M-Audio has introduced a new full-size, weighted keyboard controller, the Hammer
88 Pro.
The Hammer 88 Pro is designed for musicians that want both traditional piano feel and flexible software control in a control keyboard.
The Hammer 88 Pro offers 16 RGB velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat, 9 assignable faders and 8 assignable knobs to control your audio software. Hammer 88 Pro also includes an OLED screen that makes it easy to search for and test sounds, map controls, and mix and edit your sessions.
Features:
- 88 graded hammer-action keys with aftertouch and assignable zones
- (16) RGB, backlit, assignable, velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat for beat production, clip launching, and more
- (8) assignable knobs & buttons for controlling virtual instruments, mix plugins, DAW controls, and more
- (9) assignable faders for controlling virtual instruments, plugins, DAW faders, and more
- Preset and DAW buttons for auto-mapped DAW controls & plugin parameters
- Smart Chord mode enables playing of enharmonic or custom chord voicings
- Smart Scale mode eliminates wrong notes making it easy to craft a perfect song
- Arpeggiator with Type, Octave, Gate and Swing controls
- Ergonomically designed pitch and modulation wheels & (3) footswitch pedal inputs and (1) expression pedal input
- USB-MIDI connection and 5-pin MIDI Input and Output for connecting to external MIDI gear
- Intuitive layout featuring an OLED screen for quick control edits
- Includes music rest, MIDI editor software and a complete software production package
Pricing and Availability
The Hammer 88 Pro is available immediately for $799.
These things are always a tug of war between piano muscle and synth muscle. A more serious pianist will probably make the leap to synths more easily than the reverse, but as one of those players, I’d like to lay hands to this one. M-Audio hasn’t always hit the mark (remember the cool-yet-abandoned Venom synthesizer?), but if the build is good, there’s space for an iPad and a module or two that makes the idea appealing.
Don’t compare 2021 M-Audio to 2011 Venom-era M-Audio. Different owners, different product engineers.
Seen that, done that. I expected something really innovative. Like perhaps touch sensitive keys, so you can do assignable controls by just sliding up the keys (like a ROLI). This offers nothing new compared to the competition.
It’s good to see entry-level controller with graded hammer action. I was gonna gripe about how all these bog-standard MIDI controllers suck (and they do), but if they didn’t cut corners on velocity sensing, $800 isn’t too painful.