[SOLVED]Is there a way to split up notes based on keys pressed simultaniously? i.e Polyphony without Polyphony

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ShockWave
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Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2022 3:48 pm

[SOLVED]Is there a way to split up notes based on keys pressed simultaniously? i.e Polyphony without Polyphony

Post by ShockWave »

Hello,

I currently trying to make a generator thing based on LFO's however I have hit a snag in the fact that It can only do one note at a time. As it uses pitch to control to effect the frequency. This can theoretically be solved by allocating multiple simultaneous key presses to different LFO's.
Has anyone ideas or techniques on how to do that?

Any response is appreciated.
Last edited by ShockWave on Mon Jul 25, 2022 4:35 pm, edited 3 times in total.
ShockWave
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2022 3:48 pm

Re: Is there a way to split up notes based on keys pressed simultaniously?

Post by ShockWave »

I have Solved it!
I wouldn't be surprised if others have too as its fairly simple but it makes more eccentric modules a lot more viable.
Its not technically true polyphony but its close enough.
The trick is to think about drum synths and how they work. Each key on drum-synth keyboard is a different instrument up to a certain key then it returns back to the instrument that was in the list first. You can apply the same principle to notes.

Edit:
The Better Solution
Instead of using option 75 use option 74 "poly.ch. num of outs" in the Multisynth options menu that works a lot better that just activates a module per key pressed which creates true polyphony. I have tried using that option before thinking that would be the option to pick but maybe I did something wrong.

Solution with information for beginners
Helpfully there is a way to get that type of functionality in the multiSynth Module. Under options there is an option 75 with the description "Out.port = note % num of outs". This mean that for each module you connect to the multisynth as long as the modulo function does not produce 0 it will assign an output to an individual module. When the modulo function reaches 0 then the function will reset and pick the first module again much like a drum synth (look up modulo for more info on how it works.). This still relays the note so cymbal higher up on keyboard will sound higher than a cymbal lower down on the keyboard despite it technically being the same instrument. Using the fact that you can address multiple individual instruments(modules) and the fact that the pitch information also gets sent with you can attach 12 instruments to a multisynth with option 75 enabled and address each of the 12 modules individually by pressing every single key in that octave. Because pitch is preserved when doing this they will also be different notes. There is one downside to this however you cant do notes that are every 12 notes apart because their assigned to the same module. This can be somewhat mitigated by adding 2 or 3 octaves worth of modules but to get true polyphony you need to have a module for every single key on the keyboard which is very infeasible.

TLDR solution
So using option 75 "Out.port = note % num of outs" in the options menu of the multisynth you can assign a multiple keys to multiple modules by simply copying the module you want to generate sound with 12 times you can get an entire octave that can work independently from each other however playing the same 2 of the same notes and octave apart will not work because the keys are assigned to the same module. To get true polyphony with this you need as many modules as you have keys which is impractical but you can get really close by setting up 2 or 3 octaves on one multisynth. That way you can get even or odd combinations of the same keys or for every three octaves.

I have attached an example.
fake polyphony example.zip
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AutumnCheney
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Re: [SOLVED]Is there a way to split up notes based on keys pressed simultaniously? i.e Polyphony without Polyphony

Post by AutumnCheney »

what about the cyclic round robin option that was added in 2.0? that gives you much better polyphony, and that's how most commerical synths work anyway
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ShockWave
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Re: [SOLVED]Is there a way to split up notes based on keys pressed simultaniously? i.e Polyphony without Polyphony

Post by ShockWave »

Thanks! The problem was I didnt know what it meant. I have looked it up now though and yeah thats probably what I should be using.

At risk of going off topic:
Im not sure if this is coming across I am new to this not only in sunvox but in its music mixing and synth creation in general and I am teaching myself. So I am missing knowledge in a lot of key areas. So your insight has been extremely helpful and I am grateful for it.

Its the reason I answered my question the way I did. Thinking I am not only one doing it the way I am doing it.
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