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Arranger workstation decision
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SDNYC



Joined: 11 Apr 2021
Posts: 5
Location: Manhattan

PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 5:00 pm    Post subject: Arranger workstation decision Reply with quote

Dear Korg Gurus,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post, so, I beg your pardon in advance in case I am asking these questions in a wrong place.

The background: I am building up my personal studio with a mix of Synths, Soft Synths, and Arrangers. I make Cinema music, compose and arrange instrumentals and songs fusing ethnic instruments and sounds. I also sing, so, having an arranger keyboard serves me both ways (making music and accompaniment).

I already have Yamaha Montage, Arturia Keylab MK2 (+ Kontakt 13), Akai MPK (and VSTs from Air Music, SONiVOX, Orchestra Tools, etc.). Now I am debating in getting either a Korg PA4X or a Yamaha PSR SX900.

I come from the Yamaha CVP world, having owned and played a CVP for years, the Yamaha's ecosystem is known to me. However, I am in deep love with Korg's sounds and always contemplated owning one of them. I don't want to go Genos way because I can save at least 2K to add a Roland Jupiter to my sound library.

Few things I want to know deeper about the Korg (and in no way I want to start a head to head comparison between the brands):

    1. Articulation/DNC: In the SX900 articulations like Guitar slides, string noises, Sax breathing noises, etc., are embedded in the keys and key-off samples. Like playing the keys in a certain velocity/manners will invoke Guitar Slides. Is this possible with the PA4X? If so, how to do it?

    2. Depending on the answer of the above question, how do you guys use a footswitch/volume/expression pedal to maximize the "realistic" sounds?

    3. Is it possible to assign DSP effects (modulation, filters, reverb, delay, compression) to the sliders?

    4. If any of you owned both Montage and PA4X, how was your experience?

    5. Also, it's been almost 6 years Pa4X was unveiled. Should I wait a bit to see what's in store for Korg in 2021?


I know it's a long post. I appreciate your response and guidance.


Stay well!
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Best,
SD

KAWAI BABY GRAND, Korg Pa4X, YAMAHA MONTAGE, ARTURIA KEYLAB MKII, AKAI MPK MINI II
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Biggles
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Joined: 31 Aug 2017
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wait.

Meanwhile watch the video manual tutorials and join korgworld.co.uk and watch the previous webinars that Korg UK have produced
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Musicwithharry
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Joined: 23 Mar 2012
Posts: 694
Location: Anamosa, IA

PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:53 pm    Post subject: Re: Arranger workstation decision Reply with quote

SDNYC wrote:
Dear Korg Gurus,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post, so, I beg your pardon in advance in case I am asking these questions in a wrong place.

The background: I am building up my personal studio with a mix of Synths, Soft Synths, and Arrangers. I make Cinema music, compose and arrange instrumentals and songs fusing ethnic instruments and sounds. I also sing, so, having an arranger keyboard serves me both ways (making music and accompaniment).

I already have Yamaha Montage, Arturia Keylab MK2 (+ Kontakt 13), Akai MPK (and VSTs from Air Music, SONiVOX, Orchestra Tools, etc.). Now I am debating in getting either a Korg PA4X or a Yamaha PSR SX900.

I come from the Yamaha CVP world, having owned and played a CVP for years, the Yamaha's ecosystem is known to me. However, I am in deep love with Korg's sounds and always contemplated owning one of them. I don't want to go Genos way because I can save at least 2K to add a Roland Jupiter to my sound library.

Few things I want to know deeper about the Korg (and in no way I want to start a head to head comparison between the brands):

    1. Articulation/DNC: In the SX900 articulations like Guitar slides, string noises, Sax breathing noises, etc., are embedded in the keys and key-off samples. Like playing the keys in a certain velocity/manners will invoke Guitar Slides. Is this possible with the PA4X? If so, how to do it?

    2. Depending on the answer of the above question, how do you guys use a footswitch/volume/expression pedal to maximize the "realistic" sounds?

    3. Is it possible to assign DSP effects (modulation, filters, reverb, delay, compression) to the sliders?

    4. If any of you owned both Montage and PA4X, how was your experience?

    5. Also, it's been almost 6 years Pa4X was unveiled. Should I wait a bit to see what's in store for Korg in 2021?


I know it's a long post. I appreciate your response and guidance.


Stay well!


Your best bet is to watch the different videos online about the Korg PA Series instruments. I have a PA700 and have been immensely happy with it.

