Operation Guide: http://www.korg.com/service/downloadinfo.asp?DID=991

Parameter Guide: http://www.korg.com/service/downloadinfo.asp?DID=992 Voice Name List: http://www.korg.com/service/downloadinfo.asp?DID=994

The first question on everyone's mind always seems to be: Is it worth what it costs? The answer is that it depends on your view of synths, what you need the Oasys for and how you view value and cost and worth.

Yes, it sounds great, better than any hardware keyboard out there and I've tried or owned most of them. It is very, very versatile and can make sounds that are complex and strong and sweet and beautiful. Its interface is as good as it gets for a hardware work station.

Why might you think it is overpriced? If you like computers as your hardware and controllers for your keyboard connection, why would you get the Oasys? I happen to be from the old school and I am not comfortable with computers overall, don't have a place to deal with the computer and a controller and other studio odds and ends so I would not compare this board to them. I love beautiful action in a workstation that connects with me.I don't want to be downloading or crashing so I would not touch a computer/software setup, but if you like that, that's cool too! For gigging, this keyboard would be inadvisable, in my opinion unless you are a)very, very strong or b) a masochist or c) have a roadie. It is very heavy but that is subjective. It is a great keyboard as a centerpiece for a home or professional studio.

Overall, I would recommend this keyboard if you have the money OR if you want to consolidate your setup and are therefore willing to sell other pieces to buy the Oasys. (I would not even want to list the casualty list I have - I sold lots of keyboards) Why did I sell many keyboards to get the Oasys? Because I wanted the best keyboard workstation and I wanted to concentrate on learning one integrated system and I wanted to have the joy of playing something that sounds so beautiful that it makes me shiver with delight and want to create more. This keyboard inspires me a lot.

There are also several video tutorials on using the Karma function at www.karma-labs.com. There are 2,000 Karma arpeggiator function presets on the OASYS.

In the combination mode, it can receive on all sixteen midi channels or layer sixteen different programs. It can store 1,792 of these combination memories. The combination mode is where you set up your vector synthesis since you need 4 voices to construct a four way vector and each individual performance on the OASYS is limited to 2 oscillators. (The original Wavestation synth allows 4 way, 4 oscillator vectors within each patch memory). I am very curious about how many vector position points are allowed in the OASYS. (I hope you find the manual guys!)

The AL-1 virtual analog engine has 84 voice polyphony! The HD-1 sample playback and AL-1 engines both support polyphonic portamento glide and legato slide. (Legato is where the keyboard sound changes pitch but the attack of the note envelope does not retrigger- Mostly of interest to Midi guitarists playing slide guitar).

What really surprised me was the weight of the keyboard. 56 pounds for the 76 key version and a whopping 70 pounds for the 88 key version. My Roland JD800 keyboard weighs about 35 lbs. and I lift it very carefully so I don't strain my back. I have to let my roadies do the OASYS moving for me. (lol)

I suppose since Guitar Center has gotten some of the first OASYS keyboards, they have also been distributed to the various magazines like Keyboard, Electronic Musician, etc. I am looking forward to reading the professional reviews of this heavy-weight-monster-dream-machine synth as they are published. I hope we all win the lottery!

I went through around 200 hundred of the 896 presets. There are wavestation, vector, analog simulations and more standard orchestral patches. There are also lots of fantastic sound effect presets. And the Karma arpegiator functions are a blast. For example, imagine holding down a guitar patch chord and having Karma strum it for you. And there must be hundreds of these Karma "GE" effects. Very cool!

Unless you are prepared to spend all day in the store, you will not be able to sample all the presets. (Another 896 locations are provided for your own creations).

Of course, sitting in front of the big 10" Oasys color touchscreen is very close to what I do already with my computer at home playing softsynths and my rack synths. So I really don't need an Oasys Keyboard and I can wait for the rack mount Oasys as that will hopefully be more affordable. The salesman quoted a price of $8,500 for the Oasys 76 key keyboard that I was playing so I doubt if a given store would stock more than one and perhaps get another if they sold the first.

Primarily I am making this post to announce that the first Oasys keyboards have arrived in Spring 2005 rather than Summer 2005 so call your local music store to find out if they have one. I think you will be impressed by the quality, quantity and variety of the Oasys sounds. It is definitely worth 4 hours of your time. I have to deduct one point for the price so I give it a rating of four.