Hi All,
 
A most recent new member here.
 
I am wanting some help with System Exclusive Data and the assignment and configuration of Instrument Definitions with X2 Producer
 
I have been working with a covers show band that users midi backup files for several years now. It confines me to a click track sent to my in-ears, but thats not the problem...As of late our MD who was responsible for all the midi song file arrangements, that i play to has decided to move on leaving the files behind. He was working on a Mac and used Garageband as part of his DAW. I on the other hand use a Pc with a recent purchase of Sonar X2 Pro. My experience with the DAW is little, but i am enjoying this great technology... 
Moreover, i put my hand up to continue working with the files...Its something that i always felt responsible for considering being the Drummer! 
 
Now, because we are adding and changing arrangements to our repertoire and so forth. I have purchased a couple of midi songs online that contain sysx data. When i open the file in X2 Pro a message pops up saying "This file contains system exclusive data designed to be sent automatically to your midi gear. Do you want to send it now?" I click yes then assign TTS-1 as my track mixer and sound. When i go to view/sysx i get banks 0-8191...
UNDER...
Bank 0         Name is Turn general midi systems on...length 6...Auto is ticked...output 1
Bank 1         Name is XG Reset...length 9...Auto is ticked...Output 1
Bank 2         Name is blank...Length 9...Auto is ticked...Output 1
Banks 3-7    Names are blank...Length 10...Auto is ticked...Output 1
Bank 8         Name is blank...Length 9...Auto is ticked...Output 1
Banks 9-127 Names are blanked...Lengths 8...Auto is not ticked...Outputs 1
Banks 128-8191 are empty.
 
Cakewalk do have Yamaha XG .ins which i assign in midi/instruments/preferences. I find that if i assign the outputs of the tracks to Control (VS-100) which is my midi interface... the midi channels, banks and patches all correlate with Yamaha XG as they do in the Instruments/Preferences/Define section...But, how do i get sound when i am using a Novation Impulse 25 midi controller. Its obvious that i must assign the TTS-1 for this, but once i assign the track outputs to TTS-1... I loose XG .
Am i correct in saying that the midi file/s that i purchased were written using XG patches or...? because the TTS-1 with GM2 sounds don't sound as they should...All the patch names slide into their designated tracks, but the sounds aren't correct.
The TTS-1 being a 16 track mixer is perfect for importing midi song files as i can see myself ongoingly purchasing/downloading many more overtime. But what am i doing wrong? Is TTS-1 the only 16 track mixer available in Sonar?
How can i get the TTS-1 to provide sound for XG patches?
 
Plus, trying real hard not to cram so much in my first post-:) but one last thing for now.
 
The song in question fades out in the end and i can't seem to eliminate this. Sysx takes volume control over the TTS-1 decreasing the volume slider as the song ends. In the the Event List...it does allow you to control things like Modulation, Cutoff, Resonance, Pan and Filters. But i see no list for volume control. The decreasing fadeout volume in the file still remains. 
 
Could someone Please lend a hand... Any help would be greatly appreciated and enormous to me! 
 
Thank You!
MrFed
 
 
 
 

Hi,
 
I've worked with midi files from XG's before. The sysex banks are data to be sent to an actual XG keyboard, However, if you're going to be playing via Sonar's TTS-1 synth, you can go ahead and delete those banks as they aren't needed for TTS-1. 
 
Ensure that each track's midi output is set to TTS-1. Also, each track usually goes to a different midi channel. From here, make sure each midi track has its bank sent to 'Normal 0' - Sonar will then use textual names for GM patches, and you can check that they are correct. It's is likely that track 10 is a percussion track, so you might want to set that track's bank to 'Preset Rhythm' - it's not set in stone, but it's a common convention. 
 
You'll need an audio track to accept sound from the TTS-1 - add an audio track to the project and set its input to TTS-1/Channel 1 (stereo).
 
This is the basics of a procedure for working with GM and TTS-1. If you're still stumped - give a holler - I haven plenty of projects laying around that I can give you that you can examine to see one is set up.
 

 

Thanks for your kind support and efforts.
I followed your instruction and deleted only the sysex bank channels in the event view...and presto it worked!...The playback didn't fade nor take control of the TTS-1 automatically. 
As you mentioned... an example would be great to view some comparisons.
Cheers 

MrFed, post one of your midi files and maybe they can give you an exact functioning and explanation of what they did to get it to work. Just a thought