(And even the Polymoog was only paraphonic in certain modes.) Some of the string synthesizers of the 1970s were fully polyphonic, but these relied on stripped-down circuitry capable of reproducing only a few preset, non-editable sounds.
Polyphonic synth series#
So, relatively few fully polyphonic synths with programmable patches have been produced the two best known are the Korg PS-3100 series and the Polymoog. Manufacturers learned long ago that a fully polyphonic synth, capable of sounding every note on the keyboard at once, is a bulky and expensive proposition, and that most performers don't really need that amount of polyphony. Meeting performers' expectations in this regard posed a problem for two decades. Since synths were marketed as keyboard instruments, performers expected to be able to play chords, but most early synths were monophonic. This posed a problem for early synth manufacturers. So before the first commercial synths were available, the expectation was established that electronic instruments would be fully polyphonic. This included electric organs from the outset Laurens Hammond designed the Hammond Model A in the 1930s as a fully polyphonic instrument, and most electric organ designs from that point followed Hammond's lead. Traditional keyboard instruments, on the other hand, are usually fully polyphonic - every note on the keyboard can be played simultaneously, and every note will sound.
This includes most of the woodwind and brass instruments. Although Western musical traditions are based around harmony, which implies the ability to play chords, many traditional instruments are monophonic - they can play only one note at a time. A polyphonic synthesizer is one capable of sounding two or more notes at one time.
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