Important Safety Instructions

Transcript

CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product. IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK OR INJURY TO PERSONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Read all the instructions (Safety, Installation and FCC if applicable) before using the product. Do not use this product near water (example, near a swimming pool, spa, tub, sink or wet basement) and do not expose to rain. This product should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer, or should be used with the components supplied. If this product requires assembly before being played, take special care to follow the assembly instructions found at the back of the manual. This product, whether alone or in combination with an amplifier and headphones or speakers, may be capable of producing sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. Do not operate for long periods of time at a high volume level or at a level that is uncomfortable. If you experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist. WARNING: Do not place this product or any other objects on the power cord, or place it in a position where one could walk on, trip over or roll anything over power or connecting cords of any kind. This product should be located so that its location does not interfere with its proper ventilation. This product should be located away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, or other products that produce heat. This product should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the product. This product may be equipped with a polarised line plug (one blade wider than the other). This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the wall outlet, contact an electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the plug. The power supply cord of the product should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for long periods of time. Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings. This product should be serviced by qualified service personnel when: a) the power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or b) objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the product; or c) the product has been exposed to rain; or d) the product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits marked changes in performance; or e) the product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged. Do not attempt to service the product beyond that described in the user-maintenance instructions. All servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. Some Generalmusic products may have benches and/or accessory mounting fixtures that are either supplied as part of the product or as optional accessories. Please ensure that benches are correctly assembled and stable and any optional fixtures (where applicable) are well secured before use. Electromagnetic Interference (RFI) This electronic product utilises digital sample wave processing technology (S.W.P.) that may adversely affect radio/TV reception. Read the FCC note on the inside back cover of the owner’s manual for additional information. SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS This product may be grounded. If it should malfunction or breakdown, grounding provides a path of least resistance for electric current to reduce the risk of electric shock. This product is equipped with a cord having an equipment-grounding conductor and a grounding plug. The plug must be connected to an appropriate outlet that is properly installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and ordinances. DANGER - Improper connection of the equipment-grounding conductor can result in a risk of electric shock. Check with a qualified electrician or serviceman if you are in doubt as to whether the product is properly grounded. Do not modify the plug provided with the product - if it will not fit the outlet, have a proper outlet installed by a qualified electrician. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this instrument does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the instrument off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: - Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. - Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver. - Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. - Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help. CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this product not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate this product. OWNER’S MANUAL General safety instructions Power source • Be sure that your local AC main voltage matches the voltage specified on the name plate before connecting to the mains. • DC power cannot be used to power this instrument. Handling the power cord • Never touch the power cord or its plug with wet hands. • Never pull on the cord to remove it from the wall socket, always pull the plug. • Never forcibly bend the power cord. • If the power cord is scarred, cut or broken, or has a bad contact, it will be a potential fire hazard or source of serious electric shock. NEVER use a damaged power cord; have it replaced by a qualified technician. If water gets into the instrument • Remove the power cord from the wall socket at once, and contact the store where the unit was purchased. • The top surface of your instrument should never be used as a shelf for flower vases and other containers which hold liquids. Metal items etc. inside the unit • Do not permit metal items or other materials to fall inside the unit. Metal items may result in electric shock or damage. • Be especially careful with regards to this point when children are near the unit. They should be warned never to try to put anything inside, and never to slide a hand into the unit while you or other persons are playing. • If articles do fall inside, remove the power cord from the wall socket at once and, if necessary, contact the store where the unit was purchased. • As a general precaution, never open the unit and touch or tamper with the internal circuitry. If the instrument plays in an abnormal way • Turn off the power immediately, remove the power cord from the main outlet and contact the store where it was purchased. • Discontinue using the unit at once. Failure to do so may result in additional damage or other unexpected damage or accident. General user maintenance • Clean the cabinet and keys of your instrument using a soft, clean, slightly damp cloth and polish with a soft, dry cloth. • Never use industrial cleaners, detergents, abrasive cleansers, waxes, solvents or polishes as they may damage the instrument finish. • Always turn off the power supply after use and never turn the unit on and off repeatedly in quick succession as this places an undue load on the electronic components. The information in this publication has been carefully prepared and checked. The manufacturers however decline all liability for eventual errors. All rights are reserved. This publication may not be copied, photocopied or reproduced in part or in whole without prior written consent from Generalmusic S.p.A. Generalmusic reserves the right to apply any aesthetic, design or function modifications it considers necessary to any of its products without prior notice. Generalmusic declines all liability for damage to property or persons resulting from improper use of the instrument. © 2002 Generalmusic S.p.A. All rights reserved. INTRODUCTION Congratulations on choosing the Generalmusic Promega. The Promega represents the pinnacle of musical instrument technology, utilizing Generalmusic’s unique DRAKE technology to give you the powerful combination of physical modeling and state-of-the-art stereo sample playback. Physical modeling technology provides total accuracy of sound reproduction while giving the complete dynamic range of the original instrument without compromise, (unlike traditional sampling where the designer must choose a few specific dynamics to sample). By combining this physical modeling technology with hi quality sample playback techniques, Generalmusic have created an electronic musical instrument without equal. The Promega offers sounds which are 100% pure physical models, (like RHODS1); sounds which are pure sample playback, (like STRINGS1), and sounds which combine both technologies in sonic harmony, (like ST.GRAND1). Different technologies were chosen for each sound according to which could provide the best results in each case. This powerhouse of technology is packaged in the most easy-to-use professional instrument ever produced. The logical layout provides immediate access to all the available features, allowing every function of the Promega, whether beeing used as a simple stand-alone piano or a complex MIDI controller, to be fully understood and utilized with the minimum of instruction. In section #2 of this manual you’ll find the QUICK GUIDE. This provides step-by-step examples of how to combine sounds, split the keyboard, add effects and save your sound combination into a Performance Memory. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the instrument by first following all the examples in this section. The remainder of the manual offers a complete description of all the other functions offered by the Promega. The last section contains reference information such as the MIDI IMPLEMENTATION CHART and other useful data concerning the structure of the instrument. We hope you enjoy many years of great music making with your new Promega. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page I Table of contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Section 1 Instrument Layout .......................................................................................................................... Rear Pannel ...................................................................................................................................... Power and Standby ........................................................................................................................... Master Controls ................................................................................................................................ 2 3 4 4 Section 2 Quick Guide ....................................................................................................................... 5 Example 1 : Layering sounds. ........................................................................................................... 7 Example 2 : Controlling the effects. .................................................................................................. 8 Example 3 : Splitting the keyboard. .................................................................................................. 9 Example 4 : A few things to try. ...................................................................................................... 10 Example 5 : Simple sound editing. ................................................................................................. 11 Example 6 : Recalling performance memories ................................................................................ 12 Example 7 : Storing your own creations .......................................................................................... 13 Section 3 Front Pannel Controls .................................................................................................... 15 Graphic EQ. ................................................................................................................................... Other Controls ................................................................................................................................ Performance Memories ................................................................................................................... Storing a new performance ............................................................................................................. Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels ................................................................................................. 16 17 18 19 20 Section 4 Effects .............................................................................................................................. 21 Adding an effect to a sound ............................................................................................................ Using the same effect on multiple sounds ...................................................................................... Enabling and disabling effects ........................................................................................................ Storing parameter changes ............................................................................................................. 