The ARP Axxe is a monophonic analog synthesizer, created by ARP during the 1970s. The ARP Axxe has a single VCO (producing two different waveforms) that is passed through a basic low-pass filter and VCA.
Modulation is rather inflexible, but can be applied to nearly every section of the synthesizer. Noteworthy is the addition of sample-and-hold and the ability to pass external audio through the filter (in the tradition of the Minimoog).
Three versions of the Axxe were manufactured, the last two containing orange silkscreening and a slightly modified case. The difference in these later two versions was primarily the mounting of the keyboard. The earliest units of the original version lacked ARP’s innovative “Proportional Pitch Control” pads, but featured a copyright infringing version of a Moog filter that was later discontinued, though no actual lawsuit ever took place.
If you’ve used the ARP Axxe, leave a comment with your ratings/thoughts!
Resources:
- ARP Axxe on Wikipedia
- Synhouse MIDIJack for the ARP Axxe
- ARP Axxe at SynthMuseum
- Way Out Ware sells a software synth version of the ARP Axe, the KikAxxe
- Video via WayneJoness. A Doepfer MCV4 is used to drive the Arp Axxe.
The Arps were so cool and beastly. We used to record with an Odyssey and it wouldn’t hold tune very well. We did a concept project and it was used for sweeps and bleeps which was a joy to play and be immersed in. I think I only hard the Axxe played one time in a used music store but it was interesting and fun. Good to see this clip!
One Love
I own and Axxe and am fond of it. It's a good synth for doing basslines and leads. Pretty simple machine, but pretty fun nonetheless.
My first synth was an ARP Axxe. It was the original black color, and I'm pretty sure it was the first one in Canada. It seems so primitive now, but believe me, it seemed so complicated to me at the time.
I went from the Axxe to the Odessey then to a Yamaha CS-40m to an Obeheim OB-Xa to Matrix…. Thanks for posting this.
I have two Axxes – the original version with wood siding, as well as the black and orange face one with PPC. I also have the Axxe’s lesser known companion – the Little Brother. All three are connected via CV/gate, along with a Moog Rogue. This essentially turns 4 synths into a single 5 oscillator beast that’s a lot of fun. I’m trying to see if I can add CV/gate control to my Formanta Polivoks so I can add that to the chain as well.
The ARP AXXE is one of the best monosynths for lead-sounds ever made!!!!
I like to make my own and famous sounds, wich are oftenly made with a 2600 but still possible with the AXXE, very smooth and powerfull sounding synthesizer and really exprevssive, I have an black one from 1977 with PPC.
I own the original black version. Found it at a pawn shop for $25 back in the 90’s!
I like this instrument!