I hope this is the appropriate place for this question. If not, please let me know and I'll move it elsewhere. I have a Korg Triton Rack and Sonar X2a. Also involved in this question are a Kork PadKontrol and an Akai MPK25. I have it all connected thusly: The Triton is connected via the midi ins and outs of the PadKontrol. Its essentially just acting as a midi interface for the Triton. I have the MPK connected via USB and use it to trigger the PadKontrol. So far, this all works perfectly. I can play the Triton - with the MPK25 - to hearts content. Here's what I would like to do and can't: I like some of the arpeggios in the Triton. In order to get them synced with a project in Sonar, I'm using Sonar's 'Audio' clock and making it the master. I have the Triton set to use 'External' for it's clock source and this also works fine. If I run the project and play a note on the MPK, it will trigger the arpeggiator on the Triton and at the appropriate tempo. However, I would like to use the step sequencer to trigger the arpeggiator. This won't work no matter what I try. It does trigger the notes. They play just fine but the arpeggiator just never turns on. I believe I've looked at ever parameter on both the Triton and in Sonar and can't find anything that looks like it would alter this operation. I have Sonar set to Transmit Start/Continue/Stop/Clock and I have all midi out ports set to receive midi sync. Perhaps this is some kind of limitation of Sonar or of the Triton. I'm a bit surprised. It seems to me that note data generated by the step sequencer 'should' appear no different to the Triton than note data generated by playing the MPK. Both go through the midi out of the PadKontrol and should just be note data, right? I guess, in answer to my own question, there must be something different about the data because notes played on the MPK trigger the Triton's arpeggiator and notes coming from the step sequencer don't. So is there some kind of setting for the step sequencer that I'm missing? Thanks in advance for any help. Greg

first let me get this straight, for example, if you put a C note in the step sequencer, you want it to command the triton to play the arpeggio for that note, correct? Also youre telling us that the triton DOES respond to the step sequencer, just that it plays the single note instead of the arpeggio, am i understanding this right?

  Yes, that's exactly the case. If, for example, I loop 4 bars that each have a single C note played on the first beat of each, when I hit play, I hear those 4 C notes played through the Triton, though they do not launch the arpeggiator. If, while the project is playing, I hit a note on the MPK, it does launch the arpeggiator. Again, this really confuses me as it seems that regardless of whether the source of the note is the keyboard or the step sequencer, it should appear identical to the Triton. However, clearly, it does not. Thanks, Greg

Ok then what i THINK may be the problem is that you need to bounce the step sequencer to a midi clip and extend the note duration. Notes in the step sequencer are by default only for a length of one 16th. You cant adjust this parameter within the step sequencer, after that bounce it to a midi clip and you can adjust each notes duration by right clicking it in the piano roll view. Alternatively, you can work backwards by recording yourself playing the part live, then quantizing the clip and bouncing it to step sequencer, to adjust things to perfection. when you work this way youll will see the notes exact length in the step sequencer, youll see what i mean. Try it and see if that works

That sounds like great advice and I will try it. Just some grist for the mill. I just bought this Triton used and was concerned that it may have an issue. So, as a test, I tried the same thing in Ableton Live and it worked perfectly. A few simple notes in its sequencer immediately triggered the arpeggiator. So I believe I can eliminate the Triton as the problem. I'll give your suggestion a try and report back. Thanks again, Greg

Also, checkout the Midi settings in Sonar's Preferences (Midi -> Playback and Recording). There are some sync settings regarding Start, Stop etc (I'm not in front of my DAW, sorry). Your Triton responds to these settings. If I remember right, I have mine set to Send Start, never continue and a couple of other settings that should help.

http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation/default.aspx?Doc=SONAR%20X2&Lang=EN&Req=Synchronizing.06.html#1115093

Regards,
Dan