K4
ManufacturerKawai
Dates1989[1]
PriceK4 £895 GBP
K4r £695 GBP[2]
Technical specifications
Polyphony16 voices
Timbrality8 part
Oscillator2
LFO1 - Sample & Hold, Saw Up, Square, Triangle
Synthesis typePCM ROMpler
Filter2 - 12dB Slope (2-pole), Low Pass, Resonance
AttenuatorADSR
Aftertouch expressionYes
Velocity expressionYes
Storage memory64 RAM slots
Effects32 types including: Reverb, Reverse Gate, Normal Delay, Stereo Pan Delay, Chorus, Flanger,Over Drive.
Hardware8-bit UPD 78310G CPU
Input/output
Keyboard61 keys
Left-hand controlMod - Wheel, Pitch -Wheel
External controlMIDI [Pedal - Sustain, Velocity, Pedal - Volume

The Kawai K4 is a 61 key synthesizer manufactured in 1989 by Kawai. It contains several features beyond those offered on Kawai K1, adding resonant filters and a DAC PCM wavetable. The K4 incorporated a new type of synthesis called Digital Multi Spectrum.

Features

  • 2 line LCD screen
  • 256 16 bit, 32 kHz internal waveforms (96 Digital Cyclic waveforms and 160 PCM samples)
  • Drum section (61 drum patches)[3]

Interestingly, the K4 uses a system that splits 16 bit samples between two read only memory (ROM) chips, while reserving a third chip for 8 bit sound samples that naturally have more noise (such as cymbals, snares, and other noisier percussion) in order to have more functionality for a cheaper manufacturing cost.[4]

Kawai K4R

A 2U rack mounted module was also produced by Kawai.[5][6] It has six separate audio outputs in addition to standard left/right stereo outs and a headphone socket. The effects are removed in the rack mounted version as it is presumed outboard effects will be used with the unit.

References

  1. ↑ "Kawai K4 Digital Multi Spectrum Synthesizer". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  2. ↑ "Kawai K4 & K4R (MT Dec 89)". www.muzines.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  3. ↑ "Kawai K4 & K4R (MT Dec 89)". www.muzines.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  4. ↑ "Kawai K4: Really a 16 bit synthesizer? Only partially!". Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  5. ↑ "Kawai K4r". Encyclotronic. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  6. ↑ "Kawai K4R". www.polynominal.com. Retrieved 2018-08-02.

Further reading

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