How A Rhythm Set Is Structured; Calculating The Number Of Voices Being Used - Roland SonicCell User Manual

WG (Wave Generator)
Specifies the PCM waveform (wave) that is the basis of the
sound, and determines how the pitch of the sound will change.
TVF (Time Variant Filter)
Specifies how the frequency components of the sound will
change.
TVA (Time Variant Amplifier)
Specifies the volume changes and the sound's position in a
stereo soundfield.
Envelope
You use Envelope to initiate changes to occur to a sound over
time. There are separate envelopes for Pitch, TVF (filter), and
TVA (volume).
LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator)
Use the LFO to create cyclic changes (modulation) in a sound.
The SonicCell has two LFOs. Either one or both can be
applied to effect the WG (pitch), TVF (filter) and/or TVA
(volume). When an LFO is applied to the WG pitch, a vibrato
effect is produced. When an LFO is applied to the TVF cutoff
frequency, a wah effect is produced. When an LFO is applied
to the TVA volume, a tremolo effect is produced.

How a Rhythm Set is structured

Rhythm sets are groups of a number of different percussion
instrument sounds. Since percussion instruments generally do
not play melodies, there is no need for a percussion instrument
sound to be able to play a scale on the keyboard. It is,
however, more important that as many percussion instruments
as possible be available to you at the same time. Therefore,
each key (note number) of a rhythm set will produce a different
percussion instrument.
Rhythm Set
Note number 98 (D7)
Note number 97 (C#7)
Note number 36 (C2)
Note number 35 (B1)
Rhythm Tone (Percussion instrument sound)
WG
Pitch
Envelope
* There are four wave generators for each rhythm tone
(percussion instrument sounds).
* LFO is not included in the rhythm tones (percussion
instrument sounds).
TVF TVA
TVF TVA
Envelope Envelope
Calculating the Number of Voices Being
Used
The SonicCell 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.
Also, when playing in Performance mode, the number of
sounds for each part is counted to obtain the total number of
sounds for all parts.
■ How a Patch Sounds
When the SonicCell 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. 90).
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.
■ Note priority in Performance Mode
Since Performance mode is usually used to play an ensemble
consisting of several patches, it is important to decide which
parts take priority. Priority is specified by the Voice Reserve
settings (p. 71). When a note within a patch needs to be
turned off to make room for a new note, the Patch Priority
setting of the patch will apply (p. 90).
■ Voice Reserve
The SonicCell has a Voice Reserve function that lets you
reserve a minimum number of notes that will always be
available for each part. For example if Voice Reserve is set to
"10" for part 16, part 16 will always have 10 notes of sound-
producing capacity available to it even if a total of more than
128 notes (total for all parts) are being requested. When you
make Voice Reserve settings, you need to take into account the
number of notes you want to play on each part as well as the
number of tones used by the selected patch (p. 71).
It is not possible to make Voice Reserve settings that would
cause the total of all parts to be greater than 64 voices.
Overview
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