Hello, just a general question about polyphony in a keyboard. I know that a lot of high end keyboards have 128 polyphony, but I'm just wondering by having more polyphony, does that make the keyboard sound better? I mean I know that polyphony means how many notes can play at once, but does that mean when you play a single note from a 128 polyphony keyboard will sound "better" than a 64 polyphony keyboard?

No the polyphony wouldn't affect the sound of one note. What it does allow is stacking of sounds, rhythms, commands (such as controllers, sustain). My limited playing style does not put a heavy demand on polyphony, but if you are prone to stack, say, a brass pad, strings, piano, then play two handed chords with the sustain pedal on, it adds up in a hurry.
DonM

Thank you Don, the reason I asked this question is that I was in a local Mars music store, and I had this debate with one of the keyboard sales people. There I was, enjoying the PSR9000 and having fun with it. I like the layout a lot because I've played the 740 before too, so I was pretty familiar with the OS. So then comes the saleperson and he thought I wanted to buy the PSR9000. I told him that I already bought a PA80 and just wanted to hear the PSR9000. I guess after hearing I'm not there to buy, he became uninterested but started talking about how great the PSR9000 is, particular the fact that it had 128 polyphony whereas the PA80 only had 64 (I had to correct him it actually only has 62). So we went on to have this conversation about PSR9000 vs PA80. I said I bought the PA80 over the PSR9000 because I prefer its sounds/styles.

Now, I love my PA80, but not once did I mention to him that it was a better keyboard than the PSR900. I even told him that sound is very subjective, just because I choose the PA80 doesn't mean it's a better keyboard than PSR9000. His reply was "You're right, because it is not." He just kept on saying PSR9000 is better because it had 128 polyphony and its sounds are better. I had to tell him that I only play at home and do some midi composition, and 64 polyphony is plenty for me. Then he said 128 polypohny sounds a lot better than 64 polyphony, and I said that's only if I do really complex composition and use up all of my sound layers. He started telling me "Well, trust me on this, I do this for a living, and I bought a MOTIF at home which most people don't even have...I guess I didn't tell you about my $5,000 studio equipment" Puhlease....

Right then, I was very annoyed and wanted to end the conversation and get out of there, but he just kept rambling on how I shouldn't doubt him what polyphony meant because he does this sort of things for a living. Finally, someone came to pick up a keyboard, and we eventually ended this meaningless conversation.

Sorry about the rambling and moaning, but I just can't believe some people are so stubborn (not to mention rude), and can't be objective on some issues.

Mikey

Mikey,
Well, your Mars boy is wrong about the Yamaha polyphony too. It's 126. What a jerk.
It's possible that he meant by having more polyphony the manufacturer can stack up more tones within a sound to give a better overall tone. Yamaha uses 4 sounds per tone in a lot of the better sounds, as do many other brands. Ironically, the polyphony on the PSR9000 is very weak. I still can't layer a simple piano & string sound without having terrible, UNmusical dropouts. It almost sounds as if it's playing in mono. That sales clerk is a jackass, and if he was any good at doing music for a living - he wouldn't have to work in a store!
You'll be very happy with the PA80,
but if you decide to change - - - -
you know where NOT to shop!

Well this is the difference in dealing from a specialist like George Kaye at Reseda Music or Dan01 from his branch of Guitar Center. Most salesmen are just that, salesmen !!! and are more intent on making the sale rather than providing useful advice. I know when I checkout keyboards at my local Oxnard CA Guitar Center I pass through unoticed as I try out the various keyboards. But I actually prefer that to being hassled by a salesman that is just trying to make a sale. I guess if I was a regular customer I would be offended by the lack of attention but it suits me fine to be left alone.

Increased polyphony can indirectly improve sound quality by allowing such capabilities as stereo sampling (which doubles the amount of polyphony required) and voice layering. Even lower-end keyboards have instruments that use up two or more voices of polyphony. These techniques can result in more complex and realistic sounding instruments. (The ultimate pipe organ simulation would require over a thousand voices of polyphony, for example.) Increased polyphony also permits richer, denser arrangements.

David Altekruse

Dave,

The Yamaha 9000 can use as many as 8 tones per note (a sound made up of this amount). So if you play a two handed piano jazz style "chording", combined with strings, which could have 8 tones per note, then you will find out that the problem lies here. Example: a two handed chord of four notes (C E G C), layered by strings - containing 8 tones per note, would take up 80 notes poly - assuming the Piano had two notes for stereo sound (as is the norm). OK, 80 notes don't take all your PSR9000's Poly up - but play these chords in a arpeggiated fasion - and you have a different story. This is one of the problems I hear about the Yamaha 9000, you need more tones to make the desired sound, wereas other keyboards used 4 (mainly).

Your right there DNA

O8

Nigel,
I was in the Guitar Center today,Sunday, in Oxnard. I had to drive out to Costco to pick up a table a chairs. Oxnard is a 28 mile drive from Reseda, and I've never been in any Guitar Center except for checking out the Hollywood store some years ago. I walked through the whole store, stopped and played with a Casio keyboard (there wasn't a high end arranger keyboard in the store) and not one single salesperson ever came up to me and said hello or asked if I wanted anything. It wasn't crowded in the store and all the help were busy talking to each other. When I came out of the store I was amazed at how I was in the store for over an hour and my experience was exactly like the MI spy report stated his experience was at the two mega stores in my area of LA. Dan O, you must be one in a million at Guitar Center stores! Could you imagine if you and I sold keyboards in the same store in perhaps Colorado Springs, Co., to make all the Colorado members of this forum happy to have a great music store to buy arranger keyboards in? Man, we would sell a load of SD1's between you and me!
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George,

Your experience with GC is similar to mine at the San Jose GC. I've been there several times, once for a couple hours, and have never been approached by a sales-teen. Maybe there's something about my being the only person in the store with a decent income that turns them off. Not that I mind being left alone when I'm trying out keyboards. Unfortunately, there are usually several pimply-faced school kids blasting away on electric guitars with amps set at 11 making it impossible for me to hear even with headphones on. Too bad your store isn't up here.

David Altekruse

George,
Thanks for your posting regarding the Oxnard GC. Glad to hear it was not just me they avoid but keyboard customers in general As you say they don't stock any high end arranger keyboards. Given the attention they pay to customers I doubt if they'd know if there was a demand or not in the area.

Well it can only drive more customers to your store in Reseda. It makes stores like your own stand out from the chain stores. Not that all GC stores are to be viewed like this, as those with enthusiastic experts such as Dan01 are providing good service. It still depends on the staff at each store. It just pays for people to find out which is the best store in their area for support and advice. Often word of mouth is the best way to find out this sort of info.