The GZ-5 features a lightweight, compact body with 10 preset tones and a built-in speaker. The model enjoyed popularity as a creative tool for composers and arrangers, as well as for use with computer music. As computer music gained more widespread familiarity in conjunction with the explosive popularization of the personal computer at the time of its release, the GZ-5 was used extensively by everyone from beginners to music studios—and retained steady popularity for an exceptionally long time as a model with sales spanning around 20 years.