Insert > Soft Synth from the main menu or dragging a synth from the Browser. Both will open the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog. Select "First Synth Audio Output" in this dialog to have the synth and an audio track added to the project. Routed the MIDI track output to the synth and the imported MIDI will play. NOTE: importing MIDI files strips tempo from the file. Opening a MIDI file preserves tempo.

Here's how I do routing: extend the grab bar to the right of the track name and pull it out so you can see  the various options. Then, under output, choose the synth you inserted. Then, in the next option, choose a channel. Actually, you don't need a channel in some synths, like Dimension Pro. But in most, like Aria or Play or Kontakt, you do. you also need to do some setting up on the synth, usually just the channel (Aria, Play), but sometimes the output as well (Kontakt).

Thanks for the replies but I am not having any luck. I open a new empty project. I import the MID file. I can visually see note entries and sound waves. When I play, I hear nothing but can see the audio levels moving up and down.
 
If I do what scook said above, and go to Insert, Soft Synth, I see the vst instruments that I have. I choose the one it will actually be and choose "First Synth Audio Output". I am lost after that. I do not know how to route the midi to the synth. I thought that I could copy the midi track to the new Soft Synth track, but that does nothing.
 
I also did what michael said above by going to the imported midi track, select the vst instrument as my output but there is no sound.
 
 

I thought this guy did a great job of making an easy to follow tutorial on midi..
http://www.cactusmusic.ca/Sonarmidi.htm
 
 

trusso11783
Thanks for the replies but I am not having any luck. I open a new empty project. I import the MID file. I can visually see note entries and sound waves. When I play, I hear nothing but can see the audio levels moving up and down...

the "sound waves" tells me you don't >open< midi file, you import into project file
 
there's a difference between opening midi file and importing it, follow scook's instructions from his first post

scook
CbB with automatically assign TTS-1 when opening a MIDI file as long as there is no MIDI output device specified in preferences. This automatic mapping only happens when opening MIDI files, import require manually adding a synth and setting the MIDI output to the synth...

also be sure to check out Cactus' tutorial
 
Edit: my post is about opening midi file with automatic TTS synth assignement, other guys are telling you the other method how to do it manually with any synth

Okay, try this...
Open a new project;
- Insert a virtual instrument from the Insert|Soft Synth Menu (in the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog, just choose Simple Instrument Track for the sake of simplicity); then
- Import desired MIDI clip/data from File|Import|MIDI.
 
That should do it.  If you don't hear any sound, then check your settings for your sound card/audio interface and your signal flow.
 
Let us know if you need further assistance.
 
Kind regards,
 
tecknot

The song I created in Samplitude has many different midi tracks. One for the kick drum, another for the snare, one for the keys, etc. I exported each of them individually. I assumed that I would need to import them individually.
 
So, I am doing as told above by chris r. and started Samplitude. I opened (instead of imported) the kick drum. I see the midi data and the waves. I also see the level meter rising and falling, but there is no sound. It is a MIDI track. There is definitely no instrument assigned to it and I do not see any way to add one to this midi track. My audio works fine. If I right click and insert instrument on an empty track, I hear whatever instrument I choose.
 
I have been doing what technot said above without any luck. I start with an empty new project. I insert an instrument track. I import my midi file.  I "see" the lines and dots and sound waves in the timeline of the track but when I play the song, the audio meter does not move and I hear nothing. If I double click the instrument (icon on the top left of the track), it opens and when I press a key, I hear sound. So, my audio and interface is fine. I just cannot import a midi file into Cakewalk, which is not good because I have multiple projects and hundreds of midi tracks to import without having to record them all over again.
 
 

I think I'm reading that you are not assigning a VST instrument to the imported midi tracks.
Midi makes no sound without an output to a VST or hardware synth. 
As said you should read a little about using MIDI first as I think you might not have grasped how it works yet. 
 
And there's no reason to export and import each track individually. 
You just save the original in from Samplitude as a Midi1 file and then OPEN that file with Cakewalk. All the tracks will be there. Midi files are universal and easily saved and opened in any DAW. 
 

I second sock monkey, any reading about the basics would help in the beginning. If you go through the cactus tutorial, you should be more familiar with the way audio/midi/vsti routing is done in cakewalk.
 

trusso11783
So, I am doing as told above by chris r. and started Samplitude. I opened (instead of imported) the kick drum. I see the midi data and the waves. I also see the level meter rising and falling, but there is no sound. It is a MIDI track. There is definitely no instrument assigned to it and I do not see any way to add one to this midi track. My audio works fine. If I right click and insert instrument on an empty track, I hear whatever instrument I choose.

make sure there are no MIDI output devices checked in preferences, you should see "Cakewalk TTS-1" instrument track next to your midi track when you open midi file
also your kick note should be on corresponding general midi note (C1, note #36) and the midi track should be set to midi channel 10
of course you need the audio outputs specified in preferences to hear the sound from TTS synth, but you said that you hear audio so I assume that it's done properly
and yes, opening a midi file with just a kick makes no sense if you want the rest of your song to play with TTS synth, save the whole song as a midi file and open in cakewalk, just make sure the drums are set to channel 10 and are playing the right midi notes
 
TTS-1 is a basic midi synth, great for doing some quick ideas. If you want to assign the same vst instruments that you have been using in Samplitude, then you need to check out the basics in online manual and cactus tutorial, or follow the other replies here in this thread on how to do that. It's not that difficult, you just need the basics to start with it.