[LAU] 25 key midi keyboards

[Ken Restivo]

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On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 08:27:35PM +0200, Frank Barknecht wrote:
> Hallo,
> Paul Winkler hat gesagt: // Paul Winkler wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 12:22:16PM +0100, Jos? Pedro Ferreira wrote:
> > > Hello.
> > > I'm thinking about buying a 25 key keyboard to do some composition under
> > > linux. Is there any list of recommended devices, known to work OK? I've
> > > thought about the M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 or the M-Audio Axiom 25. Anyone
> > > uses them? Any other good suggestions?
> > 
> > I had an Oxygen 8 (v1).  It worked fine, but two octaves gets
> > frustrating very quickly, and the keys felt kind of flimsy.  A HOWTO
> > for use with Alsa is here:
> > http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php/USBMidiDevices
> 
> I would recommend against the old Oxygen because of the hassles you
> get with having to install special firmware on every machine you want
> to use it. I don't know, if the v2 version still needs this, but for
> the old one it's an unnecessary pain. Thankfully M-Audio's newer
> USB-midi devices don't do this silly stuff anymore.
> 

I have an Axiom 49 and I love it. The 25-key version is, according to the manual, a little more complicated to program, but otherwise very similar.

The faders, rotary controllers, and pads are all very useful. Everything on it is very programmable. The action is springy and synth-like, but the keys have a bit more heft to them, because there's plastic underneath them, instead of hanging over the edge as most synth keys do. More like a Hammond than a piano. The aftertouch is occasionally useful too, if you set up your patches to use it..

It is light, small, portable, and works great, but I'm starting to regret not having bought the 61-key version instead. 

- -ken
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