Hi, I have started to use SONAR X2 Studio and I have been able to create and edit MIDI files channeled through the built-in software synth TTS1. In some rare cases, a strange inconsistency arises: I create two tracks and allocate two different instruments to them, say Piano on 1 and Bass on 2. When I play each track in solo mode, each track returns the selected sound. When I play them together, however, both tracks play the same instrument. The consoles show the correct ones and there is no sign of a batch change in the event list. The pop-up instrument panel of TTS1 displays the "wrong" instruments. How can I persuade the synth to consistently employ my choice of instruments? Fritz

If you set the Bank and Patch parameters for a MIDI track, those values will be used to set the Bank and Patch for the TTS-1. Make sure those parameters are set to Bank: --- and Patch: None. Then your settings in the TTS-1 interface will remain unchanged.

Scott

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Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com - SONAR X2 Power! - http://garrigus.com/?SonarX2Power
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
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 Sorry, but I am still at a loss: I have to set instruments for the MIDI tracks, because I wish them to play. The puzzle arises, when the pop-up window of TTS1 shows different instruments which I am unable to change. If I set the MIDI tracks as suggested by you, I hear nothing at all. As I stated earlier, this happens only on rare occasions, several dozens of my project files are set up exactly in the same manner as the weird ones and they perform as desired. It appears to me that the weird ones have their instrument tracks invisibly linked. Fritz

I'm guessing that you are running two midi tracks through the same instance of TTS1. If that is true, I also have experienced some odd crossover, at least I did with SONAR 8. I went to using only one midi track per instance of TTS1, and things then worked smoother for me. I don't know about X2 (haven't tried multiple midi tracks per synth there yet).

There might be a better answer to your problem - Scott's bank/patch response for example - But I just prefer to have it all separated anyway - easier to mix. 

And check that each instrument uses different MIDI-channel.
Select the instrument in the MIDI-track header, not in TTS-1 UI. IIRC that is the specialty of TTS-1 only. One of the forumites has TTS-1 specific info on his web-site.  I'm not sure if it's FastBikerBoy or Guitarhacker or...

For each midi track, there is a Midi Output Channel that you can set.  Leave the input set to None (omni).

Sonar will then pick up the midi input from whatever controller you are playing, and for a given track will then route the midi back to TTS-1 on the midi output channel you set for that track.

So, if you have Piano and Bass on TTS-1's first two instruments, they will be set automatically in TTS-1 to channels 1 and 2.  When you then go to your two associated midi tracks, you would set the midi output channel for the piano midi track to be channel 1, and the midi output channel for the bass midi track to midi channel 2, with everything routed to TTS-1.

Then if you select the Piano midi track, Sonar will by default auto-enable echo on and when you play your midi controller, Sonar will route that output to TTS-1, on midi channel 1, and you should hear piano.

Doing the above for the Bass midi track should then result in TTS-1 playing the bass sound on midi channel 2.

Bob Bone

So, if you have Piano and Bass on TTS-1's first two instruments, they will be set automatically in TTS-1 to channels 1 and 2.  When you then go to your two associated midi tracks, you would set the midi output channel for the piano midi track to be channel 1, and the midi output channel for the bass midi track to midi channel 2

This is the key. If you have two tracks assigned to the same channel, the highest numbered track will have its bank and patch values sent last when playback is started and will take precedence over the setting of the lower-numbered track. You need to use separate forced output channels which will correspond to the separate parts/voices of the TTS-1.

Rbecker-- TTS-1 will play 16 channels of MIDI. there is no reason to use 2 instances unless you need different EFX, (there is only 2). 
I'm surprised Scott missed the obvious which is a common mistake of not understanding Channels. 

That's why I never was too bothered by this - I almost always will want them split for fx, compression etc. However, I am glad to learn the channel thing for times when I may want to layer different instruments for a unique sound in a single synth instance, or say section strings/horns.

Cactus Music


Rbecker-- TTS-1 will play 16 channels of MIDI. there is no reason to use 2 instances unless you need different EFX, (there is only 2). 
I'm surprised Scott missed the obvious which is a common mistake of not understanding Channels. 

Cactus Music

Rbecker-- TTS-1 will play 16 channels of MIDI. there is no reason to use 2 instances unless you need different EFX, (there is only 2). 
I'm surprised Scott missed the obvious which is a common mistake of not understanding Channels. 

I just assumed, which is never a good idea. 


Scott

--
Scott R. Garrigus - http://garrigus.com - SONAR X2 Power! - http://garrigus.com/?SonarX2Power
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series: http://garrigus.com/?PowerBooks
* Author of the Cakewalk Sonar ProAudioTutor video tutorial series: http://garrigus.com/?ProAudioTutor
* Publisher of the DigiFreq free music technology newsletter: http://digifreq.com/?DigiFreq
* Publisher of the NewTechReview free consumer technology newsletter: http://newtechreview.com/?NewTechReview