Hi guys, I'm new in everyway both to this Forum and to Sonar X1 Essential. I've been using Qbase for really a long time and Sonar presented few issues to me that i can't find a solution anywhere to my particular problem. Here's the issue:
 
1) I have the Midi file imported and I could: change sounds, mute instruments, change the Metronome into a different sound, and whatnot. All cool and fine till this point.
2) Evertyhing seems to work fine untill I get to the stage of saving the file, from the actual midi into an audio or an MP3. It won't just allow me to do that in the tab where it says: Export: Midi, Audio etc etc. It just let me save it as a "track template" but I don't want that although I did "highlighted" and put the markers on the top bar and got all those tracks "highlighted" as mentioned, in "Black". Now I'm pretty sure that everything is set up correctly, otherwise it won't play the sounds on my pc as far as the internal sound software (I'm not using an external Keyboard or midi stuff). One thing though i did notice is that if i go in the Midi Set up Inputs tab, there is no actual Instrument shown in there, like Microsoft GS Wavetable syth. It is shown in the Outputs though the internal softsynth. Would that be probably the issue? I don't have a clue guys so please any help will be vital for me that I'm working as a teacher (drum-teacher) in an Academy and I need those Audio or MP3 converted files to let my students to ass drums on the cuts.
 
OK Thank you in advance, and may God bless you all.
Regards
Ermz :-)

You need to assign the MIDI to softsynth(s) in order to export audio from SONAR. Tutorial #4 goes through the process of working with MIDI.

Sorry, I'm being a bit slow this morning, and am struggling to follow what is happening here.
 
There are several queries I have about audio interfaces and assigning synths/GS Wavetable, but lets cut to the chase.
 
The project is sounding fine when you press play, yes?  Then we should be able to export it as audio.  Try this:
 
-Click on any track in the track view and then press cntrl+a on your computer keyboard.  This should select all the tracks.
-Go to top left of Sonar window, and choose "File-Export-Audio.  A window should open.
-Navigate to where you want to save the file in the "LookIn" box at the top.
-Make sure "Entire Mix", "What You Hear" or somesuch is chosen in the Source Category.
-Bit depth should be 16.
-File type should be "Wave", unless you have separately purchased the Cakewalk MP3 encoder, in which case you can choose MP3.
-Press "Export.
 
Please post back with the results.
 
Hope that helps.

Hello guys and thanks for the quick reply and help, you are really kind, thanks.
 
OK let me explain a bit better what is happening to my stuff here:
 
1) First I have a Sonar X1 Essential Software installed on my pc. Before i've always used the basic and old version of Qbase, that was the best because I just simply used to press in there "Save as arrangement" on the saving tab, and it would export the whole thing without gettin into much trouble or split my brain into pieces to understand how this thing works. Sigh!
 
2) I don't use an extenal intrument (Such as Keyboards, Vocals, Guitars, Electronic Drums ....etc etc) but i use the inbuild sound card of my pc: Microsoft GS Wavetablesynth.....a bit average but does the job for what i have to do with this thing and for the school.
 
3) I actually don't have to create or record anything with Sonar X1, because i use a bunch of midiflies and so, I just run them and mute their drums and change a bit a little sound here and there, so with that I'm fine. The issue is when i have to: Export, Save the song (midifile) that I've changed and i want to put that into another device such as MP3 player, or another laptop I have. It just won't save/export, in the format which is usable in Sonar when we go in the Tab at the top where it says: File>Save as...> or Export. It just doesn't allow me to get in there as if the line is not highlighted....(usually is black the writing meaning that I can access in that function) mine is just blank-white and it won't allow me to do that. I've tried what you have suggested me and even watched some other tutorials in Utube but it won't let me do it.
 
5) I have a doubt though because if I press "P" and i go in the "Preference>Devices Tab and into the Midi Inputs, in there, there are no Instruments of the box that concerns the Microsfot GS Wavetablesynth. I have that in the Outputs though, but not in the Inputs. Would it be that the problem? It is so odd, because having everything in there ready (also because i can hear the sounds of the instruments while playing the midi) but when i highlight the tracks and i go into "Export" or "Save as Audio"....Baaaaang the only thing it allows me to do is just, into the "Export section": Track Template, but I don't want that. I really hope that this didn't confuse you guys and I hope I did explain well enough to make you understand.
 
