Casio unveils professional Privia stage piano at Winter NAMM Anaheim

Casio unveils professional stage piano at Winter NAMM and Musikmesse 2013

Expanding its popular Privia line, Casio unveiled the Privia Pro PX-5S professional stage piano at Winter NAMM 2013. The new PX-5S represents the first electronic piano in Casio’s Privia Pro series, a sub-category aimed for professional stage musicians. It will also be exhibited at Musikmesse Frankfurt 2013, Hall 5.0.

“The launch of Casio’s Privia Pro series further exemplifies the company’s commitment to the musical instrument category. We are no longer just producing musical instruments; we are going beyond sound by enabling professional musicians to express themselves and create music like never before,” said Stephen Schmidt, Vice President of Casio’s Electronic Musical Instruments Division. “Our new Privia PX-5S sets the stage for Casio’s foray into the professional music space.”
The newly developed Privia Pro PX-5S is a genuine stage piano, advanced MIDI controller and performance workstation. Equipped with Casio’s new proprietary sound source, “AiR” (Acoustic and intelligent Resonator), the PX-5S delivers detailed acoustic piano sounds. The AiR is also applied to an all new set of authentic vintage electric piano sounds and clavinets that is paired by a powerful new effects engine giving the PX-5S an arsenal of both acoustic and electric piano sounds.
In addition the PX-5S features a large assortment of fully programmable sounds, including Hex Layer tones derived from the XW-P1 synthesizer. Hex Layers can produce evocative synth sounds as well as complex acoustic and orchestral simulations.
In a light 24 pound package it is also a four-zone performance controller, complete with four assignable knobs, six assignable sliders, two pedal inputs, pitch and modulation wheels. Four independent and programmable arpeggiators allow the PX-5S to expand in to sonic territory by creating an array of animated textures. An 8-track phrase sequencer allows the performer to trigger sequences and riffs which can be triggered and transpose and on the fly.
“The Privia PX-5S is a new breed of stage piano,” said Schmidt. “Designed with a plethora of features ideal for any performing musician, the PX-5S is sure to raise the bar and caliber of stage pianos within the industry.”
Casio’s PX-5S even provides the ability to record a 44.1kHz .wav file directly to a USB thumb drive so that rehearsals, performances and moments of inspiration can be easily captured and shared.