Sequencing with Waldorf Streichfett: program change message

I don't have that particular synth, but I do have others by Waldorf. They can be a bit... unpredicatable at times, and operation and the manual aren't necessarily always in step with each other.

Try this.

The Striechfett, according the the manual, is supposed to send MIDI program change when programmes are changed on the unit. Set up a MIDI track with the synth as input, arm the track, switch off input monitoring to avoid MIDI feedback and start recording. Then step through the program change functions on the synth itself, loading each program slot one after the other.

With any luck the program change messages sent by the synth will be recorded in the MIDI track and viewable in the event viewer. If they are that may well give you the data the synth needs to receive to activate program changes. If Sonar doesn't seem able to send the data using the usual method, split up the recorded MIDI so each clip contains the data to trigger a program change, save each clip as a file and just paste them into MIDI tracks where you need the program changes.

You could set the synth to some other patch and then play the recording you just made to see if the patch changes back on the synth. One thing to check, by the way, is that the channel setting of your track in Sonar matches the channel configured on your synth. The channel number shown in your patch-change recording shows the channel the synth is set to. Also by the way, the patch change message is 'Cc pp', where 'C' is literally hex 'C', 'c' represents a channel number 0-15 (aka 1-16, or hex 0-F) and 'pp' is the patch number. Doesn't matter because Sonar doesn't really show you the hex.

You might find Waldorf take a few days to respond - Germany tends to be in festive mode from Christmas Eve through to 12th night (January 6th).

Meanwhile I'm about to return a brand new Pulse 2 that's stuck on patch 1, responds to none of its matrix controls other than the volume knob, sends no MIDI out at all, appears to respond to nothing but note on/off and the mod wheel, while Windows doesn't even recognise it as a MIDI device. My MacBook does detect it, but can do nothing with it other than reinstall the operating system. Which seems to install exactly as it should but makes no difference.

I've had a love/hate relationship with Waldorf for years. Trouble is that when their kit works it sounds like nothing else and is horribly addictive, but thoroughly debugging things just isn't the Waldorf way. :-/