Korg EK 50 Review

We rated this keyboard a 7.5/10. The Korg EK 50 is an Entertainer style keyboard with velocity-sensitive keys. It is also a synthesizer. The best selling point here is that you can be a one-man (or woman!) band with this instrument. The EK 50 has over 700 voices. If you are in the market for an entry-level piano/synth, this model is a good choice. Classical players probably won’t enjoy the velocity-sensitive keybed, though.

Korg EK-50 Overview

The Korg EK 50 is considered an entry-level entertainer keyboard and a synthesizer. Korg advertises it as an instrument that grows along with you, which is really intriguing! Let’s learn more about its sound with this demo video from the maker.

It is quite surprising that Korg released an entry-level instrument at all. Typically, they only create intermediate to professional keyboards. Let’s learn a little bit more about this anomaly of a model.

According to Amazon.com and the maker, the Korg EK-50 boasts the following: 

• An onboard speaker system
• Real-time recording 
• Over 30 effects

Korg EK 50 Features

Automatic Accompaniment Styles

The Korg EK-50 has over 100 accompaniment styles. Here are some of the genres/backing tracks that are included on the instrument: 

• Soft beats
• Ballads
• Folk Ballads
• Country tracks
• Blues
• Shuffle Beats
• Rock and Roll
• Pop Rock
• Hard Rock
• Jives
• Fox Trots
• House, Dream, and Techno

To see the entire list of accompaniment patterns, visit this site here.

Stereo PCM Sound Generator 

PCM, also known as pulse-code modulation, converts analog sound into digital sound. Stereo is another term we throw around a lot, but don’t always define. Stereo makes it feel like the sound in coming from multiple places, rather than just one (like you’d find in mono). The sound generator on the Korg EK 50 is simple in design, yet high quality.

A Wide Variety of Voices

From winds to harmonica, guitars to piano, it seems that this entry-level keyboard has it all! The Korg EK 50 has over 700 total voices. 

Here are some more voices available on this model:

• Pads
• Organs
• Bells, Pitched Percussion
• Strings
• Brass
• Saxophones and other Reeds
• Flutes
• Chiptune
• Synth leads
• Basses

To read the entire list of sounds, visit this site.

To hear all of the Korg EK 50’s voices, check out these videos by Bonners: 

Korg EK 50 sounds part 1

Korg EK 50 sounds part 2

Korg EK 50 sounds part 3

Part 1 includes most all of the keyboard sounds, such as the pianos, organs, and harpsichords. So, part 2 covers sounds such as strings, saxes, clarinets, and more. And, part 3 encompasses all of the percussion sounds, and odd extras. 

Song Mode

Song mode allows you to record your playing on the instrument itself (as well as play it back). This feature is a favorite among Korg EK-50 owners, as it allows you to stop and listen to your own performance. The maximum number of internal recordings you can have is 999: So you won’t need to worry about running out of space, either. 

Be A One Man Band 

With the Korg EK 50, you can be a one-man or one-woman band. In addition to the over-200 accompaniment styles, this keyboard has settings for fills, intros, variations, and endings. 

Great Effects

Many starter keyboards only have one reverb, and one chorus. If you want to grow as a musician, this simply isn’t enough. With 34 effects to choose from, you won’t be getting bored any time soon. 

The EK 50’s four stereo effects processors offer over 100 combinations of unique filters and sounds. 

Drum Kits and SFX

Some of the more expensive synth workstations we have recently looked at have quite the bank of drum sounds. But even if you can’t afford a Yamaha Genos, you can find a keyboard with some drum samples.

You can hear the drum sets and SFX sounds in the following video by KeyboardKrazy49.

There are some pretty wacky sounds up for grabs here. Many of the aux percussion sounds (light-saber sounds, pitched barking dogs) are simply goofy. However, the high hat sounds on quite resonant and respectable. 

