New Updates from GSI/Crumar

[Delaware Dave]

GSI/Crumar getting busy. In the past week or so Guido has updated the firmware

 

For the Seven:

 

fixed the rotary encoders where 1.5 turns gets you min to max.

Improved all of his physical modeled pianos (EP and acoustic pianos),

new EQ

new sampled Steinway (sounds very good).

 

 

For the Gemini:

new USB-Midi Editor for Windows, Mac and iPad

new saxophones (tenor, alto and soprano)

new sampled CP70B (still has the Modeled CP80 in the Gemini as well)

new Kawai EP608

new Wurli 206A (student model)

new Harpsicord

new 1972 Steinway D274 (same one going into the Seven)

 

Here"s the new Steinway piano:

 

 

For this I'd say Guido deserves a High Five

[Delaware Dave]

Good question for GSI/Crumar as we can only speculate.

[ElmerJFudd]

I believe the Gemini card that fits in the GSi DMC-121 has been discontinued. So the focus now is on the Rack and Desktop versions. I"m guessing it"s still compatible with the expansion card.

[kenheeter]

I just installed all of these updates. This is a huge step forward for the Seven. The new acoustic piano is nice and the knob rotation is a great fix. I'm very pleased. The new sounds for the Gemini are great too. I love being able to edit both of them with USB editors as well as wifi. These guys are awesome!

[DaveMcM]

I believe the Gemini card that fits in the GSi DMC-121 has been discontinued. So the focus now is on the Rack and Desktop versions. I"m guessing it"s still compatible with the expansion card.

 

Guido just confirmed via email that while the Gemini Expansion for the DMC-122 is no longer manufactured, it is still supported and the WaveTable expansions will work just fine. The only difference between it and the rackmount/tabletop versions is the Expansion module does not have a USB port so the newly designed Editor will not work.

[ABECK]

So there's no change to the editor for the Gemini Expansion?

[DaveMcM]

So there's no change to the editor for the Gemini Expansion?

 

Correct

[Delaware Dave]

So there's no change to the editor for the Gemini Expansion?

The new gemini editor requires that you connect to the Gemini via a USB-B port; the desktop/rack have one but apparently the Gemini expander for the DMC-122 doesn't.

 

I wish there were a hardwire solution for Android. Apparently a hardwire solution was rolled out with Firmware 1.40 but it only works with Windows, Mac and Ipad.

[Old No7]

Should any of that spill over to the Mojo 61?

Yes, it SHOULD -- Mojo 61 owners NEED better APs! We'll take that sampled Steinway too!

 

Old No7

[AnotherScott]

Should any of that spill over to the Mojo 61?

Yes, it SHOULD -- Mojo 61 owners NEED better APs! We'll take that sampled Steinway too!

The question is how much sample memory exists in the Mojo61. I doubt it's very much, since it would have been an additional manufacturing cost, and at the time the board was designed, there would have been no obvious need for it. (And consider how expensive persistant rewritable memory was 5+ years ago, too.) The one sampled instrument that was added to Mojo61 (piano) was done only a few months after it came out in 2016 (so likely part of the original roadmap), and the update files are tiny, meaning either these piano samples were already resident in the keyboard and just waiting for Guido to complete the software to implement them, or the added sample set is at best only a few megabytes. Either way, it seems unlikely that there's a way to load a larger set of piano samples into it.

[tonybanksfan]

Haven't edited or made any changes on my GSI desktop for at least 2 years, hope I remember how to update it, these additions seem intriguing.

[Delaware Dave]

And today GSI/Crumar added ANOTHER grand piano into the mix, a Petrof P-173 for the Gemini and the Seven

 

https://www.genuinesoundware.com/default.asp?a=page&p=VeniceGrandBreeze&fbclid=IwAR3aOBNJ8BNTKdHmSke8XfSgORcO89FrHmUo26Je3DQgoH0qs_YfLQaWhc8

[kenheeter]

I just downloaded both to my Gemini and my Seven. I haven't had a chance to play them yet but if the Venice D is any indication I bet they're great!

[EricBarker]

The question is how much sample memory exists in the Mojo61. I doubt it's very much, since it would have been an additional manufacturing cost, and at the time the board was designed, there would have been no obvious need for it. (And consider how expensive persistant rewritable memory was 5+ years ago, too.) The one sampled instrument that was added to Mojo61 (piano) was done only a few months after it came out in 2016 (so likely part of the original roadmap), and the update files are tiny, meaning either these piano samples were already resident in the keyboard and just waiting for Guido to complete the software to implement them, or the added sample set is at best only a few megabytes. Either way, it seems unlikely that there's a way to load a larger set of piano samples into it.

