Troubleshooting No Sound in Cakewalk Sonar (Audio/MIDI)

If you're experiencing issues with no sound in Cakewalk Sonar, whether for audio or MIDI, follow these steps to troubleshoot and resolve the problem:

1. Check Your Audio Device Settings

   • Verify Driver Mode:
     • In the Preferences menu, navigate to Audio > Playback and Recording > Driver Mode.
     • Select the appropriate Driver Mode (ASIO, WASAPI, MME, or WDM/KS). 
     • For most audio interfaces, ASIO is preferred. WASAPI is recommended if ASIO is not available.
   • Set Up Your Audio Device in Cakewalk (if an audio interface is available): 
     • In the Preferences menu, navigate to Audio > Devices. Enable all inputs and outputs that are available from your audio interface.
     • In the Preferences menu, navigate to Audio > Driver Settings. To set the Playback and Recording Timing, we recommend using channel 1 of the Input and Output available to your interface.
       
       

2. Check Your Track and Bus Routing 

   • Verify Track Outputs:
     • Make sure each track's output is set correctly. It should be routed to your main output bus.
     • Check each track's Output dropdown menu to ensure it sends audio to the Master bus.
       
       
   • Check Master Bus Output:
     • Ensure the Master bus output is routed to your sound device/interface output.
       
       
       
       

3. Check MIDI Settings

   • Ensure MIDI Devices are Enabled:
     • Go to Edit > Preferences > MIDI > Devices.
     • Ensure your MIDI input and output devices are selected.
   • Check MIDI Track Outputs:
     • Make sure your MIDI tracks are routed to a virtual instrument or external MIDI hardware.
     • Verify that the virtual instrument is properly configured and loaded.
       
       

4. Check VST Instruments and Plugins

   • Verify VST Instrument Setup:

     • Ensure that the VST in the Instrument Track is loaded correctly and that the MIDI track is routed to it.

   • Verify Plugin Settings:

     • Open the plugin window and confirm that it's not bypassed or muted.

     • If available, check if the plugin produces sound by playing the virtual keyboard within the plugin interface.

5. Audio Engine Status

   • Restart the Audio Engine:
     • If the audio engine drops out, you can force a restart of the audio and MIDI engine (only if the transport is not playing or recording) by holding down the CTRL key and clicking the Reset button in the Transport Control Bar module. This will also reset ASIO.
       
       
       
       

6. Copying track from one project to another

   • If you continue to experience the problem on a particular project, consider transferring the tracks to a new, empty project to see if the issue persists.

By following this guide, you should be able to troubleshoot and resolve common sound issues in Cakewalk Sonar. If you have completed all these steps and are still facing issues, don't worry! We're here to help. Please get in touch with us at https://help.cakewalk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new and share as much detail as possible about your setup and any error messages.