The Royal Korgs

Pa5X is the new flagship in the KORG Professional Arranger lineup, redefining an arranger keyboard. Completely redesigned with a state-of-the-art sound engine and a streamlined colour-driven user interface, Pa5X produces a rich, unique sonic experience that inspires users to create and perform.

Pa5X comes packed with thousands of inspiring Sounds and hundreds of fresh Styles, all instantly accessible through an inviting workflow. A completely new front panel featuring an assignable Pad Matrix and Mixer section, multicoloured LED buttons, and a huge tilt-able touchscreen puts the user in control of the music making experience at all times. Pa5X excels both as a live performance instrument and as a powerful creative tool in the studio, allowing users to find their ideal sound.

The Pa5X was designed with durability in mind, featuring a sturdy aluminium body and genuine wooden side-panels for a luxury appearance. All of the keybeds on Pa5X provide an authentic feel and full control of expression for any playing situation. The 88-key weighted action has a realistic piano-like touch while the 76- and 61-key versions feature lighter touch semi-weighted keys. All the keybeds include aftertouch control for added expressivity.

Modern and Streamlined User Interface
At the centre of Pa5X is a large 8-inch tilt-able touch screen that displays a completely redesigned GUI. This makes all the sounds and features of Pa5X easily accessible to home and studio musicians as well as live performers. The colours in the display are carefully matched to the ones used in the LED programmable buttons on the control panel. This colour driven interface allows users to easily navigate Pa5X, adding colour to their music.

Powerful EDS-XP Sound Engine for Rich and Inspiring Sounds
Korg Professional Arrangers have set the industry standard for powerful musical expression, featuring sound engines that inspire musicians to create and perform. Pa5X introduces the EDS-XP (Enhanced Definition Synthesis — Expanded) sound-engine, which builds upon the technology used in Pa4X with advanced hardware and a powerful new operating system, taking sounds on Pa5X to a new level. The 24 stereo Oscillators and 160 voices of polyphony power thousands of high-quality sounds, covering a wide range of musical instruments and genres. The EDS-XP sound engine also introduces new cutting-edge features such as Round-Robin drum and percussion performance, Smooth Sound Transition, Sound-Controller 3 functionality and much more. This provides an unprecedented level of sonic realism and expression that is only available on Pa5X.

Realtime Controllers
Pa5X features a fully programmable control section with 9 buttons and 9 sliders. Any function can be assigned to it, from mixer volume to drawbar settings, from microphone mute to bass inversion, to lyrics scroll commands and more. The assigned function is shown by an auxiliary strip display so that you always know what you have under your fingertips — even if you are on a different page to the main display. Numerous assignable controllers are available for expressive real time playing and Korg’s DNC (Defined Nuance Control) which supplies so much of the detail in the sound of musical instruments. Faders, switches, real and virtual matrices of real time controls, the joystick, and the ribbon controller can be assigned to modulate any parameter of the sound. This provides precise control of the most subtle nuances and articulation of the instruments being played on the Pa5x.

Advanced Chord Recognition System and Full Library of Chord Sequences
Pa5X’s chord recognition system is the most sophisticated around, featuring an Expert mode that is crafted around the playing styles of the best modern jazz pianists. This chord recognition system can be as simple or advanced as desired, also allowing users to trigger chords with a single finger.

With automatic harmonisation, a chord sequencer, and a sophisticated chord recognition engine, Pa5X provides the tools to create rich musical arrangements no matter what the genre of music.

Smooth Transitions between Sounds, Styles and Songs
Pa5X adds Smooth Sound Transition (SST) technology, allowing for seamless transitions between Sounds, Styles and Songs without any interruption. When a different element is selected, the sound, effects and sequences will continue to play, fading away naturally until the performer is ready for the next sequence or note to begin. This makes for an uninterrupted and realistic performance.

Cutting-edge Dual Crossfading Players
Pa5x can play two Styles, MIDI files, or MP3 files simultaneously and in any combination, made possible by the dual onboard Players — Korg’s exclusive XDS Crossfade Dual Sequencer/Player. These two Players can be mixed with a handy crossfader, or can be used to play a song while another one is waiting to start. All the while, Pa5X’s sound engine delivers the power, effects processing, and polyphony to make these transitions happen seamlessly.

Lyrics, Chords, Score and Marker can be clearly shown on the large internal display of Pa5X, or even on an external display when connected via the built-in HDMI port. A wide variety of Lyrics formats are supported, and users can automatically generate a score from a MIDI Song. Markers allow for quick navigation of a song using the Style-Element buttons, allowing for an easy jump back to a passage to repeat while studying, rehearsing, or performing live.

