M-Audio has released the Hammer 88 Pro, a new hammer-action MIDI keyboard packed with smart controls, auto-mapping for DAW & plugin controls & more.
Back in November, M-Audio presented the new Oxygen Pro series, which is primarily designed for electronic musicians and DAW users. For musicians who prefer to play on hammer piano keys, M-Audio now also has a new keyboard in its range.
The Hammer 88 Pro is a new full-sized, 88-key USB-powered MIDI keyboard controller with graded hammer action and assignable aftertouch.
M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro
The Hammer 88 Pro has full-sized 88 keys with weighted technology. According to M-Audio, it is created for musicians everywhere that want real piano onboard software controls, and precision playing options for fast and fun music creation, right out of the box. The keyboard has full aftertouch support, only monophonic not poly.
Besides the keys, M-Audio also has included a wide range of MIDI controls. It offers 16 RGB velocity-sensitive pads with note repeat, 9 assignable faders, and 8 assignable knobs. In the middle, you have an OLED display with which the possible settings are visualized.
As in the Oxygen Pro keyboards, the Hammer 88 Pro also has smart functions. This consists of smart chord and smart scale functionalities. The smart chord lets you play chords on a single note. Something we already know from the Arturia keyboards, for example. The smart scale allows you to play only the notes of a specified scale. Plus you get an arpeggiator with type, octave, gate, and swing controls.
Auto-Mapping
On the backside, you have a USB-MIDI connection and 5-pin MIDI input/output for connecting to external MIDI gear. Thanks no MIDI on TRS plucks. Also onboard is the auto-mapping technology that we know from the latest Oxygen Pro series. M-Audio says that the Hammer 88 Pro will automatically map itself to the controls of many popular DAWs such as Pro Tools, MPC Beats, Cubase, Logic, Studio One, and FL Studio.
Hammer 88 Pro also ships with a software bundle: Pro Tools| First M-Audio Edition, MPC Beats, Ableton Live Lite, 7 virtual instruments from AIR Music Technology, and 9 MPC Expansion Packs.
A nice hammer action MIDI keyboard at first look. No game-changing controller, a lot of what we already know from other keyboards.
M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro is available now for 749€/$799 USD/£579.99 GBP.
More information here: M-Audio
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