Can't seem to set MIDI output to anything other than MIDI

[Robert Zorich]

Trying to set up a project, but the MIDI is only allowing output to my MIDI, as though it is only doing a passthrough, and doesn't give me the choice of any of my computer outputs. The USB mic works fine ... I record something, and it plays it back, and has the computer sound available. Even in Preferences, it only gives me the choices of the MIDI keyboard device for output (and of course for input). What am I missing?

 

Thanks

[John Vere]

Midi is not audio it is data that is sent to either a VST instrument or to a hardware midi sound module. There’s a thousand tutorials on the topic of using DAWs Google your question and add Sonar to the title. 

Edited May 9 by John Vere

[David Baay]

The Bakers removed support for onboard 'GS Wavetable' synths a while back - it's not exactly clear why. Reportedly something to do with lack of support in Win11 though it was still working. Unfotunately, they were also required by Roland to remove the TTS-1 GM synth around the same time so it will also be missing unless you already had it as part of a licensed SONAR purchase.

Edited May 9 by David Baay

[Robert Zorich]

6 minutes ago, John Vere said:

Midi is not audio it is data that is sent to either a VST instrument or to a hardware midi sound module. There’s a thousand tutorials on the topic of using DAWs Google your question and add Sonar to the title. 

Yes, I'm well aware of that. The problem is that the MIDI is not being sent. I mapped it to a VST instrument.

[David Baay]

Did you create a synth audio track to host the synth's output? Try inserting the synth as a Simple Instrument track (combined MIDI and synth audio).

[Robert Zorich]

5 hours ago, David Baay said:

The Bakers removed support for onboard 'GS Wavetable' synths a while back - it's not exactly clear why. Reportedly something to do with lack of support in Win11 though it was still working. Unfotunately, they were also required by Roland to remove the TTS-1 GM synth around the same time so it will also be missing unless you already had it as part of a licensed SONAR purchase.

Well, that seems to be involved somehow. I hadn't used this program in a while and did an upgrade and now it doesn't seem happy any more.

So, yeah, I used a different synth which seemed to fix the original problem and  I inserted the synth as a Simple instrument. Now, I can hear it while trying to record by the data itself is not getting captured, so the exact opposite problem, or it records and I can't hear anything while playing. But, it is getting closer! And sometimes I can see the virtual instrument, and sometimes not. Not sure where to toggle that. I guess it's been longer than I thought since I used it last.

[David Baay]

You can cliick the track-type icon in any track associated with a soft synth to open the synth's UI. Or you can open the Synth Rack from the Views menu and double-click the icon in the rack.

Check your record mode by right-clicking the record button. Sound on Sound will let you layer multple takes and hear previous takes both during playback and while recording. Comping will mute previous takes by clip-muting and new ones will take precedence where they overlap. Overwrite will replace previous takes with new ones up to the point the that you stop recording. New takes will be recorded to new lanes which you can show by Shift+T or clicking the Lanes button in the lower left of the track.

[Byron Dickens]

I think some quality time with the documentation would be in order....

[John Vere]

Yep all basic settings that are well worth understanding clearly from day one. Otherwise you chase your tail. That’s why I recommend you visit the tutorial sub forum here and watch a few of the beginners videos. Or you can read the relevant pages of the user guide.  
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7YqVth30eGsURWrKGeu-fFyg3ETjF-Ox&si=1JkjEPUORv9GeOm1