Polyphony in Mix Play Mode

Editing Mixes: Chapter 5

The QuadraSynth Plus has 64-note polyphony. In Mix Play Mode, if you have all 16 MIDI channels assigned to the same keyboard range, and each channel's Program has only one active Program Sound, you’ll have 4-note polyphony as you play the keyboard (but a really thick layer...). This is extreme, of course, but should tell you what you can expect when you really pile on the layers from the keyboard.

Using the QuadraSynth Plus as a Master Keyboard

Mix Play Mode gives the QuadraSynth Plus the capabilities of a MIDI master keyboard. You can layer the QuadraSynth Plus’s internal sounds with an external synthesizer's sounds without using up internal polyphony by adjusting the proper parameters in the Mix Edit mode.

Example: You can have 2 layers (or a split) played directly from the QuadraSynth Plus, simultaneously playing on external synthesizers using a MIDI channel which has its internal QuadraSynth Plus’s sound turned OFF.

Setting MIDI Out Channels for Mix in Global Mode

The QuadraSynth Plus offers a wide variety of ways to set the MIDI output. It is very easy in Program Play Mode; you just use the MIDI [♦] and [∅] buttons to set the MIDI OUT channel for the whole instrument. But when using the QuadraSynth Plus in Mix Play Mode, you need to be able to transmit on several MIDI channels at once, and to temporarily isolate certain channels within a Mix. This is done with the Keyboard Mode function.

¿From Mix mode, press [GLOBAL].

¡Press PAGE [∅] to get to Page 2.

¬Press Quad Button [4].

You will see "KBD MODE: " in the top right of the display.

Use the VALUE [¬] and [‾] buttons or Quad Knob [4] to set the Keyboard Mode.

The options are: NORMAL, CH SOLO and OUT 1 — OUT 16.

NORMAL. In this mode, the MIDI channels sent out will correspond to whatever layers or splits the Mix is set up for. For example, in the Preset Mix bank, there are several Mixes in which the keyboard is split in two or more ways from left to right; each of these “zones” is linked to a different set of channels. As you play through each zone, it will send MIDI messages corresponding to that key range and trigger the corresponding channels. Note that certain controllers such as pitch bend and aftertouch will send on all channels at once. The MIDI Monitor indicators in the display will show which channels are active.

CH SOLO. In this mode, the only sounds coming from the QuadraSynth Plus, and the only MIDI Out messages, will come from the layer or range of the underlined MIDI channel in the display. This allows you to isolate individual channels in a Mix. So, if you play in a range of the keyboard that is active on

Alesis QuadraSynth Plus manual Polyphony in Mix Play Mode

Models: QuadraSynth Plus