Korg Forums

Hi

I am very disappointed with the Korg PA4X Keyboard, I have since December 2016 and still cannot get any fun or satisfaction from playing it.

Reviews here on forum and Demo`s on you tube got me interested, but however it is time to part with it and go for a Tyros 5 keyboard instead, at least forum members share SONG STYLES on the PSR Site which I cannot get any good one for the PA4X here, plus the Korg
Company seem not interested in Members Comments here...

Sorry I sound harsh, I have not switched on this Keyboard in past 5 weeks...lucky I have the PSR s970 to enjoy.

regards

Ronnie

So you're disappointed with the Pa4x because you don't have song styles?

No not just song styles...The sound of instruments..The loading of styles, the editing etc..Just cannot enjoy the keyboard

shadowhankron wrote:No not just song styles...The sound of instruments..The loading of styles, the editing etc..
Just cannot enjoy the keyboard

"The sound of instruments..The loading of styles, the editing etc.." are some of the reasons that you can really "enjoy the keyboard"
unless you wanted a "toy" instead , since this is actually the "PSR s970" in any level compared with Pa4X for both amateurs & professionals !

I have the S970, owned the Tyros 4. They are fun keyboards. However, for live gigging, my PA 4X is the best.

The PSR Tutorial forum is a very social type of forum.

Enjoy your Tyros 5...a great board for a home player.

guitpic wrote:I have the S970, owned the Tyros 4. They are fun keyboards. However, for live gigging, my PA 4X is the best.

The PSR Tutorial forum is a very social type of forum.

Enjoy your Tyros 5...a great board for a home player.

Comming from a tyros 5, i agree with you..

And while you have a huge range of styles for the tyros, with some searching ( www.createsongstyles.com , dopamine and other places) there is enough to be found for the pa4x..

The difference between both instruments, is that on Yamaha everything works straight out of the box, no need for edditing... the pa4x is a different box, all tools for creation and edditing are all on board... the keyboard allmost begs you to eddit and finetune your styles and sounds to make each performance stand out from the crowd..

After 3 months of joy, i havent even loaded a single sample nor feeled the need for it, because all you need for great sounding styles is all in the box allready...


I can however see how file handling is one of the things where Korg could still learn a thing or two from Yamaha.. directly browsing style folders from your keyboard on Yamaha still works better then on pa4x, despite the fact that we can now test files on a usb stick witouth uploading.

AntonySharmman...I do not understand what you are replying to on my question

Bachus Thank you for some understanding on my problem with the PA4X

While most people say that the PA4X is great for Live playing..I am a home player reasonably good at playing...I admit not much time put into editing....My other complaint is not able to load styles straight from usb stick..Instead of into user slots.
Thanks for reading..Any other tips or advice would be helpful before I finally decide to exchange or "keep the PA4X "


Ronnie

Home playing and Tyros 5 is a good match (but ridiculously expensive!!)

PA4X is more for professional market

Enjoy your T5

Cheers

Pete

karmathanever wrote:
PA4X is more for professional market

+1000

Regards
Daniel_AD

You simply have to think long and hard about any kind of expensive purchase. The keyboard is no different. I know that I struggled to pull the trigger on the PA4X and in the end decided against. Luckily for you there are other people out there willing to take the keyboard off your hands but you will most likely I have to take the financial hit .

Enjoy your tyros .

Hi Ronnie,

The comments you have made regarding the disappointment with your PA4X are the same that I made about my Tyros 5 (76) and prompted me to change to a PA4X (61). Please don't misunderstand me, the Tyros 5 is one incredibly good keyboard but unfortunately I could not "connect" with it. Like you, I failed to achieve that "satisfaction factor" you mention.

The main problem I encounter now with my PA4X is the 'Noodle' factor. this is a term used by musicians at the 'Seacroft keyboard weeks' I go to in the U.K. (imagine someone who gets a pencil and paper and doodles, a keyboard player doing the same thing would be noodling). Every time I sit at the PA4X with good intention to learn some of the more detailed aspects of the keyboard (e.g. understanding and allocating effects to sounds and styles) I find myself selecting a keyboard set or songbook entry then just 'noodling' on the keyboard. Before I realise it, hours have passed by (the joys of retirement). Something I struggled to ever do with my Tyros 5.

I came to a Tyros 5 via a Tyros 2 and a Tyros 4. I found the 5 much more 'clinical' sounding than the other Tyros's. The piano sound was o.k. but the PA4X piano sample is a far superior sound in my opinion. I honestly did not like any of the string sounds and for me, the PA4X was worth buying for the strings alone. As I said, this is my opinion alone and I'm sure many will disagree with it. Between the 5 and the 4, I got much more pleasure playing the 4 !!

What I can guarantee you 100% is that you will not get better sounds on a Tyros 5 than a PA4X. I would say they are about the same in quality with the korg probably edging it.

You may want to hold on until the Genos is launched (Tyros 5 replacement). It's months away from launch (not years). It will either be a keyboard you decide to replace your PA4X for, or it's launch will reduce the price of existing Tyros 5 keyboards. Many will become available on the second hand market as users upgrade.

