Korg PA3x Pro Keyboard : Information arriving daily Share

Korg PA3X product launch

I saw the Korg PA3x and Korg Kronos for the first time yesterday ( March 13th ) and here are my views.

The PA3x pro was not on display so this is based on the 61 note version

I was very happy. I look at new products from a retailers point of view and then as a musician. I instantly make comparisons with the UK market leader and extremely successful Tyros4, and then I think what would it do for me.

The appearance of the Korg PA3x is smart rather pretty. The buttons are laid out in neat functional rows. The sliders are exactly right, easy to manipulate with a long draw for precise control. The screen stays the same size as previous models although is quicker to react.. The right hand cheek of the keyboard is millimetres in width, the left hand side accommodates the joystick and is just right. There is no space wasted but everything has a button and its laid out very well.

This is going to be a working keyboard for many musicians so build quality is important. The Korg PA3x is extremely solid, it has a metal case that doesn`t flex and you feel confident that its well up to the job for a gigging musician. Its physical dimensions are really comfortable for carrying and manipulating.

Comparisons to the Tyros4 are difficult because it feels that the Korg PA3x has been developed for its own sake rather than to compete and I think this is good. Although Korg sell far fewer keyboards than Yamaha in this country, abroad and particularly the Mediterranean it`s a completely different story.

The voicing of the PA3x is a combination of tried and tested voices with brand new super responsive voices. The strings are world beaters and the Pianos are much improved . It was difficult to judge if the voices were better than Tyros because it was a noisy room the 2 were not side by side.

The styles have been improved over the PA2X models and because Korg work in such a different way to Yamaha they feel completely different, they have more of a live feel. You`ll find yourself liking Yamaha`s styles or Korg`s styles.

Ease of use on keyboards is very important, if its easy youll use it if its not you wont. It`s the old video recorder scenario. Yamahas Music finder is massively better than Korg. One touch settings are personal taste. The Korg has a huge array of pre programmed registrations. I could spend all day doing comparisons and I think the simple point is that Korg have listened, caught up, but again theyve done it their own way.

The PA3x records in MP3 format or midi format, it has the TC helicon voice processor, it can load and create sample data with plenty of on-board memory, these new features are easy to use and included in the price.

The feature that did it for me above everything else is so simple and so useful it make`s me want to buy the Korg. Its a looper , it has its own buttons . Its like the ethereal rhythms on the Yamaha, cats eyes in the middle of the road, ground breaking but simple. I play guitar and piano to a medium standard and I love boogie and blues. I can sit for hours playing 12 bar blues on either and here I can practice both.

Top end keyboards are all brilliant and developments become harder and harder to make. Quality ease of use and new technologies all play their part. So when we get to look at a new product were just a little sceptical of how much better it can be. The Korg PA3x updates it`s predecessor in every way, it gives retailers something to shout about. We can say to all of our customers ` You have to try the New Korg PA3x it`s fantastic`.

Prices are not confirmed but will be comparable to Tyros4. Shipping has been delayed slightly because of the Events in Japan

KORG Pa3X 76 Professional Arranger Workstation Specifications

Keyboard:
61-key with velocity and aftertouch
76 semi-weighted keys with velocity and aftertouch

System
OPOS (Objective Portable Operating System)
RX (Real eXperience)
DNC (Defined Nuance Control)
Natural Ambience Drums Sound Technology
Multitasking, Load while play feature
Upgradable Operating System
Self-Refresh Battery for PCM data

Tone Generator
KORG EDS (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) sound generator:
120 Voices, 120 Oscillators
Filters with Resonance
Three band EQ for each track

Effects
Up to 8 Stereo Digital Multi-Effects block system
140 Effects types plus VOCODER
Final Mastering Effects by WAVES
(MaxxEQ™, MaxxBass™, MaxxTreble™, MaxxStereo™, MaxxVolume™)

New Voice Processor Technology by TC-Helicon® with 7 Effects:
Four-part Harmonizer, Double, µMod, Reverb, Delay, Filter, HardTune, Pitch Correction plus Compressor, EQ, Gate (Adaptive Mic Setting on the Mic input)

Sounds / Drumkits
More than 1100, including Stereo Piano and GM Level 1 & 2 compatible sounds; more than 90 Drum Kits

User area: 512 Sounds, 128 Drum Kits
Defined Nuance Control (DNC) Technology

Real Drum Ambience

Digital Drawbars: 9 Footages

Realtime controls: Assignable Sliders
Full editing of Sounds and Drum Kits

Sampling: Record, Edit, Time Slice, Compression Tool, Load/Import of Korg, Wav, AIFF and Akai files; Export of Wav and AIFF files

