New Musician - New SONAR User - Need MIDI Help

My name is Matthew Hutchinson.  I was born in September 1971, and I'm a Customer Service Rep for a credit card bank.
 
Growing up in the 80s, my favorite musical genres were Pop Rock and New Wave with a strong emphasis on keyboard-driven Electronic music. My favorite bands were Information Society, Depeche Mode, Erasure, and New Order.
 
I recently started learning how to play the piano and would like to share my progress with friends and family. I can't afford a teacher, so I'm teaching myself with the JoyTunes piano instruction app for the iPad. My long-term goal is to learn how to compose down-tempo Electronic music and become a recording artist.
 
I'm using a Yamaha EZ-220 connected to my home-built PC with a Host to USB cable, and I bought a copy of SONAR Artist this evening.
 
I've read through the first few sections of the SONAR manual and watched a few YouTube tutorials on how to get set up and start recording.  Unfortunately, I've hit a wall trying to figure out how to save my test recording to an MP3.  I've also learned you can't export MIDI straight to MP3.  It has to be converted to an audio track, first.
 
If I understand correctly, I have to set up an audio track to record my MIDI track during playback.  The problem is, the audio input menu only lists None and my 220 as options, and keeps reverting back to None when I try selecting my 220.  I don't think I'm supposed to choose that anyway, but I don't know what else to do.
 
EDIT: Uh... please move this to the SONAR forum.  I just realized I posted in the wrong place.  Sorry...

Thanks for the warm welcome.  :)
 
I'm using my PC's onboard audio, by RealTek, and the WASAPI mode.

Welcome!
 
I would offer to help but I don't know enough about Artist to give any reliable info.

In downloads for EZ-220 you can find "MIDI Basics" pdf (may be you have it in paper). That will explain you EZ <-> computer communications. Important that EZ-220 can not send audio to computer, it can send/receive MIDI only.
 
So the simplest way is what bitflipper writes, use soft synth (TTS-1).
 
Once you can play on 220 and get the sound from TTS-1 (throw computer speakers), you can record/edit MIDI and export audio (including mp3). But there can be some problems till you get so far, in Sonar preferences:
* check that 220 is enabled as MIDI input
* check that something is selected as audio output in Sonar (your buid-in interface)
* you can get "double" and event "tripple" sound... Once from Computer, another from Yamaha directly and under some conditions yet duplication on Yamaha from Sonar. To simplify things at the beginning, DISABLE MIDI Output to Yamaha in Sonar and turn "Local Off" on Yamaha (see the user manual for 220).
* you can get quite big delay between you press a key and get the sound. That is a separate huge topic, related to the audio driver and settings (WDM vs ASIO, buffer length in Sonar preference, use as "key words" to google for more info). In short, try to reduce the buffer in Sonar settings till you get some "glitches/pops" and then increase one-two steps above that. You probably still will have the delay, but it should be "playable" (you can try install and use Realtek ASIO driver, but please do not expect it solves the delay problem completely, these chips was not designed for "low latency").
 
 

Welcome to the forum! This place is an incredibly helpful resource with many kind and experienced recording musicians ready and willing to offer their help and advice. I've always heard that using the computer's on-board audio is a big mistake, resulting in bad latency, strange (or no) sound, or just general gremlins. Hopefully someone will chime in if I'm mistaken, but my understanding is, EVEN IF ALL YOU USE IS MIDI, you still want to invest in an audio interface that allows you to use ASIO. I use the Focusrite 2i2, which is in the mid $100s. I can count on one finger the times I've had any audio issues, and I predominantly record MIDI data and then bounce to audio. You would of course need to make sure your audio interface is selected in the Preferences->Audio menu. I believe Cakewalk's YouTube channel has a video on properly setting up and using an audio interface. Good luck!

mrpippy2
 I've always heard that using the computer's on-board audio is a big mistake, resulting in bad latency, strange (or no) sound, or just general gremlins. Hopefully someone will chime in if I'm mistaken, but my understanding is, EVEN IF ALL YOU USE IS MIDI, you still want to invest in an audio interface that allows you to use ASIO.

If standard build-in RealTek in WDM mode produce strange sound or general gremlins, with hi probability the problem is NOT in the interface... The latency can be problematic, but it should not be on "show stopper" level for simple MIDI tasks.
 
What I mean, it should be possible to start without any "studio specific" equipment. An audio interface (vs build-in), studio monitors (vs PC speakers) at some point are in fact essential. But not before the first MP3 with one finger self played "Jingle Bells" is exported out of Sonar  

Welcome Matt. Pay close attention to what bitflipper (Dave) says. Especially his point 1.
 

You can use on board audio without issue if recording and playing MIDI tracks and only Audio Playback. You will need an audio interface if your planing on recording audio,, like your voice or guitar.  
 
