Recording - January 2010 - 54

B Y M I K E M E T L AY M-Audio This USB/MIDI controller can do some of the hard work for you keyboard products, from full-sized piano controllers with highquality built-in sounds to easily portable low-profile 2-octave controllers. Some have had audio interfaces built in, and others have had companion software that allowed users to configure the keyboards’ commands to their heart’s content. The Axiom Pro keyboards combine a finely detailed hands-on approach to control configuration with a new automated-assignment system called HyperControl, all within a newly designed layout. The Axiom Pro range is named for three different keyboard sizes: 25, 49, and 61. In this review we looked at the Axiom Pro 49, which is otherwise identical to the 61; the 25 sacrifices some of the front-panel controls in the name of compactness, but most of those functions can be covered by the controls that remain. Layout The Axiom Pro 49 is built into a sturdy and confidence-inspiring heavy plastic case. The endcaps are slightly recessed and coated with textured rubber for easy grip, making the keyboard easy to load in and out without dropping—more manufacturers need to think about that sort of thing. The action is called TruTouch, and has a heavier weight and stiffer feel than that of many inexpensive keyboards, with a deep and spongy aftertouch sensor under the keybed (that’s not a criticism, by the way; some of us old-school analogue guys like our aftertouch spongy for more comfortable play). It’s decently snappy for very fast leads, but will really appeal to piano-trained players who like their keys with a bit of oomph behind them. The front panel has the usual textured-rubber pitch and mod wheels, a large octave/data up/down button, and a generous backlit graphic LCD to show you what’s going on at any given moment, with a set of 15 multifunction keys underneath it to control the overall operation of the Axiom Pro. The rest of the panel, the generically assignable controls for use with external synths or software, is organized into four Groups, designated N (a 12-button numeric keypad), S (9 short-throw sliders with backlit buttons underneath), E (8 endless rotary encoders and a set of 6 transport buttons), and P (eight velocity-sensitive rubber drum pads).RECORDING JANUARY 2010 Axiom Pro 49 The rear panel has MIDI In and Out, 1/4" jacks for Expression and Sustain pedals, a USB port, a power switch, and a jack for an external AC supply—which is not included, but is needed if you want to use the Axiom Pro as a MIDI controller away from your computer. M-Audio assumes that most users will have a computer and will bus-power the controller, but I wish a power supply had been thrown in for more stable operation on laptops with wimpy USB power provision. That said, the Axiom Pro 49 behaved very well on bus power from my MacBook and my Alienware PC laptop. The keyboard comes with a short printed Quick Start Guide and a pair of CD-ROMs for driver and software installation and a copy of Ableton Live Lite 7 with HyperControl (see below). Most of the literature, and there’s a fair bit of it, is in PDF format; I recommend a trip to M-Audio’s website to get the latest versions, as well as firmware and driver updates, before actually settling down to work. The basics The Axiom Pro offers a wide range of MIDI control capabilities that most keyboardists have come to expect from a good-quality controller, and a few very nice and welcome extras besides. Up to 50 Patches can be stored in the keyboard’s memory, each one a large list of MIDI commands and preferences for each control on board. As usual, you can send any sort of MIDI data (Control Changes, Program/Bank Changes, Notes, Machine Control, System Exclusive, and so on) from these controls, but you can also send ASCII keystrokes—i.e. commands you’d send from your computer keyboard, like Control-Z for Undo. You can quickly punch a button to prevent the keyboard and transport controls from changing their settings when you change Patches, to prevent unexpected nasty parameter shifts in mid-song a very cool touch. The LCD provides pretty good visual feedback for what you’re doing, and you have a lot of flexibility to name controls and Groups of controls so you can remember where you are and what you’re doing. Anyone with experience working with MIDI controllers will be up and running pretty quickly, but you’ll want to keep Over the years, M-Audio has developed a wide range of

Recording - January 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - January 2010

Recording - January 2010
Fade In.
Contents
Talkback.
2009 AES Convention Report.
Steve Vai.
The Hybrid Guitar Recording Method—A Modern Way of Tracking Serious Tones, Part 2.
Apogee Electronics GiO.
Reviewed & Revisited:Apple Logic Pro 9.
Recording’s Guitar Column.
Reviewed & Revisited: Phonic Helix Board 24 Universal.
Readers’ Tapes.
Zoom G9.2tt.
Once Over—Reviews in Brief.
Line 6 POD X3 Live.
M-Audio Axiom Pro 49.
Advertiser Index.
Fade Out.
Recording - January 2010 - Recording - January 2010
Recording - January 2010 - Cover2
Recording - January 2010 - 1
Recording - January 2010 - Fade In.
Recording - January 2010 - 3
Recording - January 2010 - Contents
Recording - January 2010 - 5
Recording - January 2010 - Talkback.
Recording - January 2010 - 7
Recording - January 2010 - 2009 AES Convention Report.
Recording - January 2010 - 9
Recording - January 2010 - 10
Recording - January 2010 - 11
Recording - January 2010 - 12
Recording - January 2010 - 13
Recording - January 2010 - 14
Recording - January 2010 - 15
Recording - January 2010 - Steve Vai.
Recording - January 2010 - 17
Recording - January 2010 - 18
Recording - January 2010 - 19
Recording - January 2010 - The Hybrid Guitar Recording Method—A Modern Way of Tracking Serious Tones, Part 2.
Recording - January 2010 - 21
Recording - January 2010 - 22
Recording - January 2010 - 23
Recording - January 2010 - 24
Recording - January 2010 - 25
Recording - January 2010 - Apogee Electronics GiO.
Recording - January 2010 - 27
Recording - January 2010 - Reviewed & Revisited:Apple Logic Pro 9.
Recording - January 2010 - 29
Recording - January 2010 - 30
Recording - January 2010 - 31
Recording - January 2010 - Recording’s Guitar Column.
Recording - January 2010 - 33
Recording - January 2010 - Reviewed & Revisited: Phonic Helix Board 24 Universal.
Recording - January 2010 - 35
Recording - January 2010 - Readers’ Tapes.
Recording - January 2010 - 37
Recording - January 2010 - Zoom G9.2tt.
Recording - January 2010 - 39
Recording - January 2010 - 40
Recording - January 2010 - 41
Recording - January 2010 - 42
Recording - January 2010 - 43
Recording - January 2010 - 44
Recording - January 2010 - 45
Recording - January 2010 - Once Over—Reviews in Brief.
Recording - January 2010 - 47
Recording - January 2010 - 48
Recording - January 2010 - 49
Recording - January 2010 - 50
Recording - January 2010 - 51
Recording - January 2010 - Line 6 POD X3 Live.
Recording - January 2010 - 53
Recording - January 2010 - M-Audio Axiom Pro 49.
Recording - January 2010 - 55
Recording - January 2010 - 56
Recording - January 2010 - Advertiser Index.
Recording - January 2010 - 58
Recording - January 2010 - 59
Recording - January 2010 - 60
Recording - January 2010 - 61
Recording - January 2010 - 62
Recording - January 2010 - 63
Recording - January 2010 - Fade Out.
Recording - January 2010 - Cover3
Recording - January 2010 - Cover4
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