qwerty for a midi controller?

Yeah ducky, go to http://www.bome.com/midi/keyboard/ and install it. You will need drivers for it too. Read up on it while on their site. They even tell you how to configure it for Sonar. I use this thing religiously when I'm out of the studio and have my laptop. I really do miss the Cakewalk Virtual Piano and always wondered why Cake did away with it. I wish they'd bring it back just for those that may want to use it in a pinch.

Anyway, make sure you follow the driver installation notes on that Bomes thing and read up on the Sonar info. It's a bit tricky at first due to not using any midi in's on the Bomes keyboard itself. The production notes cover all that though right on their site. Also, you may have to enable input echo to "on". Another thing to watch for, the Bomes keyboard itself needs to be the focus of your work or it will not trigger. I usually press record on Sonar and then hi-lite the Bomes board and it works fine. It may also help if you have it set to "always on top" so it doesn't disappear into your task bar. If the notes don't play, you may have to raise or lower the octaves on the Bomes board itself. You'll see when you mess with it...most of this stuff is self-explanitory and in the help info on their site....but it's a bit tricky if you are seeing it all for the first time. Good luck!

+1 to Slartafartbast.. And if your hell bent on not getting a cheap midi keyboard controller (and i dont know why you would be?) then use your mouse and the PRV
Cj

+1 to Slartafartbast

LOL, I just reconized a typo . Its too funny to edit...

ORIGINAL: Jonbouy

+1 to Danny...

It's a really handy feature to have at hand when you are on the move and doing some editing on the fly and it can't wait until you get back in front of a proper keyboard, which is a pretty basic necessity to have long term. (How much is a new M-Audio Oxygen 2 or similar?)

I'm all for more creative options not fewer. Just don't expect to play the 2nd movement of Rachmaninov's PC #2 on it.

Here's another alternative.

http://www.granucon.com/vmk.html

You'll need some virtual midi ports for it though as with the Bomes one.

That's how I feel as well, Jon. Sometimes you just need a little something to trigger a sound, create a basic drum beat, play 3 note strings, bass line etc. I've actually played some pretty technical drum parts with this little thing. It's perfect for someone that may not be able to afford a controller and it works perfectly on my laptop when I'm on the road and get an idea that I don't want to lose. I got the drums mapped out to where Z is kick, X is snare, C is rim shot, and my toms are V through "?". Hats at GHJ and crashes/rides R-I. Works fine in a pinch really. :) Not only that, but there are times when you really don't need to cart a controller around with you and this is perfect.

Glad there are alternatives that get this going, but frankly I think it should be built in to Sonar.
It's my favorite feature when traveling international by plane (which I do periodically).
Not ripping out a controller for that... between the space constraints and battery life, it's a no go.

OP:
http://www.cakewalk.com/support/featurerequest.asp

But yes, when in-studio a proper midi controller is my preferred way to go.

- zevo

I would like to see something built into Sonar as well. I use the BOME quite regularly. It's helpful for tapping out drum patterns, and you'll even get used to playing piano on it before too long.

That said, nothing compares to having a dedicated controller. But the thing is, I didn't get into soft-synths until after I messed around with BOME/MIDIYOKE and saw how powerful Sonar's included synths could be. Everyone starts somewhere, and there's no sense in buying a controller if you're not sure you'll adapt to synth life.

thanks for the help everyone (except you, slatafartblast :D )...

Hey, I +1 his post. I feel left out....Maybe if i tell you there are fold up keyboards that are travel friendly and that your wasting your time using the query keyboard. will that do it??? Those little folding keys are cool and fold up to a size of a big wallet or something. I would seriously get one of those.
Cj