If you need vocal harmony stuff, then the PA1000 or flagship PA4X is the way to go, as the vocal harmony feature is not available on the PA700.

A view of Korg's website on the different instruments is also a good idea.

Grace,
Harry
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Alesis Vortex Keytar, Alesis QS6.2, Alesis QSR, Alesis SR-16, Behringer Deepmind-12, Ensoniq Avista 7600, Ensoniq VFX, Ensoniq VFX-SD, Ensoniq SQ1+, (2) Ensoniq SQ-R+/32, Korg i3 (2020 Version), (2) Korg Kross 1-61, (2) Korg Kross 1-88, Korg Minilogue XD, Korg Minilogue XD Module, Korg M50-61, Korg PA700, Korg X5DR, Korg Z3, Kurzweil SP1, Lowrey EZP3 (bascially a Kawai), Roland D-05, Roland E-09, Waldorf Streichfett, Yamaha Reface CP, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha Reface DX, Yamaha Reface YC
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pawlikp100
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Joined: 19 May 2011
Posts: 598
Location: Poland

PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Life is too short to wait. If I were you I would buy an arranger right now
Even if new korg is on the corner, first delivers will be executed 6-8 months later.
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Korg pa5x vs Genos 2 - spec comparison
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Korghelper
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Joined: 26 Jul 2017
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Price-wise, a PA4X and an SX900 aren't really in the same bracket. If you want a fairer comparison, the PA1000 is more in the SX900's price and feature range.

If you shop around, and compare 76 to 76 (as the Genos is only available in the 76), you might find the PA4X/Genos gap not quite as large as you might expect.
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Bachus
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Joined: 23 Apr 2006
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Korghelper wrote:
Price-wise, a PA4X and an SX900 aren't really in the same bracket. If you want a fairer comparison, the PA1000 is more in the SX900's price and feature range.

If you shop around, and compare 76 to 76 (as the Genos is only available in the 76), you might find the PA4X/Genos gap not quite as large as you might expect.


Depends on where you live...


Here in holland you can buy pa4x for under €2500, while you can not find the sx900 anywhere under €2000
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Korghelper
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OP was from New York... so I think my point was valid.
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Biggles
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Joined: 31 Aug 2017
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sam Ash prices:-

Korg Pa4X 76 $4600

Yamaha Genos 76 $6000

Yamaha SX900 $2200

Korg Pa1000 $2200

Here in the UK including our VAT sales tax a Pa4X 76 is $1000 cheaper than you folks in the USA pay.

The Genos is at a stupid price level.
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Korghelper
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let’s just say I have heard of dealers letting Genos’ go for less than that. Yamaha keep an EXTREMELY tight rein on what dealers are allowed to advertise them at, but the price out the door is often considerably lower, depending on how motivated they are.
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Koekepan
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Vocal harmony options can be addressed in other ways, if necessary.

For example, there are processors such as Roland's Boss VE-500 that will do vocal harmonies and take MIDI in.
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SDNYC



Joined: 11 Apr 2021
Posts: 5
Location: Manhattan

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:28 pm    Post subject: Thank you all! Reply with quote

Sorry for my late reply. I really want to thank all of you individually for all the great advice and recommendations.

@Biggles: Yes, I decided to wait a little longer - not until the next iteration as "pawlikp100" pointed out. Meanwhile I am going through the tutorial videos and learning the ropes while researching some financing options.

@Musicwithharry: Thanks and yes, I am doing the same.

@pawlikp100: Yep my view too!

@Korghelper: You are right and I am not pitting PA4x against SX900. Pa4x competes with Genos and from the price point wins the game. I guess Korg needs someone like Peter Baartmans to promote its products ha ha. I love how Peter does it for Yamaha. And you're right about my location. Also on the sales model, I agree with you - I experienced that when I got my CVP years ago; things haven't changed much.

@Bachus: I wish I could pirate one from Holland!!! Or one from UK (@Biggles)

@Koekepan: That's a great recommendation if I just want the VH part. But I love Korg's sound library. The ethnic sounds on Korg are unbeatable unless you're pitting them against OT, or some Kontakts.


So, thanks again. I will post again when I get one. I believe it would be a killer addition to my studio.
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SD

KAWAI BABY GRAND, Korg Pa4X, YAMAHA MONTAGE, ARTURIA KEYLAB MKII, AKAI MPK MINI II
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Musicwithharry
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Joined: 23 Mar 2012
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Location: Anamosa, IA

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 4:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Thank you all! Reply with quote

SDNYC wrote:
Sorry for my late reply. I really want to thank all of you individually for all the great advice and recommendations.

