I am trying to record audio from my YAMAHA MM6.  I am currently using the tascam us144 but will soon be changing to a cakewalk interface. I am currently using Sonar 8.5 producer and I would like to hear the audio through my KRK monitor.
 
I just need the basic set up. As in inputs and outputs and the way it should be set up in Sonar. My keyboard does not show up as any source in the menu unless I hook it up through the USB but I do not want MIDI, (something else that I am still trying to figure out how to set up correctly)  ☻

You can record its sounds by plugging its audio outputs into the audio inputs of your audio interface. In which case, you would use the audio interface as the input of an audio track. The output of the track would normally be the audio interface you are using to record/playback sounds, or to a bus that is routed to the interface, like a Master bus. You can output the audio track through multiple buses but it has to eventually lead to an audio interface like your TASCAM US-144..

what do I need to change inside of Sonar.

rain the producer


what do I need to change inside of Sonar.

That's hard to say without knowing what your current settings and configurations are. This is pretty basic stuff and you can probably quickly find the answer in your manual, tutorials and help files. I suggest reading up about Audio Tracks, recording, and audio options so you will have a better set of references to use in your recording method. We're just not on the same page and while everyone is willing to help and offer advice, the more you know and the better you understand how things tie together the more effective that help can be.

I'm not being rude or dismissive but the end goal is to help you to better help yourself so you don't need to ask the kinds of questions that lead to guessing games and misunderstandings.

Turns out I was missing a midi cable. I only had one plugged in which was routing midi out to midi in. from keyboard to interface.  But the funny thing is the Tascam says it only needs one for MIDI. I don't know I'm just going to roll with the punches. 

But other problems have started to rear their ugly heads.  Now it seems I can't control soft synths.  I can't record them. I also can't use beatscape. I'm not hearing any playback when it comes to beatscape.  I heard a little bit of audio into the step sequencer.

Recorded Audio Tracks=low playback volume and a static cracking noise.
MIDI Tracks-pretty much the same thing.

This is horrible. I'll probably have to read up on this some more.  If any of you guys have any suggestions I would appreciate it.

I see you started another thread which this is sort of a continuation of, In that thread you where asking the same basic questions regarding how to hook up all the cables.
Just in case you do not understand this I better mention that MIDI does not have anything to do with the transmission of sound from one device to another. It is only Data that can become sound when applied to a MIDI sound generating device.
So Someone told you to use 2 MIDI cables  and this is only correct if you wish Sonar to "play" the MIDI sounds within your Yamaha Keyboard. Then if you wish to "hear" those sounds you will need to run the audio outputs to your Monitors Via your interface. If You wish to record those sounds you would arm a audio track in Sonar and select that input .
Sonar if very difficult at first for anybody who's never played with this stuff before so do not expect to get it overnight. Keep reading the manual. You are only dealing with the basic stuff so far, It gets even more complicated.

Hi Rain, looks like you might be making some progress but I'll take a punt to help you out.

As you've deduced you need 2 midi leads, 1 goes from the out of the mm6 to the in of the 144 and the in keyboard to the out of the 144. You also need a pair of jack leads to go from the main audio outs on the yamaha in to the line inputs on the 144. Finally you need to plug the output of the tascam in to your monitors / amplifier.

That's the easy bit. Now you have to make some decisions. Do you want to monitor 'directly' through your soundcard or are you happy that your computer is beefy enough to do realtime monitoring. (I'm going to assume the latter. ;-))

First open Sonar and create a midi track, set the input and output to the 144, when you play the key board you should see midi activity in the meter and the little icon on the toolbar. On the 144 turn the monitor mix knob to 'input' and turn up the 2 gains until you can hear the signal from the yamaha ok. (generally the yamaha volume should be turned right up)

Now, back in Sonar, create an audio track (and while you're at it a buss, which you'll call 'master' route the output of this buss to the 144 stereo out put) set the input of the track to the tascam stereo input and the output to 'master' arm the track to record and continue playing the keyboard. You should now see the audio meter on your newly created audio track dancing around. Pick a loud patch on the yamaha and jam along whilst adjusting the input gain on the tascam so the peaks of your audio are dancing around -18 on the meter in Sonar.

