Nice demo. Makes me wish I had the 588 instead of the 500!

Of course, that guy's got the chops, too...it helps.

Tim

Who wants to lug that beast around to gigs?

Maybe someone that CAN play the piano?

Maybe someone that WANTS to play the piano?

Maybe someone that thinks the above is more important than how much it weighs?

Not many would desire to load this puppy up for every gig but non-gigging musicians or for those who gig with other equipment, it's an inexpensive stay at home hybrid that fills a niche like few, if any other instruments in its class or price point. Kudos to Korg for their innovative leadership in this area. (Now if they just make the next version a little prettier...like hide those hiddeous car stereo speaker grilles.)

Do arranger players get out much?

A pretty decent percentage of keyboard players I go and hear lug a stage piano around to gigs. Privia's, Yamaha's, RD700's, Kurzweil's, whatever. Somehow, magically, they bear the burden. Mind you, these guys are usually decent piano players (or live band players). But it still begs the question...

How come most of them ARE, and most of us NOT willing to lug around something that weight?

That pretty much sums it up.

BTW Diki,

You're in Florida, right? If you are anywhere near Captiva between October 31 through November 7, my band will be playing at the 'Tween Waters Resort. We are back there again on New Years Eve through January 16, 2010.

It would be nice to meet in person. I'll even buy you a refreshing beverage.

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 09-03-2009).]

besides the hugeness & monster weight...
I agree with Tim, those hokey looking speakers were poorly designed & non pro looking at best.There is no need for any KB today to be that big and heavy....unless Korg changes their PA OS system I will never use one again. For all those who enjoy it good luck to you and your music. I'll stick with Yamaha products.

Well I agree that the speakers would look better if they were recessed so they were flat with the front panel but my feeling is, so what. The sound very good, even at a relatively high volume. The bass ports make a huge difference as well. I don't really care so much how an instrument looks, it is far more important to me how it sounds and performs. And the Pa588 sounds and performs great. Not saying that others choices of Yamaha, Roland or whatever don't sound good. But for what I want, a great feeling 88 note weighted action with excellent arranger capabilities as well as a fine sequencer, in-depth sound editing, etc. the Pa588 is the ticket.

Sure I would rather the unit weight 40 or so pounds but then the structural integrity would certainly suffer, metal is much stronger than plastic. And while there are a number of 88 note weighted action keyboards in some very lightweight instruments these days, they don't have the feel of a real weighted action. The keys of the Pa588 are full size as opposed to some of those lighter weight 88 note weighted actions as well. I had an instrument with those shorter keys for a while and it was very irritating to play.

As for the method of operation and user interface, it is very easy and fast to get around on. Obviously each manufacturer has their own idea of how an instrument should function and once a player is familiar with one brand it is hard to forget those ideas and learn new ones. If you are happy with what you have, great. But if you ever want to branch out and try something new, I have been thoroughly impressed with Pa series.

Best Regards,

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 09-03-2009).]

Specs:
http://www.korg.co.uk/products/professional_arranger/pa588/pa_pa588_specification.asp

51 lbs is quite heavy. That's almost double the weight of the PSR-S910.

I think all of these arranger companies should learn from Casio. The lowest end Privia has 88 keys and weighs just over 20 lbs. and has weighted keys. I doubt that it's the best hammer action out there, but it's portable and has speakers, albeit pretty crappy ones. Be careful though, the very lowest model doesn't even have a midi output.

I myself, love the weighted keys for piano, but not for anything else. I especially prefer the light keys for organ.

Beakybird

you should be comparing like with like. You cant compare this keyboard with a psr 61 keys keyboard. It should be compared with the yamaha CP300 stage piano with built in speakers its weight is 71 pounds

Double the weight of a PSR910..well YES, Duh, it's a 88 note graded hammer action and quite a it of metal.

Unless I were a serious piano guy, I wouldn't haul it around either...just keep it home and use a 500 out.

Lee S.

Maybe it just me but...

Weight doesn't bother me. Maybe it's because years ago I used to fill an entire Dodge stretch van with my keyboard rig that took about two hours to set up, so I'm used to it. But mostly I think it's because I am concerned with quality and dependability. In my mind, quality and dependability starts with the construction of the instrument using the sturdiest of materials like metal. That adds weight but as far as I am concerned, that equals a truly professional instrument. Not cutting on the plastic instruments out there, I understand that 50 pounds can be real hard to impossible for some folks to move around. While others came to a small arranger keyboard from accordion or organ so the weighted keys are a hindrance. That's fine. But I for one am very grateful that Korg produces a professional grade, 88 note weighted action arranger/workstation.

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

Well, a PSR S900 is TWICE the weight of a crap POS toy arranger... But that doesn't stop you from lugging one of those 25 lbs. behemoths around ( ), because you have decided that the extra weight is worth the increase in capability, sound and construction...

