Korg Announces New M50 Keyboard Workstation
NEW YORK, NY (MuseWire) – Weighing in at just fifteen pounds is the fiery new KORG M50, ready to take on all contenders! Incredible new sounds; fat & juicy combis, splits and layers; a plethora of ace effects; dynamic Drum Tracks; enhanced poly-arpeggiators; classic sequencing tools, a solid, confident keybed; up-to-date SD storage; companion editing software and our famous TouchView interactive display – it all adds up to an invigorating and sexy keyboard instrument that could only come from KORG.
Just as the M3 borrowed elements from the legendary OASYS, the M50 captures all the sonic firepower of the M3, distilled into a performance instrument that is second to none. In a word, the M50 just may be the keyboard you've been waiting for. Both 73* and 61 note versions are available, sporting a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard. This new fast and responsive synthesizer keybed facilitates expressive and dynamic performing. Tipping the scales at a mere 46 pounds, the seriously portable 88 key version features our top-of-the-line RH3 Graded Hammer Action, and provides a satisfying performance experience for the piano purist!
M50 is packed with over 600 individual sound programs, each one created by Korg's renowned international voicing team. With a robust 256 MB of sample data – recorded in exacting studio conditions – the acoustic instruments are delivered with authenticity and realism, providing rich, natural articulation; synth sounds can be bombastic and aggressive, lush and enveloping, or pure and delicate. But first and foremost, the M50 remains a keyboard cornerstone for any musician. The remarkable piano offers three layers of stereo switching and an additional resonance layer for faithful and natural reproduction of the piano's entire dynamic range.
In addition to the grand pianos, a myriad of other piano and keyboard mainstays are included – from a mono piano for pumping it out live on stage, to the ever in-demand vintage Korg SG-1 Sampling Grand. The electric pianos are responsive, dynamic and expressive, with all the tine and hammer-slap you can muster. The new clavs feature all the classic settings with wide dynamic response, and there are even string and flute sounds taken from the tape-driven keyboards of days gone by. Korg's REMS pickup/amp/cabinet modeling technology provides that finishing touch. All the classics are there at your finger-tips; with spot-on programs that are a blast to play!
In addition to the individual programs, a combination (or “combiâ€) allows up to 16 sound programs to be stacked, split, layered and zoned across the keyboard; or set to individual MIDI channels. Nearly 400 of these combis come preloaded offering up tasty blends and splits for live performance. All of the preloaded sounds are completely editable, and there is plenty of room on-board (640 Programs, 512 Combinations) for all the sounds that you edit, modify, or create on your own.
Our most advanced hardware engine ever, Korg's Enhanced Definition Synthesis is the musical heart of both the M50 and the M3. Each individual voice can lay claim to up to two stereo oscillators, four filters, two amp sections, five Low Frequency Oscillators (LFO), and five time-variant Envelope Generators (EG).
Your new M50 includes both stand-alone and plug-in sound editing software for more detailed graphic editing on your computer, and connects directly via USB. The plug-in version allows you to edit the M50's sounds from inside any DAW (VST, Audio Units, and RTAS formats), allowing your edits and changes to be part of the song file, and without having to switch applications to tweak a sound. The M50 also uses convenient SD cards for economical and reliable data storage.
Keyboard
61-key, 73-key versions use a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard
88-key weighted action (RH3: Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 keyboard with 4-zone graded action response)
Controllers
Joystick, [SW1], [SW2]
Dimensions
M50-61:
40.43″(W) x 7.47″(D) x 4.17″(H)
M50-73:
46.90†(W) x 7.47†(D) x 4.17†(H)
M50-88:
55.47†(W) x 12.91†(D) x 5.94†(H)
Weight
M50-61: 14.9 lbs
M50-73: 17.6 lbs
M50-88: 45.86 lbs
[tags]Korg M50 Workstation keyboard[/tags]
Todd Lee
Nov 30, 2008 @ 2:09 PM PST
This article is 100% accurate, I just pulled my m50 out of the box from Guitar Center, hooked it up and was jamming in no time. I have owned all the Tritons, 2 fantoms, Motif and PSR’s etc. I almost got the M3 till I played this and realized this is a tighter package as far as ease of use and bang for buck. The sounds are amazing. Do buy this one if you love Triton and M3 cleaned up!
Todd-