M-Audio Hammer 88 - Premium 88-Key Piano-Style Hammer-Action USB/MIDI Keyboard Controller Including Software Suite for Mac & PC

Product Information

It’s not a huge complaint, but it’s a better design for anyone interested in advanced finger drumming. Smart Chord

M-Audio’s new Hammer 88 is an affordable, fully-weighted, hammer-action keyboard for professional and semi-pro players or students looking for a realistic grand piano feel to use with virtual instruments or sound modules. M-Audio is one of the top manufacturers when it comes to budget MIDI keyboard controllers. If we ever had a complaint about older M-Audio units, it’s that the build quality wasn’t exceptional. We, and many other users, could accept it because the overall value for money was so good. Smart Scale is slightly similar; this time, when activated, you will only be able to play the notes that exist in your selected scale.

From within the Editor, seven key velocity curves are available to suit your playing style: Hard, Soft 1, Soft 2 and Linear are the four continuous curves, along with three fixed values of 64, 100 and 127. Being normally used to a 76-note semi-weighted keyboard, I personally found the Linear curve to be the most comfortable; its velocity response is smooth and comfortably controllable across the range, although I found accurately homing in on low values between one and 30 difficult to achieve predictably. The maximum of 127, whilst achievable, does require a little extra determination (see box). Thanks to the OLED screen that sits front and centre, it’s easier than ever to search for and test sounds, map controls, and mix & edit your sessions. Hammer 88 Pro can control any DAW and automatically map commonly used functions such as Transport, Faders, Pan controls and much more! Whether you use Pro Tools, MPC Beats, Cubase, Logic, Studio One or any other major DAW, just select the map and Auto-Mapping will take care of the rest! It also instantly maps to all the virtual instruments included in the Hammer 88 Pro software bundle (Hybrid, Velvet, Mini Grand, Xpand!2, Vacuum, Boom, and DB-33). These world-class AIR Music Tech plugins can be fully controlled by the Hammer 88 Pro and used in real-time as you create and mix your music. Smart Controls This Software, including Documentation, is provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication or disclosure by any Government or Governmental agency is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (b)(3) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause of DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraph (c), (1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights clause of 48 CFR 52.227-19, as amended, or any successor or substantially similar or comparable regulations and/or restrictions .

Everything about it is solid and doesn’t have that delicate feeling that comes with some MIDI controllers. It even manages to look pretty sleek, despite its size and weight. Compared to other keyboard controllers assignable knobs & buttons for controlling virtual instruments, mix plugins, DAW controls, and more Includes 3-month trial with Skoove. The easiest way to learn piano with interactive piano lessons for beginners and advanced players We like these particular wheels because they are a perfect size and have a smooth action, making them very easy to use. Production tools 4.9Utilise 8 assignable buttons and knobs for precise control over mix plugins, DAW parameters and virtual instruments.

Here, the keyboard is split into four non-overlapping zones, each transmitting on different MIDI channels. Zones 3 and 4 are also transposed downwards by one and two octaves respectively.There’s no doubt that the Komplete Kontrol S88 is a fantastic controller, especially if you are a fan of NI plugins. However, it’s just not as flexible as the Hammer 88 Pro, and at the price, it should be. The functionality and control surface of the Hammer 88 Pro also happen to be identical to M‑Audio’s Oxygen 49 and 61 Pro; the 49‑note Pro model was reviewed in depth by Robin Bigwood in SOS May 2021 issue, so his detailed account of those features is recommended reading. This review therefore focuses on the physical enhancements to the 88‑note Pro above and beyond the original 2017 model. What Else Is New? As we mentioned above, the rotary knobs are not being by the faders, and that’s an issue because it’s easier to use them in tandem when they are closer. It comes up when automating expression or other parameters in synth or strings VSTs. Introducing Hammer 88, a premium, no-compromise keyboard controller, ideal for professional, semi-pro players or students seeking the realistic grand piano feel to use with virtual instruments or sound modules. At the heart of Hammer 88 are 88 velocity-sensitive, fully-weighted hammer-action keys that are guaranteed to faithfully capture every subtle nuance of your performance, while providing the unmatched response of a traditional grand piano—classic feel fused with the unrivalled sonic capabilities of virtual instruments. It’s the perfect combination for performers and producers to experience their plugin collection like never before.