GENOS Weighted Keys

[mabcomp]

Great instrument but The Big Let down with Genos is that it doesn't have weighted or semi weighted keys and its like playing an old Bontempi keyboard from Woolworths

[Scott]

Great instrument but The Big Let down with Genos is that it doesn't have weighted or semi weighted keys and its like playing an old Bontempi keyboard from Woolworths

It's an unweighted action, but still once of the nicest unweighted actions I've ever played... and in fact, I prefer it to some semi-weighted actions (like the ones on the semi-weighted Nords, or the Korg PA1000). I haven't played the Pa5X-76, but I assume I would like that action better than the one on the Genos, though.

But I like that the Genos is under 30 lbs, which would certainly not be the case for a model with weighted (or possibly even semi-weighted) keys.

On a related note, I don't think the pianos and EPs are the Genos' strengths anyway, and that's really where you most want a more substantial action. If I were using a Genos, I'd probably pair it with another board that had better pianos/EPs, and that's the board I'd care about having the better piano action on.

Of course, a Genos plus another board makes an expensive choice even more so!

[korgpask]

Hi, for zooming in - a comparison of the Pa5X and Pa4X keyboards

Korg Pa5X key length



Korg Pa4X key lenght


Korg Pa5X depth, height



Korg Pa4X depth, height

[karmathanever]

Your key-length pictures show that they are the same (48mm)??? Maybe 0.5mm difference but camera angle is different.

Key fall is interesting though - I found the Genos key-fall too short.

[davekalbach]

Your key-length pictures show that they are the same (48mm)??? Maybe 0.5mm difference but camera angle is different.

I see the same - but this is assuming the measurement to the Cut Out for the Black Keys is the same. We need to see where the ruler was grounded for a good comparison.

[korgpask]

[D575]

Yamaha GENOS and MONTAGE share the same Keybed (FSX) and after using the FATAR Keybeds in Korg pa3x-76, pa4x-76 (i believe Kronos use the same FATAR keybed) and now improved aftertouch on PA5x-76 as a Master keyboard, using the smaller sized keys Yamaha present in Montage becomes troublesome, here is part of what "Sound on Sound Magazine" have to say about the keybed sizing Yamaha use from the Montage review...

Quote:
A full-size 76-note keybed ranging from E to G is 1060mm wide, whereas the Montage’s extends to just 1033mm, which (in old money) is about an inch too narrow. It doesn’t sound like much, by my fingers noticed it even though my eyes didn’t. I have no idea why Yamaha do this, and I wish that they would stop because, if I want to stack multiple manufacturers’ keyboards in a live rig, I want them to line up. For me, a discrepancy of about 1.5 keys from bottom to top is serious, and trained pianists are at risk of playing ninths when reaching for octaves. It may seem a small difference, and it may even be irrelevant to you, but it’s one that you should consider before handing over your cash.

[davekalbach]

if I want to stack multiple manufacturers’ keyboards in a live rig, I want them to line up. For me, a discrepancy of about 1.5 keys from bottom to top is serious, and trained pianists are at risk of playing ninths when reaching for octaves. It may seem a small difference, and it may even be irrelevant to you, but it’s one that you should consider before handing over your cash.

Interesting quote. When I stacked the Pa5X (76) over the Kronos (73), my intent was to align via Middle C. This unfortunately didn't work aesthetically, as the keyboards vary slightly in width/keys/shape. I ended up aligning by outside dimensions so they looked better together, which results in about a 1cm shift from keyboard to keyboard. As a novice player, this hasn't been a problem at all, where I expected it would have been. I think this has do to the visual reference to your starting point. However if the key sizes were different, I do see that as a big performance problem.

I have a few keyboards, all have their own nuances, but I haven't had too much difficulty moving from Kronos to Pa5X.

All of that said my preferred keybeds are still (in order): Grand Piano, Kronos 73 (Semi Weighted), Pa5X... After that I have a Casio WK6600 Semi-weighted which is actually fairly nice, and then an older Yamaha, which I have the hardest time with as the keys feel smaller and my intervals are off.

[Scott]

using the smaller sized keys Yamaha present in Montage becomes troublesome, here is part of what "Sound on Sound Magazine" have to say about the keybed sizing Yamaha use from the Montage review...

Quote:
A full-size 76-note keybed ranging from E to G is 1060mm wide, whereas the Montage’s extends to just 1033mm, which (in old money) is about an inch too narrow. It doesn’t sound like much, by my fingers noticed it even though my eyes didn’t. I have no idea why Yamaha do this, and I wish that they would stop because, if I want to stack multiple manufacturers’ keyboards in a live rig, I want them to line up. For me, a discrepancy of about 1.5 keys from bottom to top is serious, and trained pianists are at risk of playing ninths when reaching for octaves. It may seem a small difference, and it may even be irrelevant to you, but it’s one that you should consider before handing over your cash.

This is true of every Yamaha non-hammer"full size" actions, and it has been that way, I believe, going back about 40 years or more (at least as far back as the DX7 in 1983). It bothers some people. It doesn't appear to bother most people, as Yamaha has continuously had among the best selling boards.

[Adri]

Hello to all.
Since I haven't tried the Korg Pa5x yet, can someone tell me, are the keys on the Pa5x 61 lighter compared to the Pa4x, for solo playing?Thnx

[iOpus]

Hello to all.
Since I haven't tried the Korg Pa5x yet, can someone tell me, are the keys on the Pa5x 61 lighter compared to the Pa4x, for solo playing?Thnx

Yes.

[D575]

using the smaller sized keys Yamaha present in Montage becomes troublesome, here is part of what "Sound on Sound Magazine" have to say about the keybed sizing Yamaha use from the Montage review...

Quote:
A full-size 76-note keybed ranging from E to G is 1060mm wide, whereas the Montage’s extends to just 1033mm, which (in old money) is about an inch too narrow. It doesn’t sound like much, by my fingers noticed it even though my eyes didn’t. I have no idea why Yamaha do this, and I wish that they would stop because, if I want to stack multiple manufacturers’ keyboards in a live rig, I want them to line up. For me, a discrepancy of about 1.5 keys from bottom to top is serious, and trained pianists are at risk of playing ninths when reaching for octaves. It may seem a small difference, and it may even be irrelevant to you, but it’s one that you should consider before handing over your cash.

This is true of every Yamaha non-hammer"full size" actions, and it has been that way, I believe, going back about 40 years or more (at least as far back as the DX7 in 1983). It bothers some people. It doesn't appear to bother most people, as Yamaha has continuously had among the best selling boards.

Interestingly despite knowing this observation for many years, as many others are also aware and considering i am one of those Yamaha historical custustoms (37 years) then this observation has not stoped me from being a Yamaha user and i can easily work round this issue in a multi keyboard setup, Favouring (at this moment in time) a FATAR keybed...

So I see no relevance between what is Not Observational Error and Yamaha "continuously being among the best selling boards" which I would have no reason to dispute...

Only to point out a Observational Fact which some might find useful information.

[Bachus]

Genos is semi weighted, but on the light side

[Scott]

Genos is semi weighted, but on the light side

Thanks for the correction.