Re MIDI
‘OUTPUT to MIDI OUT A’ – I’ve assumed that this refers to B- Control 1 (I’m given two options,
B- Control 1 and B- Control 2)
 
I'm assuming that the B-Control has more than one set of MIDI in/outs. Mine only has one.
Select the one that your Nanopiano is connected to.
 

 
Match the output channel to the channel the Nanopiano is set to receive on - I don’t understand this.
Is the ‘output channel’ simply the MIDI Channel, i.e. termed ‘1: nanopiano’ in Sonar HS4?
I assume that now I assign preferences for Bank (i.e. Bank 1: sounds 0-127 in the Nanopiano and Bank 2:
sounds 128 - 256 in the Nanopiano) and Patch (the specific sound within these Banks).
 
I don't know about the 'matching the output channel to the channel the piano is set to recieve on' part. It may recieve on all channels; my Yamaha does.
The output is what you send the MIDI to, of course. The channel selection is just below the output box. If you don't select different channels for each MIDI track going to the same output, the MIDI tracks will all play the same patch, regardless of what patch you choose.
Most Instrument Definitions will have multiple banks containing multiple patches, while General MIDI (GM) has just one bank with 128 patches.
 
#2 shows the input, my Saffire and MIDI Omni, which recieves from all channels. #3 shows my output, also the Saffire which is connected to my Yamaha keyboard, on channel 1 and the ID for the Yamaha, #5 and #6 the banks and patches for that bank.
 

 
 
 

Re AUDIO
Set the Input to the B-Control Line In – I’m offered one option: B - Control ASIO (4in, 4out) and I
opt for stereo B-Control 1.
 
That should work. Just make sure you plug the audio cables into that input on the B-Control.
 
Set the Output to your soundcard, or preferably your Master Bus. – I’ve opted for Master.
 
Yes, and make sure the Master's output is to a valid B-Control output.
 
As you can see in the Drivers image below, I have 10 outputs available with the Saffire, but I only have 1 selected. Each of the 5 outputs is a stereo out, so 1 is 1 and 2, 3 is 3 and 4, etc. The last one, 9, is the S/PDIF digital output. I could potentially create a 7.1 surround sound mix.
 
OPTIONS
 
‘In SHS4, go to Options>MIDI Devices and make sure all of the B-Control MIDI I/O ports are selected’ –
in INPUTS I have one B-Control device selected, in OUTPUTS, two B-Control devices (1 and 2)
 
That should work.
 
Hopefully, your Options menus will look something like these from SONAR Home Studio 6. I have all my MIDI channels assigned to the Yamaha ID.
 
Also in Options>Audio select the B-Control Line In as an Input.’ In AUDIO OPTIONS – ASIO > DRIVERS I
have selected all available B-Control INPUT and OUTPUT drivers (4 in each).
 
While it doesn't hurt to select ins and outs you may never use, it can add another level of selection you don't have to go through when recording or playing back the project. If some of your ins and outs are digital S/PDIF (for instance) and you don't have anything connected to your digital ports, having them on the list of possible choices could be confusing. I just select the ones that I use so the list isn't too long and to lessen the chance of misselecting an in or out, resulting in me thinking the program or audio interface broke and spending hours troubleshooting and cursing because nothing I do will fix it then posting a plea for help in the forums only to have someone write "check your in/out settings".
 

 
OPTIONS > ASSIGN INSTRUMENTS
OUTPUT/CHANNEL
Make sure each track that's playing through the NP are using different channels - In this category
I’m offered ‘OUTPUT 1:B-Control/ Ch 1 to Ch 16’ and ‘OUTPUT 2:B-Control Ch 1 to Ch16’. - Should I
hightlight ‘OUTPUT 1:B-Control/ Ch 1 or more or all 16 channels?
 
If you want to use the Instrument Definition on all channels, select them all. I would (did). If the B-Control Output 2 is another MIDI port and you later connect another MIDI keyboard/sound module, you can add that ID and select output 2 to use MIDI channels 1-16 for that keyboard.
See the first image.
 
