Sieburg, Germany,
April 17, 2000 -- CreamWare unveiled the "Stage Frame One" keyboard
system at the Frankfurt Musikmesse, a full-fledged synthesizer designed
according to a new concept. The unit incorporates a complete PC and
uses CreamWare's own DSP cards for sound generation.
This new concept means that the keyboard is not restricted to a single,
fixed architecture, but can flexibly load a wide variety of synthesis
configurations in the same way as CreamWare's Pulsar system. Thus, the
Stage Frame One can deliver a broad spectrum of sounds from the grand
piano from the sample library to virtual-analog simulations of classic
as well as newer synthesizers all in the form of a keyboard instrument
suitable for "live" use.
The visual centerpiece of the device is a giant 14" touch-screen LCD
display providing 1024 x 768 resolution in full-color for the effective
visualization and operation of virtual instruments. A total of 14 "infinite-rotation"
control knobs is arranged along both sides of the display. These knobs
provide direct access to synthesizer sound parameters. This type of
user interface was first applied in 1986 by PPG with its Realizer and
is just as attractive and appropriate now as it was then.
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Creamware's
"Stage Frame One" Keyboard System |
"In developing the
Stage Frame, we've consistently made certain to utilize only fully compatible
PC technology as a result, the Stage Frame is flexible enough to remain
current for years to come" said Frank Bartscht, leader of the hardware
development group at CreamWare. "However, the first model is intended
merely as a prototype which will enable us to gather practical experience
and further refine the concept. Over the short term, we aren't planning
to build more than two dozen units of the Stage Frame One."
At the Musikmesse, the new keyboard system appeared simply in the role
of demonstration stations for the virtual synthesizers which are available
for CreamWare's Pulsar and SCOPE platforms. A production version of
the Stage Frame One and in particular the accompanying software is not
expected to be shown before next year. By then, the capabilities of
the Stage Frame One are projected to extend well beyond those of a normal
keyboard.
According to Michael Ruf, CreamWare Product Manager: "Our vision for
the Stage Frame is that of a centralized production unit incorporating
all of the elements of sampling, synthesis, sequencing, mixing and recording
which are useful for production of a band in a live appearance. We can
scale both DSP capacity and the number of I/O channels within wide limits
and as far as the applications are concerned, we already have many more
ideas than we can hope to realize in the near future." More complete
details regarding functionality, technical specifications and prices
will be made available by CreamWare sometime next year, shortly before
the product itself is to appear.
Source: CreamWare
www.creamware.de