PA5X CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

[♔Chello]

PA5X CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

I have now worked quite a lot on creating styles from MIDI, and Pa5X stands out from all others, as it is possible to create well-functioning styles from the vast majority of midi files.

Why this is so can largely be attributed to its large sound library, but there is also something else that is different from others:
The Pa5X treats chords differently; more intuitively, one could almost say, much like the Karma technology does.
I have now created several styles that confirm this - none of these have worked satisfactorily on other models I have had.

Tyros4 has for years been the absolute best when it comes to creating well-functioning styles from MIDI, but the Pa5X surpasses this by a good margin.

[✪sjmarano]

"The Pa5X treats chords differently; more intuitively, one could almost say, much like the Karma technology does. "

Chellos -

I am a newcomer to your forum having only recently discovered it, so please excuse me for asking this long after your original post.
But could you briefly elaborate on your statement that I have quoted above?

[♔Chello]

"The Pa5X treats chords differently; more intuitively, one could almost say, much like the Karma technology does. "

Chellos -

I am a newcomer to your forum having only recently discovered it, so please excuse me for asking this long after your original post.
But could you briefly elaborate on your statement that I have quoted above?

This is not documented by Korg, but only based on my own experience:


When you convert a style from one brand to another, many chords will very often be reproduced incorrectly, and some brands are more problematic than others.

The Karma technology is the most intelligent I know of; it is able to interpret chords in a way that no other can.

The Pa5X manages to interpret chords better than any other I have worked with, but also makes mistakes, but to a lesser extent than others.

As I said, I have had to discard many style creations with models from Roland, Technics, Ketron, Yamaha and Korg, because the chords have not worked properly.

The Pa5X makes the chords work, which is probably due to its large sound library (or technology taken from Karma).

[✪sjmarano]

"The Pa5X treats chords differently; more intuitively, one could almost say, much like the Karma technology does. "

Chellos -

I am a newcomer to your forum having only recently discovered it, so please excuse me for asking this long after your original post.
But could you briefly elaborate on your statement that I have quoted above?

This is not documented by Korg, but only based on my own experience:


When you convert a style from one brand to another, many chords will very often be reproduced incorrectly, and some brands are more problematic than others.

The Karma technology is the most intelligent I know of; it is able to interpret chords in a way that no other can.

The Pa5X manages to interpret chords better than any other I have worked with, but also makes mistakes, but to a lesser extent than others.

As I said, I have had to discard many style creations with models from Roland, Technics, Ketron, Yamaha and Korg, because the chords have not worked properly.

The Pa5X makes the chords work, which is probably due to its large sound library (or technology taken from Karma).

Thanks very much for the insight!  Very gratifying to learn.  By the way,  I can certainly attest to the power of Karma technology.  My new 76-key PA5X is paired with my venerable 73-key Korg M3 which I have enjoyed for over ten years.   As I'm sure you know, the M3 is the predecessor to the Kronos and some have said that it has a more powerful implementation of Karma than the Kronos.  I have no way of knowing if that's a valid claim, but I can say that the pairing of the PA5X's arranger functionality and the M3's Karma functionality - along with both having great workstation capability - make an incredibly capable and powerful creative combination.

[♔Chello]

Thanks very much for the insight!  Very gratifying to learn.  By the way,  I can certainly attest to the power of Karma technology.  My new 76-key PA5X is paired with my venerable 73-key Korg M3 which I have enjoyed for over ten years.   As I'm sure you know, the M3 is the predecessor to the Kronos and some have said that it has a more powerful implementation of Karma than the Kronos.  I have no way of knowing if that's a valid claim, but I can say that the pairing of the PA5X's arranger functionality and the M3's Karma functionality - along with both having great workstation capability - make an incredibly capable and powerful creative combination.

The Pa5X is unlikely to have real Karma, but perhaps some imitation of the technology.


Korg has unfortunately terminated the contract to use Karma on new products.

