Discuss the various methods you use in music production, from compressor settings to equipment type.
User avatar
By MarkWolbirgh Tue Jul 12, 2005 1:56 am
what counts as polyphony?Say I have only 12 polyphony available...I load up 24 sounds and play the sounds on a different bar...this will work right?polyphony only starts to go awaywhen u have notes playing at the same time right?

P.S.: how do u pronounce it? Paul-eh-phone-E?

EDIT:100 posts :shock:
User avatar

By Lampdog Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:41 am
paul liff fah nee I guess, whatever your max specs are on the gear that's the limit of notes you can hit at the SAME exact time in you track.

ie, 001.01.01, at the exact time in the song, ONLY 12 sounds/samples can be played simultaneously, no more.

2kxl is 32 simultaneous playback voices.
User avatar

By cluster Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:24 am
maxed out poly can be a **** though... I say resample complex layers if you have the problem.. sounds cutting out never sound nice,
well depending...

Does poly relate to delays or reverbs, does an inbox effect (say on a workstation, drain poly?
User avatar

By Lampdog Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:30 am
Poly is the actual pad/key bang/hit.

Not effects, the actual hit/bang of the pad or key.

In this example 12 of those all at the same time.

- I say resample complex layers if you have the problem.
That's a good workaround also.
User avatar

By cluster Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:58 am
Lampdog wrote:Poly is the actual pad/key bang/hit.

Not effects, the actual hit/bang of the pad or key.

In this example 12 of those all at the same time.

- I say resample complex layers if you have the problem.
That's a good workaround also.


good looks, thanks
User avatar

By MarkWolbirgh Wed Jul 13, 2005 3:45 pm
With that said...I don't understand how people EVER run out of polyphony...I dont see the need for 120 liek the triton exteme...or even 64..

say yoou have a drum kit loaded...kick snare hihats,crash...that may be only like 3 sounds (kick hats and crash) hitting at the same time... thats 3 polyphony right?

then say you have a piano patch...you play some chords ok...thats maybe 4-5 notes...
then you have a bassline thats only 1
then you have your strings...it might be a chord in their or somethin so 4-5
then you have your trumpets...just a melody...1
then you have a vocal sample...1

so 3+5+1+5+1+1=16...and the rumpet might not even hit on the same nots as the bassline...so maybe like 10-12...

how the hell do people run out of polyphony :shock:

please notify me maybe theres somethin im not understnading?
User avatar

By Lampdog Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:06 pm
You are exactly right, there's no other way to explain it. BUT, some people might get close to that 32 limit but I've NEVER heard of anyone reaching that on a single note. People just want more of everything when they never even reach the current max capability of their current machine,

IE, more than 32max ram on 2kxl. That's mismanaged memory skills cause MANY hits came from WAY less memory space than 32mb.

IE, compalints about the eb16 card and it's limitations, it CAN be used effectivley but was never intended as a all in one efx unit.

I got more but I'll stop cause the point has been made.
User avatar

By cluster Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:28 pm
I've read about people running out of 128 on the fantomx, but its usually alot of layers and pedals( used on sustain and playing complex chords).. on the x each patch can be up too 16 poly I think maybe more( not looking at my manual) , so layer enough of those and things cut out.. So if you hit one key thats 16 poly or whatever, then chord it and it can be up
there...

It all depends on the gear as well, so when a machine gives the option of so many polys per note, then thats where the cut off of poly occurs,
128 is way more then enough, when you factor in resampling...

By cooocooo1 Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:44 pm
It's not hard to use up polyphony at all, especialy on a rompler. Most romplers have patches that are made up of any where from 2-8 voices(sometimes stereo voices which would double the polyphony used)

While polyphony is used up by pressing keys simultaneously it is also used up by the release of the sound/sample. So of you have a patch that uses 4 voices and are retriggering it before the tail end of the first key strike ends then you will be doubling the polyphony used........or tripleing, etc, etc.
User avatar

By Lampdog Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:45 pm
I forgot about the release.

Yeah, once you HIT IT you gotta RELEASE IT.

Play on words, neva mind me.