Creating Styles and Songs
Users can create their own Styles, and record their own MIDI and MP3 Songs. The included editing features allow for detailed editing of each single recorded event. A sophisticated transposition table adapts the sequences to any chord users may play. They can record a MIDI Song using a full-featured Sequencer. Even easier, just record what’s sung or played (including MP3 Songs) as an MP3 file, and listen to it anywhere.

The SongBook: A Music Library Always With You
Songs and Styles can be saved into the onboard SongBook, whose database-like entries are easy to synchronise with external score readers on a tablet. Users can therefore use a digital music book to control the Pa5X. The songs in the music database can be saved into Set Lists, each one dedicated to a show, to a singer or a style of music, for easy handling of all music resources at once during live performances. When choosing a song from the SongBook, users also get the necessary Sounds, the Style, a Song, the effects and even a chord sequence.

A Complete Sound Library
The onboard sounds range from ultra-realistic acoustic instruments, to electric vintage keyboards, to synth classics, with the addition of fantasy sounds and special effects for game, media, video and cinema production. Korg have also included instruments from various ages and world cultures, while also leaving ample room for the users’ own expansions. The curated selection of acoustic and electric pianos, which includes sounds from its celebrated SV-2 Stage Vintage Piano, is particularly suitable for the hammer action 88 key version. The company has also included specially selected sounds from its flagship synth workstations: Kronos and Nautilus.

A new Drawbar Organ section proudly boasts a realistic control surface that can rely on the physical sliders and buttons on the main panel of Pa5X. New effects that are derived from the legendary Korg CX-3 Combo Organ are also included. The new Drum Kits were recorded making use of a new technology, based on round robins to increase realism. No two drum hits are equal, resulting in authentic-sounding drum performances. In addition to the huge amount of included sounds, the onboard sampler will help create new Sounds, Drum Kits and Audio Loops. Users can record their own sounds or import from standard file formats like AIFF, WAV and SF2. The detailed on-board sample editor allows for fine tuning of samples, and transform an audio loop into a percussive kit.

Intuitive Mixer Section with Extensive Effects Processing
Sounds on Pa5X are processed by an elaborate chain of professional studio quality effects, with up to 10 Insert FX, 3 Master FX and 1 Finalizer for each of the two Players. The Keyboard Sets can use up to 3 Insert and 3 Master FX. Final mastering effects are applied as the last step on the audio outputs of Pa5X, resulting in a polished sound which is blended and produced. This is a result of Korg’s long term cooperation with Waves Audio, the world reference in studio mastering effects.

Dedicated Microphone and Guitar Inputs with Effects Processing
A microphone and a guitar can be connected simultaneously to the separate audio inputs of Pa5X. Korg’s extensive experience in vocal harmonisation technology and guitar effects processing is featured, with each of these inputs having dedicated on-board effects.

Korg have teamed with Shift Audio, a company with 30 years of experience in vocal processing technology. The founders of Shift Audio came from an industry leading company specialising in vocal processing products building on their experience to deliver. The latest generation of vocal processing algorithms optimised to run on the latest technology used in the Pa5X. The result is incredible lifelike four-voice harmonies that give users the feeling of a real singing group surrounded by their own music. The new Auto Pitch feature in the Pa5X can deliver performance and sound found in a lot of modern music.

The separate guitar input is completely independent and even has its own gain control. Guitar effects include vintage pedal and amplifier simulators to enhance the guitar’s sound and performance. There are many predefined guitar-presets of up to 4 insert-effects provided, and it is also easy to create and save user effects presets. These new powerful guitar effects make the live performance of your guitarist much easier, as all the effects and effect-settings are handled by the Pa5X. One vocal and one guitar-preset can be assigned to each SongBook entry which makes for an easy and fast musical performance. 

MIDI, USB, HDMI, Audio In and Out, Pedal Connectors
Pa5X offers a plethora of audio, control and storage connections. Users can use MIDI and USB for controllers or storage devices, HDMI for an external display, the XLR, jack and minijack audio connectors for other keyboards, condenser and dynamic microphones, guitars and bass guitars, smartphones and tablets, or to connect an instrument to powered speakers or PA systems via the balanced outs. Four separate line outs are available to handle sounds separately.

Three pedal inputs allow for connecting a preferred damper pedal (with half-pedal support), footswitch, volume and expression pedals. Users can use the ones they already own, or choose from Korg’s range of optional accessories. 