I do figure that's an issue. I would be willing to sacrifice some velocity layers, or some audio compression if it made the current piano ANY better. It's a huge shame because it's the ONE thing keeping the Mojo61 from being the perfect EPiano/Organ combo for small gigs and rehearsals. I don't really have a dedicated AP keyboard that's easy to haul around. I originally purchased the Mojo61 for the Organ, but fell in love with its Rhodes/Wurli, to the point that I'm fine leaving my workstation at home. I have a Behringer PolyD for monosynths, but that just leaves AP. So for me, an AP upgrade to the Mojo61 would be HUGE help!!!

 

But yeah, the memory is a huge issue. I'd be cool with a modeled AP.

[DannyKeys2]

Good for Crumar for addressing users" main issues with the Seven. Would be amazing to hear someone to a comparison between the modeled acoustic piano, the new sampled Steinway, and the new sampled Petrof. Wondering if there"s still a 'feel' benefit to the modeled option. (It"s also my understanding that the modeled acoustic piano that now ships with the Seven is not the version that originally shipped with the board, as that one was a standout red flag of many early reviews.)

[AnotherScott]

It's a huge shame because it's the ONE thing keeping the Mojo61 from being the perfect EPiano/Organ combo for small gigs and rehearsals. I don't really have a dedicated AP keyboard that's easy to haul around. I originally purchased the Mojo61 for the Organ, but fell in love with its Rhodes/Wurli, to the point that I'm fine leaving my workstation at home. I have a Behringer PolyD for monosynths, but that just leaves AP. So for me, an AP upgrade to the Mojo61 would be HUGE help!!!

 

But yeah, the memory is a huge issue. I'd be cool with a modeled AP.

 

Especially now that he's supporting a hard-wired connection to iPad for the editor anyway, an interesting alternative might be to supply one or more of these new pianos on the iPad. If the sample set were "built into" the editor, it could be designed to only function when actually connected to a Mojo. That would be a way to supply it as perhaps a free Mojo enhancement, without offering it free to the world.

[Josh Paxton]

See, I had seriously looked into the Seven and decided it wasn't the board for me, primarily because of the AP deficiency. Then JUST after I've talked myself out of another gear purchase, they go and add these. Not cool giving me GAS like that, Guido!

[Delaware Dave]

Good for Crumar for addressing users" main issues with the Seven. Would be amazing to hear someone to a comparison between the modeled acoustic piano, the new sampled Steinway, and the new sampled Petrof. Wondering if there"s still a 'feel' benefit to the modeled option. (It"s also my understanding that the modeled acoustic piano that now ships with the Seven is not the version that originally shipped with the board, as that one was a standout red flag of many early reviews.)

With the recent Firmware update to the Seven there was an improvement in all of his physical modeled pianos (EP and acoustic pianos). So if you update to the latest firmware you'll get the new modeled acoustic piano.

[Delaware Dave]

[EricBarker]

Especially now that he's supporting a hard-wired connection to iPad for the editor anyway, an interesting alternative might be to supply one or more of these new pianos on the iPad. If the sample set were "built into" the editor, it could be designed to only function when actually connected to a Mojo. That would be a way to supply it as perhaps a free Mojo enhancement, without offering it free to the world.

 

As someone who doesn't connect to an iPad (and doesn't even own one, but I'm sure could be done with an iPhone), I hope that this is not the case. Also, there would be a lot of complexity to that. The connection to iDevices is purely for small data. To do what you're suggesting would require streaming audio, which is no small feat to make low latency. The hardware and software is really not designed with that in mind. I doubt the USB interface is anything above USB2, and could very well be old USB1 for all I know. Finally, as a laptop musician, my main enjoyment of the Mojo61 is that I don't HAVE TO connect it to a computer/iDevice.

[AnotherScott]

Especially now that he's supporting a hard-wired connection to iPad for the editor anyway, an interesting alternative might be to supply one or more of these new pianos on the iPad. If the sample set were "built into" the editor, it could be designed to only function when actually connected to a Mojo. That would be a way to supply it as perhaps a free Mojo enhancement, without offering it free to the world.

 

As someone who doesn't connect to an iPad (and doesn't even own one, but I'm sure could be done with an iPhone), I hope that this is not the case.

Again, the premise here was that the Mojo61 does not have the available memory to load in a high quality piano. That being the case, an iPad option, while not ideal, would be better than no option at all, yes?

 

Also, there would be a lot of complexity to that. The connection to iDevices is purely for small data. To do what you're suggesting would require streaming audio, which is no small feat to make low latency. The hardware and software is really not designed with that in mind.

