Posted by: john smies
Back to the Future, Korg PA500 - 04/13/10 01:51 AM
As I mentioned in an earlier thread I sold all of my keyboard gear in 2005, the Korg PA50 being the most important one.
Six months ago I got started again with an old Yamaha PSR1100, which recently I part traded for a new Korg PA500.
Reminiscent of the PA50/80 in many ways, but with extended possibilities and (overall) more and better sounds. (Though some basic samples were better in the PA50/80 imho).
Still I would consider the Korg PA500 the poor man's Ketron Audya, going by all that I have heard and read. It certainly is the most flexible arranger keyboard I have ever owned but inevitably comes along with a fairly steep learning curve. All the more so if you never owned a Korg before. The touchscreen as well requires getting used to but in itself works pretty well. The sounds are very good and like I said it is extremely flexible. What I like in particular is the fact that you can also replace the factory style preset by those of your own. (not the samples unfortunately....)
As with most keyboards out of the box I think that the factory Performance (user programs) set ups are rather average and can be vastly improved by one's own tweaking.
I'll be busy doing just that for the next two months I reckon.
To pay hommage to its predecessor , the PA50, I have uploaded a song that I recorded with the PA50 in 2004 on my YouTube page. And the pictures....well they speak for themselves don't they ??!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5IiUNce9cw
Six months ago I got started again with an old Yamaha PSR1100, which recently I part traded for a new Korg PA500.
Reminiscent of the PA50/80 in many ways, but with extended possibilities and (overall) more and better sounds. (Though some basic samples were better in the PA50/80 imho).
Still I would consider the Korg PA500 the poor man's Ketron Audya, going by all that I have heard and read. It certainly is the most flexible arranger keyboard I have ever owned but inevitably comes along with a fairly steep learning curve. All the more so if you never owned a Korg before. The touchscreen as well requires getting used to but in itself works pretty well. The sounds are very good and like I said it is extremely flexible. What I like in particular is the fact that you can also replace the factory style preset by those of your own. (not the samples unfortunately....)
As with most keyboards out of the box I think that the factory Performance (user programs) set ups are rather average and can be vastly improved by one's own tweaking.
I'll be busy doing just that for the next two months I reckon.
To pay hommage to its predecessor , the PA50, I have uploaded a song that I recorded with the PA50 in 2004 on my YouTube page. And the pictures....well they speak for themselves don't they ??!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5IiUNce9cw