Beginner Here - can instrument/audio be added to uploaded MIDI file...?

[Kris Krieger]

Hello!  I've been looking and trying and I can't find the answer on my own, very possibly because I lack the terminology.
- Anyway, I downloaded and installed Sonar just a couple of weeks ago.  I have some MIDI files I had made some years back using "MusicTime" (that was way back in 1997, Yikes!); I can load them into "Crescendo" (a free notation program) and get them to play, but they sound *horrible*.  
- Well, I can also load them into Sonar Free; and I did find out via the Forum that "MIDI tracks don't play any sounds" because they're only instructions.  OK, I can understand that, and that there's some sub-program in Crescendo (and similar) which "translate" the Midi Channel/bank/patch/description/whatever into sounds (even though the sounds are awful).  
- Oh, in case it matters, my MIDI input is set to "Virtual Controller" because I don't have a USB keyboard/"input device"...I looked at a few "budget" ones but don't want to spend my fixed-income dollars on something that might not even work with the software and so on...
- ANYhoooo.... so, what I can't seem to find is, How can I link/connect/match/insert/whatever those MIDI in Sonar?  I have to assume that whatever the other programs are doing automatically, has to be done "manually" in Sonar because there are so many additional "sounds", and ESPECIALLY, better *quality* "sounds", available.  But I can't for the life of me find out how to use the MIDI track to "talk to" an instrument/"sound"/"audio" track to "tell it what to do".
-
- As I mentioned, I'm a total beginner with the whole "DAW" thing, but I'd really like to get my older compositions to where they sound at least *passably* decent, and even work on some new ones....
- I took a screen shot of what I've got going with the MIDI file but it's pretty huge, so I'll only try to post it if it will clarify anything...
-
- Thank you all for your collective patience!
ADDENDUM:
I did find this https://legacy.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/2007013179/I-cannot-hear-MIDI-playback
so now I can at least hear the MIDI playback, but I still hate the "tinny" sound and would love to have something like the "BBC Full ORchestra" sounds instead, so still trying to figure out how to get the MIDI *instructions* to play through a VST3 Instrument.....
- Thanks again!

Edited 11 hours ago by Kris Krieger

[Promidi]

Yes, you can.

Open (do not import) your MIDI file in Sonar.
From the synth rack, insert a synth for each required sound in your MIDI track. (these synths don't need their own MIDI track, respectively)
Using each MIDI track’s in/outs,  route the MIDI tracks to the required synth.

[Kris Krieger]

28 minutes ago, Promidi said:

Yes, you can.

Open (do not import) your MIDI file in Sonar.
From the synth rack, insert a synth for each required sound in your MIDI track. (these synths don't need their own MIDI track, respectively)
Using each MIDI track’s in/outs,  route the MIDI tracks to the required synth.

Ah-HA!!  Thank you, Promidi!  I found that under "Insert"/"Soft Synth".
I still have to "fiddle" (no pun intended, especially such an awful one, but what the heck.... ) with the things I've downloaded, but this is definitely a First Step in the right direction!  Especially since it helps me to know what's being inserted, Heh!

Old dogs can learn new tricks - it just takes us a little longer to get past all the other accumulated clutter, LOL!
 

[Bass Guitar]

This problem is due to the fact that Sonar had to discontinue the TTS-1 General Midi synth back in the Fall of 2023 at the request of Roland who owns the software rights to the synth. 
 

They never replaced it so as a result opening a midi file results in there being nothing to play the sounds. 
 

Oddly enough Cakewalk Next paid version does include GM midi instruments. 
 

Sonar now only includes I think 4 instruments with the SI instrument collection. But that is very limited to just Drums, Bass, Strings and Electric Piano. 
For more sounds you require further 3rd party instruments. 
 

SynthFont 64 is an inexpensive GM midi synth that will play any GM midi files. It has a stand alone version and the VST version which will work with any Daw.