M-Audio Axiom AIR 49 49-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with Pro Tools Express and Ignite by AIR

After looking at many I decided that this would be a good keyboard for me. I saw the videos and read complaints about a 'sandy' feel to the slide controls, plastic feel of the knobs, etc. Wow, I must be very easily satisfied. This is a very, very nice keyboard without issue. All the controls are smooth and feel great, the knobs are NOT plastic feeling to me, the transport controls are great. The pads rock, really nice feel. And the keys are great, feel weighted to me and have just the right amount of velocity sensitivity for me. Now, I am not a musician, but I have to share with you that this is a GREAT value, wonderful and very capable 1st class keyboard. The only negative I really have is that it is a bit large.I'm happy I took a chance and ignored the critics on this one. I think I got a great deal and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a nice midi keyboard with the bells and whistles. And unlike some, I find the Air Ignite software to be a fun and easy software to use. It's not a Pro Tools DAW, but it also didn't intimidate me in the least or get in the way. I never had to ask myself, "Now how do you do that?" Perhaps if I had more expertise with a high power DAW I might not feel the same way.And for the record I do not know or work for anyone associated with this product. I just had a really good experience and am happy to recommend this.

I got this keyboard by an accident - yes, I ordered a different brand and received this one instead. The one I originally wanted was a lot cheaper too, so at first I was pretty excited to get my hands on a "professional" piece of gear. I only need a controller for my home studio, so I decided to keep an open mind, even after reading all the negative reviews. The DAW I use is not supported by the HyperControl, so I had to map everything myself, which I didn't mind and it wasn't that hard, but the documentation could be better.The keys feel great, almost like a real piano.The pads are ok, although may need some time to get used to them and play with various sensitivity settings.The faders are average. Feel cheap, but do the job.The knobs are bad. Really hard to get a consistent behavior out of them.The user interface is more or less intuitive for someone with some experienceThe keyboard did freeze up on me a few times even after upgrading to the latest firmware. The lack of active support and apparent unwillingness by M-Audio to address customer complains is disturbing. After all, this is a $400 pro-category keyboard - not a $40 toy. I give it 2 stars because for my purposes it'll do an ok job, but I can't imagine it working for someone who has to use it on a daily basis. Luckily I have the option to return it for a full refund and I'm doing it.

