I know what your thinking  -  Your thinking "oh man!!!"...
 
Can I insert new Dimension Pro (DP) track and route midi track to it... 
 
I see there is no "Insert from track template" option to insert using DP - so what I have tried is to drag in from VST2 instruments Dimension Pro to the track view. Then when the DP plugin opens I select from the Program Browser "Les Paul Overdrive (dry) [53.2 MB]".  Select the Midi track and output this to the DP Track.  Press play and no sound is coming out  - I can see midi track levels moving but none for the DP track...
 
Am I doing something wrong? Does something in DP need to be set to output the sound?
 
PS: Guitar midi track has no extra none data events...
 
Thanks in advance, scook thanking you in advance too for the answer your about to respond with, and of course your patience  
 
Jim

With any VSTi in the browser just double click it and a dialog box will open. The default opens at least one MIDI track and one Audio track with the Synth inserted and connected as required. For synths that can have multiple outputs you can select to open them all in the dialog box.

This is the best way to open any VSTi. You really should do the tutorials in the help file because they are really good at helping you to get to grips with the basics.

Hi Mudgel,
 
I've had a certain amount of success with other VST instruments, although I find each VST Instrument has its own differences and/or peculiarities in the setting it up.
 
OK whether or not I double click the vsti or drag it - its the same thing right?
 
So now why can't I route midi through it? I don't have a "Split instrument Track" in the Dimension Pro track, I do though have option to "Make Instrument track" and when I do this I get a dialog with "Making an instrument track requires that a single audio and midi track are assigned to the same synth"...
 
So if I think about Session Drummer I use the "Insert from track template" and everything is setup for me - too easy!!! What about DP?
 
You refer me to some help file - what section in this help file do you suggest I read through...  It's not helpful for me to say - hey read through the 2094 pages to get an idea on how to use the product - man give me a break!
 
I search specifically for "dimension pro" in the pdf reference guide and find 2 paragraphs about it and it to refers me to dimension pro online help - where is that, how do I find this DP help online stuff??
 
Kind regards
Jim

Has anyone written any Soft Synth Track template files for Dimension Pro?

When you open Sonar and press F1 universal in Windows for Help you'll be taken to a page that lists a number of tutorials., about 10 or so. Number 4 deals with setting up VSTi's.

All that aside. While the track template method is great for having it all set up for you, the dilemma is that it doesn't teach you how it's done when there is no template for that instrument.

The way I was suggesting is universal.

What happens after you double click any VSTi plugin depends on what you select in the dialog box that opens.

Make sure to select Open First Synth Audio output. This ensures you have an audio track with your synth inserted and a MIDI track routed properly. Then you can just copy MIDI data to that track, or enter MIDI data via a keyboard or via the Piano Roll View PRV.. Hope that makes sense. See page 849 it's the chapter on soft synths or VSTi's. You'll find that Sonar allows several ways to skin cats. Eg. Synths can be inserted from the Insert Menu at the top of the program menus, via a right click in an fx box, via the Synth Rack or as I've suggested double click on a VSTi in the Browser. Depending on what you're currently doing one way may be more expedient than another. For now though start learning the basics.

Track templates are handy but redundant for simple soft synth inserts. The suggestion in the previous thread to use a template was to eliminate the possibility of error when inserting the synth. Ultimately, the source of the failure in the previous thread was the imported MIDI file. 
 
I described how to insert a synth here. A more detailed description may be found here. A longer description of the "Insert Soft Synth Options" dialog, a step which is apparently being skipped in favor of a manual process, is here. Maybe a run through tutorial #4 will help with the basics. All the synths work essentially the same way. They insert in a project the same way. They play the same way.

Jimmy what you are asking is a fundamental ability of Sonar. You need to take the advice of Mudgel and Scook and learn how plugin soft synths work with Sonar. Once you have it it will serve you well.  Believe it, its very simple.

Hi John, scook and Mike,
 
Thanks for your patience and for your help...  If possible could I have a few more moments of your time on this...
 
I use the same instructions to add a dimension pro soft synth and route the already existing data in a midi output to it, and still does not work.
 
