I doubt between these kbs.. I have seen both, and played too a litle, but...
Sounds are ok in both, styles liked some more in the Korg, piano some better in Roland.
At first seen, Pa is much more kb because it has a lot more buttons: more buttons for sounds groups, for styles groups, for intros and endings (3, Roland only 1), more for some functions.
So, apparently, play PA500 may be more direct, and Roland less direct, and more work with menus into screen.
Fills are separated in Korg, but it may be better or not, I don't know.

At the end of day, I question myself which will be better for me, considering I like slow music, instrumental, new age, ballads, and not rock, not funk, not jazz, not old tratidional dances. I am home player, and I like to do improvisations or compose music more than play popular songs.

Any opinions will be apreciated.

[This message has been edited by Artaher (edited 10-31-2008).]

It doesn't matter how many buttons there are, if you don't learn what they do...

Roland's have FOUR intros, FOUR endings, FOUR variations and SEVEN fills (and a break/mute)

Korg's have THREE intros Three endings FOUR Variations, and (to my mind, unacceptable) THREE fills (or more usually, TWO fills and a Break/Fill)

I'd shoot for making your mind up based on your playing impression rather than looking at specs, unless you take MUCH more care to read the specs carefully...

The Korg's have many great features, so does the Roland.

yes, four intros and four endings in Roland E-50, but only one intro button and one ending button!!!. Nobody do it so (Yamaha, Korg...) Yes, one button can do different functions, but... it is not the best for live playing.

About Korg fills, pehaps Korg make fills in this special way for some reason (I don't know it, but...) . Is to play a style with these fills actually a problem?

[This message has been edited by Artaher (edited 10-31-2008).]

Yes, one button to indicate a fill, and another button for which one. Particularly Intros, you've always got enough time that pushing two buttons isn't a problem, and them being next to each other helps. Endings, you just get used to it.

But think about it for a minute... Four Intros, and Four Endings, Four variations, seven fills, and you want DIRECT control over each of them? That's a bank of NINETEEN buttons! IMO, that's would be easier to hit the wrong one than the system they have now!

As to the fills issue... Well, more is ALWAYS better (unless it's weight!), but it more goes to the number of variations. Two fills (one UP one DOWN) works great for a two variation arranger. The fill up is going from one place to another, and it's always the same. But a fill UP on a four variation arranger might need to go from a gentle Var1 to a slightly less gentle Var2, OR, it might need to go from a gentle Var1 to a busy Var4. Same (even more importantly, actually) on the way down.

It just makes for more natural musical transitions, and most importantly, less repetition (the bane of arrangers!).

Korg's are very good arrangers, but this ONE aspect is still mired in the 80's, compared to their competitors.

just as diki said it before, once you learn what the buttons can do and how you can combine the actions, does not matter their number.

IMO, korg's better with "fine-tuning" giving you more options when you really go into it. but roland give's you the basic options, so you have it done sooner.

no one can really tell what's best for you. read the manuals, read the forums, you already test them both... now you decide.

and the last thing: korg still have the issue with smooth fills. meaning they are not smooth, you have to press the fill buttons with a better precission to avoid the hiccups. roland it's way better at this.