About Polyphony - Korg Oasys Operation Manual

After pressing OK, the EXs configuration will be
adjusted immediately, and samples will be loaded
or un‐loaded as necessary. Loading samples may
take some time.
The selected EXs will also be loaded automatically
at power‐on.
If there isn't enough free sample RAM for your
selection, a "memory full" message will appear, and
the operation will be cancelled. This might occur if
insufficient RAM is installed, or if a large amount of
RAM samples have also been loaded.
6. Select and play Programs and Combinations that
use the loaded multisamples/samples.
For details, please refer to the tables below.

About polyphony

Most hardware synthesizers offer a single, fixed
method of synthesis, a predetermined number of
voices, and a fixed amount of effects processing power.
OASYS is different; it has no fixed synthesis method,
and it shares its processing power between voices and
effects.
This flexibility means that the system can deliver
power where you need it the most. For instance, one
Program may need a bunch of voices layered together,
but not many effects; another might need complex
effects processing, but not as many voices. In both
cases, OASYS will automatically divide its processing
power appropriately.
Unlike most computer‐based systems, OASYS also
monitors the overall processing power, reducing the
overall number of voices if necessary, to make sure that
there are never problems with the audio.
Normally, you shouldn't need to think about this at all;
it will just happen automatically. Sometimes, however,
it can be convenient to know how the system is
allocating its resources. The Effect/EXi Resource Meter,
shown on the P8: Insert Effect– Insert FX, Track View
and P9: Master Effect– Routing pages of each mode,
provides this information.
Effect/EXi Fixed Resource Meter
The resource meter shows how the OASYS processing
power is being used, as an approximate percentage of
the total available power. There are three main
categories: FX, EXi Fixed, and Free for Voices.
Note: the displayed values are rounded to the closest
1%, but the internal values have a much finer
resolution. This means that you may sometimes add an
effect, but see no change in the resource meter.
FX
This shows the percentage of the total processing
power being used for the IFX, MFX, and TFX. This will
vary depending on the specific effects being used.
Basic Information
Program banks and PCM memory
Bank Expansion Samples Required?
INT-A...D No
INT-E Requires EXs1
INT-F, USER-F No
GM, g(1)
No
...g(9), g(d)
USER-A Requires EXs2
USER-B...E, G No
Combination banks and PCM memory
Bank Expansion Samples Required?
INT-A, B No
INT-C Requires EXs1
INT-D...G
No
USER-A...G
If an effect has been assigned to an IFX, MFX, or TFX, it
will take up the same amount of processing resources
even if it is turned Off or bypassed. If you want to free
up the processing resources, change the selection to
000: No Effect.
EXi FIXED
This shows the percentage of the total processing
power used for the fixed components of EXi
instruments. "Fixed" means that part of the EXi starts
using processing power as soon as the EXi is loaded,
before playing any notes; this includes the built‐in
effects of the CX‐3, for example.
Only some EXi include fixed components; for instance,
the CX‐3 does, but the AL‐1 does not. For information
on other EXi, see their individual documentation.
For more information on EXi fixed resources, please
see "CX‐3 & STR‐1: Limitations on EXi fixed resources"
on page 382.
FREE FOR VOICES
This shows the percentage of the total processing
power remaining after the FX and EXi fixed
components. This power is available for playing
synthesizer voices.
When Free for Voices is at 100%, you can achieve the
maximum polyphony–for instance, 172 voices of the
HD‐1, 96 voices of the AL‐1, or 172 voices of the CX‐3.
When more effects or EXi fixed resources are being
used, polyphony will be reduced accordingly.
Note: As with the meter as a whole, the number shown
in FREE FOR VOICES is only an approximation. For
example, if FREE FOR VOICES is showing 98, the
maximum polyphony for the HD‐1 may not be exactly
172 x 0.98 (approximately 168).
About polyphony
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