The first of the series was the K5000W keyboard workstation introduced in 1996. Soon afterwards the K5000S was introduced, followed its rackmounted sibling the K5000R. In Japan, Kawai stopped production of all models of the K5000 by the summer of 1999, although they were officially discontinued months earlier in other parts of the world. The K5000 is credited as one of the few commercial synthesizers to use additive synthesis. Even today this technology is mostly found in software synthesizers. It was Kawai's second attempt at additive synthesis. The first was the Kawai K5 nearly ten years earlier.
Synthesis
A K5000 sound is composed of up to six different layers, each of which could use the "advanced additive" synthesis engine or perform fairly standard subtractive synthesis using the internal PCM sound bank. Each source that used additive synthesis could use up to 64 harmonics per source and had its own formant filter that could be modulated by an LFO or its own envelope. The standard digital filter, available with both additive and subtractive synthesis, is known for its rather extreme self-oscillation at higher resonance settings. Another useful feature is that most functions of the synthesizer can be tied to velocity, location of a note on the keyboard, and MIDI controllers, allowing for timbral variation in response to player dynamics.
Models
The K5000W and the K5000S both have the same semi-weighted 61-key keyboard. There are pitch and assignable modulation wheels. The keys are velocity sensitive with aftertouch that can be programmed to control various parameters. Kawai K5000W The K5000W was intended as a songwriting workstation. Its Compose Mode includes a 40-track MIDI sequencer, Automatic Phrase Generator and has two supplemental sound banks not available to the K5000S/K5000R: BBank and GM, which both feature Sample-based sounds and 12dB/Oct High- and Low-Pass Resonant filters as compared to the Additive bank's 24dB/Oct High- and Low-Pass resonant filters. Kawai K5000S The K5000S was intended for live performance and it includes sixteen realtime control knobs, a programmable arpeggiator, two assignable front panel buttons, a damper and expression pedal, and two assignable foot switches. Kawai K5000R The K5000R has the same functionality as the K5000S, but is controlled via MIDI.
