I have owned too many weighted stage pianos over the last 25 years, Kurzweil PC/SP's, Roland RD's, Korg SV1/GrandStage/Kronos, Yamaha CP/Motif. Several years ago I decided to try the controller + VST instrument route. I owned 88 key controllers from Arturia, Nektar, and Novation before trying the Hammer 88. Bingo! I have been using the Hammer 88 for the last several years (a record for me) and here is what I like about it:

The Hammer 88 Pro comes with four pedal inputs for sustain, soft, footswitch, and expression. It has USB Type-B to connect to your computer as well as MIDI in/out. Similarly, the Scale function lets you choose from various key signatures, including modal scales such as Dorian and Locrian. Once set and activated, you can haphazardly press any key on the keyboard, but you will only hear the notes of that scale. Instead of playing a ‘wrong’ note, such as a B♭ in a C major scale, you will hear the closest corresponding note in the scale, which in this case would be a repeat of notes B or A. 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. I deducted a point for features. Not for the absence of pads and knobs, because I wasn't looking for them (if that's what you need, try the "Pro" version). And not for absence of an on/off (power) button; I don't care about that. I gave it four stars rather than five because it doesn't have a "graduated" action (i.e. the resistance and response of the keys don't change as you move from the lower to the higher octaves). This would have increased realism, but it would also have increased the price. The "Pro" version _does_ have a graduated action...but it also has lots of controllers I don't need (which makes it look cluttered); I decided it wasn't worth the extra money.The Hammer 88 Pro is a versatile USB MIDI controller with 88-keys, auto-mapping and a range of smart control options. Perfect for both live performance, and as a reliable studio workhorse, this instrument is a well-rounded tool that's bound to enhance your creativity no-end! Key Features OK, this might seem like a strange alternative to list. But, if you want the feel of the Hammer 88 Pro without all the bells and whistles, get the original, and save some cash. It's definitely five stars for quality: it's _very_ well made, as others have noted; the standard of construction seems extremely high. I've only had it for a week - so time will tell - but I expect it to last for a long time.

We like these particular wheels because they are a perfect size and have a smooth action, making them very easy to use. Production tools 4.9 Utilise 8 assignable buttons and knobs for precise control over mix plugins, DAW parameters and virtual instruments. 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 Hammer 88 Pro has massively expanded on its predecessor’s feature set in both number and variety of performance controls on offer. The Hammer 88 had only basic MIDI functions. The Hammer 88 Pro adds a wide range of easily auto-mapped MIDI tools, making it ideally suited for experienced keyboardists who also want maximum control over their software instruments during performance or production. The Hammer 88 Pro offers a solid mix of productivity-enhancing features and an authentic piano experience. ArpeggiatorThe assignable controls transform the Hammer 88 Pro into a multi-function production powerhouse rather than just a great piano. Faders and knobs 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! The Hammer 88 Pro is slightly different because we are no longer in the budget price range. Thankfully, the build quality is superb to match the price increase. 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.

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. This license agreement shall be construed , interpreted and governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to its conflict of laws rules and law pertaining thereto. Any civil action, lawsuit and/or arbitration resolution shall be conducted only in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and you agree to submit yourself to the jurisdiction thereof for purposes of such action, suit or resolution. This license agreement constitutes the sole and entire agreement between the parties hereto, and any modification of the terms and/or conditions shall only be effective if in writing and signed by the parties hereto. If any part of this license agreement if found or determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this license agreement shall be interpreted and enforced to the extent possible to achieve substantially the effect of this license agreement as set forth herein.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. On the plus side, it has an auto-map function for popular DAWs. Using the OLED screen, you can select auto-map presets for Pro Tools, Logic, MPC Beats, and many other DAWs for complete hands-on control. Wrapping up the software bundle is Boom, a versatile drum machine plugin that mimics vintage drum machines. Build quality 4.7

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.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 The OLED screen provides a massive workflow boost whatever DAW you use because it makes browsing and demoing sounds faster and easier (it could be a little bigger). You get three vintage keyboard instruments; Velvet (electric piano), Mini Grand, and DB-33 Hammond Organ.