@Biggles: Yes, I decided to wait a little longer - not until the next iteration as "pawlikp100" pointed out. Meanwhile I am going through the tutorial videos and learning the ropes while researching some financing options.

@Musicwithharry: Thanks and yes, I am doing the same.

@pawlikp100: Yep my view too!

@Korghelper: You are right and I am not pitting PA4x against SX900. Pa4x competes with Genos and from the price point wins the game. I guess Korg needs someone like Peter Baartmans to promote its products ha ha. I love how Peter does it for Yamaha. And you're right about my location. Also on the sales model, I agree with you - I experienced that when I got my CVP years ago; things haven't changed much.

@Bachus: I wish I could pirate one from Holland!!! Or one from UK (@Biggles)

@Koekepan: That's a great recommendation if I just want the VH part. But I love Korg's sound library. The ethnic sounds on Korg are unbeatable unless you're pitting them against OT, or some Kontakts.


So, thanks again. I will post again when I get one. I believe it would be a killer addition to my studio.


Another thing to consider if you are going to use vocal harmonies - The PA4X is a few years old now, and I believe that tc helicon has newer vocal harmony technology out there that may not have made it into the PA4X (or the PA1000). An external unit may actually work better, even though it is an external unit.

In my case, I currently own the tc helicon Perform VK, which can be controlled via MIDI and will give you great harmonies. I used to the have Harmony-M product (three of them actually) and fashioned a pedal that had 3 plugs on it to control all three units from a single pedal press. I controlled them all from MIDI while I was playing and they worked great.

The Perform VK gives even better realism than the Harmony-M did, and I am integrating that into my rig right now. I just purchased a pedal/switch for it and it should be here this week.

If you do not need the harmony stuff to be in the PA4X or PA1000, then the external stuff is really the only way to go. In addition, the Perform VK (and so many of the newer tc helicon products) also act as USB MIDI interfaces and provide multiple channels of audio to your DAW for adding those harmony vocals separately on different tracks in your DAW. This makes them even better than the ones that are included in the keyboards because they offer a functionality that the keyboards do not have when recording.

Grace,
Harry
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Alesis Vortex Keytar, Alesis QS6.2, Alesis QSR, Alesis SR-16, Behringer Deepmind-12, Ensoniq Avista 7600, Ensoniq VFX, Ensoniq VFX-SD, Ensoniq SQ1+, (2) Ensoniq SQ-R+/32, Korg i3 (2020 Version), (2) Korg Kross 1-61, (2) Korg Kross 1-88, Korg Minilogue XD, Korg Minilogue XD Module, Korg M50-61, Korg PA700, Korg X5DR, Korg Z3, Kurzweil SP1, Lowrey EZP3 (bascially a Kawai), Roland D-05, Roland E-09, Waldorf Streichfett, Yamaha Reface CP, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha Reface DX, Yamaha Reface YC
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dimitris
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Joined: 31 Jul 2002
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The prices are very low nowadays, especially at Pa4X and Kronos. I would buy Pa4x even now after 6 years at this price point, as I did for Kronos that bought one 2 weeks ago! Pa4X is a great keyboard!!

Regards,
Dimitris
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SDNYC



Joined: 11 Apr 2021
Posts: 5
Location: Manhattan

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:27 pm    Post subject: 61 v/s 76 Reply with quote

I am debating between the 61 and the 76 keys version. What was/were your reason(s) to get the 76?

Thanks!
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SD

KAWAI BABY GRAND, Korg Pa4X, YAMAHA MONTAGE, ARTURIA KEYLAB MKII, AKAI MPK MINI II
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SDNYC



Joined: 11 Apr 2021
Posts: 5
Location: Manhattan

PostPosted: Tue May 11, 2021 7:15 pm    Post subject: Ended up getting my first Korg Reply with quote

I ended up getting my first Korg, the Korg PA4X 76 Keys and I couldn't be happier! I got great deals and awesome financing.

The DNC String sounds are out of the world - that was my first reaction. The Sax are second to none! WOW!

I wanted to personally thank each and everyone here for helping me making this decision.


Have a quick question - how and where do I get expansion libraries? Is there any way to add additional ethnic voices (e.g., the Oriental voices) to the library?
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SD

KAWAI BABY GRAND, Korg Pa4X, YAMAHA MONTAGE, ARTURIA KEYLAB MKII, AKAI MPK MINI II
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