Generalmusic Promega 2, Owner'S Manual

Generalmusic Promega2   Page 41

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.

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.

Advanced Release Technology

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 sample-playback 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.