Ah, I see what you are saying. Doesn't solve the issue, though, unfortunately. Here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKaFu_84TH4

...the pattern plays perfectly fine in Session Drummer, but not in the Sonar LE track. It's missing half the drums. Are they maybe just not compatible? I don't know. Additionally, I don't think it is my computer or sound card, as this happens on both of my computers (my other running a 32-bit Windows Media XP OS). 

Haven't read all post so a little shot in the dark here... Have you checked the output of your audio tracks?

1. When you create a Session Drummer 2 synth you should tell it to create an audio track (or more if you want separate outs for different drums) as well as a midi track. SD2 will automatically rout to this.

2. If SD 2 hasn't got an audio track create one. Create an audio track and choose SD2 main outs (or something like that) in the input menu on the track.

3. Check that the audio track is routed to your speakers. On the audio track check that it's routed to the master bus as it's output.

4. Check that your master bus (2 bus) is routed to your audio hardware. On the master bus the output should be selected as [name of your audio interface].

Normally this just works by itself but something seem not to for you...

Legion, I do create an audio track and a MIDI track.

The audio track reads the O (output) as SessionDrummer 2 1 In/SessionDrummer2 2 In: Stereo. There are a millions different options there, though.

The audio track reads the I (input) as Master. I did select my speakers, but it didn't make a difference. Same thing. I'm just baffled as to why it would play every sound in the Session Drummer interface, but be missing drums on the MIDI track. And also that is does it on both on my computers.

This is where being a newbie sucks because I'm not exactly sure what "bus" means.

jhughs, let me read about drum mapping a bit and I'll do another video.

Again, thanks for trying to help me out. Hopefully one day I'll be a pro and be able to help someone.

I think I might be getting somewhere... I think. I think it is a drum mapping issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZb0-zyzr4g

The default O is SessionDrummer2 1. That is the one that only gives me part of the drums. I go to New Drum Map and select the option that says Session Drummer 2 and I finally get a beat looping properly and I can hear all of the drums, BUT the beat is slightly different as you can see in the video when I compare. Rock A GROOVE 07 is what I loaded into the MIDI track, but the beat is slightly different than the Rock A GROOVE 07 I am playing in the Session Drummer 2 interface.

This begs a couple of questions:

Why isn't the default O setting mapped to the correct Session Drummer 2?

Am I loading incorrectly?

What is the correct Drum Map to get the absolute correct beat, not a slight variation?

PetSounds01, welcome to SONAR and to the Cakewalk forums!

I don't have much to add to troubleshooting your problem; you have some of the best and brightest in these forums already helping you, and it looks like you're closing in on whatever is wrong. I just wanted to thank you for obviously appreciating one of the finest albums (if not the finest album) ever recorded.

That said, your Sempron processor and on-board sound card are going to become more of a problem as you get further into digital recording. The Sempron processor is not made for this--especially not under the burden of Windows 7. And on-board sound cards create all sorts of problems. It's not causing your problem in this case, but if you start to hear pops, clicks and dropouts as you add tracks to your songs, you can assume the on-board sound card is the culprit.

I'm not trying to give you more to worry about; I'm just trying to give you a "heads-up" before you start to wonder what else is wrong with SONAR LE. (If you start to hear the pops, it's not a problem with SONAR per se. All digital audio workstations work in a similar fashion, and they all need dedicated sound cards for the best results.)

Again, welcome, and I wish you the best of luck with SONAR.

Legion, I eventually want to make my own beats and rhythms, too. I just figured I'd poke around with adding patterns and maybe editing, just to get a feel, but that didn't even work. Now I'm worried that when I start messing around in PRV, I won't have the correct drums. Also, I know very little theory, so I hope that doesn't deter my from making drum beats.

Yea poking around with already done beats can be a good way of learning the structure. Not knowing any theory shouldn't be a problem at all. I didn't know anything when I started and I haven't taken any courses, just listened and learned by trial and error. One theoretical thing though: when trying to emulate realistic beats don't forget that a real drummer only have two arms and two legs

planetearth, first of all, what exactly does the Synth Track Folder do? I have that option checked when I start up Session Drummer.