PCM RAM Memory: 128 MB standard (equivalent to 256 MB linear data), expandable up to 256 MB (equivalent to 512MB linear data) with the optional EXB-M256 memory expansion board

Styles
More than 400 preloaded Styles, freely reconfigurable
1200 available Style locations including the Favorite banks
Eight Style tracks, 4 Single Touch Settings, 4 Pads and one Style Performance per Style
Guitar Track 2 mode, Parallel and Fixed NTT
Compatible with old "i-Series" and Pa series Style format
Style Record with Step Record, Track and Event Edit functions
Style controls: 3 Intros, 4 Variations, 4 Fills, Break, 3 Endings, Synchro Start/Stop, Tap Tempo/Reset, Fade In/Out, Bass Inversion, Auto Fill, Manual Bass, Tempo Lock, Memory, Accompaniment/Real Time Track Balance Volume, Accompaniment Mute, Drum Mapping, Snare & Kick Designation, Single Touch

Chord Sequencer
Realtime Style Chord Sequencer Recorder

Performance / STS
512 Realtime Performance locations

STS: Memorize Realtime tracks and Voice Processor settings, up to 4 x 1200 Styles, up to 4 x SongBook entries

Realtime tracks
Four Keyboard tracks (Upper 1, 2, 3, Lower) with dedicated on/off and sound select buttons

Song Play
Patented XDS Crossfade Dual Sequencer Player (Supported formats: MID, MID+G, KAR, MP3 + lyrics, MP3+G)
2 Players with separate Select, Start/Stop, Home, Rewind and Fast Forward controls
X-Fader Balance control
Lyrics, Score, and Chord data can be displayed on screen,
or on external video monitor (with VIF4 option installed)
Markers
Jukebox function

Mp3 Player / Recorder
Double Mp3 Player and Mp3 Recorder
Two Mp3 files can be played simultaneously in Song Play Mode
Real Time Transpose (+6/-5 semitones)
Tempo change (±30%)
Advanced Vocal Remover Record MP3 files including Styles, SMF, Real Time Tracks, Pads, Microphone and Effects
Audio Chord detection for Vocal Harmony

Sequencer
Quick Record (Backing Sequence)
Multitrack and Step Record functions - Full-featured sequencer
16 tracks; Up to 200,000 events
SMF native format

SongBook
Fully programmable music database, based on Styles, SMF, Karaoke, MP3 with automatic selection of Style Play and Song Play modes
User-definable custom lists
Filtering and Ordering options

Compatibility

"i-Series" models: Styles

Pa series: Style, Performance, Program/Sound, Song, SongBook, Pad

Multi Pad
4 Assignable Pads + Stop Button - Pad Record function

Help System
Hypertextual, Contextual, Multilingual

General Controls
Master Volume, Real Time-Acc/Seq Balance Volume, Ensemble, Octave Transpose, Master Transpose, Style Change, Quarter Tone and Arabic Scale memorized inside Performance/STS - Realtime controllers: Joystick (pitch + modulation), Ribbon Control, 8 Assignable Sliders, MP3 Volume, Mic Volume, Mic Harmony/Double Vol., Mic Reverb/Delay Vol., 3 Assignable Switches, Tempo +/-, Dial, Up/+, Down/- - Search Function

Control Inputs
Damper Pedal (support half-pedaling with optional DS-1H pedal), Assignable Pedal/Switch, EC-5 (Programmable Multi-Switches)

Analog Outputs
Unbalanced/Balanced Jack Left/Mono, Right/Mono, Out 1, Out 2,
Headphones (in the front panel)

Digital Outputs
S/P DIF (48 kHz – coaxial), mirroring the Main Stereo Outputs

Line Inputs
2 Unbalanced/Balanced Jack Left/Mono, Right/Mono

Microphone Input
Combo XLR balanced with Gain control (15 to 50 dB) and switchable Phantom Power

MIDI
In, Out, Thru; standard Midi connectors
USB to Midi using the USB Device port
Individual track assignment
8 user definable MIDI Setups

USB
2 USB Host Front/Rear (2.0 Hi Speed) and 1 USB Device Rear (1.1 Full Speed) connections

Hard Disk / Mass Storage
Standard 4 GB memory USB
Optional 2.5" SATA Hard Disk Driver (61-key)
Standard internal 2.5" SATA Hard Disk Drive (76-key)

