Recording a soft synth’s MIDI output

Sonar allows you to record the MIDI output of a synth onto another MIDI track in your project. This can be convenient if your synth creates arpeggios, drum patterns, or other MIDI data that you want to edit as a MIDI clip.

To enable MIDI outputs on a synth

When inserting a synth from the Insert menu or the Synth Rack, select the Enable MIDI Output check box in the Insert Soft Synth Options dialog box.

The soft synth will now appear as an Input option on all MIDI tracks just like any hardware inputs.

To hear a soft synth’s MIDI output through another track

1.	Verify that Enable MIDI Output is enabled for the synth whose MIDI output you want to hear through another track.

2.	On a new MIDI track in your project, set the Input to the synth whose MIDI output you want to hear.

3.	Set the Output of that track to another synth or MIDI output used in your project and enable Input Echo.

4.	Play some MIDI data through the synth whose MIDI Output has been enabled.

The MIDI data sent from that synth will be echoed through the Output of the new MIDI track.

To record a soft synth’s MIDI output to a track

1.	Verify that Enable MIDI Output is enabled for the synth whose MIDI output you want to record.

2.	On a new MIDI track in your project, set the Input to the synth whose MIDI output you want to record and arm the track.

3.	Click the Record button to start recording.

4.	If you’re recording live MIDI input through the synth, place track focus on the synth’s MIDI track and begin playing your MIDI controller. If you’re recording pre-existing MIDI data through the synth, record through the duration of the pre-existing clips.

The MIDI Output of the synth will be recorded to the new MIDI track. You can then edit the MIDI data and route it to a different MIDI output as you see fit.

Note: Be careful to avoid creating a MIDI feedback loop. To prevent this, make sure the Input of a soft synth’s MIDI track is not set to the same synth’s Output.