Owner's Manual - Roland

Performances
fig.04-005.e
Part
A performance has a patch or rhythm set assigned to each of
the 16 parts, and can simultaneously handle 16 sounds.
Because the Fantom sound generator can control multiple
sounds (instruments) it is called a Multi-timbral sound
generator.
Performance
Part 1
Patch/
Rhythm Set
Part 16
A “part” is something to which you assign a patch or rhythm
set. The Fantom VS has sixteen parts, and you can assign a
patch or rhythm set to each part.
Overview of the Fantom VS
About Simultaneous Polyphony
The Fantom VS can play a maximum of 128 sounds
simultaneously. The following paragraphs discuss what this
means, and what will happen when more than 128
simultaneous voices are requested from the Fantom VS.
Calculating the Number of Voices Being Used
The Fantom VS is able to play up to 128 notes
simultaneously. The polyphony, or the number of voices
(sounds) does not refer only to the number of patches
actually being played, but changes according to the number
of tones used in the patches, and the number of waves used
in the tones. The following method is used to calculate the
number of sounds used for one patch being played.
(Number of patches being played) x (Number of tones used
by patches being played) x (Number of waves used in the
tones)
For example, a patch that combines four tones, each of which
use two waves, will use eight notes of polyphony at once.
How a Patch Sounds
When the Fantom VS is requested to play more than 128
voices simultaneously, currently sounding notes will be
turned off to make room for newly requested notes. The note
with the lowest priority will be turned off first. The order of
priority is determined by the Patch Priority setting (p. 97).
Patch Priority can be set either to “LAST” or “LOUDEST.”
When “LAST” is selected, a newly requested note that
exceeds the 128 voice limit will cause the first-played of the
currently sounding notes to be turned off. When “LOUDEST”
is selected, the quietest of the currently sounding notes will
be turned off. Usually, “LAST” is selected.
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Overview Connections VS-700C Console VS-700R I/O Fantom VS Appendix