Korg PA5X 61 Arranger Workstation

For decades, the world has seen keyboards and workstations become so extensive that the credentials verge on mind-boggling. As the boundaries between hardware and software start to dissolve, it's hard to tell where the evolution might end, but what's happening right now is the emergence of keyboards that can do the stuff that was once exclusive to software, and one of the names taking giant leaps in this heady universe is, of course, Korg. The PA5X is such an extensive sonic monster that it renders the keyboards that came out in the nineties an absolute joke. The Formidable Features of the Korg PA5X While the Korg PA4X is still a popular chunk of hardware, the PA5X pushes things even further. The control panel has been fully freshened up and some elements have been shifted to improve the workflow, but the most striking difference has to be the addition of a 4x4 button matrix: a keypad-style bank of buttons which is endlessly handy for muting and triggering specific sounds. Since you'll be working with the touch-screen display a lot, it hasn't just been expanded but completely redesigned. And since one of the most loved features of the PA4X was the crossfader - which could be used to flip from maybe an MP3 to a MIDI file with the languid flick of a wrist - the PA5X crossfader can even be used to transfer between styles. This is a pretty sweet perk, because it means two styles can be blended in one song, using the crossfader to transition from the verse to the chorus and back again without having to mess with your own style variations. Further Highlights Besides the upgraded controls, this next-gen workstation comes with various brand new sounds on board, some lent by the Kronos and Nautilus, and including some stunning pianos from the ST2 stage piano. There's also a sheer mountain of effects provided complete with inserts and sends and some new finalizers including a parametric equaliser and a brickwall limiter have also been crammed in. A microphone can be plugged in whether it's a passive dynamic mic or an active condenser, since the PA5X even supplies phantom power and you can even jack in an electric guitar. Any connected microphone is backed up by dedicated effects including a pitch-correcter and a four-part harmoniser, while a connected guitar can be coated in classic guitar effects. At the core, you're getting a fully-fledged performance tool but even on top of that you're essentially getting a music-focussed computer in a keyboard housing. Build bespoke styles from the ground up, carve out custom sounds and save them to the gigabytes of supplied memory - you name it. Just watch the clips included under the Videos tab on this page and you'll get the idea.