Korg PA4X Review

We rated the Korg PA4X a 10/10. The PA4X is a professional arranger keyboard with over 500 accompaniment styles, many ways to record, and stellar vocal processing. The accompaniment tracks and their features are extremely impressive. The intro, outro, fills, and breaks allow players to transition to different points in their music seamlessly. The PA4X also has excellent Western and Eastern sounds. If you are in the market for a workstation with realistic Eastern sounds and a full synthesizer, this Korg is a great option.

Overview

The Korg PA4X is a 61 to 76-key portable arranger keyboard and a synthesizer. Many musicians who fall into the category of multi-genre enjoy the Korg PA4x, and it’s no wonder why. With over 500 styles of sounds at your fingertips, this Korg model seems to have it all. 

According to Amazon and the manufacturer, the Korg PA4x is a professional instrument that is:

“Ideal for composing, recording, and combo use, the intuitive Pa4X really comes to life in the hands of the solo keyboard performer and entertainer. And nowhere else is the flawless operation and superior sound of one keyboard instrument more in the spotlight” (Amazon.com/Korg-76-key)

Let’s take a deeper dive into this synth to see if it is worth all of the hype it’s been given by so manh musicians. 

Korg PA4X Features

Vocal Processing

Like the Yamaha Genos, the Korg PA4x has internal vocal processing. A dynamic mic (input in the XLR input)  can be powered by the PA4x’s internal TC Helicon system, which can actually tune your harmonies. 

Other functions that are also available within the vocal processor include: a de-esser, autotune, filter, EQ, a delay and reverb knob, and a harmony button. You can use the keys, or settings to determine which harmonies are played. 

You can learn more about the vocal processing until in this model, and to see the harmony in action here.

Intros, Endings, Fills, and Breaks

While many backing tracks are a one-ticket train to the end, the Korg PA4x makes it easy to add intros, breaks, and other extras into your song. Smooth transitions can make the difference between a good performance and a stellar one. Many performers are saying that they actually prefer the Korg PA4x over its more expensive competitors like the Yamaha Genos, because of this feature. 

Stunning Effects 

The Korg PA4x has the following effects: 

• Waves Audio
• Harmonizer
• Reverb
• Delay
• Filters
• Pitch Correction
• Dynamics 

Waves Audio audio production tools can be found in a multitude of DAW’s as a complimentary sample. I know that I have had Waves Audio trials through my programs,  Reason 10 and Cubase. Essentially, this company is one of the biggest producers of plugins. 

As for the rest of the effects, they are pretty standard…except for one: pitch correction. Those who are after an instrument with hard pitch correction within a keyboard’s effects will find exactly what they want with the PA4x. I sampled it myself- It sounds just like the strong autotune you might hear on the radio. All in all, these effects are nothing short of stunning. 

Songbook 

Songbook is a database, full of song entries. All files in the soundbank can be turned into a: MIDI, Karaoke, or MP3 format. When you pick a song, your interface will turn on style play made simultaneously. 

That being said, you can also create your own song entry by choosing a style, and genre, key, and keyboard voice. 

I found these Korg video manuals to be really helpful for learning more about the PA4x.

7” LCD Screen 

The Touchview display screen is akin to a mini touchscreen tablet that is connected to your device. The large, full-color screen makes it easy to read music on board and navigate adjustments to your sound. Most of the LCD screens on the pianos and workstations we’ve looked at are not touch screens. This Korg is definitely with the times! 

EDS-X Sound Engine

EDS stands for enhanced definition synthesis (expanded). It’s a very realistic sound engine with PCM. The EDS-X Sound engine on the Korg PA4x contains over 1500 voices.! In addition to this, EDS-X has been updated to include new string and winds sounds.

All of the voices on the Korg PA4x can be navigated through a joystick with nuance control, which many users prefer over traditional up/down buttons. 

Here are some of the sounds from the Korg PA4x’s EDS-X engine include: 

• Saxes and other winds
• Oriental sounds and percussion
• Piano sounds
• Electric piano sounds
• Organs

Eastern Sounds

Within the same vein as the sound engine, it’s important to note that the Korg PA4x has over 200 Eastern sounds within its bank. These sounds are so excellent that the PA4x has also become known as the Korg PA4x Oriental. 

Take a listen to the samples here in Korg’s demo.

Multi-Functional File Player 

The multi-functional file player has a fader and vocal remover, so you can perform along to any song, without having to recreate the track in a DAW yourself.  I know that not having a vocal remover has greatly slowed down my own musical process. Oftentimes, I just want to jam out on my flute or piano to the original backing track…But I can’t find it…And so then I need to recreate the entire song on my digital audio workstation. Take it from the musician who doesn’t have one yet- A piano with vocal remover is invaluable if you are a cover artist. 

Many Ways to Record

You can record with your PA4x four ways: quick record, backing sequence, MIDI record, MP3 record. The real ‘pro’ to having the backing sequence option is that you can record multiple lines/ hands at the same time! Here we go again with my own process. Oftentimes, I have had to record my piano in Garageband, one line at a time. But because the Korg PA4x has the backing sequence, you won’t have to. 

500 Accompaniment Styles

Some of the styles include: 

• Pop accompaniments
• Flamenco accompaniments
• Rock accompaniments
• And more! 

Multi-Format Music System

This music system can handle much more than just MIDI files. It can also process MP3+G files, which are technically videos. Basically, MP3+G holds more information than regular MP3 files. There can be animations or videos with lyrics added to them. You can also use multiple file formats at the same time- So you can play an MP3 file and MIDI file simultaneously on the workstation itself. 