I’d say that the drum kits aren’t this Korg’s best selling point, but they will certainly get you  by in a pinch. 

Korg’s Software Bundle

The EK 50 comes with Korgs own custom software bundle.  This includes Reason Lite, Skoove, and Ozone Elements. A favorite of mine that is in this bundle is Reason. I produce all of my backing tracks and flute covers through this program. Reason has loads of great percussion sounds as well. 

Skoove is an app that helps you learn to play piano music. If you’ve read our other reviews, you’ve probably already heard of it! 

Ozone Elements is a product from Izotope Studios. While I haven’t personally used Ozone Elements, I have used their RX audio editor (which is stellar). Ozone Elements helps you equalize and master your songs, even if you aren’t professionally trained in mixing or mastering. 

This software bundle is quite them gem. I’ve yet to come across another entry-level keyboard that has an Izotope and Reason product included in its package. 

Add Even More Styles with a Flash Drive

If you’d like to play your own samples, simply connect a flash drive to your Korg EK 50, and add the voices to the bank. This feature allows you to add up to 98 more sounds to the samples. 

While many instrument makers reserve this feature for higher-end drum kits, this Korg allows you to get the best of both worlds. 

Split Function 

Quite a few of the entry-level keyboards that have been coming out lately don’t have the split function. Split is especially helpful for performers who are working with a bigger sound bank like this one. Because you can use two voices at once, you have more creative options when you’re playing live. 

Velocity Sensitive Keys with 4 Settings

You can choose from the following touch sensitivity options: Soft, medium, hard, and fixed. 

While this keyboard doesn’t have any weight to it, many performers have said that they like they keyfeel, and that it is a very responsive instrument. 

Specifications

• Weight: 7.5 kilograms
• Dimensions: 13.1 x 5.4 x 5.2 inches
• Keyboard type: Entertainer, synthesizer 
• Number of Effects: 34
• Output: 10 watts

Who Is It Suitable For?

The Korg EK 50 is suitable for gigging musicians who don’t want to break the bank. It is also great for beginners, up to intermediates. 

I can see musicians growing out of this keyboard eventually, once they get past intermediate playing, and into professional gigs. All in all, I do agree that the Korg EK 50 grows with you as a musician. If you want a smaller, economical instrument that has high-quality sounds and a nice key feel, check this one out. 

Korg EK 50: Reviews and Demos

Frank from Korg talks about the entertainer keyboard in-depth in this overview.

Here’s what he said, in a nutshell: 

• This instrument is light weight
• The sounds are high-quality
• It is great for multi-genre artists
• If you want to adjust the backing tracks, you can mute, replace, or edit instruments in the recording

The second part of this style overview is another no-talking, all-playing video.

In this demo video, you hear the following backing tracks: 

• Al Swing
•  House
• Guitar Synth 1
• Besame Mucho
• Grand Piano
• Merengue 2
• Cumbia
• Chiptune
• Gipsy
• Orgel
• Love Ballad
• Rap

I’m quite partial to the Besame Mucho /with the  Italian cafe-style backing track. Cumbia is also quiet. Very cute. The chiptune is even more cute and fun, though! 

Orgel sounds like a quaint music box. 

Love ballad is a bit too cheesy for my tastes, but I can see some musicians liking it. I could say the same for the rap style as well. 

All in all, it’s a great sound for such a low price.

Korg EK 50:Pros and Cons

Pros

• The sounds the EK 50 has to offer are excellent for the price
• There are over 700 onboard voices
• It offers real-time recording through song mode
• The keys and touch control are high quality
• The speakers are built-in, so you can plug it in and play with no hassle
• The keyboard is modern and nice to look at
• You can take songs you recorded via Song Mode and transfer them onto your computer with a thumb drive 
• The optional battery power lasts over 6 hours, so you can confidently take the EK 50 on the go
• It has an easy-to-navigate on board keys

It’s undeniable: For the price, the Korg EK 50 is an absolute steal. With over 700 on-board voice options, tons of accompaniments, and quite the handful of effects, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. This instrument is the ideal entry-level gigging keyboard and synth. Because it is so light weight, and has long-lasting battery power, it makes playing out on the town a lot easiest. 

