Customer Reviews

Korg M50 88-Key Keyboard Workstation

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I've had this keyboard for a few months, and I'm not impressed. The layout is so unnecessarily complicated, I suspect it was designed by an utter lunatic. One can use it as a performance keyboard easily enough, but layers, combinations, recording, mixing, or any other higher function on this keyboard is maddening and needlessly time-consuming. One has to switch back and forth from function to function, switching from page to page to page (assuming you can find the page you need, which cannot be safely assumed with this keyboard), and back again, in order to get things set up. Roland makes their workstations to function much, MUCH more intuitively. The layout of this thing is just an impossible mess. It will have you pulling your hair out in no time.
In addition to the confusingly written and unhelpful 100+-page Owner's Manual, the keyboard comes with a CD containing a 400+-page "Program Guide." There's little point in looking up anything in the manual, since every page of the manual refers you to the Program Guide.
The sounds themselves are typical Korg sounds - cold, sterile, and punchy, which is fine for some things, and certainly a welcome alternative to the sometimes mushy sounds one gets from Roland. However, Roland does make warmer string sounds than Korg, and more realistic bass and guitar sounds. The piano sounds on this Keyboard, as with all Korg keyboards, are very unimpressive. If you want realistic piano sounds, you'll be much better off with a Yamaha keyboard.
If you like Korg sounds, and just want a performance keyboard, I suppose this would work all right (but why buy a workstation if all you want to do is use it to perform?). The keys feel good and the action is realistically weighted. But if you're looking for a studio recording instrument that's intuitive and logical in its layout, keep looking: this is NOT the keyboard you want.
The only recommendable aspect of this workstation is the low price. But beware: you really do get what you pay for.