Hi,
 
I installed X2 and tried to have a look around (total newb - even since January - I had so many problems, I gave up).
 
But now I can't hear anything, and an error box says my humble midi keyboard (a toy to you guys!) was disconnected and I had no idea whether to click Yes or No as I did not understand what it meant! (see pic)
 
I also did not understand how pressing my keyboards keys made stuff "light up" in the tracks, yet it claimed to be disconnected!
 
Clicking neither Yes or No did any good, and then I lost ALL sound on everything! Couldn't watch YouTube vids, mp3s or anything. Then somehow the sound on other stuff came back but still not in Sonar.
 
Here are some screen shots I managed to grab.
 
This I think is supposed to be my keyboard connected successfully just after installation:

 
 
When I had no sound at all on my PC, but playing keyboard still made tracks light up:
 

 
 
my current settings:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Now that the sound has come back on other stuff, but not within Sonar:
 
 
 
 
Also I have an internal soundcard but don't know what type.
 
I don't know what other info to give. I did install 32 bit even though I have Windows 7 64 bit, as the readme stuff said some things were not supported in 64 bit. Also as a learner I thought I could always intall 64 bit when I upgrade.
 
Would having 32 bit on a 64 bit PC cause a problem?
 
Thanks a lot
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Get an audio sound card. something like MOTU, Saffire, Maudio, or RME. The lack of a sound card and the fact your in WDM driver mode doesn't hlep you. Onbaord sound chips do not have WDM driver. They do not have ASIO drivers. The drivers they have are MME and that is the worst driver mode you could use.
Onboard soudn card sare not menat for use with professional audio programs
 
Sonar didn't kill your sound, you did!
 
Cj

I think from you description the 'lighting up' part is that Sonar is recognizing the MIDI input, but MIDI is not audio.
 
Regarding the 32 vs 64 bit issue. If your sound cards driver is 64 and Sonar is 32 then that would be a problem. Essentially you would like to have everything either 32 or 64. Also make sure the soundcards Driver Mode (prefences) is set correctly. In your screen shot you have WDM/KS as the mode...that may or may not be correct. If you have ASIO available as a pick try that instead.
 
Regards,
 

CJaysMusic got some points there..

if you still wanna use Sonar, you can download: http://www.asio4all.com/
and try that and see if it helps, install it and you may have to reboot your pc !
Select " ASIO " driver mode in Sonar.

Also turn off :  ( share driver's with other programs ), it is not good to share the audio driver IMO.

If you have an USB midi keyboard / Controller and it,  ( disconnect's ) you will get " pop up box "
if it ask to re-route just select no, as long you are not gonna use another controller.
you may have to restart sonar for it to " See " the Controller again.
here's a post about USB Keyboard issue : http://forum.cakewalk.com/USB-Keyboard-Issue-Possible-Solution-m2912756.aspx
 

Anyway an onboard soundcard is no option for music software..

Under "Playback and Recording" change the driver to MME and see if that works, but as others have recommended, an onboard audio card is not going to work very well.

mmorgan
I think from you description the 'lighting up' part is that Sonar is recognizing the MIDI input, but MIDI is not audio. Regarding the 32 vs 64 bit issue. If your sound cards driver is 64 and Sonar is 32 then that would be a problem. Essentially you would like to have everything either 32 or 64. Also make sure the soundcards Driver Mode (prefences) is set correctly. In your screen shot you have WDM/KS as the mode...that may or may not be correct. If you have ASIO available as a pick try that instead. Regards, 

That's not true, you need a 64 bit driver if you're using a 64 bit operating system (i.e. 64 bit Windows) but Sonar can be either. 64 bit Sonar has more to do with using 64 bit plugins or large sample libraries.

So to the OP, no that is not a problem. As for getting a "real" audio card, that is a good idea but I think it's really unfair to blame this issue on the absence of an RME card.

Right now, your soundcard should be able to work in MME driver mode, but it will give you a lot of latency. You may be able to get better results by installing ASIO4All as soundblend suggested, and then switching to ASIO driver mode in Sonar.

 

mmorganRegarding the 32 vs 64 bit issue. If your sound cards driver is 64 and Sonar is 32 then that would be a problem. Essentially you would like to have everything either 32 or 64.  

 
How do I do that please?
Do I have to uninstall and start again?
 

mmorganAlso make sure the soundcards Driver Mode (prefences) is set correctly. In your screen shot you have WDM/KS as the mode...that may or may not be correct. If you have ASIO available as a pick try that instead.
 Regards,

I changed it to ASIO thanks. (but later changed it to MME 32 - neither worked)
 

bobvilaUnder "Playback and Recording" change the driver to MME and see if that works

 
I changed it to MME as it also said 32 bit, but that did not work either.
 
 
 
Regarding the advice to use a different soundcard: I bought a proper one that I put in my old XP machine to use the music software that came with the keyboard. But I could not configure the soundcard properly, so I tried it with the internal soundcard and it worked ok. (This makes me think that even when people say it's better with a proper soundcard, it does not necessarily mean it is impossible without one).
 
I do plan to get a good quality one, but I was hoping to be at least able to play around with Sonar first.
 
Are you saying that even to play around with the basic version, I still have to have a proper soundcard?
 
thanks
 
 
 
 
 

The sound card is probably your biggest bottleneck right now. You should be able to get it to work by messing with the drivers, but even a great pc will benefit from a audio interface.

soundcard buddy, please listen to the facts.
sure you can use onboard soundcard, but at what quality ?
I think you know what quality, the quality your getting right now.
 
less than adequate.

Sanderxpander

mmorgan
I think from you description the 'lighting up' part is that Sonar is recognizing the MIDI input, but MIDI is not audio. Regarding the 32 vs 64 bit issue. If your sound cards driver is 64 and Sonar is 32 then that would be a problem. Essentially you would like to have everything either 32 or 64. Also make sure the soundcards Driver Mode (prefences) is set correctly. In your screen shot you have WDM/KS as the mode...that may or may not be correct. If you have ASIO available as a pick try that instead. Regards, 

That's not true, you need a 64 bit driver if you're using a 64 bit operating system (i.e. 64 bit Windows) but Sonar can be either. 64 bit Sonar has more to do with using 64 bit plugins or large sample libraries.

So to the OP, no that is not a problem. As for getting a "real" audio card, that is a good idea but I think it's really unfair to blame this issue on the absence of an RME card.

Right now, your soundcard should be able to work in MME driver mode, but it will give you a lot of latency. You may be able to get better results by installing ASIO4All as soundblend suggested, and then switching to ASIO driver mode in Sonar.

 
OK thanks, I just spotted this post after I posted my last one.
 
 
If ASIO is available in the settings, does that mean I already have ASIO4ALL?
 
 
 

Soundblend if you still wanna use Sonar, you can download: http://www.asio4all.com/
and try that and see if it helps, install it and you may have to reboot your pc !
Select " ASIO " driver mode in Sonar.

Also turn off : share driver's with other programs, it is not good to share the audio driver IMO.

If you have an USB midi keyboard / Controller and it,  ( disconnect's ) you will get " pop up box "
if it ask to re-route just select no, as long you are not gonna use another controller.
you may have to restart sonar for it to " See " the Controller again.

I will uncheck share drivers, (and download ASIO4ALL if I don't have it) and reboot.
 
thanks