KORG microARRANGER VS. ROLAND BK-5

A general area for all different kinds of KORG arranger users to meet up and chat about products, support, music, and news. General arranger talk that’s of interest to fellow musician. I-Series, iS-Series, PA Series and so on....

Moderators: Sharp, X-Trade, Pepperpotty, karmathanever

User avatar
rmvieira
Full Member
Posts: 216
Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:49 am
Location: Mississauga, ON, Canada

Post by rmvieira »

Nice demos. The Roland electric lead guitar stood out a bit better to me btw the 2 demos but both seem to be capable instruments.
Reagan
Kronos 88, M3M, Wavestation SR,
PC3-76, Virus TID, D70, JX10, Gmega, A50, AX1, Fantom XR, Motif ESR
worth
Platinum Member
Posts: 1116
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 10:54 pm

Post by worth »

if the roland had a prope sequncer i would take it over the Korg. I could never get used to the tiny keys on the korg and even though it sounds great it still looks like a toy
User avatar
MartinHines
Platinum Member
Posts: 3041
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Topeka, KS (USA)

Post by MartinHines »

worth wrote:if the roland had a proper sequencer i would take it over the Korg. I could never get used to the tiny keys on the korg and even though it sounds great it still looks like a toy
$499 -- Korg microARRANGER
$899 -- Korg PA50-SD
$999 -- Roland BK-5

The microARRANGER has the same internals as the Korg PA50-SD. If you wanted regular full-sized keys you could get the PA50-SD $100 cheaper than the Roland BK-5.
** KORG Product Support Contacts **
(they support BOTH hardware and software)


Korg USA Product support -- https://www.korgusa.com/contactus (For fastest service I would suggest calling them on the phone)

Outside the U.S. contact your Korg Country Distributor -- https://www.korg.com/us/corporate/distributors/
User avatar
Fransman
Platinum Member
Posts: 1095
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:15 pm
Location: Netherlands (PA4X61+PAas. Past: PA3X, PA800, Y PSR-S910, PA500, T KN1000, Y PSR-16)

Post by Fransman »

rmvieira wrote:Nice demos. The Roland electric lead guitar stood out a bit better to me
I find: WAY better.

But nice demos indeed, both of them.
Musical grtz, Frans

Play in style. ;)
worth
Platinum Member
Posts: 1116
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 10:54 pm

Post by worth »

[quote="MartinHines"][quote="worth"]if the roland had a proper sequencer i would take it over the Korg. I could never get used to the tiny keys on the korg and even though it sounds great it still looks like a toy[/quote]

$499 -- Korg microARRANGER
$899 -- Korg PA50-SD
$999 -- Roland BK-5

The microARRANGER has the same internals as the Korg PA50-SD. If you wanted regular full-sized keys you could get the PA50-SD $100 cheaper than the Roland BK-5.[/quote]

I understand they are in different price brackets Martin and i know about the Korg PA50. I own the Korg PA1x which i love. All i am saying is that the only thing missing from the Roland to make it a real option for me to purchase is a fully flefged internal sequencer. Sound wiser it hjas the edge on all the lower pa range up to the PA1X in my opinion
User avatar
Thoraldus
Platinum Member
Posts: 2061
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:35 am
Location: Rocky Mountains - SE IDaho

Post by Thoraldus »

rmvieira wrote:Nice demos. The Roland electric lead guitar stood out a bit better to me btw the 2 demos but both seem to be capable instruments.
I think we're trying to compare 'apples to oranges' here. The apple (Korg guitar) is being faulted for not being a good orange. (Roland lead). :wink:
<i>”It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.”
<br>Johann Sebastian Bach
</i>
----------------------------------------------
Rick Stirling - Retired Electrical Engineer - Erstwhile Photographer
Korg Kronos2, Casio MZ-X500, PA600, AKAI MPD32, M-Audio Oxygen 25, ZOOM H6, Cakewalk Sonar
User avatar
Fransman
Platinum Member
Posts: 1095
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:15 pm
Location: Netherlands (PA4X61+PAas. Past: PA3X, PA800, Y PSR-S910, PA500, T KN1000, Y PSR-16)

