Post Description

8DIO’s Polyphon instrument hails from Switzerland and is very much a true antique. We found it at a recording label auction, and rumor has it that when Dutch electronics manufacturer Philips® went into the world of music, (yes, they bought a few labels shortly after the 2nd world war, and sold them again in 1999, while producing a large volume of blank recordable CD’s), they acquired Polyphons as a “sign,” to be placed in each of their offices around the world. 

Our instrument came with a huge collection of discs, and given the age, it was actually in a pretty mint condition. The instrument does not respond to velocity, as each hammer is played with the same level of pressure when the plectra hits the notes. But the notes do sound different all the time, as there is something truly anarchistic about the way the machine works. Even though it’s totally mechanic, each note responds differently every time it’s being touched, and we have aimed to reflect just that in creating this library. 

8DIO’s Polyphon is a 5-octave instrument. Each note has been recorded numerous times, and we have selected the ideal matches for each note, to make sure the instrument absolutely comes to life. 



Dank aan de originele spotter!