I have been trying to make my own string section part to a song I have. I've been able to get the string dialog box up and play with that but I can't find anything online to give me steps on how to "record" or "create" the melody I want. Can someone help me out or point me in the right direction. I need more than just explanations of what the software is capable of.

What do you mean by "strings dialog?"

Do you mean Studio Instruments Strings? If so, there is a browser that you can choose patterns from.

If your looking to create your own, you will need to use the Step Sequencer or Piano Roll View. Both will get you what you need.

If either of these are unfamiliar to you, I then suggest to read up on editing Midi data. Anything you need after you get acquainted with the PRV or SS, we will help.

By dialog box I just mean the window that pops up with the violin, cello and bass.

Jae
By dialog box I just mean the window that pops up with the violin, cello and bass.

I think you need to study the program a little, do the tutorials etc.. Helping you gets really hard if you don't even know what VSTs you are using and so on.

Yes, download the reference guide and work through the tutorials. They alone will help you understand the basics of the user interface.

Jae
By dialog box I just mean the window that pops up with the violin, cello and bass.

As Kalle said, it's hard for us to help when you can't tell us that your using a VST.
 
Don't take it the wrong way, we are here to help and want to help.
 
You have to do some things on your own first. Do like Mettelus suggests and just go through all the free tutorials that come with X3. Then look to Cakewalk TV on youtube to find even more instructions.
 
Also, we need to know how your going to input info on the part you want to create. Do you have a midi controller? If not, the easiest thing to get going is to look at the top right of the String VST interface, and the second icon from the left, is the Step Sequencer I told you about, click that button and it will bring up another interface that you can use to trigger the String VST.
 
That should at least get you going.
 
HTH

Ok. Thanks all for the help. I did have to go back to the tutorials to recap and ended up using VST. I tried to do it using my keyboard as the midi controller but I decided to do it manually using the PRV. I could not figure out how to use the Step Sequencer but I got the results all the same. Thanks again.

Okay, so now that I've created a MIDI string section part, I need it to fade out at the end. Can anybody help me with that? Or point me in the right direction?

Jae
Okay, so now that I've created a MIDI string section part, I need it to fade out at the end. Can anybody help me with that? Or point me in the right direction?

--Haven't you been using any MIDI volume control throughout your string tracks?  If not, they'll be flatline at a never changing volume - not very natural.  MIDI Controller CC11 is usually used for dynamic volume control of software instruments, and used continuously throughout a track to emulate the way physical instruments are played.  When you want your strings to fade down, same control - Then you would also want to use CC7 on the soft synth audio track to fade the sound truly out to nothing-- Unless you're going to bounce your MIDI tracks to audio before mixing, but I'm sure you're not doing that yet since you're just starting out.
 
If your keyboard doesn't have an Expression Pedal that generates CC11, then in Sonar's PRV, draw in your CC11 data in a new pane you insert for CC11.
 
Randy

So it's really not as easy as making a fade in an audio track?