This is a great keyboard because it's my entire studio in one. I have faders, knob controls, trigger pads, etc. 49 keys is a perfect size for the producer who knows how to play the piano. If you just sample and mix, the 25 key or 31 key keyboard is a better option. A lot of people have had problems using the keyboard in Logic Pro X and Garageband. Update the drivers which you will find on the M-Audio website. There are also some great videos on YouTube that walk you through programming the keyboard. There is one by Sonic Lab that is about 12 minutes long that shows you how to program the keyboard. Once I watched those I fell in love with the keyboard even more.DRUM/TRIGGER PADS: The drum pads took some getting used to because I like the feel of the AKAI pads. The pads on the AIR are touch sensitive. Some times it's hard getting sound to come out of them in real-time. There is a delay. Updating the drivers will help as well as programming the keyboard. This is not an out of the box workable keyboard. It takes some setting up. There are 12 pads in total with 3 banks to program sounds. Each bank has a different color that highlights around the keys so you know switch between the banks easily and know where you are.KEYBOARD: One of the reasons I like the axioms is because the keys resemble tradition piano keys. They are fully weighted keys. The keys are strong and can take strong playing especially if you're using it to play drums or you like to play into the keys. Some people complain that the keys are too springy. I did not find this to be the case at all. I have an electric baby grand style piano in my home and while the keys on the AIR are not as not as good as a grand the AIR feels the closest to my baby grand.THE BODY: The body is a nice design and it is a really solid body. It's heavier than I expected it to be, but it's strong and sturdy. The buttons and knobs are also pretty solid. I have had cheaper m-audio keyboards before and the knobs would just pop off. I've been pushing and pulling on the axiom air to see if they are solid and yes they are. There is a lot going on with this keyboard and this is my first all in one MIDI keyboard. I always had the components separate. I still have a lot to learn about programming it properly.The back has a MIDI in and out, a sustain and express pedal, plus the USB port. The USB cable is long which I like.THE SOFTWARE: I was disappointed by Ignite. I'm not sure why it's useful, at least to me. I don't have a problem going into my DAW and recording quick ideas. I use Logic and I'm getting into Abelton Live and it's pretty simple to use. Plus I can sample tracks and I have a lot more instruments to play around with. I played around with Ignite for a while. I had a hard time getting any sound out of it. The volume was low even when I had everything turned up. Once I have the ideas down then what? Ignite also takes longer to load than Logic Pro X. I'm used to working in my DAW and never thought there was a problem recording ideas so I won't be using Ignite.Pro Tools express is a nice touch but I can't get it to open. I don't know why. I'll keep trying. My iLok lights up when I put it in the USB but Pro Tools won't recognize it. It would be nice to try it. I have heard other buyers of the keyboard state that Express pales in comparison to the full ProTools and there is no need to have Express.Logic Pro X users: The entire keyboard will not work in Logic just yet, especially if your OSX is about 10.8.5. If you're on 10.8.4. you should be okay. If you are on Maverick forget about it. M-Audio has not released any updated and it almost seems like they won't for a while. The HyperControl function does not work at all and you cannot use the faders, knobs, and the play/stop buttons. The trigger pads and keyboards work fine.Ableton Live 9 users: The keyboard works great. Everything functions as it should.If you're buying for the additional software, don't. That is no reason to buy this Keyboard. The software sucked. Just buy Pro Tools or Logic or whatever you use, even if it's Garageband. So that means you can buy these used at a lower price. But the keyboard alone is enough for any musician and producer. It is solid and professional.Just a note: If you buy this in a store, carry the box carefully. I have never seen a more flimsy box in my life. It would never stay together and your keyboard will fall out of it.

Sold me a broken midi keyboard

first of all it looks and feels great. I'm really liking the industrial look ...I seen a review about protools express not working unless u have a mbox or m-audio interface but mine is working just fine with the Scarlett 2i2 from focusrite I didn't have any problems installing protools express (just follow the instructions and u will be fine) it also comes with ilock2 (which u need to run protools) hypercontrol is a beast too...ppl need to stop hating on M-Audio cause this is actually a good product for the money and u get 2 DAWs with it for 350-400 dollars the only bad thing I can say is that the plastic feels a little cheap but that's just IMO o yea and my hypercontrol doesn't work with FL Studio but u can still assign controls manuallythe bottom line is this product is a beast hands down I would most definitely recommend this to any producer that uses midi controllers

きれいな品物が届きました。とても満足しております。この製品、付属のProtoolのインストールに手間取りました。音楽ソフトやPCにくわしくないとまず直面する壁でしょうね。結局Protoolは使わず、他のソフトで使っていますが、HyperControlのおかげで楽しませていただいております。ファームウェアを更新しましたが、大変よくフリーズします。インジケータがちょっとくらいかな。当方ライブなどは行うことはないのでまぁ、いいんですけど。ただ、フェイスはとてもカッコいいです。49鍵のキーボードにしては大変大きく感じますが、かなり軽いと思います。

An all right midi controller, I knew prior to purchasing what to expect. I would have to say the keys are the worst part of the machine. Velocity response is horrible, and the keys feel pretty cheap

Ma fille l'adore. Elle le trouve joli et facile à utiliser. Elle a ajouté des hauts-parleurs et le son est très bon. Un clavier à 49 touches est largement suffisant.

Un gran equipo. Lo recomiendo 100%. Es tal cual se describe para su compra. Si buscan una interface MIDI profesional, se lo recomiendo.

nice color scheme, keys feel great, beat pad works great