Standard File Formats
The use of standard file formats, such as MIDI or MP3 for songs, WAV, AIFF and SF2 for samples, opens up a world of possibilities when exchanging files. The MIDI and USB ports allow Pa5X to connect with any external storage device, personal computer, smartphone, tablet or external controller. The HDMI connector is compatible with many modern monitors and club video circuits, allowing Pa5X to serve as the centre of studio or stage setups.

Optional Accessories
The optional modern and stylish ST-SV1-BK stand keeps Pa5X sturdy while performing on stage and thanks to an elegant design, it can also function as a stylish piece of furniture when setup in the home. Pa5X is compatible with the Korg PaAS Amplification System, a speaker system which has been specifically designed to easily connect directly to Pa5X without cables. This allows users to listen with the best audio quality, even at the lowest volume levels for rehearsing at night.

Conclusion
Pa5X is the most powerful and easy to use Professional Arranger ever produced, with much more to explore on this cutting-edge new platform. The unique combination of Pa5X’s new sound catalog, operating system, streamlined navigation, and feature set are ready to take performances to an all-new level.

Pa5X Specifications

Keyboard:

• Pa5X 61: 61 keys (C2 — C7) Semi-weighted keys with Aftertouch
• Pa5X 76: 76 keys (E1 — G7) Semi-weighted keys with Aftertouch
• Pa5X 88: 88 keys (A0 — C8) Hammer action with Aftertouch

Case: Aluminium case with wooden side panels

Operating System: Upgradable Operating System

Sound Generator: 

• EDS-XP (Enhanced Definition Synthesis-Expanded)
• Multimode filters with resonance, 3-band EQ for each track

Polyphony: 160 Voices and 160 Oscillators

Effects:

• Keyboard Tracks with 3 Insert Effect, 3 Master Effects
• Style/Song: 10 Insert Effects, 3 Master Effects
• Master EQ and Finalizer for Songs and Styles
• Final Mastering Effects with Waves MaxxAudio Suite

Mic Processor Technology by Shift Audio:

• Compressor
• EQ
• Gate
• Four-part harmoniser
• Doubler
• Filter
• Modulation
• Delay
• Reverb
• Autopitch

Guitar Processor: Guitar rack (4 effect-slots) with stompbox and amp simulation

Sounds / Drum Kits:

• More than 2,200 Factory Sounds
• Five multilayer Stereo Acoustic Pianos with Damper/Body Resonance
• GM/XG Sound Sets
• More than 130 Drum Kits including Ambient Drums and Round Robin-based Drum Kits
• User Area with 768 Sounds, 384 Drum Kits
• Digital Drawbars with 9 Footages, Percussion, Key On/Off, Leakage, Vibrato/Chorus, Rotary Speaker with Amp Simulator
• Natural Ambience Drum Sounds, Round Robin features
• Defined Nuance Control (DNC) Technology
• Quick and Full Sound Editing, Drum Family and Full Drum Kit Editing

Sampling:

• User PCM Sample memory with 4 GB data (equivalent to 8 GB linear when compressed)
• Loads Korg, WAV, AIFF and SoundFont formats
• Saves Korg, WAV and AIFF formats
• Full Edit, Time Slice, Sampling features

Keyboard Sets:

• Factory with more than 500 Factory Keyboard Sets, freely programmable
• Combines four Keyboard Sounds, plus Effects and settings
• Library accessible from front-panel buttons
• “My Setting” special Keyboard Set

Players:

• Patented XDS Crossfade Dual Player with X-Fader Balance control
• Crossfading between Songs and/or Styles

Styles:

• Factory with 600+ Factory Styles, freely programmable
• Eight ‘Style Tracks’, 4 ‘Keyboard Sets’ and 4 ‘Pads per Style’, and programmable sounds, effects and style parameters
• Guitar Mode 2, Parallel and Fixed NTT (Note Transposition Table)
• Style Record and Event Edit
• Style Elements with 3 Intros, 4 Variations, 4 Fills, 1 Break, 3 Endings
• Style Controls with play/stop, synchro start, synchro stop, tap tempo/reset, auto fill, memory, bass inversion, manual bass, bass & lower backing, drum & bass, individual style tracks mute, style to keyboard set

Chord Sequencer:

• Factory with 200+ Chord Sequences
• Chord Sequence Recorder/Player
• Chord Sequences can be saved to Style and SongBook Entries

Songs:

• Patented XDS Crossfade Dual Player with X-Fader Balance control
• Supported formats: MID, KAR, MP3 + Lyrics, MP3+G
• Lyrics, Score, and Chord data can be displayed on screen, or on external video monitor
• Markers with Add, Delete, Edit, Loop and AutoScroll functions
• Jukebox function
• Full-featured, 16-track Sequencer, Song Edit