You talk about the lack of available song styles which leads me to assume that you only currently have the factory styles on the keyboard. Can I suggest you contact one of the U.K. PA4X retailers and speak to them. There are three or four that create files to fill your user sections with hundreds of styles, sounds and pads. This is normally done free of charge for their own customers, but for a nominal fee may allow you to purchase the file. it would be a lot cheaper than the cost of changing keyboards. I use Keysounds in Leicester as I know the owner, but there are other dealers who provide a similar service. Alternatively have a look at Dopamine 2.6.

https://dopamine4korg.wordpress.com/201 ... -and-bass/

This is a guy who creates files with numerous styles, sounds and pads to download for free. You may need a little knowledge of the PA4X before loading them. At least you could have a read and get familiar with his website. His work come's highly recommended although is not specific to the PA4X but all the more recent Korg arrangers.

Final point, although you may feel a little let down by this forum, the members of it (myself included) would be far happier to know that you get the keyboard that's right for you and gives you most satisfaction. Even if it means changing to a Genos, Tyros 5, Ketron or a Roland. If you can get there with minimum financial outlay, even better. Please keep us in the loop on what you decide to do.

Best of luck,

Chris

Nicely said Chris.

Hi Ronnie,
You say you are a home player only so I guess a PSR model perhaps may suit you better.
There are many annoying things about the Tyros (having owned one) that will keep me well away from it until Yamaha come up with a serious professional arranger.
These are my personal opinions but there are simple things like:-
No tempo lock
No easily accessible Bass Inversion
AI chord fingering does not work (hasn't since the first Tyros)
OS structure is clumsy and not conducive to live playing and recording.
No touch screen - come on Yamaha, that's just lazy for a over-priced keyboard.
I could go on but will leave it there

The Tyros is a nice keyboard but in a very very different market - please choose very carefully and don't be too impressed with Mr Baartmans demos - he is an outstanding musician with the time to "super-master" any Yamaha keyboard he is commissioned to demo.

Quite a few members here have moved to Yamaha and then moved back.

I'm sure you'll make the right choice - get plenty of hands-on before making that huge financial commitment.

All the best (sincerely)

Pete

chelsea4023 wrote:Hi Ronnie,

The comments you have made regarding the disappointment with your PA4X are the same that I made about my Tyros 5 (76) and prompted me to change to a PA4X (61). Please don't misunderstand me, the Tyros 5 is one incredibly good keyboard but unfortunately I could not "connect" with it. Like you, I failed to achieve that "satisfaction factor" you mention.

The main problem I encounter now with my PA4X is the 'Noodle' factor. this is a term used by musicians at the 'Seacroft keyboard weeks' I go to in the U.K. (imagine someone who gets a pencil and paper and doodles, a keyboard player doing the same thing would be noodling). Every time I sit at the PA4X with good intention to learn some of the more detailed aspects of the keyboard (e.g. understanding and allocating effects to sounds and styles) I find myself selecting a keyboard set or songbook entry then just 'noodling' on the keyboard. Before I realise it, hours have passed by (the joys of retirement). Something I struggled to ever do with my Tyros 5.

I came to a Tyros 5 via a Tyros 2 and a Tyros 4. I found the 5 much more 'clinical' sounding than the other Tyros's. The piano sound was o.k. but the PA4X piano sample is a far superior sound in my opinion. I honestly did not like any of the string sounds and for me, the PA4X was worth buying for the strings alone. As I said, this is my opinion alone and I'm sure many will disagree with it. Between the 5 and the 4, I got much more pleasure playing the 4 !!

What I can guarantee you 100% is that you will not get better sounds on a Tyros 5 than a PA4X. I would say they are about the same in quality with the korg probably edging it.

You may want to hold on until the Genos is launched (Tyros 5 replacement). It's months away from launch (not years). It will either be a keyboard you decide to replace your PA4X for, or it's launch will reduce the price of existing Tyros 5 keyboards. Many will become available on the second hand market as users upgrade.

You talk about the lack of available song styles which leads me to assume that you only currently have the factory styles on the keyboard. Can I suggest you contact one of the U.K. PA4X retailers and speak to them. There are three or four that create files to fill your user sections with hundreds of styles, sounds and pads. This is normally done free of charge for their own customers, but for a nominal fee may allow you to purchase the file. it would be a lot cheaper than the cost of changing keyboards. I use Keysounds in Leicester as I know the owner, but there are other dealers who provide a similar service. Alternatively have a look at Dopamine 2.6.

https://dopamine4korg.wordpress.com/201 ... -and-bass/

This is a guy who creates files with numerous styles, sounds and pads to download for free. You may need a little knowledge of the PA4X before loading them. At least you could have a read and get familiar with his website. His work come's highly recommended although is not specific to the PA4X but all the more recent Korg arrangers.

Final point, although you may feel a little let down by this forum, the members of it (myself included) would be far happier to know that you get the keyboard that's right for you and gives you most satisfaction. Even if it means changing to a Genos, Tyros 5, Ketron or a Roland. If you can get there with minimum financial outlay, even better. Please keep us in the loop on what you decide to do.

Best of luck,

Chris

+1

Yes, well said, Chris. This Keysounds of Leicester you mention making styles, I'm supposing they do styles for the 3x, as well? And can you tell us who the other UK retailers are who have this service?

Thanks:)