All pads were on the same MIDI channel.
In a 'bank' approach, each MIDI channel is assigned a different instrument.
Reality was the first synthesizer able to simultaneously play multiple synthesis types on multiple MIDI channels in real-time.
It has a 100,000 note, 64 track mixer with 64 assignable MIDI channels.
The controller transmits keyboard notes on MIDI channel 1.
Later you could add a multi-effects processor, additional output sockets and 32 MIDI channels.
Each side of the split can be made to respond to a different MIDI channel.
Only responds to MIDI channels 1-7 and channel 10.
In a bank approach, each instrument is assigned to a different MIDI channel and multiple banks can be stored to reconfigure the sampler.
Use more than 16 MIDI channels.