What is the ultimate digial piano experience? Is it actually possible to achieve a digital piano experience that matches playing the real thing? Well, within certain limits, I believe that it is! (I can hear the purists scoffing - "pah! what's he talking about?!")

Here's the recipe:

1. Take one GEM Promega3. The PM3 has the best sound I've ever heard from a digital but is sadly limited by an action which I've learnt to hate (Fatar TP30). But that is OK, you don't need the action.

2. Take one Kawai CA7 or equivalent (maybe Yamaha Grantouch?). The DSP on the Kawai is quite frankly neanderthal compared to the GEM. Honestly, it sounds terrible! The way the Kawai engineers have artificially enhanced certain characteristics of the piano sound to make it seem more "realistic" is a joke! But... the Kawai has a superb action and a nice heavy chassis with everything positioned right for sitting at a real piano.

3. Run the MIDI out from the Kawai into the PM3 and the main outs from the PM3 into the inputs on the Kawai. Set local mode off on the Kawai, dial in the Fazioli on the PM3 ..... and PLAY!.

WOW, that sounds and feels good! Really good! I used to practise on a quality Knight upright. I'd rather play the GEM/Kawai combo any day!

Why am I mentioning this? Well, it is because I want to urge GEM to do the same thing!

The true expressive power of the PM3 is limited by the terrible action. Please GEM, you have to consider getting together with Kawai or Yamaha and marrying your superb DSP technology with their proven actions. For a long time, I've felt that the key to getting the best out of the PM3 was by using a different action and now I've tried it, it is not only as good as I was hoping but better! It doesn't make sense to design a formula 1 engine and put it in a mini. Nor does it make sense to limit the Drake system with the TP30.

It is probably a bit late for me now as I've got two pianos to do the job of one but if a "Promega 1" came out with a top notch action then I would celebrate and it would become my number one choice of piano should the others pack in.

Anyway, I'm going back to playing.

Mark

PS: Please hurry up and fix that sustain pedal bug with the Fazioli!