GM / PCM playbackers
Before Roland SoundCanvas and YAMAHA XG ruled, many manufacturer released lowest-end GM synths, using PCM playback engine without filters.
(See CASIO GZ-50M and YAMAHA TG100 page for the history of filter-less GM modules.)
KAWAI's first GM module is GMega. GMega has a powerful synthesis engine with multimode filter and a ring modulator. It's a full-fledged PCM synth, not restricted by GM standard.
KAWAI GMega LX XC-3 is the base model of GMouse. As GMega LX has 4MB ROM and some more sounds than GMouse's 128, GMouse seems to have less ROM.
KAWAI released XS-1/KC10 synthesizer before GM standard settled. They are simple PCM playbackers, but fully editable, in contrast to the GM modules GMega LX/GMouse.
KAWAI GMega (1993)
KAWAI GMega LX (1993)
KAWAI XS-1 (1991)
KORG WAVESTATION can playback arbitrary samples in sequence within an oscillator, and it's called Wavesequence.
While the unique wavesequence sound belongs to WAVESTATION - Ensoniq TS-10 has a similar function -, to a limited extent it can be emulated with multi-timbral synths by actually sequencing the sound with MIDI. (See Don Solaris's TS-10 page.)
QUASIMIDI QUASAR is basically a GM module with limited editability, though it has a very capable hybrid synthesis engine.
KORG WAVESTATION (1990)
QUASAR can layer several sounds and play it in sequence, and the resultant sound can be something like WAVESTATION.
I used YAMAHA MEP4 MIDI Event Processor to recreate similar quasi-Wavesequencing effect.
QUASIMIDI QUASAR (1994)
MEP4 can generate specific MIDI messages in response to the incoming MIDI events. It can also convert the MIDI messages in realtime. It's useful for some simple arpeggio and synth parameter sequencing.
See Roland MC-303, SC-55mkII, Ensoniq SQ-R and CASIO GZ-50M pages for more examples of synthetic application of MEP4.
YAMAHA MEP4 (1985)
Back
GMouse XC-1
Deep Synthesis: Home10. 31. 2004