In spite of incredible advances in technology over the last 600 years, the keyboard remains virtually unchanged. An early harpsichord player could, given access to the latest in time travel, sit down at the most advanced keyboard synth today and show his stuff. With only rare exceptions the development of the keyboard has been frozen in time, at least in the layout of the keys themselves.
Enter the Axis-64 from C-Thru-Music.com. Here, the keyboard is laid out like a honeycomb, each key an interlocking hexagon.The Harmonic Table is arranged so that starting from any note, each axis (and any direction) gives notes of a specific musical interval. Starting from any note, the next note up-to-the-left is a minor third above the starting note. The next note directly above is a fifth above the starting note, and the next note up-to-the-right is a major third above the starting note. In this arrangement, a minor triad (three note chord) has the shape of a left-facing triangle, and a major triad has the shape of a right-facing triangle. The Harmonic Table pattern can be extended in all directions, and all intervals, chords and scales have the same shape in any key. To clarify, see the octave map.
In practice this unconventional layout means that our harpsichord traveler from the past, and any keyboard player of today, is presented with a keyboard they can no longer play! So, why would anyone bother to learn to play with this crazy layout? Imagine playing across four octaves with one hand, something easily handled with this compressed layout. Or how about playing three notes with one finger? With all ten fingers in play just imagine the possible sounds. And how about all those keys, all assignable to individual midi events or sounds? In addition, once you learn to play one major scale, for example, you have learned to play them all, as there is only one finger pattern needed for all major scales.
Don't think of it as a better piano. To my way of thinking it's a whole new instrument. It's a keyboard, but it isn't a piano anymore than a Chapman Stick is a Flamenco Guitar.
The keyboard evolves!
Recommended Recordings and Videos
Axis -64 overview video - The Axis explained.
C-Thru-Music videos and photos - More pictures as well as endorsement videos from some professional musicians. Some of them are helpful, others seem clear efforts by the musicians to get their hands on a free keyboard.
Chromolodeon 2 - Microtonal video - Ambient microtonal music played on the Axis 64.
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