M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro 88-Key USB MIDI Controller
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88-Key Graded Hammer-action USB MIDI Controller with Smart Controls and Auto-Mapping
The M-Audio Hammer 88 Pro is a full-sized, 88-key, USB powered MIDI keyboard controller with graded hammer action that opens up a wide world of creativity! The new Hammer 88 Pro is equipped to be the ultimate studio and live performance tool. Add the Hammer 88 Pro's natural piano feel to your arsenal and bring your music to the next level!
ONBOARD CONTROL
The Hammer 88 Pro gives you all the options you need to control whatever music creation software you choose. The top panel includes 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 intuitive OLED screen that makes it easy to search for and test sounds, map controls, and mix and edit your sessions. On the back panel you will find 5-pin MIDI IN and Out connections, (1) footswitch and (3) expression pedal inputs, for all the connections you need.
Features
• Best-in-class 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 featuring Pro Tools | First M-Audio Edition, Ableton Live Lite, MPC Beats, 7 Virtual Instruments from AIR Music Technology (Hybrid, Velvet, Mini Grand, Xpand!2, Vacuum, Boom, DB-33) and 9 MPC Beats Expansion Packs
DAW AUTO-MAPPING & PERFORMANCE CONTROL
Thanks to the OLED screen that sits front and center, 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
Hammer 88 Pro features M-Audio's brand-new Smart Chord and Smart Scale technology. These functions open up your imagination and help blend your hardware seamlessly with your ideas across all 88 keys. Creating music on your computer has never been this intuitive and inspiring thanks to these workflow-centric features.
With Smart Chord activated, pressing a single key or pad will play a full chord rather than just one note. The key or pad you press will determine the root note in the chord. The rest of the chord's properties (major, minor, etc) are determined by the settings you choose. Smart Chord also has a Custom Mode that lets you determine the chord structure that will be assigned to each key by manually playing it. For example, if you select Custom Mode, and play a 1-b3-5-b7 chord, every key will then be assigned to play this chord structure. The note of the key you press will serve as the root of the chord and all of the parameters can be edited right on the Hammer 88 Pro!
Smart Scale technology allows you to set the key bed so that only notes in the selected scale are able to be played. This allows you to play within a chosen scale without the risk of playing any "wrong" notes. You can choose from 16 different scale variations when assigning a scale to the keyboard. Smart Scale is easy to activate and deactivate and allows you to set the scale parameters you need to keep you focused on creating.
PROFESSIONAL CONTROLS
Built into the Hammer 88 Pro are features that are essential to creating modern pop, electronic, hip hop, and dance music. Note Repeat and the built-in Arpeggiator open up a world of precise music production and live sound techniques to make your music sound professional.
Note Repeat allows you to hold down any of the custom-made M-Audio performance pads and hear a repeated rhythmic pattern at a selectable note division. The Note Repeat feature can be activated momentarily or can be used in Latch mode. If you choose Momentary, holding the Note Repeat button will make the note played by the pad automatically repeat. If you choose Latch, pressing any pad will cause its assigned note to repeat without you having to hold down the Note Repeat button.
The built-in Arpeggiator will affect anything you are playing on the keys from any virtual instrument in your DAW. When the Arpeggiator is activated, the keyboard will repeatedly play the pressed keys in sequence. The arpeggiator's timing and rhythm is based on the keyboard's time division setting and either the keyboard's or your DAW's tempo setting. Each note in the arpeggio will be the length you've selected for the time division setting; for example, if you select 1/4, each note in the arpeggio will be a quarter note. This powerful tool can operate in Latch or Momentary mode, making it easy to match your style.
NEXT-GEN PIANO FEEL
Hammer 88 Pro's best-in-class 88 graded hammer-action key bed combines professional, graded, weighted hammeraction with advanced high-speed key bed scanning technology for an ultra-expressive playing experience. This custom key bed also features Assignable Aftertouch, giving users added expression and control. Assignable Aftertouch enables you to affect the sound of a virtual instrument plugin by continuously scanning how much pressure you apply to any key after initially pressing it. This makes creating the mood, dynamics and emotion you want to deliver in your music natural and fast.
Technical Specifications
Power: 9V DC, 800 mA
Dimensions (Width x Depth x Height): 56.0" x 11.1" x 5.0" / 142.2 x 28.2 x 12.7cm
Weight: 40.8 lbs. / 18.5kg
Q & A
Reviews
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
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Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
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