Musikmesse 2010Korg announces PS60 Performance Synthesizer (Hardware with Plug-In Editor)

Korg has announced the PS60 Performance Synthesizer: Designed for the gigging - or soon to be gigging - musician, the Korg says the PS60 "delivers premium sounds and professional effects in an easy-to-use performance package".

Features:

• Six individual categories - Piano, E-Piano, Organ, Strings, Brass, and Synth - provide fast access to the most in-demand keyboard sounds; the sounds required in nearly every band.
• EDS-i (Enhanced Definition Synthesis - integrated) technology inherited from KORG's flagship music workstations delivers 440 sounds.
• The new and original front panel is laid out for easy use. Dedicated knobs and buttons are provided for frequently-used functions, allowing extended performance control and intuitive, realtime sound editing.
• Easy Setup feature lets you easily specify the volume, effect amount, and octave settings of each Sound.
• Nine dedicated knobs provide accurate and immediate control of the modulation, reverb/delay, and EQ effects.
• Easily create split and layered settings on the fly. Up to 20 of these split and layered "Performance" settings can be stored for instant recall.
• Semi-weighted 61-key natural touch keyboard - a first in its class.
• USB computer port and free Sound Editing software provide detailed control and instant access to all sound parameters.
• The PS60 Plug-in Editor allows the PS60 to act as a plug-in synthesizer in your host DAW (AU, VST or RTAS formats).

A performance synthesizer like no other
In designing the PS60, the needs of the on-stage musician remained front and center. Offering dedicated controls, an ample backlit display, and remarkable ease of use, the PS60 is a refreshing change. The intuitive, realtime controls - even the sounds themselves - were created with the performer in mind, and have been optimized for the unique challenges and immediacy of playing live. Lightweight, stylish and portable, the PS60 travels comfortably from home, to rehearsal, to center stage.

The in-demand sounds every keyboardist requires
Focused on the elemental sounds that make up the body of great keyboard playing, the PS60 delivers 440 sounds, with room for plenty more. The sounds are organized into six categories, - piano, electric piano, organ, strings, brass and synth - each with dedicated controls making it easy to find just the right sound. Still not sure? The Audition feature plays a quick riff appropriate to the type of sound selected, to help you zero in on the sound you want. Using the category controls, you can layer up to six sounds, or make split settings at the touch of a button, creating sophisticated sounds to suit your performances.

Rippling with synth power
Using 49 MB* of the highest quality, 48 kHz samples, the PS60 allows up to eight stereo multisamples to be used per voice. The EDS-i sound engine (Enhanced Definition Synthesis - integrated) provides up to four filters, two amps, five LFOs, and five EGs, delivering a rich array of stage-ready programs that will both complement and stand out in your band's performance.

Any of 63 effects - including dynamics-type effects and amp modeling powered by KORG's proprietary REMS technology - can be assigned to individual sounds using one of the five insert effects. In addition, two master effects can be applied to the overall sound: a modulation-style effect offering four effect types; and a reverb/delay effect also with four effect types. A dedicated three-band EQ adds the final touch to your sound.

* when calculated as 16-bit linear data

Easy Setup and Performance control
The PS60 is easy to use. The center and right portions of the panel are used for customizing and controlling sounds. Simply use the dedicated Category controls to choose your sounds, and use the Easy Setup area to specify their volume, octave, and effect send amounts. Dedicated panel knobs are provided for tweaking the effects and the EQ. You can also choose to split or layer multiple sounds on the keyboard.

These settings are collectively called a "Performance," and you can store 20 of them in internal memory. The Performance area to the left side of the panel is used for recalling these Performance settings quickly and easily - even when on stage.

Expressive, semi-weighted keyboard
The PS60 features a richly-expressive keyboard. The semi-weighted, natural-touch keys provide an uncompromising playing feel for anything from a piano performance to synthesizer sounds.

Dynamic performance control
The PS60 provides a variety of controllers to make your performance more expressive. You can produce subtle or drastic timbral changes by moving the joystick up/down/left/right, and use the octave up/down buttons and transpose buttons to shift the pitch of the keyboard. Two footpedal jacks are provided for use with a damper pedal, footswitch or footpedal, offering hands-free control. When playing organ sounds, an additional dedicated button can switch between fast/slow speeds of the rotary speaker simulator.

Bundled stand-alone and plug-in sound editing software package
The stand-alone PS60 Editor allows you to edit sounds in greater detail than is possible from the PS60 itself. Viewing multiple parameters and graphical cues on your computer's screen makes it easy to create full-fledged sounds in any category. The PS60 Plug-In Editor offers all the same features, and lets you use your PS60 as a plug-in synth from within any VST, Audio Units, or RTAS format DAW software system. As a librarian program, the software lets you build up an enormous stash of sounds that you've created on your computer.