DVD-CD Player / Floppy Disk
Optional using standard USB DVD/CD/FD Drives connected via USB Host ports

Display
Pa3X 61: Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels - TFT Color TouchView Graphic Touch Screen;
Pa3X 76: Motorized Tilt Display - Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels - TFT Color TouchView Graphic Touch Screen

Clock
Internal System Clock

Consumption
30 Watt - 50 Watt when connected with Amplification Bar (PaAS)

Dimensions (W x D x H)
980 x 366 x 145 mm / 38.58 x 14.41 x 5.71 inch without music stand (61);
1192 x 366 x 145 mm / 49.93 x 14.41 x 5.71 inch without music stand and with the display fully lowered (76)

Weight
14.7 kg / 32.4 lbs (61); 17.5 kg / 38.58lbs (76)

Accessories
Manual, AC Power Cable, Music Stand, CD-ROM

Options
PaAS Amplification System
EXB-M256 - 256 MB RAM Expansion Board
VIF4 - Video Interface Board
EXP-2 - Expression/Volume Pedal
XVP-10 - Professional Expression/Volume Pedal
EC5 - Assignable Multi-Switch Controller
DS-1H - Damper Pedal
PS-1 - Switch Pedal
Hard Disk Kit Installation Kit (61 only)

* Helicon is a registered trademark of TC-Helicon Vocal Technologies Ltd.
* MaxxAudio, MaxxEQ, MaxxBass, MaxxTreble, MaxxStereo, MaxxVolume are trademarks of Waves Audio Ltd.
* Specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice for improvement.

Pa AS - Pa Amplification System for Pa3X (76 and 61 keys)

System
3 Channel Amplification System

Power
2x20 Watt (Middle/High Frequency) + 1x40 Watt (Sub Woofer)

Speakers
5 Speakers: 2 Middle range (80 mm) + 2 Tweeters + Dual Coil Subwoofer (130 mm).

Cabinet
Aluminum case with Bass Reflex System

Connectivity
Extremely Simple Connection. Power and the audio signal from the Pa3X are via a special connector that is automatically attached to the keyboard. No Cable, No Power supply needs to be attached to the Pa3X

Dimensions (W x D x H)
992 x 173 x 137 mm / 39.06 x 6.81x 5.39 inch

Weight
5.7 kg / 12.57 lbs

* Appearance and specifications of these products are subject to change without notice.

KORG Pa3X - Professional Arranger Workstation

Better than ever. The Korg Pa Series has a new flagship: the Pa3X, the most realistic, powerful, and easy-to-use arranger workstation ever produced. For years, Korg’s Pa Series has been the most respected, envied, and successful line of interactive arranger workstations on the planet. Once again, Korg has raised the standard of excellence by offering new, richer, and more realistic sounds; creating amazing new features, and offering a fresh – yet elegant – design. Meet the Pa3X. Listen and Believe.

Pa3X Highlights
• Enhanced RX (Real eXperience) sound engine offers improved realism and new vivid sound, including pianos borrowed from the acclaimed Korg SV-1 Stage Vintage Piano, plus Ambience Drums

• Massive internal ROM – plus up to 256 MB of user PCM data (equivalent to 512 MB*) –provides an extraordinarily powerful wave memory, delivering the best sound quality possible

• Three assignable switches, a four-way joystick, and our unique ribbon strip ensure total control for the many available levels of sound articulation (DNC)

• Choose either 61 keys or 76 semi–weighted keys; both with velocity and aftertouch

• Elegantly designed and reliable aluminum cabinet

• TouchView™ TFT display; 76-key model features a motorized tilting display

• Professional graphic interface with new Search facility for quickly locating musical resources

• High-fidelity, optional amplification/speaker bar with Korg’s own Easy Connect system (no support, cables, or additional power supply needed)

• Self-refreshing PCM Data memory backup – supported by our own Intelligent Re-Charge system – ensures fast startup

• Improved Style and Performance selection, Over 400 factory Styles; each with 4 variations and 4 Fill In + Break, plus 15 user banks for unlimited storage of your favorite customized or user created Styles and settings

• Enhanced Guitar Mode 2 for even more realistic guitar parts

• Chord Sequencer function records any chord progression on-the-fly

• Up to 8 Stereo Effects at once, including flexible Master and Insert routing for Styles and songs. New Vintage Effects from the acclaimed SV-1 Stage Vintage Piano

• New TC-Helicon ® Vocal Processor (VoiceLive2 derived) with dedicated professional effects

• Adaptive Mic Setting provides a virtual sound engineer to automatically set the best EQ/Compressor/Gate settings for your voice

• Professional Final Mastering tools from “Waves Audio” plugins “MaxxAudio ™ ” suite.

