gcolbert
I realize that there are 'other and better' ways of recording MIDI/Synth that are available, but sometimes I just want to use my MIDI keyboard and a VSTi like I would if it were an external synth and record the audio in a project.  I would go as far as to argue that this is a common expectation that new users have of a DAW's capability.  I believe that this expectation is prevalent enough in new users that it even deserves a track type dedicated to it (real-time synth or some such) that records the audio output from a soft-synth.  This needs an easy-to-select (idiot-proof) setup that allows the midi/synth/audio routing to be an audio input like a microphone for a regular audio track.
 

This is February 14 and so it cannot be an April Fools" joke. Hard to believe that in the year 2015 in one of the top DAW's a musician cannot record audio from the VSTi in real time. How the heck did I end up in this alternate universe. How do I change to the universe where logic prevails.
 
Glad I read this thread as I would have spent hours and days trying to figure out how to record the audio on to a track in real time. It is obvious if I can record midi in real time why not also audio.
 
If I have the waveform on a track I need not waste any time to do to what ever I want to do to it. In addition some parts of a synth are random and may not be exactly replicated in a record session afterwards.
 
I bought Sonar 2015 three days ago and have not yet installed it. Is there a way to get a refund?

Vas
How do I change to the universe where logic prevails.
 

Buy a mac?

You can buy plugins that do this. They aren't expensive. Then you can capture the output to a file from any location in Sonar where you can put a VST.

gswitz
You can buy plugins that do this. They aren't expensive. Then you can capture the output to a file from any location in Sonar where you can put a VST.

Please show me the way.
 

 
I reviewed what is new in Sonar 2015
http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Whats-New
and 
http://blog.cakewalk.com/sonar-2015-under-the-hood-enhancements-and-fixes/
and did not find anything new that will help to easily record a VSTi on a track in real time. Did I miss it?

swamptooth

Vas
How do I change to the universe where logic prevails.
 

Buy a mac?

You mean Logic.
I mean common sense!
 
 

Have a look through this thread, including Silktone's custom sidechain plugin for this purpose...
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Plugin-now-available-Would-a-Sidechain-Mixer-plugin-be-useful-to-anyone-m3158831.aspx
 

Vas

gswitz
You can buy plugins that do this. They aren't expensive. Then you can capture the output to a file from any location in Sonar where you can put a VST.

Please show me the way.
 

http://www.meldaproduction.com/plugins/product.php?id=MRecorder
 
It's free.
 
Once recorded, you'll have to import the wave file to the track of your choice.

I vote for the FR made by perfectprint. Below is not what he suggested but a workaround I spent many hours trying to get it to work and to simplify it.
 
I am getting closer to understanding how to record from a VSTi. I am testing this on Sonar X3. I have been able to record the audio and view the waveform from the VSTi in real time without any plugins to help in this matter. Actually it is rather simple to do once you do this a couple of times.
 
1. I select the VSTi and a track is opened. Solo is off. Arm record.
2. I then I add an audio track.
3. On the audio track select in the input of the VSTi which changes the track type.
4. On the audio track I solo and enable the waveform.
5. Now you can record the VSTi in real time form a midi keyboard controller.
6. When done recording hit the freeze.
7. Copy the waveform to another audio track. This audio clip now is independent.
8. Unfreeze and the original waveform disappears and the Midi re-appears.
9. Done but dang there must be an easier way.
 
Is there something I am overlooking here? Any suggestions to improve on this procedure?
 
PS. thanks to gswitz stevec and swamptooth for their input.

You're still not recording audio; You're recording MIDI, and the Freeze operation is generating the audio. The waveform preview is just a low-res visual representation of what the track meter is registering. You can get the same result by recording MIDI in a Simple Instrument track, and bouncing to another track. But you're still generating audio offline after the fact.
 
There is a workaround involving bouncing the soft synth track to another track with Fast Bounce disabled, and Live Input enabled, but it's more trouble than it's worth.
 
It'a best just to go ahead and create a loopback path, either with physical patching or in your interface's virtual mixer if it provides this functionaity.