We sure have come a long way from four-track tape machines. These days, you can buy a laptop with sophisticated multitrack recording software pre-installed, complete with built-in synthesizers, drum machines, and mixing capabilities. Spend a little time working with one of these DAW programs, and you'll quickly realize that your basic mouse-and-keyboard setup isn't letting you get the most out of your software. Time to upgrade to the M-Audio Axiom 61 II. This USB MIDI keyboard automatically maps its faders, knobs, and buttons to Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Reason, GarageBand, and Live. It's a tactile control surface for your DAW, not to mention a great-feeling full-size keyboard that maps to your virtual instruments. And because it's an Avid M-Audio product, Pro Tools setup is plug-and-play.
Get In Touch With Your Recordings
Drop the mouse! The Axiom 61 II's transport section puts the most common functions -- play, record, stop, fast-forward, rewind, and loop -- at your fingertips for instant access. With these controls so close to the keyboard, it's easy to punch in on your own keyboard part, and you won't have to readjust your brain or your sitting position to capture your best performance. Plus, using soft, rubberized buttons instead of a mouse helps cut down on the risk of repetitive stress injuries, so you can mix longer. Instead of trying to mouse faders and knobs onscreen, use the Axiom's 9 sliders and 8 rotary encoders, with Track Select buttons to bank through all your tracks. In Mixer Mode, LEDs for each fader light up to show you the status of each track -- mute, solo, or record-enable. Or press the Instrument Mode button to instantly map the Axiom's sliders, knobs, and buttons to virtual instruments within your DAW host. The Axiom can control just about any parameter you see on-screen, from volume and panning, to virtual instrument settings like resonance and filter cutoff.
No-Compromise Keys And Drum Pads
More than just a control surface, the Axiom 61 is a "control instrument." The 61 full-sized, semi-weighted keys offer just enough resistance, and are velocity-sensitive for expressive, dynamic performance. You won't feel like you're controlling your computer because you'll be playing it like an instrument, and you'll notice the difference in your music right away. In addition to sensing velocity, the Axiom's keys can detect aftertouch: once a key is struck, press harder for an extra layer of control via MIDI. Make strings go from simple sustain to vibrato, activate additional filters on a synth patch, give any instrument a little gain boost after the initial note attack -- the possibilities are endless. There are jacks for both your expression and sustain pedals. And if you're more of a drummer than keyboardist, fear not: the Axiom 61 provides you with eight rubberized drum trigger pads, perfect for programming beats, or just thinking about bass lines in a different way. It's a whole studio's worth of musical gadgetry in a lightweight, compact, and (dare we say) handsome USB controller.
Use It With Standalone Synth Modules, Too
The Axiom 61 isn't just a USB keyboard. Because it has real MIDI in and out ports, you don't even need a computer to enjoy its expressive keys. Just route it into a hardware synthesizer module and you're off and running. While most common functions will auto-map to your sound modules (pitch bend, modulation), Axiom keyboards also let you get deep into MIDI programming geekery. Preset editing tasks is made easier thanks to the generous, brightly back-lit LCD display, now centered on the keyboard in the "II" series for maximum visibility on the new angled surface. The M-Audio Axiom 61 II lets you get as deep as you want into your music.
You use your mouse and keyboard for emails, spreadsheets, accounting . . . you know, work. Treat your music like the art form it is, with the M-Audio Axiom 61 II Keyboard Controller.
Features:
- Update to the best-selling Axiom 61 keyboard -- with a better-designed control panel
- 61 semi-weighted keys
- 9 faders and 8 knobs
- DirectLink mode automatically maps the Axiom's faders, knobs, and buttons to your DAW and virtual instruments
- USB and MIDI I/O
Power Supply: USB Cable (Included) or AC Adapter (Not Included - only required if using without computer)