I know these steps pretty well now from your help in the other posts I made earlier, (CW TTS1, SI-Bass and SessionDrummer) I've been through these tutorials, I've read through the notes on soft synths VSTi's and I know the basics pretty well I would think..
 
So I suspect there is something either wrong with my dimension pro, my 3rd party midi file or there is something extra that needs to be set for dim pro that isn't already mentioned in tutorial and in the previous threads.
 
To eliminate if there is something wrong with DP, I created a new project, added a new midi track and used the piano roll and added some chords to it.  I then double clicked DP from the VSTi and from the DP plugin popup I chose a program to use for an instrument.  Hit play and this works fine...
 
Next I created a new midi track and imported 3rd party midi file to it and specified the same DP VSTi track, used the event list to view any none data events and removed them. hit play and does not work.  The DP VSTi track will no longer play anything, including the piano roll I created at the beginning which previously worked!
 
If I do the same for CW TTS, there is no problem, it plays regardless. 
 
There seems to be a lot more sensitivity with respect to what is in the data from the mid track that was imported from mid file for Dimension Pro and also SessionDrummer.  In SessionDrummer, it was found that I needed to use the Insert Soft Synth using Track Template and removing these bits of data from the midi track that are none note specific - this works for SessionDrummer and SI-Bass Guitar, only because I used the track templates to set them up first. 
 
If however I use manual method to add SessionDrummer and the SI-Bass Guitar, no matter what I tried I couldn't get any midi output through it, (note I haven't tried to insert noes using piano roll for these in the past).  I think this is the same problem at play I am now having with Dimension Pro.  Seems even though I remove these events using the event list delete key, I still can't play.
 
On the other hand, if I use CW TTS with these midi files - I have no problems at all, (except that I won't be able to specify different bank setup, unless I delete the bank data from the event list) even with these none note related data events in them I can still use CW TTS.
 
So here is my query regarding dimension pro, (and for other soft synths too); why is there no consistency in each of these soft synths when it comes to setting them up and using them with standard midi files?  Why is Dimension Pro a lot more sensitive than CW TTS and what difference does the track template in SessionDrummer make verses manually adding a SD track in relation to the problem I'm having?
 
To scook, with the previous drum midi file I sent to you, can you use this with dimension pro successfully?  If you can what is it I need to do to get it to work? If you are successful can you create a track template for me to use by "save as track template" option and send it to me.
 
To me there seems to be some subtle inconsistencies in VSTi's, CW TTS seems to be the more robust, simplest of the ones I've used so far to use as a Soft Synth than it is to use ie, Dimension Pro, SessionDrummer and SI-Bass Guitar...
 
Jim
 
 
 

JimmyBoy
 
To scook, with the previous drum midi file I sent to you, can you use this with dimension pro successfully?  If you can what is it I need to do to get it to work? If you are successful can you create a track template for me to use by "save as track template" option and send it to me.
 
 

I did not save the file. The easiest way I know of to determine if the problem is a setup issue or a data issue is:

• Insert the synth using the links provided above. Do NOT manually create anything. Let SONAR setup the audio and MIDI tracks (or use an instrument track). This should just about guarantee the synth is setup correctly. I cannot recall ever having a synth fail to setup correctly.
• In the case of DimPro, select a program that defines every note such as a piano. I suggest a full range instrument because selecting a limited range program such as Drum, Guitar or Bass it is possible the MIDI file may have notes out of range for those instruments. This is only necessary because the MIDI files are unknown.
• Test the synth with a MIDI keyboard or switch to the Piano Roll View and click on the keyboard on the left side of the PRV. If it makes sound, the synth is setup correctly.  If the synth plays, these tracks could make a good template although it seems like an unnecessary exercise.
• Load the MIDI file. If playing the MIDI file does not sound, the problem lies in the MIDI data.

scook

• Load the MIDI file. If playing the MIDI file does not sound, the problem lies in the MIDI data.

Hi scook, I don't necessarily agree with this point - why then does CW TTS work ALL the time, even where there are events none data notes related?
 
With regards to the other points you listed - please read through my previous post - you'll see I have already gone through all these points....