I've had it a few hours.
I played it as it was for an hour or so, and loved the new guitar, sax and piano sounds. It had a few glitches, like changing styles without my telling it to.
I stopped and installed the new Operating System. It took about four minutes and went exactly as it was supposed to.
This stopped the glitches, and it appears to be working perfectly in all aspects now.
I have slightly altered the e.q. settings. I plugged in mic and set everything to automatic. It analyses your voice and adjusts everything for you, just as the 3X did. Mic sounds great, and harmony does too. Default reverb is awesome. I haven't even checked to see what it is set to.
There are some differences in the way it does things regarding Registrations. For one thing they aren't called Registrations, but rather Set Lists. On first glance I like the way it works a lot. I have not tried to use my old Songbook entries; I'll just start over. It takes only about a minute to find settings, and save an entry. I only had about 50 or so set up in the last 3X I had.
There are lots of things that are saved automatically in the Global mode, so no need to do extra steps. The PA900 had gone in that direction as well. For example I plugged in my EC5 foot controller, went to the screen, assigned everything the way I wanted and it was done. No Save step needed.
I put locks on the Split Point, Fingering Modem Mic settings and a couple of other items.
I set one of the programmable buttons for Text/next. I can lift my finger to scroll text. I left the other two buttons to do the sound nuances in the DNC voices. There are lots of new ones and they sound great.
I plugged a Yamaha FC7 into the Damper port and it works fine. Not sure if I will even need the other programmable pedal slot since I have the EC5.
I will have to make changes to the factory Set Lists if I want to use them, and delete the ones I don't want. They are calling up left hand voices I don't want to use for one thing. A matter of seconds! It uses the same menu as the Songbook, so no new learning curve there.
It's a truly great operating system.
More later when I need another break. I'm writing this while eating leftover Gumbo. It gets better the second and third day. The Gumbo I mean. I hope the 4X does too! I'm a happy guy right this minute. Maybe nothing bad will pop up.

Excited for you Don look forward to hearing more you have peeked my intrest I might look to play one if i can find one I might need to wait for Namm.

Great on the spot reporting news from the trenches Don....
R U recording tonight also?...best way to get used to a new Kb is out on stage and just go for it...learn as you play live!!
But seriously all the luck in teh world with it can't wait to you REALLY get into the OS and give us the Real pro Lowdown ....

give em hell......eatin' Gumbo at Earnest's Oh man I'm jealous!!

I'm at home tonight, playing and setting up. Gumbo was HOME MADE.

All the better Don... Gives you time to get set up..

how is the Piano compaired to 970 Piano demo sounds great but want first hand report of course when you have a chance.

I'm not a piano player, but I can definitely tell it sounds better than the PA3X, and I was happy with that. It is different from Yamaha, but that's because it was sampled from a different piano. Yamaha pianos don't sound the same as Steinway, or Kurzweil, or Busendorfer. . I probably spelled those wrong...
I think you could not tell by listening whether it is an arranger or a recorded grand piano.

don did you get 61 0r 76 keys

I would if I got one it would be 76 I think I could put it in my 61 note case but not sure

the sounds from videos sound good bit first hand info is the best .

hope to here more

RJ

Mine is 61 note.
I was up until 3 a.m. working with it. Making great progress. I will use it tonight at the job and see if I can get some decent recordings of it.

korg claims 10 times more power for much better sounds after all that is the bottom line

midi file player with lyric and chord read out is a big one for me .

but styles also becoming important too me as well this time of the year I try to make songs and build inventory of all the songs requested to keep tips coming if you know what I mean .

Looking forward to hearing you, Don ...

Naw.....I got the 76 had to buy another Gator 76

Hey I'm in So Cal too, where you at?

I am in Riverside I play at the Mission Inn thur , fri ,sat noights

I think the skb a 61 i have it will fit it almost fit my T5 2 in more and it would PA4X seem smaller then T5

where are you ? I would love to see PA4X

Reseda....

I like your Music sounds good how do you like the PA4X I havent had a korg in about 10 years but this one interest me I play Yamaha T5 and T4 and Guitar as well but thinking about PA4x to add a different sound and keep T5 as well

maybe I could see yours there is nobody caring the PA4x at this time so I will need to wait till NAMM to see it .

I have a DP 32 as well

Good sound Steve, I bought your album. Love the web site.

For those interested in my progress, I have about 50 Songbook entries ready. Of course quite a few can be used for more than one song.
I think I'm ready for tonight. Leaving a little early in case I need to adjust my kb stand to accommodate the tilt screen. Don't think I will though. I do love that screen btw!
Hope I'm still as high on it after the night is over as I am now.

NAMM will be here in a couple of weeks....Gonna try to go too. We may be able to get together, timing is always the issue for me. FYI, when we do get together GEORGE KAYES MUSIC SCENE is 2 blocks from my house, so you would probably want to swing by there.....

Don,

Yes I got the email notification. Thanks for the support.

George does not have a PA4X

I know....

Made it almost through the first night. PA4X did great. Got a call that my wife, Susan, went to ER with pains in her chest and arm, so I had to cut it short and go to hospital.
Test say she didn't have a heart attack. They suspect a blood clot. Just did a CT scan. She as admitted since they didn't have results yet. Scheduled for stress test in the morning. She is feeling pretty good right now.
I had to come home to help take care of grandson. Pretty tired, but happy about the Korg.
Listening to recordings as I write this, and they sound pretty good to me through headphones.
Shipping the 3X tomorrow, right after I save a couple of styles they left off this one.
Howard has been very patient!

Don I hope Susan gets well soon and it's not too serious.. Keep us posted..

Its not 10 times more power... Its 10 times the sample size... But power is probably the same as pa3x...

