# Poly Aftertouch - do I really need it (them)?



## RiffWraith (Oct 7, 2009)

I am deleting all of the Poly Aft. modules from the rack(s) in all of my EWQL SC instruments - I hear no difference with them, vs. w/o them. In fact, rendered audio files from multis with them, and w/o them phase cancel, so there IS no difference.

Any reason why I would want to keep them?

Thanks in advance.


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## germancomponist (Oct 7, 2009)

Poly aftertouch is a great thing.

It is sadly that the most instruments, libraries do not work with it.

Think about vibrato or an ADSR for pitch, for any note individual controlable. Or the attack from any note individual.

Much more realism would be there. I remember the sound from older synthesizers with this function, awesome!

Perhaps some day developers will remember this great function and it will be able in the new master keyboards and software/plugins.


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## polypx (Oct 8, 2009)

Poly pressure is VERY cool, but unfortunately the way Kontakt responds to it not right. It basically responds the same way as mono aftertouch.

If you make an instrument with Filter Cutoff assigned to Poly Aftertouch, and hold down C3. Even if the Aftertouch comes on D6, the C3 Filter Cutoff will respond to it.

I don't know if perhaps I'm setting it up wrong, but in theory poly pressure is individual for every MIDI note.

cheers
Dan


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## polypx (Oct 11, 2009)

My controller doesn't, but I can draw it in my sequencer. You basically have a seperate channel of aftertouch for every note.

Has anyone found that Kontakt responds correctly?


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## MaraschinoMusic (Oct 11, 2009)

Polyphonic Aftertouch is transmitted per note, as opposed to Channel Aftertouch which affects all notes on that MIDI channel. It is *extremely* useful for expressive playing. The problem is that most keyboard controllers do not transmit Poly aftertouch, but if you can write it in at the editing level it is worthwhile using for that extra little bit of control.


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## polypx (Oct 11, 2009)

I think we all agree poly pressure is a great idea.

Can anyone with an old Ensoniq or something tell us that Kontakt responds correctly? My tests seem to show that Kontakt treats Poly Pressure exactly as Channel Pressure... ie. no matter what note the pressure arrives on, ALL Kontakt notes will respond to it.

Hoping to be proved wrong!

cheers
Dan


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## Mr. Anxiety (Oct 11, 2009)

Sorta on topic. Has anyone seen one of these keyboards from Infinite Response yet?

It folds; you order the action you want, and it sends poly aftertouch.


http://www.infiniteresponse.com/

Maybe these guys have checked it out with Kontakt, hard to say.

Mr. A.


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## MaraschinoMusic (Oct 12, 2009)

Mr. Anxiety @ Mon Oct 12 said:


> Sorta on topic. Has anyone seen one of these keyboards from Infinite Response yet?
> It folds; you order the action you want, and it sends poly aftertouch.
> http://www.infiniteresponse.com/



I checked this controller out - at first glance it seems like a good idea, but there's NO MODWHEEL, just a slider, and the pitchbend wheel is in the SIDE. I do not like that idea one little bit - and I would not even consider it as a serious controller unless the wheels were in the right place. Apart from that curious oversight, and the fact that it folds in half which is a bit gimmicky for my taste - the specs are great!

If they ever decide to build one that doesn't break in half, and has proper wheels in the right place - I'd buy one in a flash


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