It's not necessarily complex, but the capability has to be built into the keyboard. AFAIK, Mojo61 has no such functionality, so you'd have to run audio directly out of the iPad to your mixer/amp. But there are keyboards that can receive streaming audio over USB and send that audio out the board's 1/4" outputs along with the board's own sounds... Yamaha MODX/Montage, Korg Kronos/Nautilus, Kurzweil K2700, Numa Compact 2X, Roland Fantom, most if not all Dexibells. I don't know about the latency situation with all of them, but I know that people do use their keyboards to trigger iPad apps over MIDI and successfully feed the audio back into some of these boards without excessive latency. It's been discussed in other threads, here and elsewhere. It doesn't work well for everyone... different boards, different apps, different iPads... so I'm not saying latency if of no concern. But also, it does work well for many, too.

[EricBarker]

Oh, I should mention some snooping around I did a few years back. The entire WiFi/USB/web system is an independent unit, it's a modified Raspberry Pi, totally separate from the DSP main board. No idea if THAT Raspberry Pi even has an onboard audio processing chip. The unit was rigged to handle HTML, WiFi, and XML data streams, really low-level data processing. Who knows if its bus is even capable of passing audio to the main unit. In any case, it would be one hell of a firmware update to transform a the workflow of a web client into an audio processor!

[AnotherScott]

Oh, I should mention some snooping around I did a few years back. The entire WiFi/USB/web system is an independent unit, it's a modified Raspberry Pi, totally separate from the DSP main board. No idea if THAT Raspberry Pi even has an onboard audio processing chip. The unit was rigged to handle HTML, WiFi, and XML data streams, really low-level data processing. Who knows if its bus is even capable of passing audio to the main unit. In any case, it would be one hell of a firmware update to transform a the workflow of a web client into an audio processor!

Uh huh. But again, I was not suggesting that Crumar add audio-over-USB to the Mojo61 via a software update. I was surprised when Dexibell did it, but my guess is that, in most existing architectures, it is not possible (though it would be cool). I was only suggesting that adding a piano sound that plays via iPad would be better than nothing.

 

Though something I just noticed in the manual is that it looks like Local Off (Shift+3rd Percussion) has an option to simultaneously change to some other specied MIDI transmit channel. So you could put some other piano sound you like on an iOS device (which you may already have with you anyway), assign it to channel 16 or whatever, and have an easy button on your Mojo61 control surface to switch to your preferred piano sound at will.

[KRK]

CP70B for Seven too

here...

yes, it's my CP70B

[Doerfler]

CP70B for Seven too

here...

yes, it's my CP70B

 

Marco - you rock, dude.

[DannyKeys2]

Marco, thank you for lending such a beautiful instrument for sampling purposes!

[wd8dky]

The Yamaha C5 is available now for Gemini. 

 

https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=page&p=VeniceGrandC5&fbclid=IwAR3oOhhYk0XX5UwNk6TWjHO5jELB-2OmwjBKqW5ACtOOhMQeWiAiDNFKvzs

[jpgxk3]

I liked the changes to the pianos; tone and keybed feel. The EQ is also a nice improvement, especially the bass and treble. Mid is good with all the other piano voices. I find using very little mid with the organ and internal sim is the way to go. When I use  Vent 2 or Burn pedal, season mid to taste. Would LOVE if the boys added another Leslie sim or 2 to choose from, alla Burn pedal menu….

[nadroj]

New DMC-122 model with cosmetic upgrades 

 

https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=42

[Delaware Dave]

2 hours ago, jpgxk3 said:

I liked the changes to the pianos; tone and keybed feel. The EQ is also a nice improvement, especially the bass and treble. Mid is good with all the other piano voices. I find using very little mid with the organ and internal sim is the way to go. When I use  Vent 2 or Burn pedal, season mid to taste. Would LOVE if the boys added another Leslie sim or 2 to choose from, alla Burn pedal menu….

New Gemini module on the horizon as well.  Biggest improvement I see is 8GB of memory in the new model (not sure what the current model offers, i have 1GB of free memory remaining).  Perhaps with the upgrade in memory he might be able to add the Burn Leslie options in the new model.  Since I already own two Gemini's I doubt that I would fork out any money for the new model.  Now that he has the new D-274 Steinway (for that classical piano) and a Yamaha C5 (and also the Venice Grand Breeze) his acoustic pianos are now at the same level as the rest of the instruments.  The only average sounding instruments are the new saxes he released.  They're useful but I could see improvements being made in them.