Hi,
 
I was wondering if there is a way in Sonar X3 to use my laptops keyboard as midi input. 
Does it offer this support or is it maybe possible with other software (midi yoke or other things)?
Hope anyone knows and tnx in advance.
Grtz

It requires two additional pieces of software:
1) A virtual MIDI keyboard
and
2) A virtual MIDI cable
Add the virtual MIDI cable to the MIDI I/O in SONAR Preferences
Set the output of the virtual MIDI keyboard to the virtual MIDI cable
Add a synth in SONAR
Type away
 

PaBl0
I was wondering if there is a way in Sonar X3 to use my laptops keyboard as midi input. 
 

scook says how, but you'll probably find that the actual use of a virtual midi keyboard is limited.
 
As long as you only type notes you're ok, but if you also want to adjust soft synth parameters in sonar you'll find that your virtual keyboard constantly loses focus and you have to click on it to get it back.  And notes can get stuck on in the process.
 
Still I use my virtual keyboard often enough just to try sounds out without turning on my real midi keyboard.
I wouldn't use it for real music, though.
 
 

Hi there and first off sorry for my late reaction.
 
I have been sick, but now trying for two days to get the suggested solution to work.
I had it working right I thought, but then changed some things and it's not working.
The thing is, first I installed midi yoke, vmpk and midiox. It was working fine with 32 bit vst, but obviously not 64 bit.
On one occassion I had it however that it was working and even when the keyboard wasn't selected. See that's where my problem is now. I have later installed loopbe for 64 bit applications and that is also working, however no matter what I try now, everything will only work when the keyboard is selected. For standalone vi's that works ok, but in Sonar I can't control anything because the track of the synth needs to be highlighted. Now I don't know how I had it configured initially, but now I can't get it to work. The minute I select something else than the keyboard, that program/window will handle the keyboard strokes and no midi is generated.
Does anyone have an idea of what I might be doing wrong, or how to get around this problem ?
Thanks again and again thanks for the input allready given. That got me this far, just need te get a little step further :)

I can't see how it could ever work, When Sonar is waiting to record it is also expecting commands from the keyboard. I can see theat when a GUI for a soft synth is the focus that certain keystrokes will trigger notes too. But I don't see the point at all, why not do like others and enter the notes with the mouse, at least that will work. I'm pretty sure what your trying to do is just asking to much of software. 

Pick up a cheapo MIDI controller or draw them in manually in piano roll, copy and paste. 
I scored an M-Audio wireless 25 key midi controller for around $40 and it's actually lasted 8+ years.
After you find all your Sonar hotkeys on the keyboard, you'll have a hard time going back and forth.

Hi there and thanks once more for the input. I don't agree however. Programs like Ableton and Fruity Loops seem to get the trick done. Furthermore software makes it possible to excusively grab a keyboard, meaning that when it runs it will catch all keystrokes (doesn't seem to be working in vmkp) . Another solution would be to make it possible in Sonar that it still receives data whilst not being in focus, other software can do it.
I have a pcr midi controller which works very fine, however on the go (in the train for instance) it would be nice to have the option to use the keyboard for midi input. Unlike drawing you can easily hear and try simple motives. Drawing is possible, but not on the fly audible, so a drawback if you will :)
Hope there's maybe other's here with a good suggestion and tnx once more for thinking along... 

You answered you question then, Use Ableton or Fruity loops. Why fight with software that is not designed to work in 1,000 different ways just to make everyone happy. Thank goodness for that. Sonar is confusing enough because it has too many possibilities. Adding more only makes it that much more confusing and un stable. 

This thread may be old, but to clear up peoples opinons "idk why you would ever use such a travesty, use a real piece of equipment like the rest of us, conform to our money spending ways" mentality, it works just fine for people. Unless you plan on recording Bach or something of that nature, in which you need to record piano strokes all the way up and down the keyboard, using virtual midi software works.
 
Hell, just to prove a point, I'm using a Windows 10 Tablet-PC, no external sound card/sound processors, no instruments whatsoever. I'm using pure PC power and software, and in the end, it works PERFECTLY.
 
You don't have to spend money to get something useful, and workable, and whatnot. I'm starting to believe most of these opinions are guys who run music stores where they sell instruments. Selling propaganda that software is ****e, when in fact it's not.
 
"You should go spend your hard earned bill money on an instrument you may not be able to carry around like this XXXXXX i have in my shop, come buy and pay my bills".
 
Maybe i'm wrong, or maybe i just can't see eye to eye to a purist, one of those "if it's not held in your hands it's not good" types. ffs if you're so hell bend on recording pure audio, get an old 8-track or cassette tape recorder, and stop bugging with DIGITAL SOFTWARE.
 
Unless I'm missing the whole point. Either way, I've successfully been using VMPK and MidiYoke for my music needs. Besides mouse clicking, we don't want to stretch out thousands of clicks just to get something worth putting in a song, we want to be able to quickly test these things, progress doesn't have to take 10 hours if you're talented.

Leat
This thread may be old, but to clear up peoples opinons "idk why you would ever use such a travesty, use a real piece of equipment like the rest of us, conform to our money spending ways" mentality, it works just fine for people. Unless you plan on recording Bach or something of that nature, in which you need to record piano strokes all the way up and down the keyboard, using virtual midi software works.
 
Hell, just to prove a point, I'm using a Windows 10 Tablet-PC, no external sound card/sound processors, no instruments whatsoever. I'm using pure PC power and software, and in the end, it works PERFECTLY.
 
You don't have to spend money to get something useful, and workable, and whatnot. I'm starting to believe most of these opinions are guys who run music stores where they sell instruments. Selling propaganda that software is ****e, when in fact it's not.
 
"You should go spend your hard earned bill money on an instrument you may not be able to carry around like this XXXXXX i have in my shop, come buy and pay my bills".
 
Maybe i'm wrong, or maybe i just can't see eye to eye to a purist, one of those "if it's not held in your hands it's not good" types. ffs if you're so hell bend on recording pure audio, get an old 8-track or cassette tape recorder, and stop bugging with DIGITAL SOFTWARE.
 
Unless I'm missing the whole point. Either way, I've successfully been using VMPK and MidiYoke for my music needs. Besides mouse clicking, we don't want to stretch out thousands of clicks just to get something worth putting in a song, we want to be able to quickly test these things, progress doesn't have to take 10 hours if you're talented.

This thread is almost 4 years old. Sonar implemented keyboard support for midi about 2 years ago.