How much polyphony is enough for a piano performance?

[Dr Teeth]

so?

[Mike Martin]

It depends on the instrument. Not all instruments handle polyphony in the same manner, so the numbers don't neccessarily mean which instrument is best.

 

Here is a thread that started on this topic (and then went way off topic)

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=18&t=002893

 

Let your ears decide.

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by LatinMusic:

so?

 

It depends!

 

Consider if you lift the dampers and play a seventh chord across 6 octaves. Thet's only 25 notes (assuming you start and end on the same note)

 

If you play those cross arm thrusts in whichever Stockhausen piece it is that's around thirty notes.

 

So 32 way polyphony should be adequate. However, some synths will use multiple samples per note. If you are using 4 samples per note, and assuming the synth counts each of those as a voice, which is usually the case, then you want 128 way polyphony to be able to do these things on that instrument.

[garyd]

Originally posted by Byrdman:

 

It depends!

 

Consider if you lift the dampers and play a seventh chord across 6 octaves. Thet's only 25 notes (assuming you start and end on the same note)

 

If you play those cross arm thrusts in whichever Stockhausen piece it is that's around thirty notes.

 

So 32 way polyphony should be adequate. However, some synths will use multiple samples per note. If you are using 4 samples per note, and assuming the synth counts each of those as a voice, which is usually the case, then you want 128 way polyphony to be able to do these things on that instrument.

 

Also, don't forget that Stereo samples many times count as 2 voices per sample. That can double your polyphony needs right there.

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

I'll throw in another "it depends".

 

In addition to the question of whether the voices/layers are stacked or in stereo, obviously decreasing polyphonic response, it also really depends on the type of music you're doing.

 

A lot of rock, pop and even some jazz piano is relatively sparse in the arrangement, and may not require a heavy amount of polyphony. In any case, I've heard some damn impressive classical compositions performed on 64-voice synths.

 

Like RAM and cash, you can never really have too much polyphony. Also like RAM and cash, having more than you'll ever use seems silly, but is a better situation to be in than finding you don't have enough.

 

- Jeff

[RABid]

I have played rock piano parts on a 12 voice synth with no problems. I have played extended, busy passages with the sustain pedal down on GigaSampler and used up 120. (I like that meter that shows usage on the GS.)

 

Robert

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Originally posted by Rabid:

I have played extended, busy passages with the sustain pedal down on GigaSampler and used up 120.

 

We've had requests -- believe it or not -- to raise the polyphony on the next version of GigaStudio to 320. And, I think we'll do it. I just hope evryone has nice, fast computers!

 

- Jeff