Any hints for working with multitimbral hardware synths??

[cmeif]

Hello:
I use some softs and some hardware. On the hardware side though, it slows you down to have to set the midi channel every time. I am used to Logic or Cakewalk where you can arrow down and record on that track and not have to set the midi channel on the track
Am I missing something?
Or do any of you have a trick to make this seem not so in the way?
Thanks in advance,
Chris