I was given a MIDI song that plays in 3/4 time as it should, BUT the time sig is set to 4/4, so nothing lines up with the measures properly. For instance, the kick drum at the start of each measure falls anywhere but 00:000 (or close to it).
When I changed the sig to 3/4 in SONAR, it's better but still not lining up properly. 
Even when I used the Slide feature, it made the song start right on 00:000, but it falls apart after that.
 
Aurally it's fine, but editing the song, or adding more tracks, is annoying because of course the metronome is off.
 
Is there a way to fix it?

If MIDI file has correct signature, try to Open it (as "a project") is Sonar. In this case Sonar set the project tempo from the file.
 
Otherwise see recent thread: http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3620776

MIDI files can contain time signature information, but it is not a requirement, and often they do not. In that case SONAR would be expected to just lay down the MIDI events along a track that it is imported to using the time signature assigned to that track (4/4 by default in SONAR). Are you saying you imported a MIDI file that was recorded in 3/4 into a SONAR project that was set at 4/4? If so, can you not just start a new project, set time signature as 3/4  and then import the MIDI file? 

azslow3
If MIDI file has correct signature, try to Open it (as "a project") is Sonar. In this case Sonar set the project tempo from the file. 
Otherwise see recent thread: http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3620776

I'm talking about time signature, not tempo.  Two different things.
 
 

slartabartfast
Are you saying you imported a MIDI file that was recorded in 3/4 into a SONAR project that was set at 4/4? If so, can you not just start a new project, set time signature as 3/4  and then import the MIDI file? 

I have no idea what the MIDI file was originally recorded on - it was done in 1997 according to the meta data. But even when I start a new project with a 3/4 time sig, and import the file, it still doesn't work out.  I may have to just live with it.  The song sounds fine, which is what matters in the long run.
 

jyoung60

azslow3
If MIDI file has correct signature, try to Open it (as "a project") is Sonar. In this case Sonar set the project tempo from the file. 
Otherwise see recent thread: http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3620776

I'm talking about time signature, not tempo.  Two different things.

Sure! But you write:

jyoung60
Even when I used the Slide feature, it made the song start right on 00:000, but it falls apart after that.
Aurally it's fine, but editing the song, or adding more tracks, is annoying because of course the metronome is off.

The time signature (3/4 vs 4/4) not only does not change MIDI note time position, it also does not change relative position to beats. In case Kick is at the beginning of each measure (so it is aligned to the first beat of each measure) and the time signature (only!) is incorrect, it still will be aligned to some beat (just not always to the first in each measure). In that case changing project signature (may be with sliding in addition) should put everything at right place. You write that does not work... So my (logical?) guess was that you somehow has problem with tempo, not just with the signature.
 
Can it be that the problems comes from different number of ticks per beat? Theoretically yes, MIDI event time is saved in ticks. If the file  was recorded with 216 ticks per beat and Sonar think it is 960, the result will be misaligned in terms of beats as well. But (a) Sonar normally handles ticks per beat correctly, may be it does that better if you open the file as a project (that can be checked easily with my first proposal) (b) you could achieve perfect alignment by stretching MIDI clip to correct number of beats.
 
And so my guess was that MIDI file was recorded without click. Then recorded material does not follow recorded (constant) tempo. That can be fixed using my second proposal.
 

Is it you "dragged" Or double clicked via Browser, midi clip into 4/4, and want to go 3/4?...or imported midi into 4/4, then wanting to change to the 3/4 time? ..., or you tried both, and a import to 3/4 time, and all, or not ?... of the above methods?.....Thinking out loud helps?.
If using browser of Sonar...is there a button down below where it says...import to tempo and such?...just thinking out of another DAW I just used, had something liken that before dragging into the project...So perhaps something liken is in a step missed?
.
Set the time and tempo, and import to midi track should do it....
 
If it does not do it...Set the track to arm, set the time and tempo proper,...and use some type of re record, or bounce to new track feature perhaps?... or copy the track, to new track with the Proper settings?..
 
Or have some other Program play back and send the midid into sonar?...and or re route the midi to the track to a new track, and record it into new midi track, with those same settings?...if possible?.
 
lots of things one might be able to do...when two machines are working together...one plays...the other records....
 
If you get my drift...Solutions are not far off.
Some keyboards have usb..Put the midi file on a usb stick and see if you have such a thing, to see if it plays it back proper.
 
Then send the midi into Sonar and even the Audio if you wish...to the proper time and tempo...Might help the solution come to this oddity.?
 
 could also be tempo resolutions...just to add ..
Just a thinking out loudly...
.
Cheers.
 

succinct! well done

Yah about that resolution of tempo...
 
Back in the day...Using Tentrax By Roland...I remember the tempo resolution was more set liken this:
 
000.000 if not more so more resolution was able to be set to...taste.
 
So older files, might not get the proper resolution, and will never if...say...120.025 was...and Sonar only provides 120.02....You go off kilter...eh?...lol
 
 

Thank for all the above suggestions.  I'm in a crunch time to finish some music for a gig, so I won't have time to try the various ideas until next week.  I'll post back with results. 

If the performance is golden. Start a new project. Only put the midi in it and your softsynth. Export the audio. Import the exported audio in the project with the correct time signature.
 
If the performance is not golden, well..... you're on your own with the other suggestions.