Korg EK50 L

The Korg EK-50 L is a 61-key arranger keyboard that turns simple chord progressions into full-band backing. Its 290 accompaniment styles cover pop, rock, jazz and current dance music, and the velocity-sensitive keys respond to how hard you play. Behind those styles sit 790 sounds and 59 drum kits with 64-note polyphony, so layered parts have room to breathe. Four stereo effects, including reverb and chorus, let you shape the final sound.

The L version has dual 10-watt speakers that deliver twice the volume of the standard EK-50. That makes it practical for filling a room or playing a small gig without a PA. It can also run on batteries, so you can take it wherever you play. Compared with the EK-50, it adds 87 sounds, 18 drum kits, 24 four-part keyboard sets and 10 backing styles, with an emphasis on modern dance music.

The rubberized black finish adds durability. Red and white panel printing and a backlit LCD keep controls easy to read when switching styles or fills. A joystick handles pitch bend, and USB host and device ports support MIDI, song recording and WAV or MP3 playback from a thumb drive.

• Dual 10-watt speakers with twice the EK-50’s volume
• 290 styles, 790 sounds and 59 drum kits
• USB MIDI plus WAV/MP3 playback from a thumb drive
• Battery operation and a rubberized black finish