[sdiy] Midi programming

[Scott Gravenhorst]

Tim Ressel <madhun2001 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>Yo,
>
>Boy! The ol' grey fox is getting an education on how
>Midi works!
>
>So like, do I have this right: a given midi thing only
>has 16 channels. A poly kbd with multiple keys down
>assigns each key to a channel? Max keys down is 16?
>Not that I have 16 fingers; just makin' sure I got it
>down.

I won't say that no synth exists that works that way, but
no, that isn't how it is supposed to work.  Rather, each
instrument (usually) is assign to a particular channel.
If the synth on a given channel is N note poly, it keeps
track of it's own playing notes internally.  Eg, a pad
synth on channel 10 receives all of it's note information
on channel 10.  You can send a note on of pitch C1 and 
a note on of pitch G1, both on channel 10, then the synth
will play that C-G interval until it receives note off 
messages for both of those pitches.  Because of this, a
single MIDI cable can carry the information for 16 different
polyphonic instruments.  The polyphony of each intrument is
limited by it's own internal logic.

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-- Scott Gravenhorst | LegoManiac / Lego Trains / RIS 1.5
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