The M3 is ranked as Korg's best product ever by many.
I have an OASYS myself, and have had both the Kronos 2 and Nautilus.

I am also very sure that Korg has transferred much of their technology to the Pa5X.

It is fantastic to be able to use Karma with the OASYS.

[✪sjmarano]

The M3 is ranked as Korg's best product ever by many.
I have an OASYS myself, and have had both the Kronos 2 and Nautilus.

I am also very sure that Korg has transferred much of their technology to the Pa5X.

It is fantastic to be able to use Karma with the OASYS.

Well I think you are being too kind, Chellos, given that you own an Oasys. I think most who have wide experience with Korg synths/workstations would feel that the Oasys is/was Korg's best product with probably Kronos second and M3 third.  But regardless, I really enjoy my M3.   Having said that, it's rather sad and shameful that these three products represent IMHO the pinnacle of Korg's keyboard/workstation products introduced over the years, and which significantly outclass Korg's current keyboard line (e.g. Nautilus).  I am not including the PA5X in this comparison, which I believe is currently their most powerful keyboard even with the many reported deficiencies and bugs and which has the potential to equal or exceed the capabilities of the venerable three mentioned above.  It is my hope that Korg will overcome most of its reported issues through future OS updates which I am patiently awaiting.  Because I am basically just a home hobbyist and not a music professional who must rely on my keyboards to make a living,  I can afford to be more patient.  And I also recognize that the outlook for mfrs to reverse this disappointing trend and return to releasing more powerful physical workstation products again is not good given the predominant emphasis on software and simple MIDI controllers.  But I am sure nothing that I say here is anything new or different than others in similar position and with a similar fondness for hardware-based instruments.

[♔Chello]

The M3 is ranked as Korg's best product ever by many.
I have an OASYS myself, and have had both the Kronos 2 and Nautilus.

I am also very sure that Korg has transferred much of their technology to the Pa5X.

It is fantastic to be able to use Karma with the OASYS.

Well I think you are being too kind, Chellos, given that you own an Oasys. I think most who have wide experience with Korg synths/workstations would feel that the Oasys is/was Korg's best product with probably Kronos second and M3 third.  But regardless, I really enjoy my M3.   Having said that, it's rather sad and shameful that these three products represent IMHO the pinnacle of Korg's keyboard/workstation products introduced over the years, and which significantly outclass Korg's current keyboard line (e.g. Nautilus).  I am not including the PA5X in this comparison, which I believe is currently their most powerful keyboard even with the many reported deficiencies and bugs and which has the potential to equal or exceed the capabilities of the venerable three mentioned above.  It is my hope that Korg will overcome most of its reported issues through future OS updates which I am patiently awaiting.  Because I am basically just a home hobbyist and not a music professional who must rely on my keyboards to make a living,  I can afford to be more patient.  And I also recognize that the outlook for mfrs to reverse this disappointing trend and return to releasing more powerful physical workstation products again is not good given the predominant emphasis on software and simple MIDI controllers.  But I am sure nothing that I say here is anything new or different than others in similar position and with a similar fondness for hardware-based instruments.

⚝sjmarano

Yes; a lot of people say what you do about OASYS, Kronos, Nautilus and M3.
I haven't had the M3, but the other three.
Nautilus was a big disappointment.

Regarding the Pa5X and what it is capable of, I would like to note this in particular:

No other keyboard is as easy to work with, and no other gives nearly as good a result with styles created from midi; here you can really discover the actual potential of the Pa5X.

Many times I feel a similarity to Kronos and OASYS when I create styles from midi, and no other keyboard has been able to play many of these styles.

I just experienced this again, when I created a style from midi; Cowboys From Hell with Pantera, which is quite demanding dynamically.

NO ONE makes such styles, and similar ones are only made for advanced synths.
The Pa5X constantly impresses, and bugs really don't matter, as long as I get to make my necessary edits.