The No.1 website for musicians
£810
Roland calls it a shoulder synth, but to you and me it's a keytar with MIDI Out. This is not a dumb controller - it’s a full synth with a strap. Many people use simple MIDI keyboards as their controllers, so the AX-Synth's inclusion in this list isn't as wacky as it may at first seem.
We should also say that older discontinued MIDI-only models like the AX-7 are available on eBay and are generally cheaper. One of these could be a good option if you're not interested in the synth functionality which, as a DJ, you might not be.
Sure, this might be one just for the extroverts, but if you really want to put on a performance then this is the controller to do it with. You can assign piano keys to sync tracks, trigger effects and so on, but for our money, this controller begs to be used for cue-point drumming and sample launching.
You might not want to play your whole set with it, but with some preparation you could use it for performing that show-stopping live remix of Daft Punk’s Harder Better Faster Stronger and secure yourself internet superstardom at the same time.