And yet, mysteriously, having made that decision for yourselves, you remain baffled as to why anyone else would make the SAME decision...

Does anyone know if it has the same keybed as the M3 88 keyversion ?

I suppose if you've hauled a B3 around for all those years, the 588 may seem light in comparison.
ciao,
Jerry

If you hauled around ANYTHING in the seventies, a PA588 is still a featherweight in comparison.

Yes, both the M3 88 and Pa588 use the new RH3 graded hammer action keybed, which feels great by the way.

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

I know Dave, i played on the M3 88 keys some weeks ago and it felt really really good, if PA588 has the same keybed, it will make a very good board for home players that want both piano and arranger..........

Or pros that want the same...

OK, carry that extra weight around, but when you need a chiropractor, don't go running to me. I'm not a chiropractor.

Beakybird

Uhm... The PA588 is already 16 months 'old', why does Korg call this a Product Introduction?

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- THE DUTCH KEYBOARD FORUM
http://www.keyboardforum.nl
Happy owner of a Roland E-80 V2

Thing is, Larry, if you ARE a piano player, it isn't EXTRA weight. That would imply there is something else available that is much lighter. 88 wooden actions with an arranger section... let me think.

Nope... can't think of anything lighter, actually.

OTOH, I can think of dozens of keyboard players I know personally that use Kurzweil's, RD700's, CP300's, etc., and mysteriously, none of them are cripples Whereas, from reading this forum, just about ALL of us are...

Maybe we should change the name of the forum to the Crippled Arranger Player Forum?

And I GUARANTEE that almost each and every one of us gigging pros have speakers and other gear heavier than the PA588. Somehow, we manage to lug those around, but aren't willing to do the same for the thing we actually PLAY. If a 50 lbs. speaker is OK to use, why NOT bring a 50 lb. keyboard to the gig, and gain an action that doesn't compromise how well you can play? That is, if you CAN play piano well...

If you can't, I can see the lack of need for it.

Right, with the gear I schlep around every weekend: RD700GX/55 lbs, XK3/40 lbs, Traynor K4/50 lbs, Motion Sound SW15/65 lbs, I don't remembering ever hurting myself hauling it around. On the other hand, my back is way out of whack at the moment because I cut a tree down and stacked about a half cord of wood two days ago. And the gig tonight is one where I want to take, along with the stuff above, my Leslie 3300/around 100 lbs, and yes I lift it into my vehicle by myself; it's all about leverage.

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

A little piano

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

David,

I can't blame you for getting the Korg...the piano you are playing in this clip sounds awful.

I have to try out one of those Korg 588's...I might be lucky enough to find a dealer that carries them when I do my fall Yamaha tour.

Ian

Which goes to show just how awful a built-in camcorder microphone can sound. Actually that is a Promega 3 which is still the best digital piano going IMO. Unfortunately the audio is live from in front of the band stand so you are hearing the piano through the single JBL EON which was adjusted fairly bright to cut through. It would have been nice to have a sub mix from the board but seeing as the instruments weren't going through the FOH...

The Promega 3 can sound like an over-processed Yamaha, or a mids-heavy Roland, etc. but the best thing is it can sound like a real piano. Although I agree that this video does nothing to prove that statement.

Here is an audio clip from a session I did several years ago with the Promega 3:
Audio Clip

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 09-05-2009).]

That sounds much better than the first clip, but it still sounds rather thin in the upper range.

I remember the Promega...I believe I saw you demonstrate one on video....very nicely laid out, I might add...ergonomically it was nicely done.

Personally, for me, and this is my opinion, the best digital piano I have played is the Yamaha CP-300 (and this is not because I work for the company occasionally....I tried several other brands)...I had one here for a few months, but unfortunately it was too heavy for me to gig with...I'm not physically weak...I'm just very, very lazy.

Thankfully, all my gigs are arranger based, and the lovely little PSR-S900 fills my requirements perfectly.

Ian

I have played a CP-300 and thought it was very nice as well and you're not kidding about the weight, even I might think twice before lugging that one around. If I can't pick it up out of its case on the ground and put it on a stand by myself, that is where I draw the line.

Dave

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Wm. David McMahan
LearnMyKeyboard
JazzItUp Band
The Modulators

[This message has been edited by WDMcM (edited 09-09-2009).]

Well, at least SOMEBODY willing to tell the truth!

Short of actual infirmity, I'm afraid that this is really the reason so many of us here (who play piano and should know better) choose lightweight 61's, when far better 76's exist (at a weight penalty) and even the odd 88...

588 CLEARANCE?

Some online retailers are saying this model is on clearance. Could it be Korg is waiting in the wings with a new model or even a discontinuation altogether?

Makes me wonder.