Yeah, it does it with all patterns. I still can't get it to work... I was just trying again at lunch. I don't think I have any other MIDI patterns anywhere to add. I have a Korg VST soft synth that came as a free download with my NanoKey, but I don't think it has patterns and I wouldn't know how to insert them.

Also, I find it very curious that when I installed the same programs (Sonar LE 8.5 and Session Drummer 2) on my desktop, the exact same thing happens.

I really, really do not understand why it isn't working properly.

Legion, my drummer will probably only have one arm.

Why isn't the default O setting mapped to the correct Session Drummer 2?

I think the answer to this question will lead us to the source of the problem. SD2 is GM (General MIDI) mapped, so a specific map should not be necessary. Note: SD2 does not use the full GM percussion set, so the Session Drummer2 map is usually just a conveneince, as it shows only the limited drum set in the PRV.
That said, a drum map forces the notes to the proper key values for a given synth. When you use the SD2 drum map, Sonar sends the notes to SD2 correctly, and you are hearing all of them.
I am starting to think, the GM map in Sonar may be skewed. The fact that you get the same result on tow different machines, running two different OS's is consistent with that.
Sonar LE 8.5 is a fairly recent derivative of Sonar 8.5, and something may have gotten mangled while it was being trimmed down. We've seen strange things like this before, when Sonar was distilled down to Home Studio and Music Creator. It's also possible that your SLE disk has some corruption.
I'm not ruling out an error of some kind with SD2, but it appears that it is responding properly to whatever SLE sends it.
I have some thoughts on some tests, but lets run with what planetearth has presented for now.


Am I loading incorrectly?

No. Video 1 shows that you are inserting SD2 properly. I would also check Track Folders as suggested, but this in itself would not cause the problem you are having.

What is the correct Drum Map to get the absolute correct beat, not a slight variation?

The drum map has absolutely nothing to do with variations in the beat. It's sole purpose is to make sure a given note trigers the right sound in the synth.
SD2 does not internally adjust the beats. It merely responds to the data being sent to it. Here again, I suspect SLE, but this just may be a quantize setting that is defaulting to ON. In video 5, the drums appear to be sharply quantized, overriding the actual beat in the clip.
These are mostly just observations, but if we keep throwing stuff out there, somebody is going to find the key.
And I join jhughs in applauding your perseverence. Many throw in the towel far too quickly, and don't try to find the problem.

You shouldn't have to do that, though.

Did you get a chance to do the tests I suggested?

Like I wrote earlier, it sounded to me like quantization is suspect n:o 1. Misusing groove-quantize I've accidentally created rythmic patterns equally weird.
You haven't answered the question I asked then (or I missed the answer):  Is your projects time signature set to 4/4?

Those "off-beats" sounded so odd that I wondered if trying to play a 4/4 beat in a 3/4 project could produce something like that.

Also, working at a library is a good because I ordered Sonar 8 Power for our collection. Hopefully that will be useful, too.

planetearth, what exactly should I be saving? A project? A project with a beat inserted?

Kalle, how do you set a projects time signature? I'll poke around a bit here.

Also, seeing as Sonar 8.5 LE does not come with the step sequencer, is there a way to add one?

(Doing this from memory) To save as a bundle click on File>Save As, then on the drop down menu for file type, change it from "Normal" to "Bundle".

As planetearth said, the file extension is .CWB.

Sounds like you're making progress on this.

petsounds01


I mean what am I saving? A blank project? A track? I don't know.

Also, now I can't get the mic to work unless the echo effect in on. God, this program...

Save the project with the MIDI pattern in it that's not working correctly for you. I'd asked if you could create a new file based upon the "Blank" template. If you can do that, insert the SD2 instrument, add the same MIDI pattern that's not working for you and save that as a bundle, I'll be able to see a bit more where the problem is.

As far as your new mic problem, I really don't believe it's the program, PetSounds01 (and I'm not known as a SONAR "defender" by any means). I think you have a problem with the way it's installed or configured. Have you had a chance to look at the manual or the tutorials? You'll get a pretty good idea on how to get around just from those.

This ain't exactly Microsoft Word. There's a bit of a learning curve, but you shouldn't be having anything close to the amount of problems you're having. If everyone had these problems with this program, Cakewalk would have folded long ago.