• New Double MP3/MIDI files player and recorder with Advanced Vocal Remover.

• Enhanced compatibility with Lyrics in graphical format (+G) for MIDI files and MP3 files.

• New Audio Chord Detection function that automatically extracts chords to send to the Vocal Processor from MP3 files.

• Enhanced sound compatibility for GM songs.

• Multi-language extended character set. Lyrics can be showed in their original languages (except the Oriental and the Arabic Languages**).

*when calculated as 16-bit linear data
** check for the available languages

Pa3X

Korg is responsible for the most successful and respected arranger keyboards ever. Used by tens of thousands of music professionals in every country around the world, Korg arrangers have thrilled audiences and delighted players everywhere with the magic combination of unbeatable sound quality and professional features. Korg’s RX (Real eXperience) Technology blends this great Korg history with powerful new technology and ideas from musicians around the world to deliver a new standard in professional arrangers. The result is a musical jewel that packages technological magic into a luxurious design: the Korg Pa3X.

Two to choose from

The Pa3X comes in two different configurations. First is the compact and lightweight 61-key model. Also available is the 76-key version, offering a semi-weighted action and a motorized tilting display. Both keyboards feel great, and both models feature naturally responsive key-on / key-off velocity sensitivity and aftertouch, and both were designed for beginners through to demanding professional keyboard players.

First appearances!

The elegant aluminum cabinet and inspiring user interface was conceived to make a strong visual statement by a renowned team of talented industrial designers from Europe. The main panel has been redesigned and optimized to ensure that sliders and knobs are ergonomically and intuitively well positioned to enhance any performance.

Our graphical user interface is now even easier to read and has been renewed with more detailed icons and objects thanks to the new TFT Graphical Color Touch Screen. The screen has been enriched with new side tabs for quick access to the most important functions. The new Search feature quickly locates anything needed during live performance. The 76-key model of the Pa3X also features a motorized tilting display!
An optional super high-fidelity speaker/amplification bar has been specifically designed to connect directly to the keyboard. Useful for both home use and on-stage monitoring, the PaAS uses Korg’s “Easy Connect” system: no additional support, no cables, no power supply needed to deliver crisp, clean full range sound.

Sound quality at its best!

Based on Korg’s sophisticated EDS (Extended Definition Synthesis) Engine, the Pa3X provides truly outstanding new sounds. Our RX (Real eXperience) Technology and the DNC (Defined Nuance Control) system refine an already powerful sound engine, allowing the performer to accurately and expressively introduce the most subtle nuances and sound articulation. Assignable switches and a ribbon strip have been added to the joystick control; the result is deeper control and even richer expression.

Many demanding professional sampling sessions with some of the finest musicians in the music industry have resulted in more detailed natural sounds than ever before. More than 1,100 sounds, including a new stereo grand piano (with string resonance and damper realism) and new electric pianos from the acclaimed KORG SV-1 stage piano; new wind instruments, basses and stunning guitars; plus new digital drawbars with leakage and key on/off noises provide the perfect sound foundation for any harmonic and melodic need.
More than 100 drumkits, including new Real Ambience Drumkits, give life to any rhythmic texture and sound truly authentic due to the Drums Family Easy Editing, which gives total control over volume, pitch, EQ, ambience, and more.

The vast 256 MB memory (PCM User memory) can be expanded to a massive 512 MB (when calculated as 16-bit linear data), with the optional EXB-M256 memory expansion board, so custom sounds can easily be added. Another first is the Self-Refresh Memory Backup battery for all factory and user PCM data, making start-up of the Pa3X much, much faster. An intelligent re-charging system ensures the battery is always charged.

The internal Sampler is now equipped with a new Sound Compression tool (no loss, 1:2 ratio). The Pa3X can also Load/Import Korg, WAV, AIFF, and Akai samples and export in WAV or AIFF. Sounds can be fully edited, and can now use up to 24 oscillators for each note!

The General MIDI (GM) sound bank has been improved for better compatibility with GM files.

