how to stop sonar from adjusting reverb

Hello, I'm using sonar essential x1 with a yamaha mo6. I'm using midi files I get off the internet. I try to set the reverb to a nice level and every time I start sonar it cranks up the reverb to about 8. I've tried looking at the event list and there's nothing there. I even copied and pasted the tracks to a new sequence and it still does it. I've been through the mo's manual and I'm stuck....can anybody help me?
 
thanks
Jim

Theee are two possibilities, if the reverb is tied to a CC you can delete the events using sonar's midi event view. The second possibility is the 'reset all controllers' midi message sent by sonar when you start playback. In that case, after you adjust the reverb directly on the MOX, save the patch/performance.. Sonar sends a reset all controllers before starting playback and is resetting the performance control positions onthe MOX to the stored settings. You can also disable Sonar's sending reset all controllers in Sonar's preferences, though it may cause other issues if the MIDI file contains CCs which won't get reset ( for example, modulation controller changes).

This is a pretty typical problem. There is no universal standard for scaling CC values to devices, so a given CC91 value sent to one synth may result in a different reverb level than when sent to another synth. Consequently, you normally have to edit CC91's when adapting someone else's MIDI file, or when changing instruments.
 
What you want to do is open the Event List and click off the Note button at the top (far left), so that notes are excluded from the event list. This will leave only CC events showing. Look for CC91 events and delete them. Once they've been removed from the track, you'll be able to automate reverb with an envelope, or set its level via the track header "Rev" slider, or just use the MO6's controls.

There is a per-project setting in Preferences > Project > MIDI called "Zero Controllers When Play Stops"

Glad you solved it.  I was going to say that Internet General MIDI files are notorious for sending Sysex messages that do all kinds of odd things.