Assigning instruments

SONAR lets you assign a MIDI instrument definition to each available MIDI output and channel. The assignments you make determine the MIDI bank names, patch names, note names, and controller names that you see during your SONAR session.

Suppose that you have a Roland GS-compatible synthesizer attached to MIDI output 1. By assigning all 16 channels of MIDI output 1 to the Roland GS instrument definition, you ensure that the bank, patch, note, and controller name lists you see displayed in SONAR are the same ones that you see on the display screen of your synthesizer.

Often, you want to assign a different instrument to channel 10, which is usually used for percussion. For example, you might assign the Roland GS instrument definition to channels 1 through 9 and 11 through 16, but you would most likely want to assign the Roland GS Drumsets instrument definition to channel 10. That way, any SONAR tracks you assign to channel 10 on that output use the names of drum sets for patch names, and drum notation in the Piano Roll view. If you have several MIDI outputs, with a different MIDI module attached to each one, you would normally assign a different instrument definition to each MIDI output.

For convenience, you can assign a block of channels to one instrument and then change the assignment of one or more of those channels without changing the others. For example, you can highlight all 16 channels of the first MIDI output and assign them to the Roland GS instrument definition. Then, you can highlight channel 10 of that same MIDI output and assign it to the Roland GS Drumset instrument definition. Channels 1 through 9 and 11 through 16 on the first MIDI output will stay assigned to Roland GS.

If you only have one MIDI output, but have several MIDI modules attached to it, you can assign a few channels to each module. For example, you might have a Roland synth receiving on MIDI channels 1 through 9, a Roland drum machine receiving on channel 10, and a basic GM-compatible synth receiving on channels 11 through 16. In this case, you’d use three different instrument definitions for your one and only MIDI output.

To assign instrument definitions to MIDI outputs and channels

1.	Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Instruments.

Figure 518. The Instruments section.

2.

Select one or more MIDI outputs and channels from the Output/Channel list (use SHIFT-click and CTRL-click to select multiple outputs and channels). You can also drag through a bunch of channels to select them. For example, if you want to assign the first 16 MIDI channels on output 1 to a certain MIDI module, drag through the first 16 items in the Output/Channel list to select them.

3.

Choose the instrument definition to which the selected outputs and channels should be assigned from the Uses Instrument list. A black line connects the two lists. If your MIDI module’s name doesn’t appear in the list and you don’t want to use General MIDI bank and patch names for it, see Importing instrument definitions.

4.	To save these changes permanently, select the Save Changes for Next Session check box.

5.	Click OK to apply your changes.

From now on, the bank, patch, controller, and note names from the assigned instrument definition are used throughout SONAR on any track that uses one of the output/channel combinations you selected in the Output/Channel list.

To clear instrument assignments

1.	Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI - Instruments.

2.	Select the MIDI outputs and channels whose assignments you want to remove from the Output/Channel list.

3.	Choose <default> from the Uses Instrument list. A black line connects the two lists.

4.	Click OK when you are done.

You don’t really clear instrument assignments—you reassign them to use the default (General MIDI) instrument definition. After you reassign the output/channel combinations, the default (GM) bank, patch, controller, and note names are used throughout SONAR on any track that uses one of the output/channel combinations you reassigned in the Output/Channel list.

 

See also:

Importing instrument definitions

Creating instrument definitions

To import instrument definitions

To create a new instrument

To rename an instrument

To add a bank or change the patch names for a bank

To create and edit name lists