Help my poor brain understand poliphony
Discussion
Hi,
We are looking to buy a digital piano - partly for learning but in all honesty partly for furniture (always wanted to have a piano in the house to while away a happy hour).
Looking at the Yamaha CLP-575, as one of the main things for me is the keyboard being as close to a real piano as possible (within budget). That model has wooden weighted keys which seems like the sweet spot for price/features.
I have looked on ebay for older Clavino models but most are plastic keys plus it appears the technology has moved on somewhat.
Reading through the advice it's universally taken that the higher the poliphony the better. I understand that it's not a case of "I have ten fingers, so can only play ten notes at once".
However the bit I'm struggling with is why would you need more than 88? Surely if once you have hit all the keys (with a long sustain) there are no more noted to play, so the next one you hit would need to drop out anyway.
So the difference between 128 notes 256 notes poliphony appears to be mearly bragging rights, non?
Or does it not quite work that way really?
Thanks,
We are looking to buy a digital piano - partly for learning but in all honesty partly for furniture (always wanted to have a piano in the house to while away a happy hour).
Looking at the Yamaha CLP-575, as one of the main things for me is the keyboard being as close to a real piano as possible (within budget). That model has wooden weighted keys which seems like the sweet spot for price/features.
I have looked on ebay for older Clavino models but most are plastic keys plus it appears the technology has moved on somewhat.
Reading through the advice it's universally taken that the higher the poliphony the better. I understand that it's not a case of "I have ten fingers, so can only play ten notes at once".
However the bit I'm struggling with is why would you need more than 88? Surely if once you have hit all the keys (with a long sustain) there are no more noted to play, so the next one you hit would need to drop out anyway.
So the difference between 128 notes 256 notes poliphony appears to be mearly bragging rights, non?
Or does it not quite work that way really?
Thanks,
Thanks for trying but my brain still hurts!
I understand on the Roland that notes can be dropped (64 note poliphony) but there are only 88 keys on a digital piano hence the confusion - how can you play that 89th note!
On genuine piano there are 88 strings so by definition surely a real piano only has 88 note poliphony?
Maybe it's only needed for the other voices (synth voices) and as a pure piano 88 note poliphony is all you would need?
I understand on the Roland that notes can be dropped (64 note poliphony) but there are only 88 keys on a digital piano hence the confusion - how can you play that 89th note!
On genuine piano there are 88 strings so by definition surely a real piano only has 88 note poliphony?
Maybe it's only needed for the other voices (synth voices) and as a pure piano 88 note poliphony is all you would need?
Super Slo Mo said:
Eta: I've just been experimenting on my old Roland with, I think, 64 note polyphony. Holding down the sustain pedal, playing a single bass note and a fast sequence of notes in the right hand soon leads to the bass note being dropped.
Edited by Super Slo Mo on Sunday 7th February 20:49
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