22 22 23 24 Section 5 Edit Sound ....................................................................................................................... 25 Section 6 Edit MIDI ........................................................................................................................... 27 Section 7 Edit Controls .................................................................................................................... 31 Controls .......................................................................................................................................... 32 Pedal types and settings ................................................................................................................ 32 Section 8 Appendix .......................................................................................................................... 37 Technical Specifications ................................................................................................................. Promega3 : Sound list .................................................................................................................... Promega3 : Effect list ..................................................................................................................... Technology ..................................................................................................................................... MIDI Implementation Chart .......................................................................................................... Types of serial cables ..................................................................................................................... Chart of charachters ....................................................................................................................... Credits ............................................................................................................................................ Generalmusic Promega 3 Page II 38 39 39 40 42 43 44 45 Section 1 Instrument Layout Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 1 REAR PANNEL (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (1) MAIN OUT (balanced) Right e Left/Mono The left and right channel when connecting the instrument in stereo. If you are connecting in mono using only one cord, connect the cord to the LEFT/ MONO output and ensure that nothing is connected to the RIGHT output. (2) AUX OUT 1e2 Assignable outputs 1and 2. Any section of the instrument can be assigned to use these outputs. They can either be used separately or as part of the stereo pair 1+2. For more information about assigning sections of the instrument to use these outputs, see the description of the OUT function in the CONTROLS chapter of this manual. (3) INPUT Right e Left/Mono You can connect either a stereo device, (like a CD-Player or MIDI sound module) or a mono device, (like a microphone or guitar), to these inputs. If you are connecting a mono device using only one cord, connect the cord to the LEFT/MONO input and ensure that nothing is connected to the RIGHT input. The INPUT slider on the front panel controls the volume of the device connected to these inputs. MIDI (4) In Used to receive midi data from other devices, (like a computer or controller keyboard). Used to send midi data from the instrument to external devices, (like a computer or MIDI sound module). (5) Out (6) Thru Used when chaining a number of midi devices together. The THRU connector sends a copy of what is arriving at MIDI IN; effectively extending the MIDI IN cord to the next device in the MIDI chain. (7) Mode Switch This switch should be used to set the type of host PC. For Mac computers the switch should be set to the MAC position. For PC/Windows, the switch should be set to the PC2 (fast) position. If you encounter any problems using the interface with this configuration, try selecting the PC1 (slow) setting. (8) Computer Connector This connector is designed to accept the small 8-pin DIN plug at one end of a Mac serial cable or the special cable supplied with the Generalmusic Multimedia Kit. (9) DISPLAY CONTRAST Controls the contrast between background and foreground colors for the LCD display panel. PEDAL The connectors are used for the three optional pedals. The types of pedals you can connect to these are as follows: (10)PEDAL 2/PEDAL 1 Either a standard footswitch* or a continuous volume type pedal. (11) DAMPER: Either a standard footswitch* or the damper pedal of the optional Generalmusic Pro Pedal Unit. See the description of the functions DAM, PD1 and PD2 in the CONTROLS chapter of this manual for information about assigning these pedals. * Any type of footswitch can be used. The Promega will automatically detect the type of footswitch connected and configure itself accordingly. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 2 POWER and STANDBY The main power switch is located on the back panel of the instrument. When you first turn the Promega on, the instrument’s internal memory data is decompressed ready for playing. This process takes around 60 seconds to complete. On the left side of the rail below the keyboard you will find the STANDBY button. This button can be used instead of the main power switch. When you turn off the instrument with the STANDBY button the uncompressed data remains in memory eliminating the need to wait when you switch the instrument on next time. To turn the instrument off with the STANDBY button, you need to keep it pressed down for about two seconds. This is designed to avoid the possibility of switching the instrument off in case the button is accidentally pressed momentarily. You can release it when you see the panel lights go out. To switch the instrument on again just press the STANDBY button quickly. J The light in the STANDBY button has two colors. Green for ON and red for OFF. For most purposes, the STANDBY button should be used instead of the main power switch, (in much the same way that you might use the “sleep” or “standby” function on a computer instead of “shut down”). If you are going to leave the instrument turned off for a long period of time, (say, overnight or longer), then you should shut the instrument down with the main power switch. Also, if you plan to move the instrument and disconnect it from the power socket, you should first turn it off using the main power switch instead of using the STANDBY button. To force the data decompression (in case of a software upgrade), turn on the instrument with the main power switch while holding down the STANDBY button. MASTER CONTROLS VOLUME This controls the overall volume of the entire instrument. For best results it should be set to about 75% of the maximum value. When connecting the Promega to an amplification system for the first time, begin by setting the VOLUME slider to its minimum position and then increase the volume slowly to set the audio level. Adjust the amplifier’s input gain so that the best listening level can be achieved with the VOLUME slider set at about 75% of the maximum value. INPUT This controls the volume level of the devices connected to INPUTS 1 and 2 on the back panel. When connecting a device for the first time, this slider should be set at minimum level and its value gradually increased until a desirable listening level is reached. HEADPHONES JACK There are two headphones jacks located at the extreme left side of the metal rail which runs beneath the keyboard; just below the STANDBY button. NOTE: Some devices such as CD players, MiniDisc Players etc. will have a very different output level from an electronic keyboard like the Promega. Wherever possible, you should adjust the output volume of the device so that it delivers only enough volume to allow the INPUT slider to be set to about 75% of its maximum value. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 3 Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 4 Section 2 Quick Guide “For those of you who don’t like to read manuals or wish to read the manual detail later, here’s everything you need to get started” Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 5 The Promega3 has been designed with ease of use and quick access to all features in mind. Common functions such as layering sounds, splitting the keyboard and assigning effect can all be carried out without the need to use any edit menus or LCD functions. This chapter will serve as a quick guide to get you up and running as quickly as possible with the Promega. First we’ll look at “real-time operations” (setting up the instrument manually without using the Performance Memories), and then move on to storing and recalling your favorite sound combinations. Essentially, you can think of the Promega as number of different sound modules or sections, each of which has exactly the same controls. All of these sections have a large red ON/OFF button so combining a number of sounds is as simple as switching on a number of these sections simultaneously. The Promega3 has four sound sections: Section 1: PIANOS Section 2: VINTAGE KEYS Section 3: ORCHESTRA/PAD Section 4: BASS/OTHER Let’s start by looking at one of these sound modules in detail: This is the PIANOS module from the PROmega3. The EFFECTS buttons will add or remove the currently selected REVERB and PRO EFX processing to the current sound. PIANOS GRAND1 GRAND2 ST. GRAND1 ST. GRAND2 FUNKY PRO2 TECHNO POP JAZZ HONKY NEW AGE ROCK CP GRAND UPRIGHT ò ò EFFECTS The TO LEFT button will assign the sound in this section to the left side of the current keyboard split point. OCTAVE ò ò The red ON/OFF button is used to activate or deactivate the section as required. ò The large rotary knob, (or V-POT), is used to select between the various sounds in the section. LEVEL The slider can be used to adjust the volume of the section, (and many other parameters as we will see later on). The OCTAVE buttons are used to raise or lower the pitch of the section by 12 half-steps. You can repeatedly press the + or – button to keep shifting the section’s pitch higher or lower. To return the section to it’s original pitch, simply press both the + and – button together. Original pitch is indicated by both leds being off. That’s it! Having explained how the controls of one of these modules operate, you should now be able to see that all the other sound modules work in exactly the same way. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 6 Let’s try some examples combining these various modules together and you’ll begin to see just how easy it is to work with the Promega. We recommend that you work through these examples in order since each example starts with the settings from the previous one. EXAMPLE 1: Layering sounds. Start by switching on the instrument so that you have the only the main piano sound active. You’ll notice that only the first section is switched on, (its red ON/OFF button is illuminated). Now let’s add a string sound to this piano. Because of the way the Promega is designed, you can set up your second sound and make all the adjustments you need BEFORE you actually hear it. 1) Go to the ORCHESTRA/PAD section and use the VirtualPOT to select the sound SLOWSTRING PAD, (at the 6 o’clock position). ORCHESTRA / PAD SYNTH PAD SYNTH VOX STRING 1 HIGH STRING CHOIR LEGATO 1 BRASS2 BRASS1 2) Use the slider to adjust its volume level to about 90. SYNSTRING HOLLOW PAD WARM PAD SLOWSTRING PAD Now we can add some reverb to this sound. Make sure that the REVERB button is turned on and the PRO EFX button is turned off. OCTAVE 3 Finally, we need to check that the sound is in its normal octave range and also that it is not assigned to a split keyboard. Check that the OCTAVE setting is normal, (both leds should be off. Pressing both buttons together will accomplish this). Check that the TO LEFT button is turned off. Now we’re ready to turn the section on. 3) Press the red ON/OFF button in this section. You should now hear the string sound mixed with the piano. Generalmusic Promega 3 2 EFFECTS Page 7 J LEVEL EXAMPLE 2: Controlling the effects. Let’s spice our string sound up a little by adding a chorus effect. PROEFX CHOR/FLANGER CHORUS CHOR/TREM 1 In the PRO EFX part of the EFFECTS section, turn the Virtual-POT to select CHORUS, (at the 1 o’ clock position). TREMOLO CHOR/ EXC WAH DELAY ST. DELAY MIDI DELAY COMPRESSOR LOUDNESS Now, we want to add this effect to the string sound. 2 In the ORCHESTRA/PAD section, turn on the PRO EFX button. J We also need to make sure that this effect is not applied to the piano sound. In the PIANOS section, make sure that the PRO EFX button is turned off. You should now hear the chorus effect on the string sound but not on the piano. A quick glance at the panel should tell you that the piano sound now contains reverb, (its REVERB button is on and its PRO EFX button is off) while the string sound has both reverb and chorus, (both its REVERB and PRO EFX buttons are switched on). Since both sounds are using the reverb effect, we might want to set a different amount of reverb for each sound. This can be achieved by using REVERB SEND control. 