Most has already been said so sorry if I repeat anything, All you need is for Sonar to recognize the Yamaha in Preferences/MIDI devices. Make sure it is checked. If the Yamaha has a midi driver download and install it. Windows 10 will automatically do this but I still like to use the original drivers if available from a manufacturer,  Yamaha writes good drivers and who knows what W10 would use. 
Now insert a soft synth and choose the Yamaha as the input device. There's a lot more than this  as you have different options so get that going and keep us posted. 

Welcome to the forum!

Great advice all you friendly Sonarians, but where's Matt?

Thank you all for the tips and info.  Much appreciated.
 
I've been doing some research on buiding a home recording studio, and have learned that my RealTek onboard audio isn't going to cut it for my needs.  It's fine for gaming, but not for what I want to do as a musician.  I want to future-proof my setup now, but I'm on a meager budget, so I'm getting a Focusrite Solo and a SoundBlaster Audigy RX.
 
@bitflipper, thanks for the tip about the TTS-1.  Unfortunately, SONAR's online doc and what few YouTube videos I've seen about using softsynths has left me even more confused, so I have a couple of questions.
 
1) Once I've recorded my 220 with the TTS-1, how do I convert it to audio data that SONAR can export?  I've tried exporting directly to Audio, but SONAR returns this error message:
 
"The specified selection did not contain any audio data.  Please ensure that the selection contains audio data you wish to bounce.
 
There's a section in SONAR's Knowledge Base that covers three different ways to convert MIDI data to audio (Google sonar converting midi to audio, it's the second search result).
 
The third method outlines your tip, but the directions aren't very clear.  On Step 3, it says to route the MIDI tracks to the appropriate output, and talks about the easiest approach it suggests.  After following its directions, I still get the error message I referenced above, which leads me to my second question:
 
2) Do I need to set up an audio track in conjunction with the TTS-1?
 
To that point, there's a function in SONAR called Bounce Clip(s).  Nothing I've learned has been very clear about what that function does or how it's supposed to work, so I've been trying to experiment in an effort to stumble on a solution to my problem.  When I bounce the TTS-1 track to Clip(s), nothing seems to happen.  I've tried inserting an audio track and selecting the TTS as its input, and then bouncing the TTS to Clip(s), but nothing happens.  I finally get a dialogue box when exporting to Audio, but the MP3 I saved has no sound.
 
Cakewalk should consider creating a series of video tutorials for beginners like myself.

First- you don't need the sound blaster- it may actually cause conflicts with the Solo's drivers,, don't install it. You can use the solo for all your audio and with the option of your on board for other things . Creative drivers are well known to screw things up. 
 
Your export didn't work becuase you need to select all the tracks you want to export. So CTR A before export. 

Instead of recording the audio from the TTS-1, record the MIDI track. It be rendered to audio anytime.
Also use input echo on the MIDI track to hear it play before and during recording. This will rely on connecting speakers or headphones to the Focusrite Solo (or the PC if using the internal sound chip) and routing SONAR audio output to the interface or PC. Hardware setup instructions are here.
 
Edit: I see you already have SONAR configured to use PC sound chip for audio.

scook
Instead of recording the audio from the TTS-1, record the MIDI track. It be rendered to audio anytime.

 
That hasn't been my experience, unless I'm mucking something up.  Please define "rendered" as it applies to SONAR.
 

Larry Jones
To hear sound while you're recording, make sure the "input" button is clicked on the track you are recording.

 
What input button are you referring to?
 

Larry Jones
If you are still using the computer's built-in sound card, there might be quite a long delay between playing your keyboard and hearing the sound. That will be fixed with an ASIO interface.

 
There's actually virtually no delay.  Maybe a few milliseconds.
 

Larry Jones
Disclaimer: I'm a guitar player, not a MIDI expert. I hope I've identified your problem, but that's about as much as I've ever learned about the black art of MIDI recording.

Sadly, no dice yet, but you're right about this process feeling like a dark art.  I can't believe how complicated it's proving.
 
Just to clarify for everyone, I haven't gotten any extra hardware yet.  I'm still using my onboard audio.

A couple of more things.
 
Do yourself a favor and disable the Microsoft GS Wavetable synth in SONAR preferences. Use TTS-1 instead (or any other soft synth). When SONAR has no MIDI output defined in preferences, the program will automatically add and assign TTS-1 appropriately when opening MIDI files. Remember to save the MIDI file as a Cakewalk project if you wish to retain any changes not related to MIDI such as FX, automation, audio and synth assignments other than the default TTS-1 assignments. T
 
Always use a Master bus. The default Basic template bundled with SONAR is configured to use one.