...and to add to Kine321s post: The virtual keyboard some VSTi's have in the user interface can not be used for recording. It's for auditioning the sounds. For actual recording you either use a MIDI-keyboard, staff view or Piano Roll View. 

Yeah, I know how to audition the sounds. I need know how to get the sounds I hear into the project. I do not have a keyboard. I read somewhere I could use the mouse to enter the notes but when I use Piano Roll View nothing happens. How do I do that?

Stygian


Yeah, I know how to audition the sounds. I need know how to get the sounds I hear into the project. I do not have a keyboard. I read somewhere I could use the mouse to enter the notes but when I use Piano Roll View nothing happens. How do I do that?

ah! that's the issue!
 
click on the instrument track (or MIDI track depending on if you set up the softsynth as a "simple instrument track" or separate MIDI/output tracks).  just click on the track to highlight it.
then go to VIEWS>PIANO ROLL VIEW (or ALT-3 on the computer keyboard)
 
now you can enter notes using the mouse on that Piano Roll View for that track/softsynth.

Be sure to watch ALL the videos in that link Greg gave you....start to finish. 

I seem to recall that in them they do touch on the PRV and Staff somewhere.... ( not 100% sure ) 

I don't use PRV but I do know that several folks do and what I do recall is there is a learning curve associated with being able to do all that you want to do..... knowing where the functions are, and how they work.... same deal in Staff editing. 

Also, you can search YOU TUBE for more videos on PRV and cakewalk products. Quite a few people have produced some instructional videos on cake stuff. 

I figured it out. Maybe basic for some but you have to know to enlarge PRV and where to touch exactly and to highlight the pencil tool to get the notes in there. Thanks to all those who provided feedback though.

Hi, I am starting to use music creator6. I have limited software experience with soft synths and music creator. I am using the sound center and am able to get sounds (very good quality here!)just fine. I can get a this sound attached to a midi channel and I can record fine with the keyboard on that channel. My problem is with multi-track midi, I can only get a single sound attached to all the channels. How do I attach a single instrument to a single channel and a different instrument to a different channel. The tutorial I watched conveniently only used a single channel. I have tried several combinations and cannot seem to get this to open up with multi midi tracks with different instruments attached to each channel. Can anyone help here? Thank you very kindly, Clifford

Hi, I am starting to use music creator6. I have limited software experience with soft synths and music creator. I am using the sound center and am able to get sounds (very good quality here!)just fine. I can get a sound attached to a midi channel and I can record fine with the keyboard on that channel. My problem is with multi-track midi, I can only get a single sound attached to all the channels. How do I attach a single instrument to a single channel and a different instrument to a different channel? The tutorial I watched conveniently only used a single channel. I have tried several combinations and cannot seem to get this to open up with multi midi tracks with different instruments attached to each channel. Can anyone help here? Thank you very kindly, Clifford

IIRC Sound Center is not multitimbral, so you need to use a different instance of it for each instrument sound.

hey Cliff....

The Cakewalk sound center (CSC) has sampled sounds, which tend to much better quality than midi patches.  So the sounds should sound  good. 

CSC does one sound per instance of the synth.  You need to insert another instance on a new track and change the instrument sample for that second one. 

To avoid triggering them all, you should go to the input of the ones you are NOT actively using and shut the input off. Midi channel NONE.. or something like that.  Nothing like working on a flute part and hearing the tuba play the same notes 2 octaves below. 

And use a different MIDI channel for each track going to a synth.
Welcome to the forum.