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What keyboard or synth transmits on multiple channels simultaneously?


Suilebhain

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I dug out my EMu Audity recently and started delving into the beast and saw that it can play up to 16 arpeggiators at the same time,each on different channels.

 

In the Audity manual it gives an example where one sets their keyboard to transmit on Channels 1 & 2 (consult your hardware's manual for instructions). So, I went to the manual that comes with my Alesis Photon X25 and there is no mention of it, so I am assuming the Photon does not have this capability. I similarly looked at the manual for my Novation X-Station, and once again, no mention of transmitting on multiple channels.

 

Most of my keyboard synths are getting long in the tooth and may not have this capability.

 

Any suggestions?

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Lots of keyboards can transmit on multiple channels. You generally need to have split or layer capability for this. The Kurzweil PC3 series has some of the best midi controller features, and can probably transmit on 8 or more channels at once (but I am not a Kurz expert).

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This is the reason I keep my Ensoniq SQ1+ around. It has a keypad that allows you to assign any number to any midi channel(internal or external!). You just press a number and an led lights up on that number too. Also if you quickly double click on another number in the keypad its led blinks and its channel is combined with the first one you selected. You can do this with all eight numbers. I've done many compositions combining sounds this way, adding and subtracting sounds, very convenient. :thu:

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Lots of keyboards will transmit on more than 1 MIDI channel simultaneously, including keyboards two decades old. Usually any keyboard that can do "a split" or "dual layer" will allow at least two MIDI channels (such as Roland's A-33 or A-37, or even Casio's PX-130). More expensive keyboards will often allow you to pick your own range of keys to transmit on a particular channel (Roland A-90). Each of the ranges is typically referred to as a "zone" in product literature. Some fancy controllers even let you set upto 8 zones (divide up the keys to transmit on upto 8 chans), although 2 or 4 zones is more common. Many keyboards made by Roland, Yamaha, Korg, Kurzweil, Studiologic, etc, support this.

 

But cheap toys like Novation, M-audio, and that ilk don't offer these features.

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The Korg Wavestation can split / layer up to 8 (IIRC) multiple MIDI output channels. You can define the zones anywhere on the keyboard that you need to. It's very versatile, and dirt cheap on the used market.

 

Most Korg workstations can do at least 8 or 16 at a time, on 16 or 32 MIDI channels (A/B out on the T-series, for example, as in the case of the Generalmusic).

Some instruments transmit simultaneously on all 16 channels, but on most of them you have no control over the individual channels.

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