Axis 1

TheRoland Corporationhas manufactured severalkeytars. Roland's first keytar was the AXIS (officially the AXIS-1, leading to its frequently being confused with the AX-1). It was produced between 1985 and 1987, and is notable for being a significantly different design than later Roland keytars. It features a 45-note keyboard that is sensitive to both velocity and aftertouch; aftertouch sensitivity was removed on the AX-1 and not restored to any Roland keytar until the AX-Edge in 2018. It uses three conventional wheels for pitch bend, modulation, and volume, rather than the pitch ribbon and modulation pressure bar on later designs. It is AC-powered with no battery option – a proprietary multipin cable connects the AXIS to a Power Supply Unit on the floor. The PSU has non-slip rubber sides and features a power cable, power switch, multipin cable input, and MIDI output, as well as a footswitch for sustain while playing.