Hello, first post here.
 
I have recently had the misfortune of my old Win98se, SB Live w/midi I/O port, (2)Aardvark Q-10 recording computer going belly up. (It's okay to laugh.)
 
I was running Sonar 2.2 and had a template set for recording my drum machine (Roland TR-505) as the master for MIDI drum tracks. I have long since forgotten how to set up the MIDI sync and I am having a hard time getting it to work in X3.
 
I can record the TR-505 (splitting the notes to 16 tracks) using the Audio Sync button (which doesn't line up events on the timeline), but I am unable to record using the MIDI Sync button for some reason. When I hit record in X3, the GUI by the metronome just displays "Waiting for MIDI Sync", but when I push the start button on my TR-505, Sonar doesn't respond. The TR-505 does play and I can see the MIDI signal on my Midisport 1x1 working.
 
Can anyone give me an idea of how to adjust the Sonar X3 settings to get this working? I'm not much of a MIDI guy, so please be gentle and it's ok to talk to me like a first grader. That's about my MIDI knowledge level.
 
Thanks so much,
 
Tom
 
My new setup includes:
Win 8.1 64
Sonar X3 Producer 64
M-Audio minisport 1x1
and of course, the Roland TR-505

If you want to use Sonar as the slave you may have to tell the drum machine to actually send the midi clock. It may not be transitting midi clock. It is transmitting midi notes yes but maybe not the clock.
 
Another option is to make Sonar the master and tell it to send midi clock and then put your drum machine into external sync midi clock mode and it should lock to Sonar that way.
 
Just downloaded and checked manual for you. From what I can see it (TR505) should be sending midi clock all the time so that looks the issue might be on the Sonar end. Maybe try slaving the TR505 to Sonar instead. It might work better that way around.
 
 

I have a 505,,,If you put it in MIDI SYNC mode then it becomes the "slave" to Sonar, which is the better method, The clock in the 505 will not be as solid. 
 
You need to go into Sonar and set up the midi sync with Sonar are Master clock and make sure it's outputting to your interfaces midi output. I got mine to work without much fuss but that's with 8.5, I just started with X3 so not sure where the midi clock stuff is yet. 
 
Plug the 505 audio into your interface and record the sound
or run the MIDI out to your interfaces MIDI in and you can record the patterns or even a song. 
Not all MIDI devices output midi data from their sequencers. 

I set the 505 up to be the slave and tried a few times to get the Sonar to be the master, with the same luck. It just sits there waiting. I'm not exactly sure what the settings in the MIDI pages of X3 are supposed to be set to, to accomplish this. I've tried a hundred variations and probably screwed something up.

If you patient I'll fire mine up tomorrow and see what happens with X3. 

Cactus Music
If you patient I'll fire mine up tomorrow and see what happens with X3. 

Thanks, That would be great!

Well it was still pretty easy for me, only difference is they have changed the preference menu so hard to find things. 
 
I'll assume you do have the 505 connected correctly and it is in MIDI SYNC which will show on the screen. 
 
Everything you need is in the preference menu, some under "MIDI, some under "Clock" 
 
Under Project- MIDI:
check Transmit MMC
Transmit MIDI start stop MAke sure your interface shows checked in the currently assigned port box  
APPLY 
 
In the Clock menu: 
Source = Audio
48 ticks 
30 FPS ndf 
APPLY
Hit play and the 505 light will flash in time to what ever tempo you have set in Sonar. 
 
If you patch the MIDI output cable and point at a blank MIDI track set on omni you can record your patterns as midi events. 
 
I keep my 505 patched in as I find it is a handy way to start a new project with a person coming around with a song idea. Most of these people I work with have used drum machines so don't mind at all. 
Without having to record the pattern I simply put the 505 in their headphone mix and have them play their song. It just saves time looking for the right pattern. Mine is still loaded with stuff going back what must be 30 years now. I've never changed the internal battery? 
 
The information on setting up midi sync is in the help files 
 
MIDI  -  SMPTE/MIDI time code Syncronization 

Thank you so much, I tried that and it worked!
 
Took me a minute to figure out that after recording, when I hit play in X3 the drum machine would turn on again as well. Really added a WTF factor to the mix.
 
Still not understanding why I can't get it to work with the drum machine as the master, but I can deal with it. At least I'm back in action thanks to you. *bows in reverence*
 
Thanks again,
Tom
 

It's MIDI clock is from 1985 so I doubt if it can talk to a 2014 computer and be clearly understood. It's clock is also known to drift a bit anyhow. 
 
Have fun. 30 years and it still works.. 

UPDATE:
 
I took the M Audio Midisport out of the equation and hooked it to my new Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 and the TR-505 will now work as the master device.
 
Weird stuff.
 
Thanks again for the support!