General Music rp-x, Owner'S Manual

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Page 18
owners manual
rp-x
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Type Piano sound expander (acoustic, vintage)
Polyphony 72 Notes max.
Sounds
50 stereo/mono pcm, physical modelling sounds
Display 3 digit LED Display
Performance Mode 99 Performances
Multi Mode
4 - Parts
Output 1 x Stereo out (Left + Right Jack)
Input 1 x Stereo in (Left + Right RCA)
Midi
In/ Out / Thru
Pedals 1 x Continuos control (optional Expression)
1 x Single switch or multipedal (optional)
Headphones
2 x headphones
Mastervolume
Master Volume knob
Edit-Mode Part (ch), Sound, Volume, Velocity, Transpose, Reverb, EFX, Tune
Effects
6 Reverb (Room: small, medium, large; Hall: Large, Medium; Stage)
4 Send Effects: Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo, Stereo Delay
2 Insert Effect: Wah-Wah, Compressor
5 band full parametric programmable Equalizer
DSP technology D.R.A.K.E. by Generalmusic
memory size
Flash Ram 64 MB
Extra info Midi Velocity Fix IN / PC editor, "easy to use" interface
USB USB
PC- Software
rp-x PC editor
Weight 2,5 Kg./5,5 lbs
Dimensions 218 x 44 x 198 mm/ 8,5 x 1,7 x 7,8 inch
Physical Modeling is a method of sound synthesis based upon a mathematical model which describes the physical construction of the instrument be-
ing 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 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. 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 rp-x, 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 RHODES, WURLI and CLAVINET are created using
pure Physical Modeling.
TECHNOLOGY
The rp-x is powered by Generalmusic’s break-through technology DRAKE. DRAKE (Dsp-Risc-Advanced-Keyboard-Engine) is the ultimate DSP:
probably the most advanced piece of musical hardware in the world. Its 32-bit and 50-MIPS internal structure and its totally programmable software
architecture make this processor so fast and powerful that any kind of algorithm, from Wavetable to Physical Modeling, can be implemented in real
time, either in generation or in post-processing. Using the Physical Modelling power offered by DRAKE, Generalmusic has created and patented a
number of new algorithms which replicate some of the world’s most famous vintage instruments like Rhodes™, Wurlitzer™ and Clavinet™. DRAKE
has found unanimous, enthusiastic appraisal from experts in these fields.
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. Un-
like 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 pianis-
simo all the way through to fortissimo for each note without any audible switching.
The particular sound of a piano string being stopped by a damper while in motion is replicated by Generalmusic’s unique Advanced Release Tech-
nology. 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 rp-x
series simulates these phenomena with complete accuracy throughout the 88 note range.
Another technology patented by Generalmusic is Damper Physical Model. 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. Use the
damper pedal to 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.
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 un-damped 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.
Physical Modeling
Natural String Resonance
Advanced Release Technology
Damper Physical Model
FADE - Filter Algorithm Dynamic Emulation
Technical specifications are subject to change