Program Change messages are used to switch between sounds in your instruments. By inserting Program Change messages for all MIDI Channels, at the beginning of the Song, the instruments will automatically play with the correct sounds when you open and play the Song (if you haven’t “re-programmed” your instruments since you played the Song last).
By inserting Program Change messages somewhere in “the middle” of a Song, you can use one MIDI Channel for playing several different sounds throughout the Song. This allows you to use “limited MIDI resources” as effectively as possible.
Program Change NumberingProgram Change numbers range from 1 to 128 in MIDI. Some instruments use other types of numbering; some count from 0 to 127 and others have the numbers divided into Banks (A 1 to 32, B 1 to 32 etc).
To compensate for some of these variations, Cubase VST allows you to specify which method you want to use for each Part or Track:1. Select a Track you want to make Program Change settings for.
2. Open the Inspector.
There are three options: 1–128, 0–127 or “A11–B88” (two groups - A and B - each containing eight banks with eight programs).4. Select the best option for the instrument that the Track is set to transmit to. Consult the operation manual for the instrument if you are unsure.
• If you have specified a Patchname Source for the Track (see page 89), you can make Program Change settings by selecting patch names from the Patchname pop-up menu in the Inspector or Track Columns.
Just as when making numerical settings, this results in Program Change messages (and possibly Bank Select messages) being sent to the corresponding MIDI Output. Therefore, the considerations and procedures described on the following pages still apply.