Keystation question

To make this function, you would need two things to work:
 
1. Send a valid MIDI program change message from your controller. 
 
2. Have a soft synth that is capable of receiving and responding correctly to a MIDI program change message.
 
For #1, I would assume from your question that you have already figured this out, and are attempting to use this in some type of 'live' setup to switch presets.  You can verify this by testing the MIDI messages received in the computer with the free MIDI-OX utility.  The MIDI-OX monitor can display all MIDI messages received in real-time from your MIDI device. http://www.midiox.com/index.htm
 
However, the biggest obstacle will be #2, as some soft synths don't provide a bank and patch list, and aren't programmed to respond to traditional MIDI program change messages, like hardware modules typically will do. If that is the case, then you must use the soft synth's property page to select presets.
 
So this will be strictly a case by case effort, requiring some research and trial and error.  Some soft synth developers maintained support for this legacy feature, while others chose to use modern proprietary preset browsers only accessible with mouse, and sometimes keyboard.
 
The best clue is if your presets are organized in banks of 128 presets in the synth, with presets numbered 0-127.  Chances are that you may be able to switch those presets remotely. 
 
I no longer use MIDI program change (retired my hardware), so cannot provide a complete list of which soft synths will work.  But of the three synths you mentioned, I would assume you might be able to get this working with z2ta+ (if you are referring to the classic model, and not the latest Z3TA+2).  z3ta+ contains 6 banks of 128 program slots. 
 
With many soft synths, MIDI program change is no longer a reliable and consistent way to work with presets.  The easiest solution I have found is to just use multiple tracks in the DAW host, each track with a unique instance of soft synth and preset.  Then just switch focus to the track with the sound that you need.  No time wasted on sounds loading from disk either, since they are already pre-loaded.
 
Alternatively, there are a couple of modern integrated controller solutions, but they do require a bit of investment.
Native Instruments NKS control:  https://www.native-instruments.com/en/specials/komplete/nks/
Akai Advance with VIP: http://www.akaipro.com/pr...controllers/advance-61

James Argo
Hi,
 
I don't have Keystation61, but I do have 49 and 88 which I think share about same features except number of keys.
The easiest way to change patch (or program) of your synth using Keystation is to press "Advanced Function" button, and then the Octave + and - will act as program up and down.
 
Jaymz

That may be helpful, and applies to requirement #1 above.  But requirement #2 still applies.  Some soft synths will not respond to the program change message.
 
To test the soft synth, you can simply insert the soft synth in a Sonar track, and then try using the Sonar track inspector to select a bank and program in the synth.  If that works, you should also be able to change it from your controller, assuming that you correctly enable the function in the controller.
 
But if you cannot change the program from the track inspector, you are not likely to be able to do so from your controller either.
 
Cakewalk TTS-1 and z3ta+ classic are examples of soft synths that should work with program changes.  In my experience, Dim Pro and Addictive keys do not respond to MIDI program changes.