Studio quality-effects

The use of premium effects can not only add polish and class to your overall sound; they can also make your music tracks sound more interesting! Korg is famous for its outstanding studio quality effects, and the Pa3X includes the best of the Korg effects library. Up to 8 Stereo Digital Multi Effect processors can be used at once. Over 140 effect types are available, running from the standard reverbs and delays through to the more unusual effects such as vocoding, as well as the new vintage effects from the acclaimed SV-1 Stage Vintage Piano.

Some effects are suitable for single instruments while others add the final coloring, space and texture to the overall piece. For the latter, the Pa3X includes effects from an industry leader: Waves Audio. The Pa3X includes the powerful MaxxAudio™ suite, which has been described as "the next generation of audio processing tools". These onboard effects, which include MaxxBass™, MaxxVolume™, MaxxEQ™, MaxxTreble™ and MaxxStereo™, provide unparalleled performance, delivering sound that is louder, clearer, fuller, and more polished.

TC-Helicon® Voice Processor

Korg’s long term cooperation with the world leader in vocal harmonies, TC-Helicon®, continues in the Pa3X with the new Voice Processor, recognized as the state of the art in vocal and harmony processing. With new features and new algorithms, including even better pitch correction, the TC-Helicon® Voice Processor ensures your vocals have the highest possible sound quality. Up to 4 realistic voices plus 2 doubled harmonies are available and can be controlled by the keyboard, MIDI and even MP3 input. Thanks to the new Audio Chord Detection function, chords can be automatically extracted from an audio file and sent to the Vocal Processor! Other 5 effect blocks are available, including Reverb, Delay , µMod and special FX such as Megaphone and Hardtune.

Adaptive Mic Setting is a special feature that puts RX technology to work immediately after connecting the microphone to the XLR/Combo balanced input. This amazing new feature monitors the input signal and auto adjusts parameters such as the Adaptive Gate, EQ, Compression and the De-Esser to make the vocals sound smooth and “studio produced.” Adaptive Mic Setting is unique to Korg in the world of Arrangers!
To ensure professional vocal performance, 3 knobs and 3 buttons controlling the most important vocal functions have been added to the top panel within easy reach.

Do it with Style!

The Pa3X delivers over 400 Styles, straight out of the box. Each one is a fully-realized musical environment dedicated to creating a particular musical style. With so many to choose from the Pa3X can provide instant access to a vast and robust range of musical genres. Each Style features 4 Fill In + Break patterns, one for each variation. Using the new Auto Fill function they can be automatically recalled as you move between the four variations. Our international sound team had created many new Styles; and many of our revered and well-known Styles have been improved with new sounds and new effects. The Pa3X holds 1,200 locations for you to save your new Styles and your own settings.

Several new sophisticated parameters which ensure professional and realistic guitar tracks have been added with Guitar Mode 2, making the guitar tracks of every Style rich and authentic.

A new function called Chord Sequencer records your chord progressions on-the-fly allowing the user to immediately play along with their own chord sequence.

Player/Sequencer

The famous Korg XDS Crossfade Dual Sequencer Player now supports, in addition to the main music formats, the “+G” format for both MP3 and MIDI files which can be played together. This new feature allows backing sequences to play with enriched lyrics and graphics which can be displayed simultaneously on the on-board TFT display and on an external monitor (with the VIF4 option installed). There is also a Marker Function, allowing direct jumps to a given position in the song. A sophisticated Score Viewer is also available.

Two different MP3 or MIDI files can be played simultaneously and both MIDI and MP3 files can be transposed, accelerated or slowed down. Powerful new technology drives the all new Advanced Vocal Remover, allowing vocals to be removed from MP3 files with unparalleled accuracy. More advanced than a simple center-channel cancellation tool, the Advanced Vocal Remover keeps the original stereo image of the song while removing just the main vocals.

The enhanced 16 track sequencer allows the most sophisticated levels of sequencing, but also provides quick and easy song creation using the Backing Sequence function. And because the Pa3X is very clever, it can record your entire performance! You can run a song, play the keyboard, sing along and everything will be recorded in MP3 format and stored on an external USB device or in the internal Hard Disk (76 version only – optional for the 61 key version).

The SongBook

Particularly useful for live use, the SongBook is a fully programmable and easily searchable Music Database. Each entry contains all the settings required to play a particular song. A single entry can recall a Style, a MIDI file or an MP3, along with all the other performance parameters needed for perfect song playback.
Even more!

There is more, much more, but to know more, you need to explore the Pa3X in depth. The Pa3X is the most evocative, powerful, easy-to-use complete Arranger ever produced.

Listen and Believe.

Please note: Cosmetic and Technical specifications are subject to change without notice