When Korg released the N364 in 1996, they made a bold move by bringing Real-time Pattern Play and Record to a keyboard for the first time, letting players trigger pre-recorded musical phrases with a single key press—a feature that fundamentally changed how people approached live performance on workstations.
The N364 is built around Korg's AI2 synthesis engine, the same proven architecture found in their higher-end X-Series workstations, paired with 8MB of PCM sample ROM that holds 936 programs and combinations including 430 Multisounds and 215 drum kits. The 61-key keyboard features velocity sensitivity and aftertouch, giving you expressive control over dynamics and real-time parameter modulation. You get 64 voices of polyphony, a 16-track sequencer with 32,000 event capacity that stores sequences in static RAM so they survive power cycles, and a five-mode arpeggiator with up, down, alternate, and random patterns that span up to four octaves. The synth includes two digital multi-effects processors with 47 algorithms covering reverb, chorus, flanger, distortion, and EQ, plus a joystick for real-time control of pitch bend and filter modulation. The semi-weighted keys have a plastic feel, and the small LCD display is backlit for visibility in darker settings. A 3.5-inch floppy drive lets you save and load sounds and sequences, while four 1/4-inch outputs and stereo headphone jack provide flexible routing. The unit measures 1076 x 338 x 106mm and weighs 11kg, making it reasonably portable for a workstation of its era.
The N364 earned respect in the community for its sound quality and straightforward workflow, with users consistently praising the sequencer's intuitive design and the fact that your work stays safe in RAM. The main criticisms centered on the relatively modest 32,000-event sequencer capacity compared to competitors, the small display, and the awkwardly positioned floppy drive on the side. That said, the N364 maintained backward compatibility with Korg's X2 and X3 workstations, meaning you could tap into a deep library of third-party programs and sequences that were already circulating.