Anyways thank you for your help and i hope that you were able to understand. Thank you and God Bless you
Ermezio :-)
 
PS Now i go to bed because in Australia is late but don't worry take your time to answer or help me when you can and you will have time.
Cheers Ermz :-)

Hi Ermezio,
 
you will need to create an audio track and record the output of your Microsoft Wavetable synth to it.
 
Then you can export that audio file to mp3 etc.

Ermezio
...The issue is when i have to: Export, Save the song (midifile) that I've changed and i want to put that into another device such as MP3 player, or another laptop I have. It just won't save/export, in the format which is usable in Sonar when we go in the Tab at the top where it says: File>Save as...> or Export. It just doesn't allow me to get in there as if the line is not highlighted....(usually is black the writing meaning that I can access in that function) mine is just blank-white and it won't allow me to do that. I've tried what you have suggested me and even watched some other tutorials in Utube but it won't let me do it.

It almost sounds like you have a Save/Export disabled version; i.e., a demo.  If that's not the case, I'd imagine the problem is related to the GS Wavetable synth, something I've never used myself.   I can see the export options possibly being changed by the setup of this, but I don't know why that would affect the File > Save As command.  What format (file extension) did you choose when performing the Save As?
 

 
Could this possibly be one of those infamous "I bought a world class DAW but I need to do a work around to get .mp3 export" situations?
 
 
best regards,
mike

I like Mike.  
 
Mike

Ok guys thanks again for your: time, help and tips. Well at least now in these past few hours, I've come up with a little progress.
Please read what follows below:
 
1) I've finally found out how to export the Midi File with the changed: Sounds, different click, no drums and whatnot. I went into the: File> "Save as...." and then another window opens up telling me which format I would like to save that midi file. As you all know, it gives us when you open that window these options: 1) "File name"; and then other options just below that: "Save as type": 1) Normal, 2) Template, 3) Cakewalk bundle, 4) Midi format 0, 5) Midi format 1, 6) RIFF Midi Format 1, 7) RIFF Midi Format 2. I guess we are kinda getting there, however when i save that File into Midi, it does save it in midi but, the sound and all the stuff in it, once saved and played, it goes back to the original format, as if i didn't touched the midi song at all. Basically it didn't change anything. Arrrrrrrrrrrgh.....what the hell man.......Luckly i don't have the booze tonight, otherwise i would been drunk already by now. Anyways, sorry about this but, I really hope this is clear enough. It's hard to write down these things because i always miss bits and pieces here and there, I'm totally new to this Sonar X1 which indeed is a fantastic software but, not knwoing this system very well, it causes me to go out there in the bottle shop and get some booze to relax me a bit ;-).
 
OK now to answer to: 1) Shambler: I probably should try that too and eventually i will tomorrow, I didn't do it yet because I would like to get to the bottom of this through the normal process; it just drives me crazy the fact that i can't save that damn file with the normal way of saving it, but thanks for the tip. In the worst case scenario i will go with your tip for sure. 2) Stevec: OK my version is the one that I've bought and not the demo version. 3) To Mike; I have a program that can convert Audio into MP3....uhmmmm, not too sure if it will conver a midi file into the mentioned formats, but once I will be able to save in midi or audio the arrangement that i want, i will deal with it at that point.
 
OK Guys thank you again and if you have any idea I thank you in advance. I think that to get to the bottom of this, probably it will be in that window where it says: "Save as type": 1) Normal, 2) Template, 3) Cakewalk bundle, 4) Midi format 0, 5)Midi format 1, 6) RIFF Midi Format 1, 7) RIFF Midi Format 2. and try all the situations in there. God bless you all and thanks again.
Ermezio :-)

OK,
 I think I finally read enough to figure out what's up.
 
 You are using the Microsoft Wavetable synth? SONAR thinks that synth (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) is an external synth.,, so that is why you can't render with it within SONAR.
 
 I suggest that you familiarize yourself with one of the "soft synths" that came with your SONAR package. Then you'll need to learn how to set it up and use it within SONAR as an "virtual instrument".
 
 Once you have a virtual instrument running and making sound on playback you will find that you actually have some sound which you can Export from SONAR.
 
 You had mentioned .mp3. After you get the audio export working you can decide if you want to do the .mp3 encoding with that second app you mentioned or if you want to get set up to do it straight out of SONAR as you seemed to describe doing with Qbase.
 
 I think once you get a virtual instrument going you will find it seems like a more familiar process.
 
 Good luck.
 
 best regards,
mike