Walking blind, need some understanding about Cakewalk & MIDI files

Yes.

First insert a synth you want into the synth rack.
Load and instrument into the synth.
Route the midi track to the synth.

It can be that easy or more complcated depending on what your doing. Most synths have multiple outs and you can load multiple instrments on different midi channels and outs to correspond to those channel. Your best bet is trial and error and reading the manuals.

HTH

Hi Phillip
To answer your question, yes you can use Sonar X1 to make your midi files sound better.
Depending which version you buy, all versions of X1 come with some pretty decent 'soft synths' which enable you to play your midi files through these sound generators. You can then mix your files and export them as a Wave file (or MP3 as an optional extra at a small extra cost).
Good luck.
Daryl 

Guitarhacker


ditto. 

Midi is data and contains all the necessary information to replicate the note properly..... pitch, velocity, volume, duration, and probably a bunch more things too.

Ultimately, the final quality of the sound is determined more by the patch or the sample you are telling the midi note to sound through. The better the sample, the better the music will sound. 

For example the same midi note can be played through a synth as a violin note. Using General Midi instruments it will sound fake. Using GPO it will sound much better. Using Vienna Symphony it will sound freaking amazing. .... same note, but through 3 different synths and samples. 

And of course, you can change that same midi note to a bagpipe if you wish. 

nooooooooo - don't encourage anyone to use bagpipes !!!  :)

Midi is data, but specialized instruments from various Midi instruments will have varieing amounts of expression and detail written into the Midi code for that particular synth-software instrument- voice in the particular patch in the synth-instrument. A voice is a constructed set of waves+variations+effects+ controls for the period from note on to note off, which is the basic cycle of midi data. Tinny Midi data or voices can be caused by mis-matched synths or midi formats. The problem becomes more complex when you learn what the differences are between GM 1, GM2, and brand name synth midi variations. All of which will contain different instructions in the midi code that will cause a voiced sequence of sounds and instructions for EQ, gain, velocity, reverb, attack, sustain, and many more parameters.
    Then there is your DAW and interface-soundcard. Computer electronica music is quite complex. So, what are you using for a controller, for a synth and DAW, and for playback? For starters.

Wow! What great and timely responses. Thank you everyone for your assistance.
I think my next step should be to download and test out the trial version.
I appreciate your help.
--
Regards,
Phillip

houseofman


Wow! What great and timely responses. Thank you everyone for your assistance.
I think my next step should be to download and test out the trial version.
I appreciate your help.
--
Regards,
Phillip

Most of the trial versions are extremely limited in that they have many features shut off and may not come with the synths that you are obviously seeking.  But it may still be worth checking into. ( trials versions may be fully functional for a limited amount of time, which would mean the synths too, but with pared down sample libraries until you buy the unlock keys) It's the LE versions that don;t have everything turned on and included. 


I have never downloaded a trial version so they may in fact have the synths but not the huge sample libraries. The samples would be much much smaller to save time and space. 


One important thing to remember...... you can run X1 in a factory laptop sound card...... but with great difficulty and you probably will not be 100% pleased with the results. Many people get clicks, pops, dropouts and extreme latency especially when using the VST synths. 


 Everyone I know here, who has been doing this for any amount of time is using an external USB interface for input and output of audio & midi, including me. An interface makes life so much easier with Sonar. 


Let us know if we can help.