I swear I saw info on this at one point but can’t figure out how to do it:
Is it possible to have four different voices, each with a different patch, all available for simultaneous keyboard play without multi mapping? The idea would be to play like an old school polyphonic modular, where you’re actually playing four slightly different patches in round-robin style polyphony.
Thanks in advance for any help on this!
Would be an interesting feature, but I can’t remember to have seen such thing in the manuals or demos …
But you could achieve something like this, if you set all four tracks to the same midi channel and then control this channel from a keyboard. I would just put a midi-cable from the “out” back to the “in” and set the keyboard to external … 
this would give you four different voices, if you hit a key …
Yes, enable Individual Track Sounds in Poly Config.
Select Rotate for your voice algorithm (this is essentially round robin)
It will then cycle through the tracks’ sounds by the incoming note every time you press down a key / play a note.
It’s a lot of fun!
Can also be used with Unison enabled to layer sounds without having to use two sequencer tracks.
Thank you!!
Hi, I’ve got a similarish question. I’m thinking of getting an Analog Keys but just amn’t sure about the polyphony. I’m basically a keyboard player (play in a covers band with Nord Stage but interested in this as proverbial one-step home song recording effort) so am used to playing chords, so I’d imagine being able to put down bass, rhythm, 3 note chord and lead/melody within the sequencer, but I don’t think I can do that with the number if available voices.
I’ve watched pretty much all the YouTube demos but am unclear about this, although I know there might be ways around it. I know it’s got amazing sound possibilities so am just keen to know if the voice limitation is any issue.
Ta muchly!
Yes very fun! I love flexing it really hard to make voice stealing happen, then depending on which tracks are playing you get entirely different sounding pattern.
There are just 4 voices as you state, however, I think the restriction will depend on your style and creativity
I find that I can have a dense pattern on one voice by careful sound design/selection and using sound locks on percussive elements
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So for electronic music i’d say it’s not a practical limitation, but for ‘keys’ type playing, i’d suggest that your style of playing will clash more often with the architecture - it’s purely a matter of how you deal with that in terms of ‘expectation annoyance’ and ‘creative mitigation’
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bottom line is it is four voices - you simply cannot get a more flexible way to use four voices than this, if you accept this and have creative energy left then it it a very powerful machine - creative use of delay and reverb will allow you to create the illusion of more overlapping voices
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plus with the flexible voice architecture you can get ‘chords’ from one voice anyway, but your style has to adapt to the machine in that case and I think it may depend on where you sit on the improvising/programming scale
Many thanks, Avantronica - that’s a great help. I had an initial shot last weekend so will maybe try again and try to decide. The 3 octave size might help me get it into the house undetected by the wife (I’m a bloke and poss regretting Ana Logue now…) - might just say it’s a present for our wee boy, although I think she might just see through that somehow !
Not sure any gear is worth ‘sneaking’ in 
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said the hypocrite playing the indulgent (this MS20mini will be great for getting my son into synthesis) keyboard right now
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as per the A4/k, you need to bend your approach to get the best from the MS20 with its assorted quirks - and also as with the A4k i find it delivers far more than it should on paper
Any tips for connecting the two, avantronica? I’ve got an ms20 on my desk and an A4 on the way, and necessary cables. AFAIK it’s just a matter of setting the voltage scaling correctly?
Any tips for connecting the two, avantronica? I’ve got an ms20 on my desk and an A4 on the way, and necessary cables. AFAIK it’s just a matter of setting the voltage scaling correctly?[/quote]
works well - keep in mind that the Korg uses the hz/v system which limits the useful addressable range that the sequencer can address
the voltage doubles every octave - so you can only sequence 3 octaves, same as the keyboard
that’s not a lecture - it’s to explain why you need to set the following when you rig up the cv - set C4 as 1V and C7 as 8V and use the Hz/V for pitch and S-Trig for gate
then you have two spare for other gear or you can use value line for extra lfos etc
I recommend the sq1 as a hands on screenless joy for the MS tho
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I’ve just calibrated my MS so it’s close to perfect re the 4 C’s on the keyboard- so it’s easy to just dial in C4=1.00 and C7=8.00
you may need to fine tune a little bit, but that would be simpler on the MS anyway - very likely not needed if it’s already in tune across the keys
Easier to sneak in than another 88 key effort though. Timing is everything - break it to her when she’s drunk/in a decent mood or both !
Had another thought re the polyphony, and again, apologies as I’ve never done home recording before but am very keen to get into it. Could you effectively multiply your layering possibilities by using a “simple” multitrack recorder ? Thinking you would have to record another project on the Keys for the same song e.g. bass and chord on one project, and drums and lead/melody on another project and then these 2 projects would end up as one song on the multitrack. Would that be possible, or would it slightly be defeating the purpose ?
Be careful !
You’re talking about an Octatrack, here !
Ana,
I would think multi traking would be the way to go for you if you want an AK. Don’t have to bounce into hardware, could go to a PC and software like audacity or reaper.
One song per voice or instrument. Tweak it till you like it , then record each one, line up the results. That’s how a lot of records get made.
You can still only hold down four fingers at a time though.
There are performance workstations that are more all in one but less analog. Also the newest Roland, I suppose.
Thanks Cleverconqueso - muchly appreciated!
Octatrack - one more for the lust list!
Going to go to the music shop on Sat anyway. To be continued…
Does this work with the A4 also? Standalone? Or, would one need a MIDI controller?
Does this work with the A4 also? Standalone? Or, would one need a MIDI controller?[/quote]
AFAIK the A4 (I own one) and the AK are identical in this respect. So yes, totally!