Generalmusic Announces WK2HD Arranger Keyboard
January 12, 1999Generalmusic's GEM World Keyboard Series evolution
continues with the introduction of the WK2HD Arranger Keyboard.
The WK2HD features 61 keys with MIDI aftertouch, 32-note polyphony and 16-part
multi-timbrality. A library of 444 high quality sounds is available for all different
types of music. A total of 16 sounds may be loaded into 16 independent Direct
Sound Memory presets for instant recall at the touch of a button, while a total
of 63 Real Time Performances, which combine sounds, effects, styles and global
settings, can also be accessed via a single button. Furthermore, the keyboard
may be programmed to feature a split, and two sounds may be layered together to
produce new sounds.
A total of 96 different ROM-based styles are available, each with 10 immediately
recallable variations per style, yielding a total of 960 Single Touch Play settings.
Like Direct Sound Memory, 16 styles may be saved on 16 Direct Style Memory buttons
for immediate access. Eight user style locations are additionally available to
store favorite styles, which are retained even when the keyboard is switched off.
The WK2HD makes use of a new feature known as Real Audio Synchro Style (RASS).
RASS integrates sample grooves (audio files) into the styles of the WK2HD greatly
enhancing the musicality and feel of real time playing. As the style speed is
changed, the sample automatically adapts to the new beats -per-minute (bpm), not
by changing the playback speed, but by actually goingslower or faster like a real
drummer or percussionist, maintaining the same feel as the original. With RASS,
it is also possible to add guitar phrases, vocal backgrounds and other "tuned
samples" which will follow the chord changes at any desired speed.
A video out (RGB - S/VHS - PAL/NTSC enables the WK2HD to project song scores
and lyrics in Karaoke format on a monitor or other video device equipped with
a Video In connector.
The WK2HD's internal hard disk is capable of storing thousands of songs, styles
and performances, all of which are immediately accessible. This internal hard
disk comes preloaded with over 200 songs and more than 100 new styles.
With an optional Audio Interface, a vocalist can patch in a microphone and
add up to four harmony vocals, digital effects and equalization to his OF her
voice in real time. The harmonies follow the chords being played on the keyboard.
The Audio Interface also enables the keyboard to sample sounds from external sources.
For rapid recording possibilities and surprising results, musicians can compose
up to seven song styles by chaining existing styles, saving everything to a floppy
disk or, thanks to an 80,000 MIDI event capacity, load up to seven songs (16 tracks)
in the internal memory. The "Direct From Disk"/Hard Disk function offers the possibility
of playing back disk-based songs without loading the data to memory, while the
"Play All Songs" feature plays back all songs on disk, one after another.
The operating system of the WK2HD is stored in flash memory This allows the
keyboard to be upgraded with new features via floppy disk (720Kb/1.44Mb format)
or free download from: www.generalmusic.com/upgrade.
Rear-panel connections on the WK2HD include stereo out, computer host, two
headphones, video out, volume pedal, damper pedal, programmable pedal and three
MIDI ports. An optional connection kit is available to connect the WK2HD to a
host computer without using a MIDI interface.
For more information, visit their web site at www.generalmusic.com.
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