MS GS Wavetable Synth (Default midi track Instrument) vs VST plugin Synth Tracks (Help?)

[Pte Jack]

Ok, now that I have the tools and a bit of spare time I'm starting to explore Sonar Studio.

Just to be clear, I have NO musical talent what-so-ever and I haven't the foggyist idea of the potential that this program has. So let's just say that I'm starting my journey by converting .mid files to .mp3 files but want to add my own remix of voices using the synths I currently have. Just to get a feel for the program.

So, I import the .mid files and Sonar defaults to the MS GS Wavetable synth as the default synth and splits the midi into the various midi tracks for the different instruments it finds. (this is kewl, but as we all know, the MS Synth is limited in what you can do with it.)

Now what I want to do is re-map a midi track to a synth (say from the MS GS trumpet to a Cakewalk Sound Studio Brass Section). What I am finding I have to do is Add a synth track then pull or copy the notes out of the MS GS track and drop or paste them into the created synth midi track. (Which I find I just can't seem to get the timing back on the paste, I'm either quarters too soon or quarters too late.)

So, my question is,

As the the Synth creates a midi track under the instrument track and they are paired, is there any way to pair a synth instrument to an existing MS GS wavetabled midi track without having to copy and paste or pull the notes to the newly created synth... I don't see an option to do so, There isn't a "Replace Synth" option available on the MS GS track, and if I split out the track, I get a "Making an Instrument Track Requires that a single Audio and MIDI track are assigned to the same synth" error if I try to create an Instrument Track.

Sound confusing, I know I am, but there must be an easier way of remixing from a pure imported midi to a VST synth.

Thanks in advance...

[opjose]

Yeah, you're doing it the hard way!

REMOVE the MS wavetable synth from the list of devices.

Start a NEW project and load or import a midi file.

Sonar will place each channel into a separate track with no device, either physical or virtual assigned to each track.

Now "add" the Cakewalk TTS-1 synth in the right hand column.

Go to the first track with notes and use the mouse to fully expand the left hand view.

The "O" (Output) is currently unassigned. Assign it tot he Cakewalk TTS-1 virtual instrument.

Leave the midi channel as is.

Select Bank 0 for the instrument bank and once you do you'll see that the instrument name will be populated with what was assigned for that channel in the original composition.

Do the same for the other channels and save & play the file to test it out.

Now "add" another virtual instrument.... say Sound-Center Brass...

Go to the midi channel you want to use for that and assign the output to the Sound-Center.

Repeat ad-nauseum.

The Cakewalk TTS sounds FAR better than the Microshaft Wavetable synth btw.

[Pte Jack]

Thanks opjose, I've got the TTS-1 one working, but not the Session drummenr or the other vst plugins. I'll "fiddle" with this for a bit and see if I can do it. But please watch for more on this later...

[Pte Jack]

Ah-Ha!!! Thanks again opjose, Got it!!! MUCH better now!!!

[Torg Smith]

If you right click in the track view track between the output/input buttons and the FX window, if you have it to show all, the menu has a replace synth and lets you pick a new one.

[Pte Jack]

not on a pure midi track that default to the ms wavetable, the replace synth button isn't there.

But now I have another question...

How do you separate parts (channels) out of a midi that the channels have been combined into 1 track. I've tried to set the track to out put just channel 1, to one synth and channel 2 to another synth but they all seem to play on the first tts-1 they come across... I would like to make each channel a single track???

[opjose]

I think you are confusing "combined" with "assigned to one device".

If Sonar is showing you multiple tracks in the main window, then it has segregated each midi channel into a seperate ( non-combined ) track.

To assign any ONE track to another synth, expand the left hand side view ( also select "ALL" in the view pulldown ) to display the Output DEVICE.

If you've loaded a second virtual synth, then there you will see another available "instrument" that can be selected to play that track.

So for instance if you have a nice midi file that could use the benefit of a great virtual instrument, such as a B3 organ, you could re-assign the organ track to a particular synth.

----

Midi 0 files combine all "events" into one single track that Sonar displays as a single track.

If I recal correctly it is possible to save it out as a Midi 1 type file and read it back in with the tracks seperated.

I may not have that right since I haven't done this since Sonar 8.5, but Sonar does allow you to convert Midi 0 files to Midi 1 files.

[Pte Jack]

Hmmm, this is what I get when I load the midi into sonar...

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=364705906

All channels are integrated into one track, but sonar "somehow" know which notes(?) to play on what channel. There are 13 parts in this, each part assigned to a different channel. The prior to the first note played that are 13 patches, I believe this is where the midi instructs the the synth what instrument to play and the channel to play it on.

I tried to "Save as" a midi1, and the attached picture above is what I get when I bring that saved file back into sonar. (all channels on the same track, same as the original midi).

[opjose]

That is strange.

Are you sure it is a standard Midi file?

I just tried loading both midi 0 and midi 1 files into Sonar and it ALWAYS seperates the events into separate tracks by channel.

The documentation also affirms this:

http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR%20X2&language=3&help=MIDI_Files.1.html

At worst you could always use the .CAL script to split the events by channel into separate tracks...

See this: http://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR%20X2&language=4&help=Programming_CAL.05.html

Hope that helps.

[Pte Jack]

Thanks, I'll check into that a little later...