Polyphony and Multitimbrality

Multitimbrality is achieved by having a synthesizer with more than one sound producing module. In a fully digital system, each sound module is virtual, since in reality algorithms combine samples together in real time for output to a single D-A (digital to analogue) circuit.

Synthesizers that can combine n timbres together are called n voice multitimbral. For example, a synthesizer capable of playing eight voices or timbres at one time would be an eight voice multitimbral instrument.

Multitimbrality is distinct from polyphony, which is the number of notes which can be played at the same time, not the number of different timbres. All multitimbral instruments are polyphonic, but not all polyphonic instruments are multitimbral.

WIKI: Timbrality


Even after all these years, I still get these borked in my head and I did that, since corrected, in an article earlier today. (Blog: Erotica Psychotica)

Polyphony means playing many notes and that's more significant on a synth because ... more fingers. The most at one time with a guitar is six or twelve but, with twelve, half of the notes are an octave up from the other half. Therefore the twelve-string has a more interesting taste but it's really not any more polyphonic than a six-string guitar.

Note: that's being completely rigid about it because one note is different from a note at the same pitch an octave higher. For me, the difference in polyphony between a guitar and a synth is so great that the only really important part is what the synth brings.

Playing the Galaxy Guitar with MIDI active also does not increase polyphony for the same reason as a twelve-string does not. The guitar synth will play the same notes as the guitar but the magic, for me, is it does with synth voices and, thus, is multitimbral because the Galaxy Guitar can sound like an electric guitar and a synthesizer at the same time, with whatever voice(s) you like, to greatly increase the number of active timbres.

Note: Godin's MIDI process is most likely as fast as you will want. This is nothing like what it was in the early days when you would hit a note and take a smoke while you waited for the MIDI pickup on the guitar tried to figure out what it was.

Yah, this is massively geeky but I learned of this from Bob Jones in Cincinnati (not his real name but he went by it) who is one of the most incredible wizards of synth I ever met. That was, say, thirty years ago ... and I still mix it up. So, yah, the lesson is for me as well and maybe this time it will stick.