Instruction Manual

External Devices
SONAR can be controlled by a wide range of MIDI controllers and external MIDI devices.
SONAR also contains two generic controller/surface plug-ins (the ACT MIDI Controller
plug-in, and the Cakewalk Generic Surface Plug-in), which allow you to use almost any
MIDI controller or controller/surface with SONAR. You can also control certain external
devices from SONAR by using StudioWare or OPT (Open Plug-in Technology) panels.
SONAR allows you to control soft synths as well as effect plug-ins. Active Controller
Technology (ACT) allows you to control any plug-in that has focus, using the same widget
mappings for each instance of the same plug-in (note: some older plug-ins do not support
ACT). You can also choose to lock a particular controller/surface to a particular instance of
a plug-in.
To keep track of your mappings, SONAR displays different-colored markers on each track
and/or bus to show you which controller/surface is currently controlling that particular
module. These visual markers on tracks and buses are called the WAI display (Where
Am I).
SONAR includes preset mappings for popular controllers/surfaces and MIDI controllers
such as the Edirol PCR series. If SONAR does not currently include preset mappings for
your controller/surface, you can create mappings by using the built-in ACT MIDI Controller
Plug-in or Cakewalk Generic Surface Plug-in.
See:
Edirol PCR Controllers
Connecting and Disconnecting
ACT MIDI Controller Plug-in
Cakewalk Generic Surface Plug-in
The WAI Display
ACT
OPT Panels
Working with StudioWare