Alesis manual Overview, Basic Architecture, QuadraSynth Plus Polyphony

Overview: Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

OVERVIEW

Basic Architecture

The QuadraSynth Plus contains digitized acoustic and electronic voices, organized into 18 groups of sound types. The groups are:

Piano	Bass	Ensemble	Drums
Organ	Guitar	Ethnic	Percussion
Keyboard	Brass	Voice	Rhythm
Synth	Woodwind	Sound FX	QSPlus
Waves	String

Several functions (filter, amplitude envelope, pitch envelope, LFO, multiple modulation sources, signal processors, etc.) can be used to process a sample. A Sound is the combination of a sample with its associated processing.

A Program consists of up to four sounds. These sounds can be layered, split over specific keyboard ranges, or selectively overlapped. The QuadraSynth Plus has a User Bank of 128 Programs that you can modify, plus 4 Preset Banks with 512 Preset Programs that are permanently installed in the QuadraSynth Plus at the factory (although the Preset Programs can be edited, they must be stored into the User bank to permanently retain your changes). Each Program is linked to its own Effects Patch.

A Mix consists of up to 16 Programs, each assigned to a specific MIDI channel and one Effect Patch. The QuadraSynth Plus has 100 Mixes in the User Bank, plus 4 Preset Banks with 400 Preset Mixes. This is extremely useful for multitimbral setups where the QuadraSynth Plus plays back different sounds on different MIDI channels. Because of the 64 voices and built-in effects, the QuadraSynth Plus is often the only sound generator needed.

QuadraSynth Plus Polyphony

The QuadraSynth Plus provides 64-voice polyphony (i.e., how many notes can play at once). If a program uses one sound, up to 64 notes can play at once. Layering two sounds allows for 32-note polyphony and layering four sounds, 16- note polyphony.

Layering is a powerful technique that allows you to build up complex timbres. This is crucial because acoustic instruments have extremely complex, evolving sounds and by comparison, many synths sound static. Being able to layer up to four sounds allows for creating large ensembles (e.g., brass section consisting of alto & tenor sax, trumpet, and trombone) or extremely realistic versions of single instruments. When creating layered Programs, keep polyphony in mind. If all Programs in a Mix use all four available sounds, the QuadraSynth Plus will quickly run out of voices.

QuadraSynth Plus Piano Reference Manual 37