Reference Guide

511
Controllers, RPNs, NRPNs, and Automation Data
Editing MIDI Events and Continuous Controllers (CC)
See also:
Adding and Editing Controllers in the Piano Roll
Controllers
Controllers are the MIDI events such as volume, sustain pedal, and pan that you use to change the
sound while you're playing. You can enter controller data from within SONAR, or record them from
external devices such as MIDI keyboards.
Controllers let you control the detail and character of your music. Say you’re playing a guitar sound
on your synthesizer, but it sounds lifeless and dull. That’s partly because a guitar player doesn’t just
play notes one after another—he often bends or slides on the strings to put emotion into his playing.
You can use controllers in the same way, creating bends, volume swells, and other effects that make
sounds more realistic and more fun to listen to.
Your computer can work the controllers on your electronic instrument by sending MIDI Controller
messages. The MIDI specification allows for 128 different types of controllers, many of which are
used for standard purposes. For example, controller 7 is normally used for volume events, and
controller 10 is normally used for pan. Every controller can take on a value ranging from 0 to 127.
The Piano Roll toolbar contains several drop-down lists that let you choose the controller you want to
see and edit. The contents of these lists depend on the output and channel settings and on the
instrument assigned to that output and channel. Different instruments use controllers in different
ways. See the online help topic: Instrument Definitions.
RPNs and NRPNs
RPNs (Registered Parameter Numbers) and NRPNs (Non-Registered Parameter Numbers) are
similar to controllers, except that both the parameter number and data value can be any number
between 0 and 16,383.
When RPNs and NRPNs are transmitted via MIDI or stored in a standard MIDI file, they are
converted into four separate controller messages. SONAR detects incoming xRPN messages from
MIDI inputs or files and reassembles them into a single RPN or NRPN event. This provides the
convenience of single RPN or NRPN events in SONAR plus compatibility with existing files,
Note: SONAR has automatic searchback for all continuous controller data to ensure that the
correct controller values are in effect regardless of where you start playback. Suppose you start
playback halfway through a project. SONAR searches back from that point to find any earlier
controller values that should still apply.