Questions about Sonar - MIDI, Sheet Music, etc.

[adam]

I just started using Sonar and love it. I'm having a ball and it is much easier to use than my Fostex FD-8. I primarily work in audio, but until my new soundcard comes (I am waiting for my RME DSP card. Now I have a Montego.) I have been experiementing with MIDI. I had a few MIDI and audio questions.

--I am writing some music for my upcoming wedding and need to arrange and score it for a string trio. I have been writing using the score view. My soundcard has about 100 different sounds of varying quality. How can I get different MIDI tracks to use different sounds? I have tried assigning different midi channels, and some other things to no avail. I can assign different instruments but they always playback as only one of the chosen sounds. Is this possible?

--At the end of the day, will I have a workable score that I can provide to string players? In terms of formatting, comments, notes, dynamics? Of do I need separate scoring/notation software?

--I have screwed around with recording audio through the Montego card. It appears to have a line in and mic in. I thought the line in was supposed to be superior. I plugged the analog out into the line in and heard it through the speakers, but it would not record. When I plugged it into the mic in it worked. The pull down on selecting the input in Sonar gave a L, R and Stereo option. Nothing about line vs. mic. Is it possible to record through the line in or am I stuck with the mic in until my new card arrives?

--I am using the Sonar demo so by the time I get the new card I will be more familiar with the software and then will by the entire thing. I can't find the midi/virtual synths. Perhaps they aren't included in the demo. Where would the be if they were there?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

 

[DavidK]

Adam, are you saying that you have 3 different "instruments" that all sound alike?? Thats odd, it sounds like they are all using the same midi channel. What happens if you mute one part??

I dont have SONAR yet, just Pro Audio 9, so I cant comment on Sonar's notation features, but Pro audio9 is mediocre at best for printing sheet music. It will be ok if it is simple stuff, but anything complicated might need a full-featured notation software like Finale or Sibelius.

A word about string players: they can be real assholes! ( Trust me, I have 29 years of experience). If they are pro players and you give them poorly written Sheet music, they can go Ballistic, so make sure the music is nice and neat. Pro's tend to hate "computer sheet music", so I am warning you in advance to triple-check your score before giving it to the players.

I am also curious, why are you writing for a string trio instead of the more popular string quartet?

I would like to know what kind of stuff you are doing for the trio, perhaps I can help you out.

 

[adam]

DavidK -- Thanks for your reply. I want each midi track to sound like a different instrument (cello, violin, etc.). I tried to mute or solo the tracks and at times it plays the wrong instrument.

Anybody have advice on this? This is my main challenge right now as I want to hear how the different parts would sound.

Thanks for the comment about string players. I am familiar with their attitudes. What's up with that? Anyway, I am really concentrating on setting up the proper "voicing" for each instrument and trying not to write in a way that would require them to play in a way that is unorthodox. They usually complain big time about that. I am working on a trio b/c that is what was available and that was what we could afford.

I am writing a piece in 2/4 with a tempo similar to a wedding procession pace. My wife to be is going to walk down the aisle to it. I can't wait.

 

[adam]

I figured it out. It was pretty easy. Sure I'll have more questions along the way.