C-Thru Music has posted this teaser image of its AXiS-49 USB Music Interface.
Here’s what they have to say about the alternative keyboard controller:
The AXiS-49 is a USB MIDI keyboard designed for home studio or tour bus use. We are at the prototyping stage. We hope to have the ’49 available late in 2008 or early 2009.
The key mechanism is the same as the ’64.
Expected price is $500. If you’d like to be informed when it’s available please let us know.
At $500, this puts the keyboard within reach of a lot of musicians. I’d like to see them incorporate some ideas from other popular MIDI controllers, though, like a mod wheel and some function keys.
What do you think of the AXiS-49 USB Music Interface? Will it be a game changer?
This looks like it would be very difficult to play expressively – it’s just a bunch of chicklets!
Anybody used one of these things?
I’ve seen the demo video of this and it’s actually laid out logically, unlike the outdated keyboards of today. It’s going to take a long time before something new and radical is adopted into the norm. It’s going to take some serious marketing, famous musicians plugs, etc. That’s probably not going to happen to those who are already trained classicially. There may be a few, but the new bred of producers and musicians will have to make top hits with this before it gets some glam time as the new hot fad. If it catches on from there will depend on the pricing, at $500 bucks not many will be willing to invest unless it’s been out for a while. Not to mention all the other unpredicable influences. If it was priced at $199 it would stand a better chance at this date and time. But in accordance to it’s physical looks, only time will help this space machine.
Ever since the synth explosion in the ’80’s there have been
‘alternate controllers’. Some, like the Buchla products, were
relatively useful. others were not. For someone who lacks
musical talent (or was born with only One Finger) something like
this would be cool, but I have said it before and I will say now, I
will NEVER give up my keyboard! The black and white keys were
good enough for Beethoven, they were good enough for Stevie and
Mr. Manzarek, and good enough for me.
If you just gotta have a weird controller, I’d suggest building your
own, just to increase the ‘wow factor’.
The Axis64 has been around a while and has gathered up a decent following, including some pretty big names (not that that necessarily means anything). The problem with it has been the price point, and the little guy here stands to change that.
Will it be a game changer, no. Will it become a common sight, yes. It is absolutely sensible, and for some things, like composing, it is really smart. It will not replace the traditional keyboard though. I’m buying one to supplement my keyboard.
Watch Jordan Rudess on youtube chat about the Axis64, he makes a lot of sense, plus he knows what he is talking about when it comes to keyboards. The short is: for composing nd idea gathering, he loves it, for stage performance… he’ll stick with the keyboards.
I’d love to see more esoteric controllers catch on! I think part of that is going to be integrating them into more conventional setups so the transition is less jarring. For example, Roland’s D-Beam, or Yamaha including breath control ports on their synths. (Remember how USB was once so strange before catching on?)
This aesthetic is rather fascinating, like that board game where… hrm, what’s the one I’m thinking of with all the hexagons?