If the JV-880 is your only external sound module, you just need to connect the OUT on the interface to the IN on the Roland, and have a track in SONAR that echos input from the PC-200 to the one MIDI out. And match track output channel assignment to 'parts' in the Roland  as mentioned earlier.
 
Soft synths will have their own MIDI tracks echoing MIDI input from the PC-200 to them or may be inserted as Simple Instrument tracks that combine MIDI and audio routing in a single track with the routing of MIDI to the soft synth and audio back to the track set up automatically and mostly hidden (but accessible via MIDI and Audio tabs at the bottom of the Track Inspector).

Thanks fly... no go yet.  So here's what I've done so far---there has to be holes in my process:
 
1-All midi hookups as prescribed above
2-Assign global midi channel to 1 (also tried others)
3-Open sonar, insert midi track and assign channel to match JV-8880 channel
4-Assign midi track input to omni
5-Assign midi output to 1-Midi
6-No sound through speakers, but meters are indicating Sonar is getting data... JV-880 is NOT receiving midi messages or data according it indicator on the panel
7-Inserting a soft synth works fine (regardless of the input output setting in its track)
8-Question my intelligence and sanity
 
Thx...Freq

SONAR's MIDI track meters are output meters so if the MIDI track meter is showing activity, then MIDI messages are being successfully echoed to the interface's OUT. If the JV's MIDI activity light is inactive, but it was working with direct connection from the controller with the same cable, I can only think the cable isn't connected correctly from OUT of the interface to IN of the JV. That or '1-Midi' is some other MIDI output.

brundlefly
Ideally you would have a separate MIDI Out from the DAW to each hardware unit, but it dosn;t sound like you have that capability with your interface, and neither unit has USB MIDI so you'll have to daisy chain the Roland on the Alesis' THRU.
 
Here's the complete drill: 
- Connect the Alesis to MIDI I/O on the Echo, and the Roland's IN to the Alesis THRU.
- Turn off Local Control on the Alesis (check the manual).
- Connect audio outputs of each unit to the Echo (mono or stereo, depending on how many inputs you want to use up).
- In a SONAR project insert a MIDI track for the Alesis, set Input and Ouput to the Echo's MIDI ports, and enable the Input Echo button - looks like ))). When setting the Input, you don't have to select a specific channel, but you do need to set a specific output channel using the track's 'CH' field that matches the Receive channel on the Alesis.
- Similarly, create a MIDI track for the Roland, set a different output channel, and set the Roland's receive channel to match (agian, see it's manual).
- Insert an audio track for each hardware unit, assign the inputs to the corresponding inputs on the interface (you can add friendly names in MIDI Devices to tell them apart), and enable Input Echo on those as well.
- Perform on the Alesis, and you should hear sound from both units if both MIDI tracks have Input Echo enabled.
- The Alesis is 4-part multitimbral, so I assume it can receive on 4 different channels. You can set up an adiditonal trackf or each part if you want to use them. Again, the input channel can be 1 for everything, and you use the ouput CH. setting in the track to re-write the channel of the MIDI events on the fly to match the destination.
- With this setup, you can layer then synths in real time by having Input Echo enabled on more than one track or you can just echo one track and hear that instrument while performing. SONAR has an option in preferences to Always Echo Current MIDI Track that';s enabled by default to echo the track that currently has focus. I prefer to leave this off, and manage Input Echo manually.
 
I'm sure the above seems a little complicated, but it's not as bad as it sounds once you really get how MIDI and audio signals flow. By turning off Local Control on the Alesis, you're basically using it as a separate MIDI controller and sound module which is the best way to go for keyboard synths. You can record MIDI for any instrument individually (or simultaneously for layered parts) edit it as necessary, an when you;re ready, enable record on the audio track and recrod the hardware synth. Or you can leave the hardware synth 'live' indefinitely.
 
Good results willd epend on keeping your ASIo buffer low so that you don;t have more than 6-12ms of round-trip audio latency for the synth I/O the MIDI roud trip will ad a fe more milliseconds, but that shouldn't be too bothersome. 
 
Give it a whirl, and let us know if you run in to trouble. Later you can set up Instrument Definitions for the MIDI port by channels to help you manage patch changes on the two modules.

Nice rundown!  The good ol days!!!
 
JV-880 was my first module BC (before computer)
 
When I finally got a PC, I gave up on MIDI thru and got a multi-port MIDI interface, so that each external device could have it's own port and instrument definition in the DAW.  That kept me from losing it (almost), LOL!!!
 
So I am really loving soft synths now, and working in the box.  But every now and then I want to pull some hardware out of the closet ...

brundlefly
SONAR's MIDI track meters are output meters so if the MIDI track meter is showing activity, then MIDI messages are being successfully echoed to the interface's OUT. If the JV's MIDI activity light is inactive, but it was working with direct connection from the controller with the same cable, I can only think the cable isn't connected correctly from OUT of the interface to IN of the JV. That or '1-Midi' is some other MIDI output.

That or '1-Midi' is some other MIDI output.
 
Guessing that is the problem, but don't know any remedies

This should solve your issue 
 
M-Audio MIDISport 2x2   $69.00
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MIDISport2AE
 
I got the 4x4 unit years ago and it worked great!  This MIDISport gives each external MIDI device it's own in/out connection.  The USB connection to the computer presents two bi-directional USB ports to your DAW.  Simple!

And when you get it all working, you'll probably be wanting this
 
Roland JV-880 Editor and Librarian
http://www.squest.com/Pro...olandJV-880/index.html

Thanks for the continued support Fly... I will let you know how it pans out down the road...
 
Ab, the hardware and software options look good too, but I'm not sure I want to sink another $250 into that stuff--- thanks for the links though.
 
Salud...Freq

Something else occurred to me to check.  if you go to menu "Edit > Preferences > MIDI > Devices", what do you have selected under the "Outputs" section?

If I have not selected any of my MIDI outputs, the only option I get on a MIDI track is "Output = 1-".
 
Once I have selected an actual output in preferences, the name of the available MIDI output port appears in the MIDI track.