I'm using a downloaded Midi file on Sonar to play a song. I have changed the synths and MIDI info so that the synths in my setup will be played. However, each time I start a song, the synth sound on my Motif is changed. I went to the Motif to disable program change reception, but I can't find that. I would think I could simply disable program change transmission on Sonar, but I can't seem to find that in the "Options\project" drop down menu choice. ANy suggestions?
Thanks.
LNovik

There has always been this issue with missing PG info in Sonar, It's a sort of bug. I think it depends on how the original was saved.  There are a few ways around it. 
First look in the event list and see if the PG info is showing , often it is not, this is the bug. 
So the info is hiding on you at the start of each track. They usually put it just a few beats ahead of the first note, so try slip editing the track to right to the first note. This usually works but there might be a change in the middle of the song. 
Another work around I use often is to open the MIDI file in Cubase , or any other DAW, and the PG info will show there. so I make my changes, save and now open it with Sonar. Always "open" to avoid losing things like tempo maps. Importing will loose data. 

Finding the ignore-program-changes option is difficult on Yamaha synths, being buried in a nest of confusing menus. Plus it forgets the setting when you turn the synth off. An easier solution is to select "None" from the program selection dropdown list in the track header. This won't help if the program change is embedded in the MIDI data, however.

Hi,
Re the 1st suggestion, I looked in the event list, and was able, with "manage" choice, ger rid of all the beginning events.   After I had checked this, the  only    thing I saw was a key number (or note) event. However, it still kept changing the program when I would restart the program
I don't have anothere program to try to do the type of thing Cactus music rec'ed.
 
Re Bitflipper's suggestion, I read and reread the suggestion, but cannot figure out exactly what is meant by: "select "None" from the program selection dropdown list in the track header." Specifically, I went to the "Tracks" menu on top, what did not see anything there. I then Right clicked on the Track info, but didi not get that choice either. I'd appreciate if you would just tell me click by click how to do what you mentioned. Of course, since I have already tried what I described above, my guess is that the PG date IS embedded, but I'd like to  at least try what you suggest.
 
As I"m writing this, I'm thinking that maybe I should just delete the 1st measure in all of the drum tracks. The real drum part in the song I'm playing doesn't start until several measures into the song.
Thanks.
LNovik

That's what I meant by "Slip edit" You grab the beginning of the coloured track and slide it to the right and stop just before the first note. You can also use the split option and highlight and delete the part you don't want. Zoom in while working. 
 
But I find it a mystery that you deleted the PG events and they are still active. 

I always get a little nervous when I "slip" edit. I'm never quite sure if I'm actually moving everything to the right, or if I"m temporarily just getting rid of the data that I'm moving. I realize there are different choices that come up, but, as I said, I"m never quite sure I'm doing it write. Although, in this case, if I highlighted all of the tracks and moved them all of them  to the right at once, either way might get rid of the PG data.
However, just to play it safe, I think I'll just highlight all of the drum tracks, and delete the first few measures.
 
Regarding the mystery you mention, I didn't delete anything that was labeled PG specifically. I just deleted everything that came before the note data. There must have been about 7-10 events.
 
Thanks again.
 
LNovik

OK, I just figured it out--though I now realize it was what Bipflipper was talking about.
Cactus M: First I got rid of (deleted) all of the drum tracks except for 1, to make it easy. (I obviously did not save my work afterwards.) I then found that if I put the drum track on "mute," the drum patch on the Motif did NOT change when I  hit the start key at the beginning of the track. However, when I went in and deleted the first 7 measures, with the track NOT being on mute, I STILL got a change of the program. Even if I started from the middle of the song, it still happened.
However, it then finally dawned on me that the track info on the Left of the screen had a specific bank and patch listed. I simply unchecked the "Bank" choice, and then opened up the choices on all of the listed patches. I was going to just pick another one at random to see if another patch would be chosen on my Motif. But lo and behold, I saw the "none" patch choice listed at the beginning of the list, and chose that. The irritating change no longer occurs.
Thanks for your help. It would still be nice if there were a simpler way, since I have to make similar changes to all 6 or 7 of my drum tracks, but it is not a hardship.
LNovik