Cons

• With just 61 keys, you are relatively limited with repertoire 
• Overall, this is not the most top-of-the-line synthesizer 
• Because the keyboard is small, the speakers are small, and thus not as powerful
• There are a lot of silly sounds in the percussion 
• The ‘serious’ percussion is admittedly a bit tinny
• There is only one pedal input in this model

Overall, most people who are out there looking for a MIDI controller or a synth aren’t looking for 88 keys, anyways. However, if you are a pianist looking to perform jazz or classical, you may want to consider a bigger model. 

Like we hinted at earlier: You simply can’t get a Yamaha Genos for under $6k. This is a great starter synth. But it is by no means a professional model. 

Let’s talk about the speakers. The smaller the instrument, the smaller the speakers. Don’t get me wrong, the Korg EK 50’s speakers are very good. Small, but mighty. If you want large and mighty for gigging, you might want to look into external speakers.

The silly aux percussion make this keyboard quite unideal for children. The barking sounds and zappy sounds could easily distract students from the task at hand! 

Korg EK-50 Amazon Reviews

The Korg EK 50 was rated 4.6 out of 5 stars. 

What customers enjoyed:

• It’s a really fun keyboard
• You get a lot for the price
• It’s a powerful synthesizer 
• It’s high quality
• It was the perfect size for their living space
• The on-board controls are extremely accessible 
• It sounds wonderful 

What they didn’t:

• The manual was unhelpful and they had to learn everything from Youtubers

Quick View 

Similar Instruments

The following instruments are often compared  to the Korg EK 50: 

• Yamaha PSR-E463 $329.99 
• Yamaha PST-E373 $199.99
• Casio CT S-5000
• This Casio WK-7600 $449.99
• This one Casio  CT-X700 $174.00 
• Roland E09

Of the comparative keyboards listed above, the Casio CT-X700 is the most similar to the Korg EK 50. While the Yamaha keyboards are designed to be portable pianos, many keyboards from Casio’s line allow you to produce EDM, as well as other, more synthy styles. 

However, if you are looking for more keys, consider the Yamaha PSRs. The PSR line has comparable polyphony to the EK 50, but sets you up more for traditional styles. 

Korg EK 50: Conclusion

In conclusion, the Korg EK 50 is a great starter keyboard and synth. If you need an entry-level instrument, we highly recommend you start with Korg. We hope you’ve enjoyed this Korg EK 50 review!

7.5Expert Score

We rated this keyboard a 7.5/10. The Korg EK 50 is an Entertainer style keyboard with velocity-sensitive keys. It is also a synthesizer. The best selling point here is that you can be a one-man (or woman!) band with this instrument. The EK 50 has over 700 voices. If you are in the market for an entry-level piano/synth, this model is a good choice. Classical players probably won’t enjoy the velocity-sensitive keybed, though.

PROS

• The sounds the EK 50 has to offer are excellent for the price
• There are over 700 onboard voices
• It offers real-time recording through song mode
• The keys and touch control are high quality
• The speakers are built-in, so you can plug it in and play with no hassle
• The keyboard is modern and nice to look at
• You can take songs you recorded via Song Mode and transfer them onto your computer with a thumb drive
• The optional battery power lasts over 6 hours, so you can confidently take the EK 50 on the go
• It has an easy-to-navigate on board keys

CONS

• With just 61 keys, you are relatively limited with repertoire
• Overall, this is not the most top-of-the-line synthesizer
• Because the keyboard is small, the speakers are small, and thus not as powerful
• There are a lot of silly sounds in the percussion
• The ‘serious’ percussion is admittedly a bit tinny
• There is only one pedal input in this model