Now's the fun bit, on the tascam turn the monitor mix dial from 'input' to 'computer' and switch on 'input echo' on your audio track (and disarm it from record). Now the audio that's coming in is being processed by sonar and put back out via your master buss. If there's a noticable delay between pressing the key and hearing the sound go to 'options / audio' and reduce your latency by setting a smaller buffer.

What you've got now is midi control and audio monitoring. You should be able to arm your midi track and record your part. You can then tweak your midi around to make sure it's perfect, then arm the audio track and record the output from the synth at your leisure.

You can also control soft synths using the midi you've recorded, insert a new synth using the synth rack, and then change the output of your pre-recorded midi track to the synth.

Your system is about as simple as it gets so spend a bit of time digesting this, think about where the signals are flowing and where you're able to apply control to them and you should be able to scale this up to more complicated set ups.

As was already mentioned, MIDI is not Audio. Get your head around this concept and it'll all drop in to place.

Child

Rothchild


Hi Rain, looks like you might be making some progress but I'll take a punt to help you out.

As you've deduced you need 2 midi leads, 1 goes from the out of the mm6 to the in of the 144 and the in keyboard to the out of the 144. You also need a pair of jack leads to go from the main audio outs on the yamaha in to the line inputs on the 144. Finally you need to plug the output of the tascam in to your monitors / amplifier.

That's the easy bit. Now you have to make some decisions. Do you want to monitor 'directly' through your soundcard or are you happy that your computer is beefy enough to do realtime monitoring. (I'm going to assume the latter. ;-))

First open Sonar and create a midi track, set the input and output to the 144, when you play the key board you should see midi activity in the meter and the little icon on the toolbar. On the 144 turn the monitor mix knob to 'input' and turn up the 2 gains until you can hear the signal from the yamaha ok. (generally the yamaha volume should be turned right up)

Now, back in Sonar, create an audio track (and while you're at it a buss, which you'll call 'master' route the output of this buss to the 144 stereo out put) set the input of the track to the tascam stereo input and the output to 'master' arm the track to record and continue playing the keyboard. You should now see the audio meter on your newly created audio track dancing around. Pick a loud patch on the yamaha and jam along whilst adjusting the input gain on the tascam so the peaks of your audio are dancing around -18 on the meter in Sonar.

Now's the fun bit, on the tascam turn the monitor mix dial from 'input' to 'computer' and switch on 'input echo' on your audio track (and disarm it from record). Now the audio that's coming in is being processed by sonar and put back out via your master buss. If there's a noticable delay between pressing the key and hearing the sound go to 'options / audio' and reduce your latency by setting a smaller buffer.

What you've got now is midi control and audio monitoring. You should be able to arm your midi track and record your part. You can then tweak your midi around to make sure it's perfect, then arm the audio track and record the output from the synth at your leisure.

You can also control soft synths using the midi you've recorded, insert a new synth using the synth rack, and then change the output of your pre-recorded midi track to the synth.

Your system is about as simple as it gets so spend a bit of time digesting this, think about where the signals are flowing and where you're able to apply control to them and you should be able to scale this up to more complicated set ups.

As was already mentioned, MIDI is not Audio. Get your head around this concept and it'll all drop in to place.

Child

I know MIDI is not Audio, I learned that a long time ago. I also know that by using a MIDI keyboard to control sounds you should be hearing something playing back.
 
All the cables are hooked up properly and have been for quite some time.  The interface is set up properly. There is something inside of the software that is not working properly. Still during playback there is still crackling or popping or whatever you want to call it in the playback of AUDIO tracks.

A common cause of crackling & popping is overloading the PC.  You can often address that by increasing latency (higher value) or freezing the soft synth tracks (you can always unfreeze them later).

Also, what sampling rate/bit depth are you using?  48KHz/24 bit seems to be considered optimal (based on what I've read).  Some times people think they should record at 96KHz but that can just be overkill that burns disk space and burdens the CPU, which leads to crackling & popping.

The more tracks, synths and effects, the more CPU load incurred that can lead to noise during playback.

I can not wait until I get my desktop.  I don't understand how I could be overloading this PC when I am only recording one track.

The sampling rate is 44/16 bit. I have tried to change it to 24 numerous times but has told me that the interface is not compatible with that rate. Even though Tascam says it is, Sonar always resets what the interface recommends.