Post by Fransman »

They're both electric guitars, so you can compare them I think.
Would be different when a electric piano was compared to, say, strings.
Musical grtz, Frans

Play in style. ;)
User avatar
Thoraldus
Platinum Member
Posts: 2061
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:35 am
Location: Rocky Mountains - SE IDaho

Post by Thoraldus »

Fransman wrote:They're both electric guitars, so you can compare them I think.
Would be different when a electric piano was compared to, say, strings.
Possibly, if there were only one electric guitar program in each keyboard, but there are dozens, so just what are we comparing? I'll be better informed next week when my MicroArranger arrives. :wink:
<i>”It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.”
<br>Johann Sebastian Bach
</i>
----------------------------------------------
Rick Stirling - Retired Electrical Engineer - Erstwhile Photographer
Korg Kronos2, Casio MZ-X500, PA600, AKAI MPD32, M-Audio Oxygen 25, ZOOM H6, Cakewalk Sonar
User avatar
Thoraldus
Platinum Member
Posts: 2061
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:35 am
Location: Rocky Mountains - SE IDaho

Post by Thoraldus »

Thoraldus wrote:
Fransman wrote:They're both electric guitars, so you can compare them I think.
Would be different when a electric piano was compared to, say, strings.
Possibly, if there were only one electric guitar program in each keyboard, but there are dozens, so just what are we comparing? I'll be better informed next week when my MicroArranger arrives. :wink:
Just for the record, the KMA does have quite a number of "guitars" ...

121 03 24 Nylon Gtr 2
121 04 24 Nylon Bossa
121 05 24 AcGtrKeyOff
121 06 24 Spanish Gtr
121 07 24 Gtr Strings
121 00 25 SteelGuitar
121 01 25 12StringGtr
121 02 25 Mandolin
121 03 25 Steel&Body
121 04 25 Steel Gtr 2
121 05 25 St12Strings
121 06 25 Hackbrett
121 07 25 FingerK.Off
121 08 25 Finger Tips
121 09 25 St.Folk Gtr
121 10 25 Mandol.KOff
121 11 25 MandoTrem
121 12 25 Reso.Guitar
121 00 26 Jazz Guitar
121 01 26 PedSteelGtr
121 02 26 Club J.Gtr1
121 03 26 Club J.Gtr2
121 04 26 Ped.Steel 2
121 00 27 CleanGuitar
121 01 27 DetCleanGtr
121 02 27 MidToneGtr
121 03 27 Chorus Gtr
121 04 27 Vintage S.
121 05 27 ProcesElGtr
121 06 27 SingleCoil
121 07 27 NewStra.Gtr
121 08 27 Guitarish
121 09 27 L&R El.Gtr
121 10 27 L&R El.Gtr2
121 11 27 Country Nu
121 12 27 FunkyWhaSw
121 00 28 MutedGuitar
121 01 28 FunkyCutGtr
121 02 28 MuteVeloGtr
121 03 28 Jazz Man
121 04 28 R&R Guitar
121 05 28 Stra.Chime
121 06 28 CleanMutGtr
121 07 28 RhythmElGtr
121 08 28 Clean Funk
121 09 28 Disto Mute
121 00 29 OverdriveGt
121 01 29 Guitar Pinch
121 00 30 DistortionG
121 01 30 FeedbackGtr
121 02 30 DistRhytmGt
121 03 30 JoystGtr Y-
121 04 30 PowerChords
121 05 30 MuteMonster
121 06 30 WetDistGtr
121 07 30 SoloDistGtr
121 08 30 Stereo Dist
121 00 31 GtrHarmonic
121 01 31 GtrFeedback
121 02 31 EGHarmonics
121 0 104 Sitar
121 1 104 Sitar 2
121 2 104 SitarTambou
121 3 104 IndianStars
121 4 104 IndianFrets
121 5 104 Bouzouki
121 6 104 Tambra
121 0 105 Banjo
121 1 105 BanjoKeyOff
121 2 105 Oud
121 0 106 Shamisen
121 0 107 Koto
121 1 107 Taisho
121 2 107 Kanun
121 3 107 Kanun Trem.
121 4 107 Kanun Mix

