Hello,
 
This is my first time using a DAW. I have Sonar X2 Producer. I am trying to record from Session Drummer 3. I have watched and read a lot of tutorials, but I am still not getting this.
 
I am using the Realtek hardware that is built into the motherboard. I have the Roland Octa-Capture and I hooked it up and it didn’t help so for now I am using Realtek because I ordered ¼” Male to RCA female adaptors and a RCA switch so that I can leave the Octa-Capture hooked up all of the time. I have a vintage Hitachi receiver hooked up to my computer and it only has one tape input.
 
I have gone through the steps in this tutorial and now the program is sharing the Realtek Audio Hardware. Before I did this I could not play YouTube and Sonar X2 at the same time.
Realtek Audio setup for SONAR X1
http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/hwsetup.aspx?dm=mme&man=Realtek
 
I have watched this video
Multi-Track Drums In Session Drummer 3 - Sonar X1 Producer Edition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC73PrrMxXc
Everything in this video is already set up when I insert the soft synth by right clicking in the blank area where the tracks go and insert a preset drum kit from Session Drummer 3 as opposed to using the Insert>Soft Synth method which does not set up the kit.
 
So I insert the Zeppelin Wet 1 kit and I get 12 drum tracks and a MIDI Source track. The only track that can be armed is the MIDI Source track. I’m assuming that is because all of the other tracks are in that folder. I get sound when I hit the drums in the kit with the mouse.
 
I click record, the line moves across, and I can hear the metronome. I play a few beats on the kick drum, stop the recording, play back, and there is nothing. When I look at the Piano Roll there is nothing there.
 
In the Piano Roll I can add beats, but they do not play back. If I select the MIDI Source track and add beats they play back. Some will even play back on the drum tracks that I have in the kit.
 
I have gone through the inputs and outputs on the tracks. I checked the box for MIDI Output and I selected a track as the input to the MIDI Source track. That didn’t work so I put it back on Omni.
 
I’m sure this is probably an easy fix for someone that knows this program.
 
Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ernie

try setting it up just like this.
doesn't matter if your using a drum machine or not, this will give you the basic tools on how session drummer 3 should be inserted and used.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjZS61Wg-XY

heres a lesson on basic midi, this is how to record basic midi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k83UVo1OiKA

this is a video on editing drum parts in the piano roll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAnAPR6-hQ

these are all my vids, there indepth but move fast, so you wont be sitting there half your life learning about drums.
there are many more out there as well

Charlie,
 
I didn't know that the messages were being sent. Every time I tried to send the message the website crashed. This website constantly locks up. It’s doing it again while I’m trying to check my sent box. Sorry about that.
 
I finally got to my sent box and there are no sent messages.
 
I just sold my Dr, Rhythm DR-880 so I can use this software instead. I do have a keyboard with MIDI. That’s strange that I cannot click on the drums with the mouse.
 
Thanks,
Ernie

you can click the drums all you want with the mouse, they just wont be recorded  :)

you should be using your octa capture, not realtek, remember that.

plug in that keyboard with a midi cable if you want to bang out rhythm's.

my video "drum editing in the piano roll" is faster than using your finders on a keyboard, because after you bang out finger drums, they never quite line up, so you need to quantize them.(press Q when midi track is hi-lighted).

your not the first one to think using your mouse will be recorded.

see when you use your mouse to click on a drum, its in sample mode, meaning its only letting you hear a sample of what each drum sounds like.
triggering or piano roll, those are direct commands to record signaled midi data streams.

you can also use sonars midi content in the browser to drag in to the timeline and edit it to your liking.

don't worry about the message thing, it was only after 6 messages I got tired  :)

ernieblues : "I click record, the line moves across, and I can hear the metronome. I play a few beats on the kick drum, stop the recording, play back, and there is nothing. When I look at the Piano Roll there is nothing there. "

By "play" you mean with your midi controller/keyboard ?

Nothing will be recorded if you play by clicking on the kick drum in SD3

Ok, I get the big picture now. The MIDI Tracks can only be played by triggering the Software Synthesizer with an external hardware device like a keyboard or a drum machine or by entering notes in the Piano Roll View.    
 
What was throwing me off was all of the extra instruments and numbers in the Piano Roll View for the SD3 MIDI Source Track. Now I see that all tracks Audio and MIDI have 128 locations. So the instruments in the SD3 MIDI Source Track are the kit that I loaded. I expected to see just the 12 that corresponded to the 12 tracks that were created when I inserted the kit. They use the same animated drum kit for all of the kits, but every kit is different. I’m sure Terry Bozzio or Neal Peart would need more than 12 tracks for their kit. 
 
128 is the number of memory locations that corresponds to 6 bits when counting in binary, 0 to 127. So if I insert a blank track there is a keyboard with 128 keys, 10 octaves plus 8 more keys. (10 x 12)  + 8 = 128.  
 
So when I insert a Led Zeppelin kit there are cymbals, tambourine, cowbell, etc. that are not on the animated kit. In addition there are the 8 preset drum beats A through H that correspond to the buttons below that animated drum kit. So I don’t even have to hook up the keyboard for this. I can get started right away. 
 
Thank you so much for all of your help Charlie. I have been trying to figure out this problem for over 3 months.

yup all drums are all on one midi track.
no probs,

best of luck,

come back to this thread if you need more questions answered :)

Excellent, Ernie and good job, Charlie.  Glad to hear it came together for you.

Kind regards,


Living Room Rocker

use the step sequencer, it's the quickest and easiest way to programme beats...

mgh


use the step sequencer, it's the quickest and easiest way to programme beats...

 
step sequencer leaves you prone to working in small boxes, and if you work in bigger boxes you need to skip and jump around. 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAnAPR6-hQ
 
the SS is good for somethings, and probably drums the most, but I don't think I can say quickest and easiest.