Specifications

• Weight: 35.9 pounds 
• Dimensions: 4.94 x 46.9 x 14.3 inches
• USB inputs: 2 x A, 1 x B
• Headphone input: x 1
• Pedal Inputs: Yes
• Sequencer: 16
• Number of effects: 142

Who Is It Suitable For?

The Korg PA4x is a suitable workstation and synthesizer for professional multi-genre musicians, who value having phantom power and vocal processing within their keyboard. I’d say that most performing vocalists would be thrilled to have the Korg PA4x by their side. 

Strictly classical musicians likely won’t enjoy this Korg as much as other performers may, because it has semi-weighted keys. That being said, a lot of synthesizer workstations don’t have any weight at all, they just have velocity-sensitive keybeds. Make sure you take the keybed into (heavy) consideration here before you purchase, if you are from a traditional classical or jazz background. Another demographic that seems to be overwhelmingly happy with this instrument are hobbyists. As long as you are willing to pay top dollar, once again, this instrument is a great option for just about anyone.

The PA4x is great for playing in both the recording studio and on the stage. If you want an instrument that can do both, and (again) value the vocal effects, processing, and some extra power, this instrument is probably for you! 

Korg PA4x Video Demo

You can hear a pianist from Korg (Steve Mcnally) perform a demo on the instrument here.

According to Steve Mcnally, the PA4x is so great because it has 10x more PCM than any other Korg in the arranger line. This is what makes the sound go from good to great to wow. Also, there are multiple velocities. On top of this, the makers really paid close attention to small details when they created it. 

• And at 2:40’ in, you can hear DNC in action, as well as the extremely realistic drawbar organ sound. 
• This demo also taught me that the LCD screen angle is completely adjustable! 
• At 18’ in, you can hear the rock/ bossa accompaniments at work, with some Santana-style comping. 

Towards the end of the demo, Steve states that he believes that the Korg PA4x is the best workstation piano ever made. That’s a hefty belief! Let’s jump to the pros and cons, and I’ll let you decide whether it is the best workstation piano ever made (or not) for yourself!

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It is slim and easy to carry
• There are loads of sounds, including an eastern soundbank
• Similarly, there are many genres of accompaniment styles
• It has drum kits as well
• It gives the performer many different ways and formats to record
• The LCD is a touchscreen
• It has a rotary speaker effect
• Has intros, endings, and fills that makes transitions sparkle 
• Comes with built-in songs and Songbook
• It has 48 volts of phantom power
• The Korg PA4x price is much lower than other, newer releases like the Yamaha Genos
• The Korg PA4x 76 offers a larger keyboard than many other digital workstations do, making more repertoire accessible 
• Unlike the Genos, this synth has semi-weighted keys, which gives it a more realistic piano feel
• Korgs’ amplified speaker bar is compatible with this model. It makes a great wireless speaker to add more power to your setup
• This synth has pedal inputs 
• There are plenty of inputs and outputs on this device as a whole

Cons

• There are no speakers in the bundle: You must buy the amplification system separately. 

While having to buy separate speakers is always a small ‘con’ so to speak, this is also a sign that you are purchasing an extremely high-quality instrument. The Korg PaAs amplification soundbar connects wirelessly and has 5 speakers total: It has two tweeters, two midrange drivers, and a subwoofer. The only real con here is that it will add $500 to the total cost. You can take a closer look at the compatible soundbar here.

Korg PA4x Amazon Rating 

The Korg PA4X is bundle is rated 5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com. 

Quick View 

Comparable Instruments

Synths and digital workstations that are comparable to the Korg PA4x include: 

• Korg PA 1000 
• Korg PA3x 
• Yamaha PSR SX900 
• Yamaha Genos 

As always, Korg’s biggest competitors for their models are (themselves), and Yamaha. 

Conclusion

The Korg PA4X is another wonderful professional arranger keyboard and synth. While it might not have the ‘wow’ effect of the flashy satellite speakers ( and has a few less voices than the Genos) I’d say that this workstation is still a really close competitor to keyboards that are worth 6k and more. And because Korg went the extra mile to make vocalists happy… If you are a singer-singwriter who favors the piano, I can’t recommend the Korg PA4X enough!

10Expert Score

We rated the Korg PA4X a 10/10. The PA4X is a professional arranger keyboard with over 500 accompaniment styles, many ways to record, and stellar vocal processing. The accompaniment tracks and their features are extremely impressive. The intro, outro, fills, and breaks allow players to transition to different points in their music seamlessly. The PA4X also has excellent Western and Eastern sounds. If you are in the market for a workstation with realistic Eastern sounds and a full synthesizer, this Korg is a great option.

PROS

• It is slim and easy to carry
• There are loads of sounds, including an eastern soundbank
• Similarly, there are many genres of accompaniment styles
• It has drum kits as well
• It gives the performer many different ways and formats to record
• The LCD is a touchscreen
• It has a rotary speaker effect
• It has intros, endings, and fills that makes transitions sparkle
• It comes with built-in songs and Songbook
• It has 48 volts of phantom power
• The Korg PA4x price is much lower than other, newer releases like the Yamaha Genos
• The Korg PA4x 76 offers a larger keyboard than many other digital workstations do, making more repertoire accessible
• Unlike the Genos, this synth has semi-weighted keys, which gives it a more realistic piano feel
• Korgs’ amplified speaker bar is compatible with this model. It makes a great wireless speaker to add more power to your setup
• This synth has pedal inputs
• There are plenty of inputs and outputs on this device as a whole

CONS

• There are no speakers in the bundle: You must buy the amplification system separately.