MP3 Player / Recorder:

• Double MP3 Player and MP3 Recorder
• Records MP3 files, including Styles, MIDI Songs, MP3 Songs, Keyboard Sounds, Pads, Matrix, Microphone, Guitar, Effects 
• Transpose (+6/-5 semitones), Tempo Change (±30%)
• Vocal Remover

SongBook:

• Fully programmable music database based on Styles, MIDI Songs (MID and KAR files), MP3 Songs with Artist and Genre tags
• Filtering and sorting options
• User definable Set Lists

Compatibility: Legacy Pa-Series models with Styles, Keyboard Sets (Performances), Sounds (Programs), Songs, Pads

Pads:

• Factory with more than 400 Pads
• Four Assignable Pads and Stop Buttons
• Pad Record function

Control Section: 

• 9 Assignable Sliders
• 9 Assignable Buttons
• Strip Display with 4 Preset and 1 User settings

Matrix Section: 16 Matrix Pads, 4 Preset buttons

Style/Song Controls:

• Play/Stop
• Go To Start
• Style Select
• Song Select
• Xfader
• Tempo +/-
• Tempo Lock
• Tap Tempo/Reset
• Synchro Start
• Synchro Stop
• Fade In/Out
• Chord Scan (Lower, Upper)
• Chord Sequence
• Memory
• AutoFill

General Controls:

• Master Volume
• Octave Transpose
• Master Transpose
• Dial
• Up/+
• Down/-
• Joystick (Pitch + Modulation)
• Ribbon
• 3 Assignable Switches
• Search
• Shift
• Keyboard Sounds On/Off
• Split
• Ensemble
• Rec/Edit
• Menu
• Exit

Scale Controls: On-screen Quarter Tone and Arabic Scale, memorised in the Keyboard Sets and Presets assignable to any button or footswitch

Control Inputs:

• Damper Pedal supporting half-pedalling with the optional Korg DS-1H pedal
• 2 assignable pedal/footswitch

Audio Inputs:

• Mic: Mono with Gain control and Phantom Power (Combo XLR, balanced)
• Guitar: Mono with Gain control (1/4-inch jack, unbalanced)
• Line 1: Left/Right (1/4-inch jacks, balanced)
• Line 2: Stereo (1/8-inch mini-jack, unbalanced)

Audio Outputs:

• Line outs via main Left/Right, separate outs 1/2/3/4 (1/4-inch jacks, balanced)
• Headphones (1/4-inch jack)

Video Output: ​HDMI connector

MIDI:

• IN, OUT, THRU standard MIDI connectors
• USB to MIDI, through the USB Device port
• 16 User-definable MIDI Presets

USB:

• Type A as host 3.0, for storage devices and controllers (1 front, 2 rear)  
• Type B as device 2.0, for personal computers and tablets (1 rear)

Storage:

• 1 GB internal drive
• Micro SD Card (not included), via rear-panel slot with plastic cover
• USB Flash Drive (not included), via USB Host ports

Display: 8-inch wide capacitive colour TouchView TFT display, 800 x 600 resolution

Clock: Internal System Clock

Power Consumption: 

• 100-240Volts, 50/60Hz 
• Less than 0.2 Watt in standby, 20 Watt normal, 45 Watt with PaAS installed

Dimensions & Weight

W x D x H. Without music stand, display fully lowered

Pa5X-88: 

• 1262mm x 396.4mm x 146mm
• 20.1kg

Pa5X-76: 

• 1233.1mm x 374.3mm x 126.8mm
• 17.4kg

Pa5X-61:

• 1021.1mm x 374.3mm x 126.8mm
• 15.1kg

PaAS (optional): 

• 980mm x 180mm x 140mm
• 5.70 kg

Accessories:

• AC Power Cable
• Music Stand
• Quick Guide manual

Options:

• PaAS Amplification System
• ST-SV1-BK Keyboard Stand
• EXP-2 Foot Controller
• XVP-20 Expression/Volume Pedal
• DS-1H Damper Pedal (supports half-pedalling)
• PS-1 Pedal Switch
• PS-3 Pedal Switch
• VOX V860 Volume Pedal

KO-PA5X61
Korg PA5X-61 Arranger keyboard 61 keys
RRP $8999.00
SSP $6999.00

KO-PA5X76
Korg PA5X-61 Arranger keyboard 76 keys
(Piano hammer actions)
RRP $9499.00
SSP $7399.00

KO-PA5X88
Korg PA5X-61 Arranger keyboard 88 keys
(Piano hammer actions)
RRP $9999.00
SSP $7799.00

Available to order now, with an ETA of August 2022.