Maximum Polyphony - Yamaha MOTIF-RACK Owner's Manual

Multi-Part Plug-in Board
Multi-Part Plug-in Boards let you expand the voice polyphony of the MOTIF-RACK by providing an additional sixteen
independent instrument parts. This is an ideal way to play back song data from a sequencer (from the Multi-Part board), yet have
full polyphony left over on the MOTIF-RACK for your live performance parts.
• XG Plug-in Board (PLG100-XG)
This Plug-in Board is a 16-part XG sound generator. You can play back XG/GM song files using the rich variety of sounds and
effects on this board.
About MODULAR SYNTHESIS PLUG-IN SYSTEM
The Yamaha Modular Synthesis Plug-in System offers powerful expansion and upgrade capabilities for Modular Synthesis-Plug-in-
compatible synthesizers, tone generators and sound cards. This enables you to easily and effectively take advantage of the latest
and most sophisticated synthesizer and effects technology, allowing you to keep pace with the rapid and multi-faceted advances in
modern music production.

Maximum Polyphony

The maximum sonic polyphony is 128 for AWM2, plus the polyphony of the Plug-in Board(s) (if installed). The
actual note polyphony will vary depending on the type of tone generator unit used, the number of Elements in the
Voice, and the note polyphony of the Plug-in Board.
In the case of AWM2 Voices, the polyphony figure of 128 is divided by the number of Elements in the Voice.
Part structure of the Tone Generator block
The MOTIF-RACK plays its sounds (with the Tone Generator block) in response to MIDI data, received from the
external keyboard or sequencer.
MIDI data is assigned to one of sixteen channels, and the MOTIF-RACK is capable of simultaneously playing sixteen
separate parts, via the sixteen MIDI channels. However, we can overcome the sixteen-channel limit by using separate
MIDI "ports," each supporting sixteen channels.
The multiple sound sources of the MOTIF-RACK (internal tone generator and Plug-in Boards) take advantage of the
three MIDI ports included on the instrument.
As shown in the above illustration, up to 48 parts can be used in the modes in the Multi mode. However, the number
of parts that are actually used a maximum of 33 (as shown in the example on the next page).
n See page 31 for details about the modes.
n The USB connection supports up to eight separate MIDI ports. The tone generator of the MOTIF-RACK supports three separate
MIDI ports, as shown above. However, you can control an external tone generator with a fourth port by using the Thru Port
function to relay MIDI data from one of the ports to the MIDI OUT terminal.
n A single MIDI cable connection cannot handle multiple port data.
20
Overview of the MOTIF-RACK
Tone Generator block
Part for Voice mode
Port 1 Port 2
part 1 part 17
part 2 part 18
part 14 part 30
part 15 part 31
part 16 part 32
Port 3
part 33
Part for Multi mode
part 34
part 46
part 47
part 48