MULTI MODE
CD3000XL OperatorÕs Manual Page 43
MULTI MODE - COMBINING SEVERAL PROGRAMS
Multi mode is where you can combine up to sixteen programs together so that they may be
played in combination. The MULTI mode has 16 ‘parts’ - slots into which up to 16 programs may
be assigned and typically, this is used to sequence several programs multi-timbrally2 by setting
each part to be on a different MIDI channel.
However, it is also possible to set parts to the same MIDI channel so that you can layer programs
for a rich, expansive (expensive?) sound. Furthermore, you may set low and high keyboard
ranges for each part so that sophisticated keyboard splits may be created.
With the optional multi-effects processor fitted, each part may be routed to one of the four
effects channels and you have a total of four effects that can be applied to the parts in the multi.
More than one part may be routed to any one of the effects channels so that parts may share
effects and each part has its own effects send level.
However, you may prefer to use the CD3000XL with external effects processors using a mixing
console. To accommodate this, each part may be routed to one of the 8 individual outputs. By
doing this, each part may have its own mixer channel where it can be EQ’d, mixed, panned and
effected using your favourite outboard effects processors.
Of course, a combination of these is possible. In one multi, some parts may be on unique MIDI
channels whilst others share the same channels for layering and/or key splits and some parts
may be routed to the internal effects processor in the CD3000XL whilst others are sent out via
the individual outputs for processing on the mixing console.
As you can see, the MULTI mode is very flexible.
NOTE: Strange though it may seem, you may also use SINGLE mode to set up multi-timbral
setups, program layering and key splits. Although it may seem a contradiction in terms to use
the SINGLE mode for ‘multi’ applications, this is to maintain compatibility with data created on
earlier Akai samplers. If you are an experienced Akai sampler user, you can continue to work
this way but we do recommend you use the new MULTI mode as it does offer certain
advantages in terms of ease and speed of use and convenience. Please refer to the section
SINGLE mode for details on this.
2 The CD3000XL can respond to all 16 MIDI channels simultaneously in the MULTI mode.
ÔMULTI-TIMBRALÕ literally means Ômany soundsÕ. In the early days of synthesisers, you
needed a separate synthesiser for every part you wanted to play but, with the advent of
MIDI, a synthesiser or sampler could be coaxed into playing several different sounds
together so that only one synth/sampler was required to play several parts. With the
S3000XLÕs 32-voice polyphony, complex multi-part arrangements can be performed using
the MULTI mode.