Understood, MIDI input can get very tedious with just a PC/keyboard and mouse. A cheap keyboard even for non-keyboard types like myself really speeds things along. You also have a lot of MIDI files installed with SONAR that are good starting points. Check them out in your SONAR media browser. FYI, I suppose you already found the Cakewalk channel at Youtube.

Yes thanks. There's a ton of stuff. Sonar is an amazing bang for the buck.

by not using a controller , you are missing out on more.. drawing stuff in by hand isn't the same for a number of reasons.. doesn't have to be anything high end. Any old keyboard that can do midi out, even if it's like say 10+ years old. You won't won't to go back to using keys..  it's like me asking you to play guitar in boxing gloves.. don't quite work.

Thanks. I'm sure I will find this is true. 
It's a problem of not knowing what I'll need, due to not knowing what I'm doing.
I'm reading the Scott Garrigus X1 Power over and over trying to get my head around the subject.
I need to break things into functions.
So far it sounds like there are Players (Step sequencer, the synth rack??) (that contain soft synths?)
and there are soft synths (true pianos, Session drummer,TTS1, Studio instruments) that have the sounds?
Then there are sounds made from samples of real instruments or created from scratch?
This is not making sense. I need a metaphor from something I understand.
Do you open a Player, run a soft synth, and then choose a sound?

you pick a synth in the synth rack (that in turn makes a audio AND midi track)... then a patch on that synth.. and hit keys and you get sound via the soundcard

the instruments can either be made from the pc's power or samples (recorded in the real world) and it just plays them back .e.g live strings or a drum loop for example.

Thanks. Ok
Confirm it goes:
1. Keyboard with midi out (thru USB or midi thru another device like an M Box to get it into the computer?)
2.In Sonar, open (Import from the browser) the Synth Rack, which sets up the tracks needed and configures the keyboard I assume.
3.In the synth rack open a Soft synth instrument. (SI Bass or session drummer for example)
4.Play the keyboard and you get the sound?
Where does Session Drummer fit in here?

pretty much that, most will have USB so thats the easier option otherwise you need a midi interface to hook it to a pc (more money)

yep sonar will set up the track.. but if you click on the instrument in the rack.. you get to see it's interface  / pick patches.. remember by default things like dim-pro etc. do not have sounds loaded when you start them.

as long as the tracks are armed you can record what you play also.. not all things have sounds mapped to every key .e.g. session drummer.. the lower octaves will start/stop a pattern while further up you have the stand alone sounds.

I watched the master class video again and it's starting to sink in.
Thanks for your patience and help.

There's a video on my youtube page called X1 MIDI for beginners that explains the routing and how it works for both soft synths and hardware.
I agree with others though, yes you can use them without a controller but once you get one you'll be wondering why you didn't get it earlier. Not only is it quicker it'll ultimately produce better results. I'm no keyboard player but I can sure play one with more feel than I can a mouse.
 
HTH

Perfect, Thanks. This helps a lot.