M-Audio Axiom 61

I had intended to buy an old Korg M1 and use it as a controller for my GigaStudio software. But for some inexplicable reason, people on eBay started asking exorbitant prices for what I considered to be obsolete equipment. I mean, I loved my old M1 and all, but geez, people. I didn’t love it enough to throw my common sense out the window. It’s ancient equipment that’s been largely and successfully rendered obsolete by Korg’s release of the M1 in software form.

Part of my reason for wanting a Korg M1 was that many of the M1’s sounds were fundamental to my songs. Some of them, anyways. I thought I needed an M1 for that reason, and it’s make a good controller besides. But when I stumbled across, and bought, the Korg Legacy Collection software synths, I no longer needed an actual M1.

That’s when I decided to give the Axiom 61 a try. I’d heard good and bad about it. Mostly bad from people who complained that the keys were too stiff or that it didn’t play like a real piano. Whiney baby shite, in other words. You know, the people who only want to pay a couple hundred dollars for a controller, but want it to play like a $3,000 digital grand piano.

Well, I bought it, and I’m happy with it. So far it’s performed well, and its response is nice enough. If I ever need the response of a real piano, there’s a baby grand sitting in the living room. And, honestly, I kind of like being able to thumb my nose at all those people is said the Axiom wasn’t very good. I respectfully disagree. This seems to be a recurring pattern in my life.

So far my Axiom 61 has performed admirably. It’s easy to transpose the keys with a single button to match whatever instrument I’m playing, it turns on at the flick of the switch with no boot-up or system check, and it interfaces flawlessly with my computer and Cubase. What’s not to love?

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“Like a boxer’s punch,
one good note is all it takes.”

– Angel Romero