Polyphony Question

[Baron von Case]

I am looking into getting a Yamaha DX11, which looks like a great keyboard in most ways, but it says the polyphony is a mere 8 notes at once. I am planning, however, on using it as a MIDI controller, so is the polyphony determined by what the software can handle or by the DX11 itself? Hope this makes sense.

[3phase]

depends on what sense you are talking about.. the polyphony of the sound output ..thats the dx

or the polyphony of the keyboard output.. that the midi implematation of the dx.. booth dont have to be equal... usually you can play as many keys as you want but only the last pressed are sounding.. ..or in case of first note priority only the first 8 will sound as long beeing held...


btw: its spelled käse ..not case

[Baron von Case]

I'm confused. Hopefully it's my lack of sleep.

So, it goes without saying that if I'm using a patch on the DX11's soundboard, it's going to only register 8 notes of that, so that's all I'll hear. But what if I have the DX11 hooked up to an interface to my laptop, or hooked up to a synth module? Is the module or Live or whatever only going to read the 8 notes 'cos of the 8-note limitation of the DX?

I guess more simply: is the DX's 8-note polyphony the fault of the internal sounds or of the keyboard itself?

[3phase]

i dont have a dx 11 manual but its well possible that the keyboard sensoric is able to have a higher polyphony via midi out but there is no guaranty for that.... really depends how yamaha has decided that.. you have to try..
record in ableton.. look in the editor window press and hold one key after the other.. and see what happens after the 9th key is pressed..when this dont steals the first note you can hold on getting more keys pressed simultaniosly

and you will see that its anway rather difficult to play more than 10 ..so 8 wouldnt be a too bad limitation. you allways can play overdubs when 8 simultanious notes are not enough...

[3phase]

i only can say that all yamaha keybords i know from that area can do more than 8 notes via midi out..

so i guess its not a problem.. but no guaranty...