1 J In the REVERB part of the EFFECTS section, press the SEND button. Notice how all the values displayed in each section have changed? Before we pressed SEND, each section’s display was telling you it’s respective volume level. Now, instead, they are telling you the amount of reverb applied to each section. The slider which had previously been used to adjust a section’s volume can now be used to adjust the amount of reverb for that section. 2 Using the slider in the ORCHESTRA/PAD section, set the value to 120. 3 Using the slider in the PIANOS section, The string sound now contains twice as much reverb as the piano sound. Now that we’ve finished making adjustments, we can return the instrument to normal playing mode. Press the flashing REVERB SEND button once again to turn it off. You may also want to adjust the amount of chorus applied to the string sound. This can be done in the same way using the PRO EFX SEND button. PARAMETERS EFFECTS REVERB GARAGE RECITALROOM T I L E DR O O M 1 In the PRO EFX part of the EFFECTS section, press the SEND button. CHURCH PLATE GATE 2 GATE 1 AMBIENCE 2 SPRING MATRIX 2 Using the slider in the ORCHESTRA/PAD section, adjust the amount of effect. 2 CANYON MATRIX 1 PROEFX CHOR/FLANGER CHOR/TREM CHORUS TREMOLO CHOR/ EXC WAH DELAY Press the flashing PRO EFX SEND button once again to turn it off. MIDIDELAY Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 1 ST. DELAY 8 LOUDNESS COMPRESSOR LEVEL When we pressed each of those SEND buttons, we temporarily put the instrument into EDIT MODE. In this mode each section’s slider and display allowed you to view and modify something other than the section’s volume level, (which is what they normally do). To let you know that the instrument was in EDIT MODE, all of the displays started flashing along with the actual button you pressed to put the instrument into EDIT MODE, (in this case, the SEND button). There are a number of occasions when you will need to put the instrument into EDIT MODE to adjust some value or other. Occasionally, you might hit an edit button by accident and set the instrument flashing without knowing how you did it. To return the instrument to normal, the procedure is always the same; locate the button which is flashing and simply press it once to escape from EDIT MODE. EXAMPLE 3: Splitting the keyboard. Now that we have our piano and string sounds nicely mixed and with appropriate effects, let’s try to split the keyboard, placing a bass sound on the left side of the split. First we’ll set up the bass sound. Go to the BASS/OTHER section and use the Virtual-POT to 1 select the sound FRETLESS, (at the 2 o’clock position). Use the slider to adjust it’s volume ò ò ò 2 level to about 120. We should remove any reverb from this sound. ò 3 Make sure that the REVERB button is turned off. And we’ll add a little chorus. 1 Turn the PRO EFX button on. ò Now, since we want to place this sound to the left of the split, we need to activate the TO LEFT function. 2 Turn on the TO LEFT button. Now we’re ready to turn the section on. ò Check that the OCTAVE setting is normal, (both leds should be off). Press both OCATVE buttons together to restore normal range ò J J J Next, check that the sound is in its normal octave range. J 3 Press the red ON/OFF button in this section. J You should now hear the piano string combination on the right side of the keyboard and the newly selected bass sound on the left. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 9 If you like you can change the split point. Stop playing for a moment and hold down the SPLIT P. button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section. While keeping it pressed, with your other hand, press the keyboard key where you want the new split to be. Release the SPLIT P. button when you’re done. You’ll notice that the green EDIT & CONTROLS display temporarily showed the name of the note where the keyboard was split. If you ever need to know the current split note, just hold the SPLITP. button for a few seconds and the display will tell you. Finally, let’s adjust the amount of chorus on our bass sound: 1 In the PRO EFX part of the EFFECTS section, press the SEND button. 2 Using the slider in the BASS/OTHER section, set the value to 100. 3 Press the flashing PRO EFX SEND button once again to turn it off. 1 J 2 J J 3 EXAMPLE 4: A few things to try. The TO LEFT button in each section is used to assign any section to the left side of the split point. Let’s put the piano sound on the left side along with the bass: Press the TO LEFT button in the PIANOS section Now you can hear both sounds on the left side of the split while the string sound remains on the right. Let’s put the piano sound back on the right side again. Press the TO LEFT button in the PIANOS section once again to turn it off. There is no specific button on the Promega to split the keyboard. As long as one of the sections is assigned TO LEFT, a split will automatically be created. If none of the TO LEFT buttons in any of the sections are pressed then there will be no split. Try this: Turn off the TO LEFT button in the BASS/OTHER section. Now that no section is assigned TO LEFT the split has disappeared. You can now hear three sounds layered together across the entire length of the keyboard. You can re-create the split simply by pressing any one of these TO LEFT buttons: Press the TO LEFT button in the ORCHESTRA/PAD section. The string sound is now assigned to the left side of the split. This would be useful for playing chords but the sound is in the wrong octave. We’ll use the OCTAVE buttons to put the sound into a more useable playing range. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 10 While playing chords below the split, press the OCTAVE + key in the ORCHESTRA/PAD section. You will hear the pitch of the sound raise by one octave. Press this key a second time to place the sound in a more playable range. J Finally, that bass sound really isn’t of any use to us anymore so let’s turn it off. Press the red ON/OFF button in the BASS/OTHERS section to turn it off. J Example 5: Simple sound editing. Sometimes you may want to make a sound a little brighter or darker to make it more or less prominent in the mix. The EDIT SOUND function contains a simple little filter which allows you to adjust the brilliance of any section. Press the SOUND button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section. The EDIT & CONTROLS display now shows FLT indicating that you are ready to adjust the filter setting for each section. The individual displays of each section are now showing you their current filter setting, (normally these will be at zero). Let’s make the string sound on the left side a little darker and the piano sound on the right side a little brighter. Moving the slider upwards will increase the brilliance while moving it downwards will decrease it. When the slider is in the central position the sound is restored to it’s normal setting of zero. J Move the slider in the ORCHESTRA/PAD section downwards to select a value of about –30. You can hear this change in real time while you are playing the sound. Move the slider of the PIANOS section, upwards to select a value of about 30. J Edit functions such as SOUND, MIDI and CONTROL, (CONTR.) contain a number of different functions under one button. You can switch between these various functions using the PAGE UP/PAGE DOWN keys underneath the EDIT & CONTROLS display. Let’s use the next function of EDIT SOUND. Press the PAGE UP button, (>) The EDIT & CONTROLS display now shows PAN indicating that you are ready to adjust the pan position, (or stereo balance), for each section. The individual displays of each section are now showing you their current pan position, (normally these will be at zero meaning that the sound is sent equally to the left and right channel). J NOTE: The instrument must be amplified in stereo to hear this effect. Let’s send the string sound slightly more to the left channel and the piano sound slightly more to the right channel. Move the slider in the ORCHESTRA/PAD section downwards to select a value of about –30. You should hear the sound move slightly towards the left channel. Move the slider of the PIANOS section, upwards to select a value of about 30. You should hear the sound move slightly towards the right channel. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 11 Now we can return the instrument to normal playing mode. Remember, this is achieved by simply pressing the button which is flashing; in this case EDIT SOUND. J Press the EDIT SOUND button once to turn it off. Example 6: Recalling performance memories. A performance memory is a complete set-up of all the features on the instrument. By storing and recalling performance memories you can instantly change the sounds, pedal assignments, midi settings and other features of the instrument with the touch of a single button. The Promega3 has 128 performance memories available. These are split into two groups of 64 memories called PRESET and USER. The preset performance memories have been programmed at the factory and can never be overwritten. The USER memories are provided for you to store your own sound combinations and performance settings. To become familiar the way these memories are organized, we’ll start by selecting some of the PRESET memories. The first of these was selected automatically when you switched the instrument on. It contains the main piano sound which we heard back in Example 1 and it is memory number A1. The two sets of memories are organized into 8 banks called A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. One of these banks will always be selected. Look at the bottom row of buttons marked PERFORMANCE MEMORIES now and you will see that Bank A is selected, (assuming that you haven’t selected anything different since power on). Each bank contains 8 performance memories numbered 1-8. The last selected memory will be currently lit, (again, it should be memory 1 unless you changed something). Although memory A1 was the last selected, we’ve made a lot of changes since switching the instrument on. We started with memory A1 and then made a number of modifications from there. Let’s now re-select memory A1 Press the 1 button in the top row of the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES. You should now hear that the instrument’s settings have changed back to the basic piano sound we heard at the beginning of our examples. We are listening to PRESET A1. If you ever wish to return the instrument to these settings at any time, follow these three simple steps: 1. Press PRESET 2. Press A 3. Press 1 J TUNING TOUCH MASTER TRANSPOSE Now let’s listen some of the other memories stored in PRESET BANK A Press 2, 3, 4, etc. Listen to the different preset sound combinations. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 12 Moving to a different bank requires 2 steps. The first step is where you select the new bank. The second step is where you choose a memory within the newly selected bank. You will not hear the sound change until you have completed this second step. Let’s select PRESET C4. J J Press the C button. Notice that the memory buttons start to flash. The only buttons not flashing are those which represent the previous selection. Press 4. Now that you are in PRESET BANK 4 you can listen to the 8 different memories with a single button press as before. EXAMPLE 7: Storing your own creations Now that we know how to use the performance memories let’s store something into one of the USER locations. First we’ll start by selecting the main piano sound in PRESET A1. Press the A button. Press the 1 button. You should now hear the main piano sound. From this stage, were going to re-create the piano/strings combination we made back in Example 1. Turn back to Example 1 and follow all the steps to layer a string sound with the piano. Now we’re going to store this sound into USER A1. J Press the STORE button Press the A button Press the 1 button J You’ll notice that the PRESET button automatically turned off and the USER button turned on. Because you pressed STORE, the instrument switched itself into user mode. If you want go back to selecting factory presets, you need to press PRESET again. Let’s check that our sound was stored correctly by switching to a PRESET memory and then switching back to our newly stored USER A1. Press the PRESET button Press the C button Press the 4 button Now you’ve selected PRESET C4 and the instrument has changed all it’s settings. Let’s switch back to the sound we stored in USER A1 and check that it was memorized correctly. J Press the USER button Press the A button Press the 1 button Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 13 You should now hear the piano/string combination that we saved earlier. Now we’ll save once more sound into a USER location. Turn back to Example 2 and Example 3. Follow all the steps in both examples so that you end up with a split keyboard; bass on the left and piano/strings on the right. We’re going to store this sound into USER A2. J Press the STORE button Press the 2 button Did you notice that there was one less step this time? Before we pressed STORE, the currently selected performance was A1. Since we were storing our new performance into the same bank that was already selected, it was not necessary to press the A button again. Now you have enough understanding of the basic functions of your Promega to get started making your own sounds. As you read through the rest of this manual you will find many more powerful functions which will help you to unlock the full capability of this magnificent instrument. Enjoy! Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 14 Section 3 Front Pannel Controls Following on from the Quick Guide, this section explains how to use some of the other front panel controls. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 15 Graphic EQ. The Promega offers a simple but powerful graphic EQ. section which uses a series of “led bars” to represent the individual bands of the Equalizer. This system offers two powerful advantages over a conventional Graphic EQ. that uses hardware sliders: GR APH IC EQ 1 When a PERFORMANCE MEMORY is recalled whose stored EQ. pattern differs from that currently displayed, the Graphic EQ. section will be immediately updated to display the correct pattern. All bands can be reset to zero with a single button, 2 (RESET). 63 125 250 500 1k 2k 4k 8k +1 0 db 0 -10 db The Promega3 offers an 8-band EQ. The Graphic EQ. section features an ON/OFF button so that the section can be defeated when not required. Each band is equipped with a continuous knob which can be used to raise or lower the level of attenuation for that specific band. This change is indicated by the “led bar” directly above each knob. At the center of each “led bar” is a green led. This is equivalent to the zero or “reset” position for that band. When a band is in this zero position, no raise or reduction is being applied to that band. The band is said to be “flat”. A useful starting point for any EQ. operation is to have every band in this ‘flat’ condition. On the Promega, this can be easily accomplished by pressing the RESET button. Once the RESET button has been pressed, each band will return to its zero point and the previous EQ. set-up will be lost. Using the Graphic EQ. with the Performance Memories Every time you save a sound combination into one of the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES, the current EQ. settings are memorized. Try recalling a few of the PRESET memories and you should see the EQ. displays changing accordingly. In this way, you can use the GraphicEQ. as a powerful way to modify the tone of each sound you create on the Promega, (much like a band-pass filter on a synthesizer); giving you that extra “edge” needed for a specific sound. Using the Graphic EQ. as a master Graphic EQ.s are often used in professional sound systems to compensate for unwanted losses, (or surpluses), of particular frequencies in different types of performing environments. For example, a high-ceilinged theater with brick walls would require much less attenuation of the higher frequencies than a small carpeted lounge. In this situation, the sound engineer would use a Graphic Equalizer to set up a “Master EQ. curve” so that whatever sound went through the sound system was always processed in the same way. This Master EQ. setting would remain the same throughout the entire performance. If you want to use the Graphic EQ. on the Promega as a Master EQ., you need to ensure that its values will not change every time you select one of the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES. This can be achieved by pressing the LOCK button. When the LOCK button is lit, the EQ. settings can be manually changed in the normal way but they will not be affected by the selection of PERFORMANCE MEMORIES. In this way the section can be used as a Master EQ. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 16 OTHER CONTROLS TOUCH The TOUCH button allows you to adjust the responsiveness of the Promega’s keyboard to suit your playing style by setting what’s called a “velocity curve”. You can either select one of three factorypreset curves or find your own personalized setting with the USER curve. To access the TOUCH function, press the TOUCH button on right side of the instrument’s front panel. The TOUCH button starts to flash and the EDIT & CONTROLS display shows the three-letter abbreviation for the current velocity curve. You can select different curves by using the PAGE > and PAGE < buttons. The available curves are as follows: TOUCH - SFT – SOFT CURVE. Use this setting if you have a light touch, particularly if you are more familiar playing synthesizer keyboards than piano. With this curve the keys do not have to be struck very hard to achieve maximum level. NOR – NORMAL CURVE . This curve approximates the normal dynamic response of an acoustic piano. The normal curve is set when your Promega leaves the factory. HRD – HARD CURVE This curve is designed for the stronger or more powerful player. You may find this curve useful if you have been used to playing a piano with a heavy keyboard action. With this curve, the keys need to be struck fairly hard to achieve maximum level. USR – USER CURVE The user curve offers a variable setting which can be adjusted while you play to find a specific response to match your playing style. This variable setting ranges from 1 to 100 and the current setting can be seen in the display of the EFFECTS section.You can change this value with the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. Setting the value to 1 will give a minimal amount of velocity control. The maximum value, 100, will give an extremely hard response; even stronger than the factory preset HARD setting. By choosing levels between 1 and 100 you can vary the curve between these two extremes; from almost no touch response to extremely hard response. When you have selected a curve which you feel comfortable with, press the TOUCH button again to turn it off. Your settings will be memorized. LOCAL OFF The LOCAL OFF button effectively disconnects all the Promega’s internal sounds from the keyboard allowing the instrument to be used as a silent controller for external sound sources. This function is designed for use only when you want the entire instrument to be in Local Off mode. If you want to switch only one or more sections to Local Off mode please see the paragraph marked NOTE: Section Local On/Off in the description of PCH (Program Change) in the MIDI section of this manual. - DEMO Each section is pre-programmed with its own demo song designed to highlight the sounds of that section. When you press the DEMO button the ON/OFF button of each section starts to flash. Press any section’s flashing ON/OFF button to hear its demo song. To stop the song, either press the section’s ON/OFF button again or press DEMO to turn it off. Pressing DEMO at any time will escape from DEMO mode and return the instrument to normal operation. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 17 - PERFORMANCE MEMORIES The Promega offers 128 Performance Memories divided into two groups of 64: PRESET and USER. The 64 PRESET performances are created at the factory and cannot be changed.They are provided to highlight some of the best possible sound combinations. The 64 USER performances are provided for you to store your own favorite sound combinations. If you want, you can select one of the PRESET memories, modify its settings and then store the results in a USER memory. Next select a BANK using one of the eight buttons in the lower row labeled A – H. 2 - - Finally select one of the eight performances in this bank using one of the eight numbered buttons in the top row. One of these Performance Memories will always be selected. To select a different Performance Memory, first choose either the PRESET or USER group using one of the buttons at the right side. 1 3 At this point, all of the Promega’s settings will change according to what has been stored in the selected Performance Memory. Although the last selected Performance Memory remains selected, you are free to change the panel settings in any way you want. To restore the settings from the current Performance Memory, just select it again, (you only need to press the numbered button which is already lit). Once you are within a Performance Bank, (for example, Bank A), you can select any of the eight performances in that bank by pressing only the numbered buttons in the top row. You do not need to re-select the bank each time. In addition to the instrument and effect settings, each performance also has a name which is shown in the LCD display on the left side of the panel. TUNING Concert 9’ Grand M ASTER TRANSPOSE When you store your own performances, you can also type in new names to go with them. Note: to RESTORE the factory USER performances, turn on the instrument while holding down the STORE button. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 18 Storing A New Performance Any time you find a sound combination that you like, you can store it into one of the USER Performance Memories. First press STORE. - At this point you can enter a name. If you prefer not to, you can simply proceed to the next step. If you want to input a name for your Performance, use the keys of the keyboard to type in the name. In this mode, the keyboard is divided into alphabetical characters on the white keys from A2 to E6; numeric characters on the black keys from C#5 to A#6; and special control keys from D2 to G2. These are described below. D2: Uppercase/Lowercase switch D#2: Insert/Overwrite E2: Space F2: Delete G2: Backspace Simply type in the name you want using the keys of the keyboard. After each character has been typed, the cursor will advance to the next position. If you make a mistake you can use the Backspace key (G2) to return to the previous character. In the top line of the LCD, on the right side, you can see the state of the both the Uppercase/Lowercase, (“u” or “l”) and Insert/Overwrite, (“i” or “o”) parameters. To change the state of either of these settings, simply press the Uppercase/Lowercase, (D2) key or the Insert/Overwrite, (D#2), key. Once you’ve finished entering a name for your performance, the next step is to choose which bank you want to store it into. Press one of the eight bank buttons, (labeled A-H). 1 - - And finally, select one of the eight numbered memories. This completes the storage process. - 2 Your Performance is now stored in the memory location you chose. Remember that when you want to select this Performance in the future, you must be in the USER group and not the PRESET group. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 3 19 PITCH BEND AND MODULATION WHEELS The PITCH BEND and Modulation wheels can be used to control either the internal sounds of the Promega and/or any external MIDI device connected to it. Both wheels can also be re-programmed to have other functions. PITCH BEND This wheel is used to “bend” the pitch of a sound in order to emulate, for example, the bending of a string on a bass guitar or the scooping of a note in a brass section. The preset range of the PITCH BEND wheel is +/- 2 half-steps or semitones. This means that the maximum amount of pitch shift will be 2 half-steps higher when the wheel is pushed upwards and 2 half-steps lower when the wheel is pulled downwards. To change the amount of pitch shift in half-steps, press the CONTROLS, (CONTR.) button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section and select the function “PIT” using the Page <> buttons. NOTE: If you have no pedals connected then “PIT” will be the first function you see. The LCD will display the current settings for the PITCH BEND wheel. Use the MASTER TRANSPOSE b and # buttons to increase of decrease the range. At the same time, you can see which sections the Pitch Wheel will affect when it is moved. Each section shows its Pitch Wheel assignment as being ON or OFF. You can change this setting with the LEVEL slider in each section. W H E ELS The PITCH BEND wheel can also be re-programmed to have a different function. In the EFFECTS section display, you will see the current function of the wheel. Using the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section, you can select a different function. The functions available are as follows: Pb – Pitch Bend, (Original Function) PAN – Panpot or Stereo Balance control UAH – Wah controls, (only works when WAH effect is configured appropriately) FLT – Filter control PITCH MODULATION M O DULATIO N The MODULATION wheel is normally used to apply a motion effect, (usually vibrato or tremolo), to the sound. This allows you to apply the same type of vibrato that a string or horn player might use; letting the sound play normally for a second or two and then adding an increasing amount of vibrato as the note sustains. This is achieved by moving the wheel slowly upwards from its zero position, (the zero position is when the wheel is pulled all the way down). When not being used, the wheel should be returned to this zero position. If you ever find that a sound contains a vibrato or tremolo effect even when the PRO EFX are turned off, this is probably because the Modulation Wheel has been left in a non-zero position. Pulling it all the way down should rectify the problem. The Modulation Wheel can be assigned to any section of the instrument and can also be re-programmed to have a different function. To change the settings of the Modulation Wheel, press the CONTROLS, (CONTR.) button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section and select the function “MOD” using the Page <> buttons. You can now see which sections the Modulation Wheel will affect when it is moved. Each section shows its wheel assignment as being ON or OFF. You can change this setting with the LEVEL slider in each section. To change the function of the wheel, use the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. The display in the EFFECTS section shows the current function of the wheel. For a description of all the available functions, see the table entitled “CONTINUOUS PEDAL and MOD WHEEL” in the CONTROLS section of this manual. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 20 Section 4 Effects “This section explains how to use the two effect processors REVERB and PRO EFX” Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 21 The EFFECTS section of the Promega3 contains two independent effects processors which can be applied in varying amounts to each section of the instrument. While each effect processor has it’s own independent controls, both sections share a common display. Each section offers the following controls: A V-POT to select the effect type. A master DEPTH control. Two parameter controls. A SEND button. Each effect has been pre-programmed at the factory to provide appropriate settings for most applications. In many cases you won’t need to adjust any parameters for the effect to be useable. Adding an effect to a sound There are three simple steps to add an effect to any sound. 1 1. Select the desired effect. 2. Assign the sound section to that effect 3. Adjust the amount of effect. For example, to add the CHURCH reverb effect to ST.GRAND1. 1. Use the REVERB Virtual-POT to select the CHURCH effect 2. Assign the PIANOS section, to the reverb effect by pressing the REVERB button in that section. 3. Press the REVERB DEPTH button and use the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section to control the amount of effect. 2 - Another example; to add the CHORUS effect to STRING1 sound. 1. Use the PRO-EFX Virtual-POT to select the CHORUS effect. 2. Assign the ORCHESTRA/PAD section to the PRO EFX effect by pressing the PRO EFX button in that section. 3. Press the PRO EFX DEPTH button and use the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section to control the amount of effect. 3 Using the same effect on multiple sounds -- When an effect is applied to more than 1 sound, the SEND function allows you to set a different amount of effect for each sound. For example: - - Switch on every section of the instrument and 1 adjust their volumes so that they can all be heard clearly 2 In each section, turn ON the REVERB button and turn OFF the PRO EFX button. 3 Use the REVERB V-POT to select the STADIUM effect. You should now hear a heavy reverb effect on all sounds, (if you don’t, try pressing the REVERB DEPTH button and increasing the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section until the effect is stronger). Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 22 - Now press the REVERB SEND button, (it starts to flash). You’ll notice that the display in each section has changed. Each section is now telling you how much reverb is being applied to it. Adjust the value of each section to zero using their respective LEVEL sliders. You should now hear no reverb at all. - Try setting different levels of reverb for each section. When you’ve finished, turn off the REVERB SEND button to stop it flashing. This returns the instrument to normal mode. Let’s take this example even further by adding a delay from the PRO EFX section. 1 In each section, turn ON the PRO EFX button - 2 Use the PRO EFX Virtual-POT to select the ST. DELAY effect You should now hear the delay effect in every section. Again, if you want to increase the overall amount of effect, press the PRO EFX DEPTH button and use the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section to increase the effect. Now press PRO EFX SEND. As before, the button starts to flash and each section now shows you how much of this effect is being applied to it. You can change the values by using the LEVEL slider in each section. When setting up multiple effects in this way, you can switch directly between REVERB SEND and PRO EFX SEND without the need to escape each time. While the PRO EFX SEND button is still flashing, press REVERB SEND and you can instantly return to adjusting the reverb levels. Whenever the instrument is in REVERB SEND or PRO EFX SEND mode, while the LEVEL sliders in each section can be used to adjust the individual amount of effect for each section, the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section continues to function as a MASTER DEPTH control for that effect. Enabling and disabling effects Sometimes you may need to temporarily turn off one of the effects processors in order to hear the other more clearly. For example, here are two different methods for temporarily disabling the REVERB effect. Method 1. Turn OFF the REVERB button in each section. Method 2. Press the REVERB DEPTH button and use the LEVEL slider to reduce the level to zero. While Method 2 is a little quicker, it does require that you remember the original depth when you wish to return the effects to their previous state. Parameter controls Each of the 30 effects on the Promega offers two user-controllable parameters which allow you to accurately tailor the effect to your needs. REVERB SECTION In the REVERB section the two available parameters are called TIME and DELAY, (or to use their full names REVERB TIME and PRE-DELAY). No matter which reverb effect is selected, the same two parameters are always available for adjustment. TIME, (Reverb time) When the TIME button is pressed the display in the EFFECTS section shows the current REVERB TIME. This value can be adjusted using the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. Adjusting the REVERB TIME will increase or decrease the overall duration of the current reverb. The higher the value, the longer it will take for the reverb to fade out. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 23 DELAY, (Pre-delay) When the DELAY button is pressed the display in the EFFECTS section shows the current PRE-DELAY value. This value can be adjusted using the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. DELAY inserts a tiny space between the source sound, (a key being pressed), and the resulting reverb output. Adjusting the PRE-DELAY value will change the length of this space. The purpose of pre-delay is to “clean-up” the resulting reverberated sound so that the original sounds can be heard to speak clearly for a fraction of a second before the reverb effect kicks in. PRO-EFX SECTION Unlike the REVERB section, the two available parameters in the PRO-EFX section do not have definitive names. They are named simply PARAM 1 and PARAM 2. Whenever you select a new PRO EFX effect using the Virtual-POT, the functions of PARAM 1 and PARAM 2 will change accordingly. This allows for maximum flexibility of the effects in this section without the need for too many buttons. For example, when you use an effect that contains movement or “modulation”, (such as a CHORUS, or PHASER effect), it is very important to have a control for the speed of that movement, (usually called the MODULATION FREQUENCY). However, certain effects contain no modulation, (such as COMPRESSOR or LOUDNESS), so a dedicated speed control would have no function when these particular effects were selected. Below is a list of PARAM 1 and PARAM 2 functions in the case of each effect. Effect Name CHORUS1 CHORUS2 FLANGER WAH PHASER TREMOLO COMPRESSOR LOUDNESS EXCITER STEREO DELAY DELAY CHORUS / DELAY CHORUS / EXCITER CHORUS / TREMOLO CHORUS / FLANGER Param 1 Function Modulation Frequency Modulation Frequency Modulation Frequency Modulation Frequency Modulation Frequency Modulation Frequency Threshold Threshold Pre-Gain Delay Time Delay Time Chorus Mod. Frequency Chorus Mod. Frequency Chorus Mod. Frequency Chorus Mod. Frequency Param 2 Function Modulation Depth Modulation Depth Feedback Amount Right Phase Feedback Amount Right Phase Compression Ratio Loudness Ratio Stereo Image Feedback Amount Feedback Amount Delay Time K-pre Tremolo Mod. Freq. Flanger Mod. Freq. Storing parameter changes Whenever you select a new REVERB or PRO EFX effect using the Virtual-POT in either section, the two user controllable parameters related to that effect will be reset to the factory pre-set values. For example, let’s say you select FLANGER in the PRO EFX section and then change the values of both PARAM 1 and PARAM 2. Now you temporarily switch to a different effect, for example TREMOLO and then return to FLANGER. The values of PARAM1 and PARAM2 will not be those which you set earlier but the factory pre-set values. This ensures that each effect will sound “correct’ when first selected. The effect sections themselves do not have memories for storing these parameter changes. If you have modified the parameters of an effect in either section and wish to memorize these changes, you must store the entire resulting sound combination into one of the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 24 Section 5 Edit Sound “This section explains the features available under the SOUND button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section.” Generalmusic Promega3 Page 25 The SOUND button, allows you to make adjustments to the sounds in each of the four sections. - To access the SOUND functions press the SOUND. button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section. The SOUND button starts to flash and the EDIT & CONTROLS display shows “FLT”. This is the first page of the EDIT SOUND menu. You can select different pages by using the PAGE > button or return to previous pages using the PAGE < button. -- The title of each page is shown in the EDIT & CONTROLS display and a description of each page follows: FLT – Lowpass Filter This control allows you to adjust the brilliance of each section using a dynamic filter. You can use the LEVEL slider in each section to make the sound either brighter or darker. To hear the sounds in any section as the manufacturer originally intended, set the slider to it’s center position, (value zero). PAN – Panpot control This control allows you to adjust the stereo PAN POSITION or BALANCE for each section. You can use the LEVEL slider in each section to pan the sound towards the left or right channel. To place the sound centrally in the stereo spectrum, set the slider to its center position, (value zero). - NOTE: This control will not work on any section which is assigned to AUX OUT 1 or AUX OUT 2 only. See the description of the OUT parameter in the CONTROLS section for more information. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 26 Section 6 Edit MIDI This section explains the features available under the MIDI button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section.” Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 27 MIDI In addition to being a self-contained instrument the Promega can be used as a powerful 4-zone MIDI controller. Each section functions as it’s own MIDI “zone” and is capable of independently controlling any piece of external MIDI equipment. While the sound sections of the Promega are normally used to control the instrument’s internal sound sources, each section can also be assigned it’s own MIDI channel, program change and bank select MSB and LSB number. The ON/OFF switch in each section is used to enable or disable the midi activity of that section. Therefore, mixing two or more sounds together on an external MIDI device is a simple as switching on two or more sections. -- To access the MIDI functions press the MIDI button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section. The MIDI button starts to flash and the EDIT & CONTROLS display shows “CHN”. This is the first page of the EDIT MIDI menu. You can select different pages by using the PAGE > button or return to previous pages using the PAGE < button. The title of each page is shown in the EDIT & CONTROLS display and a description of each page follows: CHN – Midi Channel Selection. In this page the LEVEL slider in each section can be used to select which of the 16 available MIDI channels that section is using. If you wish to have a section not send any MIDI data at all, (for example, if you want to use a particular section to play only internal sounds and not to interfere with other MIDI data being sent), you can pull its LEVEL slider to the minimum position. At this position the section’s display shows OFF and no MIDI data will be transmitted from that section. PCH – Program Change In this page you can remotely select which of the sounds, (called “programs” in MIDI-speak) in the external MIDI instrument each section will play. The LEVEL slider in each section can be used to select any program number between 0 and 127. Also, for greater accuracy in selecting precise values, the OCTAVE +/- buttons in each section are configured in this mode to increment or decrement the value by 1. In the early days of MIDI, most instruments did not offer more than 128 sounds so the Program Change standard only allowed for 128 programs to be accessed. MIDI equipment today however, offers hundreds and sometimes even thousands of different sounds. In this case the sounds are organized into banks where each bank can contain a maximum of 128 sounds. When you choose a Program Change value using a section’s LEVEL slider, it will select the appropriate sound in the current bank of the external instrument. You can change the current bank using the BKM and BKL functions in the next two pages of EDIT MIDI. Refer to the owner’s manual of your external equipment for more information about how the sound banks are organized. NOTE: Section local on/off: In this mode there are two different ways to select the first 15 sounds, (Program Change 0 – 14) on your external MIDI equipment. You can either use the section’s V-POT or the LEVEL slider. If you use the V-POT, the section’s own internal sound will continue to be audible, (called Local ON mode). If you use the slider, the internal sound engine will be muted, (called Local OFF mode). In this case, you will notice that the red pointer in the section’s V-POT goes off and will remain off after you exit the EDIT MIDI menu. The absence of a red pointer in a section’s V-POT can be used as a quick indication that a section has been set to LOCAL OFF is has been designated to control external sounds only. Generalmusic Promega3 Page 28 BKM – Bank Select MSB, (Midi Controller #0) For the majority of MIDI equipment, this is the number used to select which bank to select programs from. In this page the LEVEL slider in each section can be used to select any bank MSB number between 0 and 127. Also, for greater accuracy in selecting precise values, the OCTAVE +/- buttons in each section are configured in this mode to increment or decrement the value by 1. Refer to the owner’s manual of your external equipment for more information about how the sound banks are organized. This number, where required, will be referred to either as Bank Select MSB or Midi CC#0) BKL – Bank Select (LSB), (Midi Controller #32) Some MIDI equipment uses a combination of Bank Select MSB and LSB values to determine to current bank for program selection. In this page the LEVEL slider in each section can be used to select any bank LSB number between 0 and 127. Also, for greater accuracy in selecting precise values, the OCTAVE +/- buttons in each section are configured in this mode to increment or decrement the value by 1. Refer to the owner’s manual of your external equipment for more information about how the sound banks are organized. This number, where required, will be referred to either as Bank Select LSB or Midi CC#32) COM – Midi Common Channel This page is used for setting the MIDI COMMON CHANNEL. The slider and display of the EFFECTS section are used for this selection. If you wish to disable the common channel, move the LEVEL slider of the EFFECTS section to its minimum position to select OFF. The MIDI COMMON CHANNEL is used for remote control of certain Promega master features which are not otherwise accessible using conventional MIDI messages. For example: A Program Change message received on the MIDI COMMON CHANNEL will remotely select one of the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES. The following rules apply: Program Change # 0 through 7 will select PRESET A1 through A8 Program Change # 8 through 15 will select PRESET B1 through B8 Program Change # 16 through 23 will select PRESET C1 through C8 Program Change # 24 through 31 will select PRESET D1 through D8 Program Change # 32 through 39 will select PRESET E1 through E8 Program Change # 40 through 47 will select PRESET F1 through F8 Program Change # 48 through 55 will select PRESET G1 through G8 Program Change # 56 through 63 will select PRESET H1 through H8 Program Change # 64 through 71 will select USER A1 through A8 Program Change # 72 through 79 will select USER B1 through B8 Program Change # 80 through 87 will select USER C1 through C8 Program Change # 88 through 95 will select USER D1 through D8 Program Change #96 through 103 will select USER E1 through E8 Program Change # 104 through 111 will select USER F1 through F8 Program Change # 112 through 119 will select USER G1 through G8 Program Change # 120 through 127 will select USER H1 through H8 A volume message, (Midi Controller #7) received on the MIDI COMMON CHANNEL will be interpreted as a MASTER VOLUME message. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 29 MID – MIDI MODE The Promega has two different modes for MIDI operation called GLOBAL and MULTIPLE. When this page is selected, (the EDIT & CONTROLS DISPLAY shows ‘MID”), you can switch between the two modes by using the 1 and 2 buttons in the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES section. Button 1 selects GLOBAL MODE while button 2 selects MULTIPLE MODE. The currently selected mode is indicated by the button whose led is solid, (not flashing). GLOBAL MODE: In this mode the MIDI settings selected will always remain constant regardless of which PERFORMANCE MEMORY is selected. This allows for the instrument to be set-up for simple MIDI applications where the same settings are likely to be needed all the time. MULTIPLE MODE: In this mode the MIDI settings can be different for every PERFORMANCE MEMORY. Every time the MIDI settings are changed and the result is stored in a PERFORMANCE MEMORY, the changes made will only remain in effect while that particular PERFORMANCE MEMORY is selected. This allows the Promega to be used as a powerful programmable MIDI controller keyboard. DMP – MIDI BULK DATA DUMP The Promega’s internal memory, (USER PERFORMANCES) may be sent via MIDI to a data filer, sequencer or other type of SysEx storage program. In this way you can keep backups of your performance data or store multiple sets of performance data on external media. To send a MIDI dump to any storage device, first connect the Promega in a MIDI loop with the storage device, (MIDI OUT to MIDI IN and MIDI IN to MIDI OUT). Since MIDI DUMP uses the MIDI SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE protocol, there is no need to set MIDI channels on either the Promega or your computer or data filer. Next, from this DMP screen, press the STORE button to start the dump. The LCD will show the progress of the data being dumped. When you see the message DUMP EXECUTED SUCCESSFULLY, your data has been transferred. At this point, if you’re using a data filer, save the data to a blank disk; if you’re using a computer save the current file. If you see the message DUMP EXECUTED UNSUCCESSFULLY, it is likely that the data transmission was interrupted in some way. This could be because of incorrect MIDI settings in your software, an improperly configured MIDI interface in your computer or simply because one of your MIDI cables is bad. Check all settings and cables first. Make sure that no other programs are running on your computer and, if necessary, restart the computer and the dump software. If you still have problems, try re-installing your MIDI interface and running any diagnostic software that came supplied with it. To send a stored dump file back to the Promega, simply connect the two MIDI cables in a loop as described earlier and start transmission on your storage device. The Promega receives this data “invisibly” so you won’t see any changes in the displays of the instrument nor will the sound change. The new data will be available as soon as you select a new USER PERFORMANCE. Generalmusic Promega3 Page 30 Section 7 Edit CONTROLS “This section explains the features available under the CONTR.button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section.” Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 31 CONTROLS The functions found under the CONTROL (CONTR.) menu allow you to configure the Promega to suit your own personal needs. Here you can set-up the pedals, wheels, audio outputs and access other powerful functions such as user-tuning and Midi Dump. To access the CONTROL functions press the CONTR. button in the EDIT & CONTROLS section. The CONTR. button starts to flash and the EDIT & CONTROLS display shows “DAM”. This is the first page of the EDIT CONTROL menu. You can select different pages by using the PAGE > button or return to previous pages using the PAGE < button. The title of each page is shown in the EDIT & CONTROLS display and a description of each page follows: DAM: Damper pedal assign NOTE: If no pedal is connected to the PEDAL 1 jack you will not see this option. The pedal connected to the back panel DAMPER jack can be assigned to affect any section of the instrument when pressed. In this page you will see that each section’s display shows whether the pedal is assigned to be ON or OFF. This value can be changed using the LEVEL slider in each section; move the slider up for ON and down for OFF. PD1 – Pedal 1 assign. NOTE: If no pedal is connected to the PEDAL 1 jack you will not see this option. The pedal connected to the back panel PEDAL 1 jack can be assigned to affect any section of the instrument when pressed. In this page you will see that each section’s display shows whether the pedal is assigned to be ON or OFF. This value can be changed using the LEVEL slider in each section; move the slider up for ON and down for OFF. See the following section PEDAL TYPES AND SETTINGS for pedal functions. PD2 – Pedal 2 assign NOTE: If no pedal is connected to the PEDAL 2 jack you will not see this option. The pedal connected to the back panel PEDAL 2 jack can be assigned to affect any section of the instrument when pressed. In this page you will see that each section’s display shows whether the pedal is assigned to be ON or OFF. This value can be changed using the LEVEL slider in each section; move the slider up for ON and down for OFF. See the following section PEDAL TYPES AND SETTINGS for pedal functions. PEDAL TYPES AND SETTINGS The Promega uses Generalmusic’s exclusive AUTO-PEDAL SENSING technology to make the job of configuring different types of pedals as easy as possible. Each of the back panel connectors marked DAMPER, PEDAL1 and PEDAL2 can be used to connect either a FOOTSWITCH, (like a damper/sustain pedal), or a CONTINUOUS PEDAL, (like a volume pedal). Whenever you insert a pedal into one of these jacks, the Promega automatically runs a check on the pedal to see which type it is and configures the CONTROL menu accordingly. If you have no pedals connected, you will not see any of the options DAM, PD1 or PD2 described in the preceding text. If you connect only a Damper pedal, you will only see the DAM option. If you connect something to both the DAMPER and PEDAL 1 jacks then you will see both the DAM and PD1 options. If you connect all three pedals then you will see all three options. The system in intelligently designed so that, if you are only using one pedal, you don’t need to see menus for the other two pedals which you don’t have. In addition to determining how many pedals are connected, the system can also tell which types of pedal have been connected. There are three different types of pedal commonly available. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 32 TYPE 1: Footswitch with normally closed contacts. TYPE 2: Footswitch with normally open contacts. TYPE 3. Continuous or “volume” type pedal. Other instruments offer a separate menu where you have to tell the system which type of pedal has been connected. With the Promega, you don’t have tell the system anything because the instrument works it all out for you. Once the instrument has ascertained which types of pedal are connected, it then configures the CONTROL menu with appropriate options for each pedal. For example, if you have connected a footswitch to one of the pedal jacks then this cannot be used as a volume control so there is no need to see the “VOLUME” option for that pedal. Similarly if you connect a continuous pedal to one of the jacks, it cannot be used to switch between performances so there is no need for this option to be offered. When you select either the DAM, PD1 or PD2, the EFFECTS section display will show the current function of that pedal. Refer to the charts below to interpret the three-letter abbreviations used for each function. You may select a different function by moving the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. Also, for greater accuracy in selecting precise values, the TUNING +/- buttons are configured in this mode to increment or decrement the value by 1. THE FOLLOWING CHARTS SHOW THE OPTIONS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE FOR EACH DIFFERENT TYPE OF PEDAL. FUNCTION Section On/Off Performance Performance + Soft Sostenuto FUNCTION Volume Expression Filter Pan Wha Mid controllers 119 – 0* FOOTSWITCH (either type) DISPLAY SHOWS DESCRIPTION SEC Switches the assigned section on or off Selects the previous performance to the Pdn currently selected one. Selects the next performance after the currently selected one. PuP SOF Piano Soft pedal function SOS Piano Sostenuto function CONTINUOS PEDAL and MOD WHEEL DISPLAY SHOWS DESCRIPTION vOL Internal section volume Epn Internal section Expression FIL Internal section Filter PAn Internal section Pan UHA PRO EFX Wha – realtime pedal control 119-0, (display shows each number) ** Midi continuous controllers from 119 to 0. The controller will be sent via MIDI OUT on the related channel of each assigned section. * The MIDI CONTINUOUS CONTROLLER family is an industry standard set of controllers which can be used to remote control various parameters inside other synthesizers and sound modules. Only certain controller numbers will work on each piece of equipment. Refer to the MIDI IMPLEMENTATION CHART of your synth or sound module to see which controllers are recognized. **Not every number from 119 to zero is displayed. Certain numbers in the MIDI CONTINUOUS CONTROLLER family are not available here. The numbers not displayed are on/off functions used to control features which do not lend themselves to a continuous pedal, (like Controller#64, Damper/Hold). These functions will be available if you insert a footswitch instead of a continuous pedal. See the back section of this manual for a list of all MIDI CONTINUOUS CONTROLLERS and their functions. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 33 PIT – Pitch Bend wheel assign The Pitch Bend wheel on the far left side of the front panel can be assigned to affect any section of the instrument when moved. In this page you will see that each section’s display shows whether the wheel is assigned to be ON or OFF. This value can be changed using the LEVEL slider in each section; move the slider up for ON and down for OFF. The Pitch Bend wheel can also perform a number of different functions. The current function is shown in the EFFECTS section display. This can be changed using the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. The functions available are as follows: Pb – Pitch Bend, (Original Function) PAn – Panpot or Stereo Balance control UAH – Wah controls, (only works when WAH effect is configured appropriately) FLT – Filter control To return the wheel to its original function, (Pitch Bend), set the function back to “Pb”. MOD – Modulation wheel assign The modulation wheel on the far left side of the front panel can be assigned to affect any section of the instrument when moved. In this page you will see that each section’s display shows whether the wheel is assigned to be ON or OFF. This value can be changed using the LEVEL slider in each section; move the slider up for ON and down for OFF. The modulation wheel can perform a number of different functions. The current function is shown in the EFFECTS section display. This can be changed using the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. Also, for greater accuracy in selecting precise values, the TUNING +/- buttons are configured in this mode to increment or decrement the value by 1. See the preceding chart CONTINUOUS PEDAL and MOD WHEEL for a description of the functions available. To return the wheel to its original function, (Modulation), set the function to Controller #1, (so that EFFECTS section display shows “1”). OUT – Audio output assign The PROmega offers 4 audio output jacks divided into two sections – MAIN OUT and AUX OUT. The Audio output assign page is used to determine which of these outputs each section will use. The MAIN OUT jacks must always be used as a stereo pair, (although using the PAN function under EDIT SOUND will allow you to send a sound to only one of these if desired). The AUX OUT jacks can either be used as a stereo pair or as two individual mono outputs. When the OUT page is selected the display in each section will tell you to which output that section is assigned. This can be changed by moving the LEVEL slider in each section. The choices available are as follows: L-R The section is assigned to the MAIN OUT stereo pair, (LEFT/MONO and RIGHT) 1-2 The section is assigned to the AUX OUT stereo pair, (1 functions as the left channel while 2 functions as the right channel) 1 2 The section is assigned in mono to AUX OUT 1 only** The section is assigned in mono to AUX OUT 1 only** **NOTE: The EDIT SOUND function PAN will not have any effect in this case. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 34 TUN – Microtuning selection This page offers a selection of alternative tunings, (also called “scales” or “temperaments”) which allow you to more accurately interpret music from different classical periods and styles. There is also a USER tuning preset which allows you to completely re-tune the instrument yourself. The large LCD display will show you the name of the currently selected tuning preset. There are 7 different choices. The number of the currently selected tuning preset will be indicated by one of the PERFORMANCE MEMORY buttons labeled 1-7, (the one which is solid, (not flashing). You may choose any of the others by pressing the appropriately numbered button. The available choices are as follows: 1. EQUAL 2. PIANO 1 Equal temperament tuning. Each octave is tuned to identical intervals giving a mathematically consistent tuning for playing in many different keys A typical stretch tuning favored by many piano tuners as a more “musical” alternative to Equal Temperament 3. PIANO 2 Another alternative favorite stretch tuning 4. MEANTONE A mathematically accurate tuning designed to optimize notes of the C scale. 5. KIRNBERGER A popular alternate classical tuning 6. TARTINI-VALLOTTI A popular alternate classical tuning 7. USER User programmable tuning. See next paragraph for full description. User Tuning: When button number 7 is pressed in EDIT/CONTROLS/MICROTUNING the instrument goes into USER TUNING MODE. In this mode individual keys of the keyboard can be tuned using the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section. Also, for greater accuracy in selecting precise values, the TUNING +/- buttons are configured in this mode to increment or decrement the value by 1. Begin by pressing a keyboard key whose tuning you want to change, (you’ll see the display prompting you to “press a key”). As soon as you press a key the LCD will provide you with information about that key’s current tuning offset. While continuing to play the key, move the LEVEL slider in the EFFECTS section to adjust its tuning. Remember you are re-tuning just this one individual key. Whenever you are ready to begin working with a new key, just press it and repeat the same procedure. Your USER TUNING is automatically memorized. There is no need to store it anywhere because it is already memorized. Whenever you return to the MICROTUNING page and select USER, the tuning you just created will be recalled. To return the instrument to its normal tuning simply re-select button number 1, 2 or 3 (according to preference). Note: to restore di factory microtuning parameters, turn on the instrument while holding down the TUNING +/- buttons. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 35 TUN IN G - PRF – Performance select mode The PERFORMANCE MEMORIES can be set to work in one of two ways, (called MODE 1 and MODE 2). Normally they are set to work in MODE 1 but you can change their mode in this page. The different modes are selected using the numbered 1 and 2 buttons in the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES section. The current mode is displayed in the LCD and is also indicated by the button whose led is solid (not flashing). To change mode press the other (flashing) button. The two modes are described below: MODE 1: When a new BANK is selected using the buttons A-H, the instrument will wait until a PERFORMANCE is subsequently selected (using buttons 1-8), before changing the sounds and settings. MODE 2: When a new BANK is selected using the buttons A-H, the instrument immediately changes sounds and settings, recalling the last PERFORMANCE (1-8) that was used in that bank since the instrument was turned on. If this particular bank has not been accessed since power on, the instrument will recall PERFORMANCE #1. PED – Pedal assign mode The Promega has two different modes for handling the way the three pedals, Damper, Pedal 1 and Pedal 2, are assigned and re-programmed. These two modes are called GLOBAL and MULTIPLE. When this page is selected, (the EDIT & CONTROLS DISPLAY shows ‘PED”), you can switch between the two modes by using the 1 and 2 buttons in the PERFORMANCE MEMORIES section. Button 1 selects GLOBAL MODE while button 2 selects MULTIPLE MODE. The currently selected mode is displayed in the LCD and is also indicated by the button whose led is solid, (not flashing). GLOBAL MODE: In this mode the pedal settings made under the CONTROLS menu will always remain constant regardless of which PERFORMANCE MEMORY is selected. This allows for the instrument to be set-up for simple applications where the same pedal settings are likely to be needed all the time. MULTIPLE MODE: In this mode the pedal settings can be different for every PERFORMANCE MEMORY. Every time the pedal settings are changed and the result is stored in a PERFORMANCE MEMORY, the changes made will only remain in effect while that particular PERFORMANCE MEMORY is selected. This allows the Promega to be used as a powerful programmable MIDI controller keyboard with different pedal configurations for every PERFORMANCE MEMORY. STP – Startup Mode This allows you to choose what you will get when the instrument is first switched on. There are two choices available. DEFAULT: The factory pre-programmed, (Grand Piano) setting will be recalled every time you switch the instrument on. USER: The setting that you last used before switching the instrument off will be recalled when you switch the instrument on. Button 1 selects DEFAULT MODE while button 2 selects USER MODE. The currently selected mode is displayed in the LCD and is also indicated by the button whose led is solid, (not flashing). Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 36 Section 8 Appendix “This section contains additional reference material for the technology, sounds, effects and MIDI parameters” Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 37 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION PROMEGA3 Sound Generation Keyboard Generation Max Poliphony Multi Sounds Performances Effects Graphic EQ. Extra 88 keys Hammer Action and After Touch PCM, Physical Modeling 320 notes 4 parts 60 (15x4 sections) 64 Presets, 64 User 2 processors - Reverb (15 effects) Proefx (15 effects) Stereo Damper Physical Model 8 bands Natural String Resonance, Advanced Release Technology, F.A.D.E. (Filter Algorithm Dynamic Emulation) Display and controls Display Wheels Faders 2x16 LCD + 6x 3digits 8x EQ bars LED 6x 15leds VirtualPot Display Contrast 2 - Pitch Bend and Modulation 5 motorized + 2 Connections Audio Pedals Midi Other 2 OUT balanced (LeftMono/ Right) + 2 Aux (1 e 2 ) 2 IN (LeftMono/ Right) 2 Headphones jacks 3 - Damper, Ped1 and Ped2 1 In/ 1Out/ 1Thru Computer Host + selector (PC1,PC2, MAC) Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 38 PROMEGA3 : SOUND LIST SECTIONS - SEZIONI Prog 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 PIANOS ST.GRAND1 ST.GRAND2 PRO2 JAZZ POP ROCK UPRIGHT CP GRAND NEW AGE HONKY TECHNO DANCE FUNKY GRAND1 GRAND2 VINTAGE KEYS RHOD1 RHOD2 RHOD3 RHOD4 WURL1 WURL2 HYBRID1 HYBRID2 FMDX1 FMDX2 CLAVI1 CLAVI2 HARPSI VIBES MARIMBA ORCHESTRA/PAD STRING1 HIGH STRING LEGATO SYMPH. OCTAVE SYNSTRING WARM PAD SLOWSTRING PAD HOLLOW PAD SPACE PAD BRASS1 BRASS2 CHOIR SYNTH VOX SYNTH PAD BASS/OTHER ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC FRETLESS SLAP PICK SYNTH1 SYNTH2 BASS&RIDE ROCK ORGAN JAZZ ORG. CHURCH PIPE STRING2 CHOIR-O-TRON STRING-O-TRON PROMEGA 3 : EFFECTS LIST # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 REVERB RECITAL ROOM CONCERT HALL CHURCH PLATE STADIUM SPRING CANYON MATRIX1 MATRIX2 AMBIENCE GATE1 GATE2 TIGHT ROOM TILED ROOM GARAGE PROEFX CHORUS1 CHORUS2 FLANGER WAH PHASER TREMOLO COMPRESSOR LOUDNESS EXCITER STEREO DELAY DELAY CHORUS/DELAY CHORUS/EXCITER CHORUS/TREMOLO CHORUS/FLANGER Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 39 TECHNOLOGY The Promega3 features no less than five unique applications of sound design technology including Physical Modeling to entirely replicate electro-mechanical instruments, (like Clavinet and Rhods), and also to simulate the particular harmonic characteristics of a piano soundboard. Physical Modeling Physical Modeling is a method of sound synthesis based upon a mathematical model which describes the physical construction of the instrument being simulated. Unlike sampling technology, in which an existing sound is simply recorded at a particular moment in time, (to remain essentially the same forever), the sounds produced by a Physical Model continuously react and respond to the player’s input, maintaining all the little nuances and imperfections which provide the most reliable subconscious assurance that the instrument being played is the real thing. A detailed description of the patented physical models used in the Promega is beyond the scope of this section but the advantages of physical modeling technology over sample-playback are very easier to describe and even easier to hear. A sampled sound can be likened to a “snapshot” of a particular moment in time during which an instrument is being played. It’s like taking a photograph. If you were to stand in front of The Great Pyramids in Egypt and take a photograph, that photograph might serve as a simple reminder of the time that you were there, but in no way will it ever replicate the actual experience of being there; of being able to view the Pyramids from any angle or distance; to breathe the air and listen to the distinctive sounds of that region. Now, if we were to render the Pyramids in a 3D virtual reality environment, adding some appropriate sounds and smells and allowing you to walk around the site, to pick things up and touch them, we could get much closer to replicating the actual experience. In this simple analogy, you can think of the 3D rendering, complete with its sounds and smells and user interaction, as a Physical Model of the pyramids. The goal of Physical Modeling is this: Instead of simply recording the final audible product of a instrument like an electric piano, we replicate all the elements which are incorporated into its construction. If the physical model is constructed carefully and accurately with meticulous attention to detail, the resulting sound should be exactly like the real thing and, more importantly, the experience of playing and interacting with the instrument should be similarly convincing. In the Promega, all the acoustic piano sounds are created by combining sample playback with Generalmusic’s Natural String Resonance, Damper Physical Model, Advanced Release and FADE technologies, (described below). Other instruments such as RHODS, WURLI and CLAVINET are created using pure Physical Modeling. Natural String Resonance This physical modeling technology, patented by Generalmusic as Natural String Resonance, allows all of the complex harmonics normally produced by a piano’s soundboard to be faithfully reproduced. This means that a note’s individual sound will always be slightly different depending upon which other notes are currently being held, (and consequently which strings are un-damped and free to resonate in sympathy with the note played). If you hold down a low C and let the note decay, the strings for that note are still undamped for as long as the key remains depressed. If you now strike another C higher up the keyboard, (staccato), you will hear the sympathetic resonance of the low C strings in response to the new note played. This natural effect replicates exactly what happens inside a grand piano. If you experiment with different combinations of notes you will hear harmonic colors particular to each. Because this effect is produced by physical modeling and not by samples or DSP effects, the result is a musically and technically accurate simulation of a piano’s soundboard and virtually infinite combinations of harmonics can be produced. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 40 Damper Physical Model Another technology patented by Generalmusic is Damper Physical Model. Although it looks like an ordinary damper footswitch, the optional continuous damper pedal for the Promega series is not actually a switch but, instead, a continuous pedal which actually simulates the effect of the dampers being moved closer to or further away from the strings of the piano. Because of this, effects such as partial or half damping can be easily achieved. The dampers can even be slowly “squeezed” back against the strings. Whenever the damper pedal is depressed, the damper physical model simulates the effect of sympathetic resonance being produced by the strings which the action of the pedal has now left free to resonate. Even if you are using a standard switch-type damper pedal you can hear the effect of the Damper Physical Model by comparing the sounds of notes played in the highest octave of the instrument with and without the damper pedal depressed. Advanced Release Technology The particular sound of a piano string being stopped by a damper while in motion is replicated by Generalmusic’s unique Advanced Release Technology, (Patent Pending). Sample based electronic pianos traditionally use a envelope generator to control what happens when a key is released. This simply allows the sample loop to continue playing for a set period of time until its amplitude is finally reduced to zero by the envelope generator. In an acoustic piano, vibrating strings are silenced when a felt damper comes into contact with the moving string. When this happens, depending on how hard the key was struck and the length of the string itself, certain frequencies are damped earlier than others while some other frequencies are even accentuated, (anyone who ever studied how to produce harmonics on a guitar will recognize this principle). This produces a distinctive harmonic “ring” as the different frequencies in the string’s tone dissipate throughout the piano soundboard. This Advanced Release Technology in the Promega series simulates these phenomena with complete accuracy throughout the 88 note range. FADE - Filter Algorithm Dynamic Emulation Reproduction of the complex harmonic and dynamic changes which take place as you increase or decrease the velocity of a key-strike on a piano have always presented a serious problem for traditional sampleplayback technology. The only practical way to replicate these changes has been to select three or four distinctly different levels and switch between these according to the velocity with which the key is struck. This produces the unnatural effect of having clearly audible steps between different velocity levels, further diminishing the authenticity of the sound reproduction. Unlike the velocity-switching methods used in other electronic pianos, Generalmusic’s unique FADE technology utilizes only one specially configured sound source per note. At the heart of the FADE engine is a extensive database which can be used to lookup the precise harmonic content of any note played at any velocity level. Whenever a note is played, the FADE engine analyzes the velocity of the key-strike and constructs, in real-time, a model of the necessary harmonic content for that particular note played at that velocity. The note’s sound source is processed by the FADE engine with appropriate harmonic content being added or subtracted accordingly. In practice, FADE technology provides seamless transition from pianissimo all the way through to fortissimo for each note without any audible switching. Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 41 MIDI Implementation Chart Model: PROMEGA3 Function Version: 1.00 Transmitted Recognized Remarks There are up to 4 Basic Channels in PROMEGA3 and an extra Common Channel Basic Channel Default Changed 1-16 1-16 1-16 1-16 M ode Default Messages Altered Mode 3 x **************** Mode 3 x x True voice 0-127 **************** 0-127 0-127 Note Number Velocity Note On Note Off o o o o After Touch Key s Channel x o x x o Pitch Bend 0-119 o 1 (m) Modulation W heel 7 (m) Volume 10 (m) Pan 11 (m) Expression 64 (m) Damper 66 (m) Sostenuto 67 (m) Soft Pedal 74 (m) Filter Cutoff 91 (m) Send to Rev 93 (m) Send to Efx (m) Control Change 7 (c) Master Volume 12, 44 (c) Equalizer levels 16, 48 (c) Rev/Efx Select 17, 49 (c) Rev/Efx param 1 18, 50 (c) Rev/Efx param 2 86 (c) W ah Control 91 (c) Rev Depth 93 (c) Efx Depth 0-127 Program Change True Number System Exclusive (m) (c) **************** 7 (c) Master Volume 12, 44 (c) Equalizer levels 16, 48 (c) Rev/Efx Select 17, 49 (c) Rev/Efx param 1 18, 50 (c) Rev/Efx param 2 86 (c) W ah Control 91 (c) Rev Depth 93 (c) Efx Depth 1-15 (m) or 0-127 1-15 o o System Common Song Position Song Select Tune Request x x x x x x System Real Time Clock Commands x x x x Aux M essages All Sound Off Reset All Contr Local On/Off All Notes Off Active Sensing System Reset x o x o o x o o x o o x (c) (m) In trasmission, every Control Change Number can be assigned to the Modulation W heel or to a continuous pedal CtrlChg12 value: 0-7 number of band CtrlChg44 value: 54-74 level (64=0dB) CtrlChg16 value: 0=Reverb, 1=PROEFX CtrlChg48 value: 1-15 number of Rev/Efx CtrlChg17 value: 0=Reverb, 1=PROEFX CtrlChg49 value: 0-127 Delay / Param1 CtrlChg18 value: 0=Reverb, 1=PROEFX CtrlChg50 value: 0-127 Time / Param 2 Program Change on a Basic Channel represents a change of sound, while a Program Change on the Common Channel represents a change of Performance Only Midi Dump Notes (m) (c) one of Basic Channels Common Channel Mode 1: Omni On, Poly Mode 3: Omni Off, Poly Mode 2: Omni On, Mono Mode 4: Omni Off, Mono Generalmusic Promega 3 Page o: Yes x: No 42 TYPE OF SERIAL CABLES PROMEGA Mini DIN 8 PIN PC/WINDOWS Macintosh RS232C (D-sub 9 pin) Mini DIN 8 PIN RS232C (D-sub 25 pin) Nota: per trasferire dati dal Promega alla porta seriale di un PC Ł necessario installare i driver MIDI GENERALMUSIC per Windows 95/98 (http://www.generalmusic.com). Note: to transfer data via the PC serial port and the Promega, you need to install the GENERALMUSIC MIDI driver for Windows 95/98 (http://www.generalmusic.com). Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 43 Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 44 A3 A2 X 1 2 Y Z 3 4 A6 5 6 A B C D E F G H I A2 A1 7 8 9 A7 0 J K L M N O P Q R S T A4 Backspace Delete Insert/Overwrite Space Uppercase/Lowercase switch U V W A5 CREDITS A product like the PROMEGA does not evolve without a great deal of effort. Many thousands of hours of work and dedication from some of the most creative minds in the music industry, have gone into creating the instrument you see before you today.For all their hard work and dedication we would like to use this space to give credits to everyone involved in the development of the PROMEGA: The PROMEGA team ( in alphabetical order ) : Massimo Ambrosini Chris Anthony Ivano Battelli Enzo Bocciero Gianpaolo Borin Fabrizio Bracalenti Francesco Campetella Primo Cimaroli Gianandrea Cocchi Mario De Luca Francesco Filomena Federico Fontana Mauro Fraternali Alfio Fronzi Maurizio Galanti Gianni Giudici Diego Gregori Luigi Guagneli Giovanni Leone Paolo Lupi Giovanni Mazzotti Andrea Paterniani Tilde Romani Davide Rocchesso Milko Savini Francesco Scalcon Jorg Sunderkotte Aard Van Asseldonk Special thanks also to: Paolo Fazioli Antonio Martini Francesco Sardella Generalmusic Promega 3 Page 45 GENERALMUSIC Code 271343 Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Specifiche soggette a cambiamento senza preavviso. PRINTED IN ITALY Sales Division: I -47048 S.Giovanni in Marignano (RN) - Italy – Via delle Rose, 12 – tel. +39 541 959511 – fax +39 541 957404 – tlx 550555 GMUSIC I Internet site: www.generalmusic.com