Hammer-action MIDI keyboards are usually designed for pianists, but with its wide-ranging set of control and performance features, M-Audio’s new Hammer 88 Pro has plenty for producers, too.
Building on the success of the Hammer 88, the Pro version offers an upgraded keybed with graded hammer action keys. These are individually weighted, for a piano-like feel, and there’s assignable aftertouch.
On the top panel you’ll find 16 RGB velocity-sensitive pads with Note Repeat, nine assignable faders and eight assignable knobs. There’s also an OLED screen that can be used to search for and select sounds, map controls and more. As well as the USB port, the back panel features 5-pin MIDI I/O, a footswitch input and three expression pedal inputs.
The Hammer 88 Pro will auto-map to a range of DAWs, including Pro Tools, MPC Beats, Cubase, Logic Pro, Studio One and FL Studio, and also to the virtual instruments that it ships with (the Pro Tools | First, MPC Beats and Ableton Live Lite DAWs are bundled in as well). There’s a built-in arpeggiator, too.
At £580, the Hammer 88 Pro might seem expensive for a MIDI keyboard, but when you consider what it offers, that price looks pretty competitive. Find out more on the M-Audio website.
