Using Spark Le 1.5 inside Sonar studio 8.5.3

[BongSong]

Hello,

I am using the Spark le version 1.5 with Sonar studio 8.5.3 on a windows home 7 64bit machine.

What works now for me:

Using the Arturia Analog Lab keyboard, I am able to hammer out my own beats and record it inside Sonar. Inside Sonar's midi devices, "the Labratory" is selected for both input and output.

What I can't do and want to do:

Hitting the "play" button on the Spark hardware itself and record the default pre-programmed drum kits that plays.

Summary:

I insert Spark into my project.
When I arm the track, hit record inside Sonar, hit the play button on the Spark hardware itself, whichever default drum kit is selected, starts playing and Sonar recordes it.
I hit stop on the Spark hardware, hit stop recording inside Sonar, then hit play in Sonar, the default drum kit should of been recorded. (but does not.)

I am thinking there needs to be something turned on/off inside the Spark vst plugin inside Sonar or something configured properly inside the Spark Le software itself.

I am pretty sure I should be able do this. Could someone please guide me to a solution to resolve this? I will have a client in my studio in the next few weeks and will need to do as explained above.

I am blind and use software to both use a computer in general and to use Sonar. Having said this, I might not be giving things their proper names such as the buttons and certain window names, etc. Please bare with me.

Thanks in advance.
James

[ben arturia]

Hi BangSong
In Spark preferences you have 2 options to check.
- send midi from pads
- send midi from sequencer
In Sonar Preferences you shouldn't have Spark controller selected as a midi input or output.

[BongSong]

Ben,

Ahh. Thank you.

Where does one locate the Spark preferences? Is this inside the Spark software itself? I think its the audio/midi stuff under the setup menu?

[Terrym]

Hi ,you will find these pref in sparkle under pref.

regards

terrym

[BongSong]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies.

With visual assistance, we tried looking for preferences but couldn't find it. We were looking for it in the Spark VST window inside Sonar. Perhaps Preferences is inside another sub menu? Or is preferences located inside the Spark stand-alone program itself?

I wanted to ask before checking there because right now, I can't get the Spark stand-alone program to open. I think I'll need to reinstall Spark. I wanted to make sure that preferences is inside the stand-alone software first before uninstalling and reinstalling.
Thanks.

[BongSong]

help!

I am still having issues here.

I can't find the Preferences.

Is the preferences located under audio/midi in the stand-alone Spark software itself?

Is the preferences located on the Spark hardware itself?

Is the preferences located inside the Sparkle vst plugin inside Sonar when its opened?

I can't tell if preferences is an option buried inside a bunch of other sub menus.

Again I am blind so I apologize. I have people here with sight who is helping me and they aren't at all familiar with Spark. So its literally the blind leading the blind.

Please provide step by step instructions on how to find the preferences and then step by step instructions on how to select record midi from both pads and sequencer.

Thanks in advance.

James

[BongSong]

Hello,

Well, I was finally able to find these "preferences". Found it on a website where someone was doing a review on the Spark Le drum machine. Its a circle with an arrow next to it on the upper left of the Spark window while used in vst mode.

I turned both record midi from pads and record midi from sequencer on. But its still not recording inside Sonar. I have even armed the track without any luck.

Anyone have any suggestions as to where I check now?

[ben arturia]

Check that the Spark controller is not used as a MIDI controller in Sonar preferences.
Check that the input of your track is pointing on Spark vst.

[BongSong]

Hello,

Spark input and output on midi devices is unchecked inside Sonar. (In fact, whenever I check both input and output for Spark, okay the dialogue, open it back up, it always goes back to uncheck status.)

There isn't the option to choose Spark as the input device on the Spark soft synth track itself.

Only time Spark is available as an input device is on an audio track.

I have even tried to record on an audio track using Spark as the input device. No go. (However there are a lot of different spark input types, -1 Spark left mono, 1 spark left mono, same for right and stereo instances as well. (the total number of input types goes pretty high) I've tried them all without Sonar recording anything being done from the Spark, either via the pads or the sequencer)

I apologize if this should be a simple fix. Between being blind and not completely familiar with how midi works, and due to the Sparkle windows not at all accessible with my screen reading software, this is taking way too long.

But I am determined to fix this if you all are patient.

P.S.

Ben, would helping via Team Viewer be something you'd be interested in? If so, send me an email.

[ben arturia]

Let's try a last stuff :
- go to preferences and check that in choose drum midi from pads is on Spark.
Sonar 8 is not officially compatible with Spark.

[BongSong]

Ben,

Yeah, it took me a while a few days ago to find this preferences but its checked.
.