USES INSTRUMENT
I’m offered a selection, including NanoPiano. I obviously choose NanoPiano.
 
Good. What other choices do you have? Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth and a bunch of devices you don't have? The MS GS synth is okay to learn MIDI on, but it doesn't sound too good. Your Nanopiano and most software synthesizers will sound much better.

Wow, thanks for this Greg. You've clearly put some time in to this. I'll work through it carefully and post results. 
Cheers,

Jim

Nicely done, Greg.
Jim, keep us posted.

Hi Greg. 


I've following your instructions closely and set up as instructed, but still have peculiar issues. Re selecting different channels for each MIDI track going to the same output, I can only select and record one channel via SHS4XL commands. When I attempt further selections via SHS4XL commands on following tracks it simply records the first channel selection. I've managed to select two different channels for different sounds going to the same output successfully only by manually changing channels on the Alesis hardware. When I manually select the channel on the Alesis hardware I can execute two but when I try to add a third it's not happening; the third channel controls the second, so they play the same sound irrespective of my selection. Also, when a third channel is selected and a sound recorded, the solo buttons will only work on channel 2 when channel 3's solo controls are also selected, thus negating the solo capacity (i.e. it's a duo!)


I must be doing something right as I'm managing to record one track using the Alesis with the  via SHS4XL, and two manually, but I'm clearly doing a lot wrong.
I wonder if my Cheetah 7P keyboard needs to be configured differently.? I currently have it set on 'Patch' and then key in patches 0 - 127. I have never managed to access 128 - 256 via the keyboard as the manual made my eyes bleed; I simply manually access those sounds via the Alesis hardware (making patch selection during gigs a bit of a nightmare). 


Re your other queries:
The Master Output is to a valid B-Control output.
Other 'uses instrument' options are: default, General MIDI, General MIDI Drums, Generic Patches 0.. 127, Generic Patches 1.. 128' Roland GS, Roland GS Drumsets, SoundFont Device, Yamaha XG, Yamaha XG Drum Kits.

I'd appreciate any further help with this.
Regards,

Jim

As Bob wrote, finding info on the Cheetah isn't easy; most of the search results I get are for sale ads. Since you have the manual, I think you should keep applying cold compresses to the bleeding eyes and find out how to set it up.
Not being a smart a...leck, but it looks like it's a problem with the keyboard's settings, and I can't find the manual.
Have you tried using software synthesizers to see if the keyboard operates differently through those synths?
Click Insert>Soft Synths at the top. If you have Edirol VSC, try that. It can recieve input from up to 16 MIDI channels. What other soft synths are available on the list?
Anyway, insert a soft synth, set a MIDI track to record from the keyboard with it's output set to the synth, channels and patches set, the try to record multiple channels and see how they play back through the soft synth.

Hi Greg,

No, no, not the manual! It is written in evil computer code and it hurts. You'll find a copy in the Tower of London, next to The Rack. I will gird my loins and persist. Re other synths, I've used lots - Edirol, Dreamstation, RPX, Dyad and some others I can't spell, all with no issues. 

I'll let you know what occurs. Thanks again for your help.

Regards,

Jim

Hi Greg, Robert and all,
I've read the appropriate section of the Cheetah manual and followed commands to select channels and ports with no joy, probably due to the fact that I don't know what I'm doing.

I have, however, managed to record multiple sounds in SHS4 by hitting Record and then manually selecting the desired Patch on the Alesis hardware; I'm not switching the channel, but simply selecting a new Bank and Patch. I still have the MIDI piano sounds playing underneath but muting the MIDI track solves this problem. I am content to continue in this ham-fisted way as I've come to a dead end trying to perform this via the DAW, but if the above suggests an obvious mistake stopping the execution within SHS4 I would welcome further enlightenment. It's dark in here.


Meanwhile, thanks very much for your interest and help. Long live altruism!


Regards,


Jim