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. You can also choose to lock a particular controller/surface to a particular instance of a plug-in.

Note: Some older plug-ins do not support ACT.

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 Roland A-PRO 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:

Mackie Control & HUI protocol

Roland A-PRO controllers

Setting up control surfaces

ACT MIDI Controller plug-in

Cakewalk Generic Surface plug-in

The WAI display

ACT

OPT panels

Working with StudioWare

Microsoft Surface Dial support

Enhanced pen support in the Piano Roll view