In this video from Musikmesse 2017, via SOS, Paul Wiffen gives an overview of the GEM Promega 2+ keyboard:
The GEM Promega 2+ engine combines sample playback and physical modelling techniques, along with Natural String Resonance, Filter Algorithm Dynamic Emulation, Advanced Release Technology and Damper Physical Model.
Features:
- 88 keys with graded hammer action
- 160 notes polyphony
- 45 sounds in total (128mb pcm of stereo/mono samples and physical modeling sounds)
- 64 presets + 64 user programmable presets
- 3 sections: pianos, vintage keys, bass/orchestra
- operating mode: single, split (programmable), layer
- controls: volume, input volume, pitch bend, modulation wheel, 4 faders, 5 virtual-pots, 4 eq bars, transpose, tune, system, midi
- touch: 3 levels + user
- digital effects: 15 reverbs + 15 programmable pro effects, with separate sends, 4 band graphic digital equalizer
- physical modeling: stereo damper physical model, natural strings resonance, advanced release technology, fft merge, amp simulation, FADE (filter algorhythm dynamic emulation)
- OLED -display
- connections: 2 headphones, stereo out (trs balanced), 2 x aux out, digital out, stereo input with gain control, 2 x USB (midi & system), midi in out thru
- 3 programmable pedals
- upgradeable operating system
- dimensions: 1275 x 146 x 420 mm / 50 x 5,7 x 16,50″
- weight: 25kg / 55lbs
- optional accessory: volume pedal, professional volume pedal, sustain pedal, sustain pedal piano type, triple pedal, promega series pedal unit, soft case with wheel, metal stand
Pricing and Availability
The GEM Promega 2+ keyboard is priced at 3,300 Euro. US pricing and availability is TBA.
I like his caberet mask but untill they release a mini key version with more cv connectivity I’m out.
So Ed Sheeran is doing Messe coverage now?
Why are the pitch & mod wheels so far from the keys towards the rear ?
There’s a lot of empty panel space at the left & right ends.
They should make 48 key & 61 key versions too.
The sounds are great from this. The keybed looks top notch too! I hope they keep going.
128mb of sample/pcm? Why not gigs?
128mb seems very old school.
The concept they are going for is to take samples of loud notes and use filters and “modeling” to emulate the tone of quieter notes continuously. I had attempted a similar thing with my sample set “Mondo Piano” a set of mono piano samples programmed for Kurzweil. For my set, “Advanced Release Technology” was simply putting appropriately long release times for the lowest notes and gradually reducing the release times to mimic the release times of a real piano (including the damperless range at the top).
When I saw this article, I was excited at first, because I think a NEW synth that uses samples and physical modeling (if done well) would be pretty welcome. Limiting it to piano is fine, of course. But I’m still looking forward to something like Sculpture on steroids in a hardware synth.
There are two names that haven’t popped up for a while!
Wow to see Gem back! Good stuff!
Mike
Soundion are the guys that tried to bring the Elka Synthex back, glad to see they’re still at work keeping GEM and hopefully Elka alive.
The price of Kurzweil Forte or Nord Stage (or Kawai MP11, Yamaha Montage, Korg Kronos etc) for this keyboard? No… Generalmusic stays in the past.
It isn’t easy to roll out a big keyboard (much less compete with Yamaha, Roland, and Korg on price & features). However, even if they were offering something very special, they’d need to convince serious professionals that it is worth the price. Serious convincing– did that video accomplish this? Not so much.
I’d want to see a state-of-the-art polyAT keyboard, ability to load 4-8 GB of samples into flash, etc. etc. I guess I’d want to see a Forte, basically, but with polyAT.
by the way, it sounds like they simply restarted to build the old gem pro mega. It was a stunning product for me, but it was something like 15 years ago! the old gem arrived to produce also the pro mega 2 and the promega 3, before banckruptcy, so the “new” 2+ sound strange to my ears.
It was very innovative and underrated at that time: what is new in this version?
$3300?? Woah. I can see a use for the idea behind this keyboard, but after watching a good deal of the video, I figured it would be Casio price level.
I don’t get it. Is there actually a market for this?? I used to have an S03(?) that was pretty fat. But I had to get an EQ that I would use exclusively for the piano, as it was VERY dull and didn’t cut it at all onstage. This is really kind of a bummer…
This product would have blown everyone’s minds if it was 1995.
Hardly impressive now, especially at that price point and with so many other alternatives.
Wonderful demonstration though, we need to see more of those type of characters instead of tech nerds.
Funky position of pitch and mod wheels (like Nord) No thanks
Try playing 7 1/2 octaves up with your right hand and turning a mod wheel with your left when the wheels are on the end of the keyboard.
The price really isn’t much different than the Kawai MP11 or the Roland V Piano. If anything I think is missing is a built in recorder (as both the MP11 or Roland have) even the new Roland RD isn’t that impressive to my ears. Emerson was a Promega user for years and Wakeman still uses his. Not saying that their word should be final but for people that can have anything they want in the studio or stage for them to keep going back to a specific product there must be something special about it.
Oh and for those who are saying “This may have been impressive if it was 1995” well. I’m sure Moog’s Model D reissue would be impressive if it was 1975 but it doesn’t seem to bother people much.