How to hear the effect of sidechain compression!?!?!

Hi All
 
I am running Sonar PE 8.5
 
I am having my first stab at using sidechain compression and I have everything set up how I want it
 
My KICK drum track is going into the sidechain of the SONITUS compressor that I have on my string pad track and I can see it doing its job perfectly by using the compressor to "duck" the signal when the KICK is well, er, kicking!
 
When I use extreme settings I can hear the effect so I know it is working
 
I would like to hear the effect of the sidechain compressor on the strings by "soloing" them but this is proving a bit of a challenge
 
If I SOLO the strings on their own it knocks out the KICK track so the sidechain compression os not activating
 
If I SOLO both the strings and the KICK track it is difficult to hear the effect on the strings as the KICK is playing
 
Is there a way to hear just the strings, without the KICK, so I can hear how much they are being "ducked" and pumped?
 
Thanks
 
Boydie