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C-Thru Music AXiS-49

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Page last updated Mar 27, 2026

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Description

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This is a handy velocity sensitive MIDI input device designed to help you make music with your computer. There are various benefits to playing on the Harmonic Table note arrangement, including fast-track learning.

The range is 49 notes, but there are two instances of each note giving 98 keys in a very convenient footprint. Now with Selfless Mode (MIDI notes 01‑98 in columns).

MIDI USB class compliant, your computer will recognize it as a MIDI keyboard and make it accessible to your applications. It currently only transmits on MIDI Channel One.

Operation This is for composing, arranging, and overdubs. There is no pitch bend or mod wheel, and no knobs or sockets for pedals, so you can tell the AXiS-49 is not designed to be primarily a live performance instrument. But the Harmonic Table is great for learning music, or to have with you on the tour bus, or beside you when you're creating music on your computer. The AXiS-49 doesn't duplicate (knobs, wheels, sounds, processing etc.) but adds the Harmonic Table human interface in a convenient size.

Construction The chassis is plastic. Yet this is not a toy. You can be as expressive as on the AXiS-64. The AXiS-49 is assembled and tested in Corona, California.

Accessories There's no pitch bend wheel There's no MIDI-Out socket … but there are alternatives. See our accessories page.

Videos

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Georg Figél

AXiS 49 - Harmonic Table Keyboard, Tutorial & Solo

Georg Figél

AXiS-49 from C-Thru Music. 2 more tunes.

Betterburg

Summer NAMM: C-Thru AXiS 49

Sound On Sound magazine

Reviews

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about C-Thru Music AXiS-49.

User experience

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Owners note the AXiS-49 withstands extensive travel and heavy use, maintaining functionality despite dents.
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After hours of use, it's described as one of the most fun and playable hardware pieces compared to other purchases.
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Value and pricing

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Buying from outside the UK involves extra costs, including $60 shipping and $80 import taxes, impacting overall value.
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Features and functionality

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The AXiS-49 uses a USB MIDI connection, which limits its standalone use without a computer unless paired with devices like a Kenton USB MIDI host.
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Use cases and applications

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The consistent isomorphic layout allows for easy transposition of scales and chords, as patterns remain the same across all keys.
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The device supports microtonal and non-traditional scales, demonstrated by users setting it up to play scales like Bohlen-Pierce.
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Setup and maintenance

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Remapping the note layout can be challenging, especially without a computer, due to the device's reliance on USB MIDI connectivity.
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Comparisons

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The isomorphic layout of the AXiS-49 is distinct from button accordion layouts (C-system, B-system), instead resembling the Wicki/Hayden system used in concertinas.
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Critic Reviews

C-Thru Music Axis 49

soundonsound.com

The C-Thru Music AXiS-49 offers an innovative harmonic table layout that inspires creativity and simplifies chord formation. Its compact design is portable and easy to use, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced players. However, the lack of performance controls like pitch-bend and modulation wheels, along with its rigid MIDI implementation, limits its versatility. Additionally, the high price tag of $495 may deter many potential buyers, especially given the basic key action and materials used. While the AXiS-49 has the potential to revolutionize your approach to music, it may not be suitable for every musician's needs or budget.

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Calvin Harris

Music Producer

Verified via Vimeo

Starting around 4:00 in the video, Calvin Harris picks up the AXiS 49 in his studio and talks a bit about it: "This thing is quite interesting, this is like the new type of keyboard. You play chords on it like this [demonstrates], but it teaches you the relationship of the notes between all the chords so you come up with different chord sequences based on weirdness, not actual music [laughs]"

Sevish

Music Producer

Verified via Sevish

In the attached link from Sevish's website, he details many of the resources he uses to create his distinct style of microtonal music. In the Hardware section of this post on his website, he shares that he owns an AXiS-49 controller, stating, "Isomorphic keyboards such as my C-Thru AXiS-49 work well for microtonal music because scale and chord fingerings remain the same in each key, whereas a standard MIDI keyboard requires you to learn a different fingering for each key."