Korg’s original plan was for USB peripherals to replace the hardwired multi-switch option. Iirc, this was supposed to work on PA4X as well, but seemed to have got shoved to the back burner in the light of the 5’s many, many other issues.

The good side of going USB would be you weren’t limited to just 5 switches, and a host of options are available with a variety of switches. But it would still be able to access the full range of choices, many of which don’t necessarily have MIDI codes (so you can’t use MIDI foot controllers for full functionality).

You can also opt to use USB pad matrix devices if you prefer to operate the functions with your hands.

But given Korg’s monumental list of features to either fix or add back wholesale, it’s possible to understand why it’s taking so long. In the meanwhile, check to see if the functions you particularly want have a MIDI code to operate, and a MIDI foot controller like the Behringer could work…

There is still hope, just had a ride at the FAQ page at Korg:

Hardware Options
Q: Will there be a replacement for the EC5 foot switch?
A: The EC5 footswitch has been negatively affected by the component shortages affecting so many industries around the world.
We have to redesign it using alternative components but still delivering the same controls.
Unfortunately, the production date is still uncertain.

Btw.
Pa5X-76 arrived yesterday, and at first glance and testrun, I'm feeling pretty good about the machine. 👍
Also the OS is totally different from Pa4X, and is in fact more lookalike what's on Genos.
Drives, folders and filehandling is very recognoseable as i.e. we can see when use PC.
That said, there is so much that's new for me, and asking stupid questions may happen more than often. 😁

Personally I mean it's a big drawback that there is only a Quick Starter Guide following in the box.
All manuals should be in paper / book format the same way as we always got it delivered before.
Aditional info when sofwareupdates and such occur is Ok to download as xx.pdf.

As a new user, I have to say that a member at Korgforum (Antony Sharmman) have done a great job
to make a single KST set named PA4X all Factory Resources.KST

Description:

KEYBOARDSET
- Pa4X All 343 KBD SET
- Pa4X OS Next 176 KBD SET

PAD
Pa4X All 414 PAD
- DRUMS & Perc
- FX
- Melodic

STYLE
- Pa4X 266 Bonus Styles
- Pa4X All 504 Styles
- Pa4X OS Next 80 Styles

It's only to extract the zipfile, put it in a folder in any USB, copy into the internal drive or as I did, into a microSD Card.
Pa5 loads and play the single styles that also includes the 4 'Keyboard Set' with ease. (Similiar as Yamaha's OTS).
I'm not any good as left hand pianoplayer, but as an +/- 85% styleplayer I'm very pleased with that addon made avaiable for Pa5X!

It still remains to deside what pedal to buy for volumecontrol, and to dive into if it' possible to get it work as I want it to... 🤔

I’m not sure exactly how to take Korg’s ‘excuse’ for dropping the EC5. The ONLY components in it are five regular momentary switches, available anywhere. There’s no active circuitry, no power, nothing.

In fact, quite a few people have built their own EC5, it’s a very basic simple project. The six pin DIN plug is easy to source. I simply don’t buy Korg’s excuse. From what I remember, the plan was to use USB peripherals so pad banks, switches, even pedals could be integrated. And then the complexity of completely overhauling the OS left the question of peripherals on the back burner…

I have a feeling that these decisions were made before Covid screwed up supply chains, it’s no simple thing to retool the hardware design and drop the input, the PA5X’s specs were likely in place pretty early on.

But, bottom line, I always thought that only 5 switches always shortchanged the player, these are just too many things they can do. Even a basic scenario, where you use the switches do Variation selection (with auto-fill on) you’ve only got one left. My FC-7 for Roland’s had seven, so you could have three switches for anything else, and that seemed more usable.

But a larger problem still needed addressing. Iirc, both the Korg’s and Roland’s stored the footswitch assignments in ONE ‘global’ setting, which radically restricts the footswitch’s usefulness. I always wanted the FC-7’s setting stored with each Performance (correct me if Korg allows this), as the needs for style use, SMF use and live band use are all quite different (not much need for Variation selection when using a sequence!).

But noooooo..! 😡🤬

Those of us that come from organ backgrounds can do a lot with our feet! 😎🎹

Korg Pa5x EC5 Multi Footswitch Alternative That Works on Most Korg Arrangers!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpjhY4PO8j0

Main issue with the Behringer is that it can only address parameters that have a MIDI command available. Not sure about Korg’s, but Roland had many parameters with no MIDI command.

You might want to check your manual’s MIDI implementation for all commands you regularly use (or might want to use) and make sure they have a hook into the OS that way…

Hi Gunnar Jonny.
Sent you PM
skude

👍

Congrats on the 5X. Been very interested in moving up, after 4 -5 years with the 4. Especially interested in the acoustic piano (it almost sounded Nord-like on a video (woodier, finally). I also saw how the 4X loads automatically in the 5X - curious how that works. The 4X from 3 was a disaster and almost threw it in a dumpster! Anyway, so many other features, morphing styles, etc. Pads....zuki

Tnx Zuki.

I'm not an experienced Korg user, only had an MicroArranger that's now taken over by our grandkids. Then a few weeks to get to know a bit about the Pa4X.
That experience was so pleasant that I sold it and ordered a Pa5X-76.
I've got some Pa4 stuff from a friend, and also downloaded a lot of that is avaiable at the Korg forum and elsewhere at the web.
I'm amazed about how easy it is to adapt the Pa4 styles & sets to Pa5. It's an convert function where you just point to where the files are to find, and where you want them to be saved, and woiilaa, the .set packs has been transformed to the new format .kst. Also .sty is now .stg.
To my 'untrained Korg ears', the conversions works very well. Strugeled a bit about how to convert single .sty files, but got great help at Korg forum, so even that task is easy as that. A few files could not be converted, but I assume it's because the files is older than old or corrupted.
So far, I think Pa5X is going to stay, and that's I'm planning when swap my Genos to Genos2 as well.
Years passing by faster than ever, and all that sudden brain and fingers won't agree about how to act, so I have a feeling that this is my final mix of Arranger Keyboards.

Btw,
I also find the new OS interface at screen more pleasant than Pa4. More lookalike Genos and PC'ish when use it.

There’s a fair bit up at Korgforums that predates the last recent update, take care to search out more recent posts…

From what I could get from the forum, most of the import problems pre-update came from people using non-Korg resources, sample import and custom styles. If your import needs are simpler, you may not encounter the problems they had.

Seems the last update cured a lot of issues with custom resources, and has been welcomed by those on the forum that create custom sample sets and styles!

But 18 MONTHS after launch is far too slow for the 5’s advanced users to get just a few fixes. There’s still a ton of stuff to fix, at this rate they might be launching the PA6X before they’re all addressed..!

The casual user and first time Korg player might not be affected so much (you don’t miss what you never used!) but the major missing features and bugs are still a huge to-do list. Let’s see if the December update arrives on time and contains many promised features.

Currently the PA5X is the only new arranger that tempts me, the real-time style morphing and combination mode is utterly groundbreaking (once the bugs are fixed) and the insert effects increase turns it into a far easier arranger to use tone/effects combinations for styles and SMF’s.

But I’m going to wait until the bug list is mostly squashed. I can wait for the PA6X if that’s what it takes! 😂🎹