Reference Guide

299
Recording specific ports and channels
Recording
Recording specific ports and channels
Most MIDI instruments are capable of sending information on several different channels at once. By
default, SONAR merges all incoming MIDI data and records it on whatever MIDI tracks are armed.
However, SONAR also allows you to control which MIDI input ports and channels each track will
record. Here are some examples of when this feature might be useful:
• There are several performers, each playing a different MIDI instrument. By setting each
instrument to transmit MIDI on a different channel and/or port, you can record each player’s
performance into a separate track, even though they are all playing at the same time.
• You are using a MIDI guitar controller and want to record the notes played on each string on a
separate track.
• Your electronic keyboard has a built-in auto accompaniment feature that plays a drum part and an
accompaniment while you play lead. You want to record each of these three parts into a different
track in a SONAR project.You have a MIDI sequence stored on your synthesizer’s built-in
sequencer, and you want to record each channel onto a different track.
You select MIDI inputs for a track by using the Input control in the Track view, Track Inspector or
Console view.
SONAR allows you to filter MIDI input so that you can record only certain kinds of MIDI data (see
“Input filtering” on page 300), and also allows you to automatically turn off the Local On setting of
your master keyboard.
To assign input ports and channels to MIDI tracks
1. Click a track’s Input control to display the Input drop-down menu. Choose track inputs from
these choices:
• None. This option actually sets the Input field to Omni. With this setting the track will record
any MIDI input coming in on any enabled port (MIDI interface input driver) on any channel.
• All Inputs > (MIDI Omni or MIDI ch 1-16). With this setting the track will record any MIDI
input coming in on any enabled port (MIDI interface input driver) on any channel, unless you
choose a particular MIDI channel instead of MIDI Omni. Then the track will only record input
that’s on the MIDI channel you chose.
•(name of MIDI input driver) > (MIDI Omni or MIDI ch 1-16). Choosing this option causes
the track to record any MIDI channel coming from the named MIDI interface input driver,
unless you choose a particular MIDI channel instead of MIDI Omni. Then the track will only
record input that’s on the MIDI channel you chose, from the named input driver.
• Preset. If you’ve created any preset collections of input ports and channels, you can select
one here.
You can use external MIDI synchronization to automate the process of loading multichannel
sequences from other MIDI devices. For more information, see “Synchronizing your gear”
on page 1153.