Which Sonar soft synth has the best samples (specif.keys and Horns)?

My GK3 pickup for my old Roland GR20 guitar synth just died.
I used it a lot for horns, string ensembles and keys, but I input as audio from the GR20.
 
I did get a midi patch to get midi from the GR20 to sonar but haven't tried it out.
I'm old fashioned and still like more "real" sounds rather than "synthy" stuff and the GR20 audio output sounds pretty good to me.
I still find midi confusing.
I bought an Alesis keyboard for input to soft synths but after some trials, have to admit, tho I played guitar for 50 years, I am not much on keys and so I can't get into the feel, made worse with the occasional signal delay and a crappy keyboard response, and my midi needs a lot of PRV work after.
My conundrum:
Do I replace the GK3 because of it's familiarity and ease and feel of input or abandon it and the GR20 as old outdated samples anyway and learn to work with the Keyboard, midi, soft synths and the PRV?
If the sounds are better, it's motivation.
Thanks.

Thanks of those, I've only tried SI drums and bass. They seemed fine.
I'll certainly try Dim pro and Amber piano. Thanks
I've downloaded the Beta of the JamOrigin's MIDI Guitar software and will report back.
That would be the perfect compromise.
Thanks for that.

Instructions for MIDI Guitar setup as VST http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/2749799 If you use 64bit SONAR you only need the 64bit dll but you may also want to play around with the standalone. Some use the standalone and a virtual MIDI cable to get into SONAR instead of VST setup.

Which buffer did you lower?
 
Some SONAR users are not able to use MIDI Guitar as a VST, not sure if anyone has determined why? Should you continue with the VST method, the name of the plugin is now MIDIGuitar no space. Search for MIDIGuitar in your registry VST inventory.
 
Does the standalone work with your interface? If so, using it with a virtual MIDI cable such as LoopBe1 may be the way you have to use MIDI Guitar with SONAR.

Before going any further you might want to see if the standalone version of MIDI Guitar works for you. It does not need SONAR, LoopBe1 or anything else, it even has built-in synths. If your interface works at a low enough latency, then getting LoopBe1 or MIDILoop (another virtual MIDI cable solution) would be the next step. It has been a long time since I played around with virtual MIDI cables. IIRC, the setup process it pretty simple.
 

• Run the virtual cable install
• Reboot (probably necessary for XP)
• Launch SONAR and check the virtual cables show up and select them
• Launch MIDI guitar, on the advanced tab select the appropriate option in the MIDI output drop down for the virtual cable
• Add a new synth in SONAR and select a virtual cable input for the track.

I do not believe the computer is the issue. I would suspect the device you are using as an audio interface. Does it have an ASIO driver? If so that would be a better choice than direct. If not, you could try ASIO4ALL. Many have reported good results with it where an ASIO driver is not available.

I also would look at the audio card.  My MOTU 828mk2 hybrid audio card works great with Jam Origin Midi Guitar; I can get the sample buffers down to 128 which MG reports as having a latency of 2.9ms.  I have been having fun using MG to trigger Omnisphere and Alchemy as well as Kontakt instruments in Sonar.
 
For some reason I have never gotten MG to work in its DAW mode as a vst within Sonar like Scook has, but I did find a workaround that works for me.  This is my convoluted way of using MG with Sonar X2a:

1. I install "loopmidi", and set up one instance of loopmidi, which gives one virtual midi input and one virtual midi output track. 
2. In Sonar's Preferences activate/select loopmidi for active in both midi input and midi outputs. 
3.  Next, run Jam Origin Midi Guitar in STANDALONE MODE only outside of Sonar. Do not insert this as a vst instrument within Sonar itself. 
4.  Next, within Sonar, insert a different vst instrument --whatever vst softsynth you want to play like Alchemy for example. 
5.  On this softsynth (Alchmey's for example), select "loopmidi" within its midi input track within Sonar.  Choose omni as the channel. 
6.  Arm and record the  midi from the soft synth's own midi input track (Alchemy in my case). 

This is an odd workaround for my system which never got Jam Origin Midi Guitar to output midi as a synth vst within Sonar.  HOWEVER, by running Jam Origin as a Standalone along side of (in addition to) my Sonar X2a it works fine to trigger and record softsynths within Sonar.  Hopefully most Sonar users will not need to do this, but it is a workaround in case  MG does not work in DAW mode within Sonar.
 
I am actually very pleased with the progress that has been made with MG in the last month.  It is triggering softsynths well with only a few ghost notes or false triggers.  I have used it with several guitars and it does work better on some than on others; it likes my gibson PAF more than my strat.  My experience is that with my setup and audio card, MG triggers softsynths at least as well as Roland or Axon triggers softsynths; however, both Roland's GR55 and Axon's AX100mkii probably do track their internal sounds a tad better than MG does triggering softsynths [[EDIT:  I really like both Roland and Axon midi guitar products, but not for triggering softsynths, and yes I know that Cakewalk is a Roland product--which I respect and I do buy Roland products.  Just this MG software is amazing for what it offers for the masses.  End of edit]] .  Like I said above, I now use MG as my default midi guitar input software for triggering softsynths.  The progress is amazing and there is no need for a special midi pickup; just use a normal electric guitar.
 
To the OP, I hope you get it working with Sonar.  You might want to peruse the long thread over on the KVR forum where the developer does monitor and occasionally posts: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=359095&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=840
 

Skook, I'm using ASIO in sonar, but at this point, if running MG as a stand alone, it is not accessing sonar so I'm still confused.
I'll need to take it one step at a time with no assumptions made that I might know about midi.
1. Do I run MG first?
2. What setups does it need?
3. Is it important not to have latency at this point?
4. Do I download and install this Loopmidi or other into sonar as a vst?
Of course I would need the BR800 as an interface as it's the only place to plug in a guitar.
Thanks for all the help.
 
Cecilious, my BR800 has been very good about latency so far so abandoning it for another interface seems hasty for me at this point, but nice to know yours works fine.
 
Cactus, the GR20  is older than the GR55 .
I agree the latency of the GR20 was too much for midi too, so I used it for audio instead. 

I am using AISO for device and the BR800 for device type
I was able to install the VST list and play them (still outside Sonar) but
I ran out of options for latency.
It's close, maybe even usable, but there is an alert that says there will be latency but the buffer dropdown has no other options than the 432 samples it has in the window.
I do remember it had more previously.
The sample rate also has only the one 44.1Khz
Does this mean my BR800 does not support the lower samples?

Ok, thanks for that spec sheet link.
It doesn't mention buffers which is also limited to the one 432 rate (but too high).
Are the buffers set by the BR800 or the computer?

Aha! thank you.
It's in the computer control panel  under BR800 settings
I got it running fine now.
Thanks again.
Taking a break then trying it out in Sonar
So stoked.
thanks again for your amazing patience.

Thanks Scott, Looking fwd to it.
I haven't found any with good horns or harmonicas yet but still looking.

The BR 800 goes down to 96 or 144 with ASIO direct.
192 seems very stable with this program.
 
Does anyone else have the guitar sound blended in with the VST sounds?

There is some documentation for the software here http://www.jamorigin.com/...ws-Mac/help/index.html same as the help button

Not sure what happened to the link
http://www.jamorigin.com/...ws-Mac/help/index.html
it is the same as the help button