superior drummer question

Make sure the master volume knob in SD is turned up.  It's default is a bit low.

This might totally not be the answer to your question, but. Are you good on headroom on the Master bus / output?
You could Ctrl (left) click on the master fader and drag down, and it will lower all busses. Adjust the drum bus up to where you want it.
Sorry if I am not being helpful.
Best of luck.

Yes, I could lower everything else but it seems strange that a prog like SD should need special treatment. I hardly use it so I didn't notice an issue in the past. All other drum progs break my ears if I forget to bring the output down. High level, low volume on drums just doesn't make sense.
 
I did see one other post on the web where the guy had the same problem and people suggested bringing the level up with a limiter but that shouldn't be necessary.

>lower levels to make room. Nothing strange about it.
Yes there is! You don't have to lower track 1 to make 'room' for track 2.
 
My 12 tracks are rockin beautifully, lots of headroom, good levels and nice volume. Any other drum program needs lowering before it fits in - but SD has huge level and so little volume I can barely hear the snare when the level is in the red. Something is definitely strange about that.

Here is a link to a great diagram of signal flow in Sonar. It gives you a really good visual as to how and where your meters interact with the rest of your signal chain. I hope it might shed some light on why you are not seeing what you expect to on your meters...
 
https://www.cakewalk.com/...mp;help=Mixing.07.html

That's odd... No offense intended... it is sometimes hard to judge the level of experience of a user here. And we all overlook simple things sometimes. At least I certainly do.. If everything looks normal on the post fader track meter, is it being sent to the same output bus as the other tracks? Is it possible that it is being turned down somewhere farther down the signal chain? Can you try maybe sending it directly from the track output to your monitors to see if the drop in volume is happening somewhere in between? I use SD2 regularly amongst other drum virtual instruments and also alongside live drums(and even in different DAWs). It is not a "Superior Drummer Thing" as its perceived volume and actual signal levels on the meters are always right in line what you would expect them to be. If you have plenty of signal leaving your audio or instument track... and less getting to your speakers it is being turned down somewhere. It has to be.
 
   

SD and Ifm:
 
This is a simple question of why (any inserted vst) has huge level but not the volume you'd expect to go with that level. I haven't routed anything, mapped anything or done anything - just inserted SD2.
 
The level is great and the sound is great (when soloed) but the volume isn't there. It doesn't match a simple guitar track or any other VI in the song. I tried different kits and presets, they all sound great but they're too quiet. Drumkit from Hell, Rock Solid, Metal Foundry, etc - presets or out of the can, they all have the same problem.
 
I can put in Addictive Drums or Abbey Road and everything is fine.
 
 

>Maybe you prefer compressed and mix ready drums - nothing wrong with that.
Not about that, just a simple question of level and volume.
 
I sometimes drag and drop, I sometimes edit, I sometimes prog manually - the method does not affect the volume!
 
I will try to post a clip.

revnice1
SD and Ifm:
 
This is a simple question of why (any inserted vst) has huge level but not the volume you'd expect to go with that level. I haven't routed anything, mapped anything or done anything - just inserted SD2.
 
The level is great and the sound is great (when soloed) but the volume isn't there. It doesn't match a simple guitar track or any other VI in the song. I tried different kits and presets, they all sound great but they're too quiet. Drumkit from Hell, Rock Solid, Metal Foundry, etc - presets or out of the can, they all have the same problem.
 
I can put in Addictive Drums or Abbey Road and everything is fine.
 
 

Obviously the answer is not as simple as the question. Otherwise you wouldn't need an answer.
I too use Superior drummer and like all things gain staging and further level setting is what mixing is all about.

I usually run a Toontrack preset over whichever kit I use, but send each drum instrument to it's own Sonar track through a Drums buss to the Master and do further mixing along the way.
Maybe check where you are monitoring from. It wouldn't be the first time I've been caught with that.