Tough for a sample based instrument, having big samples really makes a difference... Also having more dynamic sample layers and different articulations really adds to the sampled sound..

But when it comes to power, its relatively weak espescially when compared to Korgs pro product Kronos.

OK thank for letting me now

it how it sounds too me all the other talk is just that talk..

Wow, Don, ... that had to be nerve-racking ... You all will be in our prayers ... please keep us updated ...

CT scan was negative, no clot. She is being released and will schedule the stress test with her own doctor.
They don't know why she was having the pain in her arm, shoulder and chest.
Thank you for your concern and prayers!

Don, these symptoms can also be caused by a bulging or herniated disk in the high Thoracic spinal area. Usually, the problem is solved with muscle relaxers and pain meds. Hope this is the case with Susan.

Gary

Don ... that's GREAT news, and I'm certain a great relief for you, Susan and your family ... Give her my and Lydia's best regards ...

For several years I was suffering with chest pains, up through my neck and jaw and down my arms - classic heart attack symptoms ... I lost count of the number of times I ended up in an ER, fortunately to be told that it wasn't my heart ... During that time I was also going through numerous tests for esophageal problems ... after several different meds did not work, the gastro Dr. prescribed 'Dexilant' ... I have not suffered those symptoms since ...
It might be something to look into ...
God Bless

HI Don,
Sorry to hear about your wife. Hope everything turns out ok.
Glad to hear the Korg did it's job it's first gig. Keep us informed.

Deane

Thank you Tony. Susan has also had numerous episodes of esophageal spasms, but this was much different.
This pain started slowly and didn't seem to be going away.
Oddly enough after they gave her meds yesterday, she had a couple of the spasms during the night at the hospital. They gave her a nitro pill that helped. She does have medication for the spasms, and hasn't had an episode in many months until last night. We've made many trips to ER before the esophageal spasms were diagnosed. The symptoms are exactly like a heart attack, as you know.
Doctors don't have a clue. All they can do is eliminate things!

One time that I was in the hospital, the Dr. told me that the nitro pill works the same for both the heart and esophageal spasms, so while it eases the symptoms, they can't be sure of the causes until further tests are done ...
Hopefully they will find the cause and the cure very quickly ...

Hope things go better for your wife and family.

Don,

Best wishes for a speedy recovery and good health to Susan.

Thanks guys! She is feeling much better, and insisted on going to work today. Still has to schedule the stress test.

I posted this on Guitpic's thread, but it really should have been here...so:

It's like Korg took the PA3X, addressed everything I needed, and put it all the 4X!
My favorite new features:
1. Great new guitar sounds. Also lots of other new sounds, Saxes, Violins and more. Fantastic Piano.
2. Able to save Chord Sequencer to Songbook.
3. Big new adjustable tilt screen!
4. Ability to audition or play styles from USB, needed long ago.
5. New sound engine--everything sounds better, even styles from the 3x sound better.
6. It feels even lighter in weight than the 3x. Not sure, but it feels like it.
7. A number of key or touch strokes eliminated...such as highlighting a SB entry automatically loads it, no need to hit a Select button. (This did create a small problem. Where the Select box was, there is now an Add To List box. I have hit it several times out of habit, and it automatically adds my SB entry to a Set List. No big deal, I can easily delete them if I want. I have quickly learned not to touch that box unless I want to save it though!)
8. It remembers several settings on startup that the 3x did not...Autofill, Syncho Start, STS mode all come to mind.
9. It automatically saves a number of parameters once you select them, no need to do extra Save procedures.
10. I really like the new Performance setup, now called Set List. I've just scratched the surface of its capabilities.
11. Ability to copy and paste styles to whatever locations you want. 3x didn't have this; PA900 did.
12. A good number of new styles, including a lot I can actually use. Of course they took out some of my old favorites, but I've already loaded them back.
These are just the things that come to mind quickly. I've had several comments from regulars about how good it sounds, and I didn't tell them I'd made a change.

Don ... very happy for you, man... CAN'T WAIT to hear some of your work with new sounds and styles ...

Hi Don…….good for you. You took the plunge and it worked out for you.

I listened to a couple of demo’s of the Youtube PA4x styles and I was very impressed. I thought they were really professional sounding and very creative and more suitable for a professional player.

Do you think the same…….that they sound more realistic…….and that Korg maybe took a lot more time creating these PA4x styles than they did the PA3x?

Does the PA 4X come with a hard drive as does the Tyros?

The 76 comes with HD. It's optional on 61. There is a slot for permanently inserting an SD drive as well as one for USB stick.
If I ever approach filling up the USER (Solid state) Drive, I will consider the HD option. I don't see that happening because I don't load too many samples.

For this much money they all should have a hard drive.
Deane

I suppose if you did a lot of sampling or importing samples it might be necessary. I'd just as soon not pay for it if I don't need it. Never needed one on PA3X. There seems to be more than adequate storage for everything I need.

HD's can be noisy also...with USB theres no need to carry so much data onboard..

In this day an age they should have an SSD NOT a HDD (Which should be consigned to low price entry level keyboards only)

Bill

Yes, if I were to put one in 4X it would be SSD for certain.

Don,

How big is the USER, solid state, drive? Can you see what's loaded on it?

The S970 has that 512 mb solid state drive but the problem is there is no way to view how much of the drive is used or, for that matter, where in all the storage of the S970, stuff is stored.

On our Tyros 4, it's like a computer, you can see how much is stored and what's left for storage.

My S970 seems very strange in this respect.

I haven't looked at it, to be honest. I haven't even hooked it up to my computer. Will try to check it out as I get some free time.

Don,

Are you saving to USB, like PSR Keyboards?

Rog

No, I play most everything from the internal drive. I back up periodically to the USB drive.
All my text files, Midi files and Songbook are on internal, along with a few MP3s and imported sounds.