Instruction Manual

820 System Exclusive Data
Real-time Recording of System Exclusive Messages
MIDI is a serial data transmission, meaning it can do only one thing at a
time. If you try to upload a huge sampler dump during a fast drum solo,
playback will noticeably lurch. MIDI must complete the System Exclusive
message before it can resume playback. The Sysx meta-event is
appropriate only for very short System Exclusive messages. The exact
length depends on various factors, such as the speed of your computer but
as a rule of thumb, 100 bytes is a likely maximum, and even that may often
be too large.
You don’t need to use Sysx meta-events for sending System Exclusive
information at the beginning of your project. Instead, use the Auto option for
System Exclusive banks. Banks that are marked Auto are transmitted
automatically by SONAR when it loads the project file they are stored in.
Use the Sysx meta-event only when you need to send a Sysx Bank during
the middle of the project.
See:
Real-time Recording of System Exclusive Messages
What Is System Exclusive?
Real-time Recording of System
Exclusive Messages
You can record short System Exclusive messages in real time. These will
end up in the track as the new Sysx Data types of events, which can hold
System Exclusive messages up to 255 bytes long. Before you record any
Sysx messages, choose Options-Global, click the MIDI tab, and make
sure that System Exclusive is checked.
To Record Sysx Messages in Real Time
1. Arm a MIDI track for recording—use a track that’s uses the output you
want to send the Sysx data out through.
2. Press the Record button or press r to start recording.
3. Move the button or fader on your MIDI instrument that sends Sysx data.
4. Stop recording.
SONAR records your instrument’s Sysx data as a Sysx Data event. Open
up the Event List view for the track you recorded on to view the data. When
you play back the MIDI track that the Sysx Data event is on, make sure that