About a decade ago, MIDI controllers were huge, expensive, and weighed just a bit less than the average minivan. Today Korg has announced the newest member of its K-series USB-MIDI Studio Controller keyboards, the K61P, which combines powerful controller functions with 24 onboard keyboard sounds, bridging both computer music and stand-alone performance needs. The onboard sound engine includes a high-quality stereo piano that has been carefully sampled to capture all the richness and detail of a real grand. Five additional acoustic pianos are also included, along with five electrics, two harpsichords, three jazz organs, three church organs, clavinet, vibraphone, choir, and string sounds. Chorus and reverb effects are also included for processing the internal sounds.
The K61P also comes bundled with Korg’s M1 LE software synthesizer, a software version of the classic M1 Music Workstation. As a bonus, K-series users can upgrade at a special “Preferred Owner” price to the Korg Legacy Collection — Digital Edition, which includes a significantly enhanced version of the M1, the WAVESTATION v1.6 software synthesizer and the MDE-X v1.2 multi-effect plug-in. Mac and Windows editor software is included, as are free demo versions of popular software titles that include the Korg Legacy Collection, Live by Ableton, Lounge Lizard EP-3, Ultra Analog VA-1, String Studio VS-1 from Applied Acoustic Systems, and Reason 3.0 by Propellerhead. The K61P can be powered via a USB connection to a computer or via an optional AC adapter.