It will be fun checking them all out. :wink:
Last edited by Thoraldus on Fri May 25, 2012 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
<i>”It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.”
<br>Johann Sebastian Bach
</i>
----------------------------------------------
Rick Stirling - Retired Electrical Engineer - Erstwhile Photographer
Korg Kronos2, Casio MZ-X500, PA600, AKAI MPD32, M-Audio Oxygen 25, ZOOM H6, Cakewalk Sonar
coffeekev
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:11 pm
Location: Fort Wayne, IN USA
Contact:

Post by coffeekev »

As a micro ARRANGER owner, using these videos alone to compare guitar sounds in these 2 keyboards is a comparison that does not ring legit with me. I assure you it is easy to get a guitar sound in the KMA in whatever style you're playing that is every bit as good as the BK-5 sound in this video. The KMA sound that is either an original setting or was edited for this video is not at all representational of how good the guitars can sound in the micro ARRANGER. The lead sound, once it comes in, is not even a guitar sound, or it's layered in the real time tracks with a synth lead sound, which is more prevalent.

I'm not saying anything against the BK-5 here. I'd love to get one and have the combo of the BK-5 and the KMA, but my wallet doesn't agree with this idea right now. So I'm not taking sides, just saying that using these videos to compare guitar sounds in the 2 keyboards is a focus that was a bit blurry.
User avatar
Thoraldus
Platinum Member
Posts: 2061
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:35 am
Location: Rocky Mountains - SE IDaho

Post by Thoraldus »

coffeekev wrote:As a micro ARRANGER owner, using these videos alone to compare guitar sounds in these 2 keyboards is a comparison that does not ring legit with me. I assure you it is easy to get a guitar sound in the KMA in whatever style you're playing that is every bit as good as the BK-5 sound in this video. The KMA sound that is either an original setting or was edited for this video is not at all representational of how good the guitars can sound in the micro ARRANGER. The lead sound, once it comes in, is not even a guitar sound, or it's layered in the real time tracks with a synth lead sound, which is more prevalent.

I'm not saying anything against the BK-5 here. I'd love to get one and have the combo of the BK-5 and the KMA, but my wallet doesn't agree with this idea right now. So I'm not taking sides, just saying that using these videos to compare guitar sounds in the 2 keyboards is a focus that was a bit blurry.
+1
<i>”It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.”
<br>Johann Sebastian Bach
</i>
----------------------------------------------
Rick Stirling - Retired Electrical Engineer - Erstwhile Photographer
Korg Kronos2, Casio MZ-X500, PA600, AKAI MPD32, M-Audio Oxygen 25, ZOOM H6, Cakewalk Sonar
Deane
Full Member
Posts: 143
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2012 10:13 pm
Location: TEXAS

Post by Deane »

I have owned the Korg MicroArranger for about 6 months and just love it. I use it often on gigs as a stand-a-lone keyboard and it works out just great. I run it through two Bose L1 Compacts.

I also bought the Roland BK-5 and kept it only for a week before returning it. I had also owned the Roland BK-7M and expected the sounds to be the same but they were not anything alike. The styles also did not play the same as I expected.

The little KMA was far superior for my use.

Deane
federicoc
Posts: 14
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Italy

Post by federicoc »

Why are we comparing a Jazz guitar with a distorted guitar?

:wink:

Distorted/electric guitar –while completely serviceable- are, anyway, not the strongest point of the KMA... especially compared with microSTATION's ones -its amp modeling simulations really make a difference there. Well, good thing I own both! :-)

-- Federico
virtuoso
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:03 pm
Location: Croatia

Post by virtuoso »

I bought pa-588 for a reason of using like a piano on gigs,but that microarranger seems to be very handy for a smaller gigs,for compact transportation,I think I'll give a try.
Korgs: i5s,PA-588, ih,ax5b.
Post Reply

Return to “Korg Arrangers (General)”