M-AudioHammer 88 - USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with 88 Hammer Action Piano Style Keys Including A Studio Grade Recording Software Suite

This is a "CONTROLLER" keyboard. That means that there is NO audio output from the device itself. It must be hooked into a computer in order to access the sound. The amazing ability comes with the speed at which it can communicate between DAWS and other instruments you may attach. It works great for what it is. If you are looking for a simple keyboard that has speakers, this is not for you.

I have had my Hammer88 for about a month. I'm thrilled. I'm 61...I've been playing piano since I was a toddler, literally...running to our big upright grand and banging out the song i just heard on the radio. I'm a piano player. I've played many. If you need an incredibly life-like keyboard, this is it. And the 88Ensemble is a killer plugin to use.To address all the one-star and other negative reviews...they all seem to complain about heaviness, slowness, etc.If you leave all the settings to default, yes, it can "feel" sluggish. However, go to the lower right hand corner of the Ensemble88 screen, and adjust the velocity to "HARDEST"....voila...it's light as a feather once you do that. You must understand this keyboard is truly the best weighted controller I've played.My roommate bought a used (mostly used-up) Nord HP4...there was absolutely NO padding in the thing...every time you struck a key, no matter how gently, you heard a loud bonk...hammer on metal, echoing. It was loud enough that even playing with headphones, the downstairs neighbors still banged on the ceiling! the knocking was that loud!With that in mind, this thing is QUIET AS A MOUSE! Had a friend listen to me play it with just headphones on and he said you can hear some light noises, but nothing like that Nord. So I'm happy with that...I can put the phones on and play at 3am, neighbors or no.There is a caveat with one aspect of how it performs, but for me it's mostly inconsequential. It is sometime subject to, if you are not hitting the key properly, the key not triggering the sound. However, if your finger positions are in good form, and you hit each key squarely, this isn't an issue. It's the "sideways hits" that make this happen, from what I've noticed in this first month.This thing is solid and built like a tank, and I'm very glad of that. It don't feel like I'm banging on a piece of plastic that's about to break. It feels like a piano.And one other thing about the software: on the 88Ensemble, you will run into some oddness with the pedal, unless you choose one of the "COMPLETE" pianos (A, B, etc)...these contain all the 45-second fades and ambient sounds when you hold the pedal down...it's actually quite good! I've hit ten note chords and quickly run up and down, pedal pressed, and every note sounded. Each of the "COMPLETE" pianos with "SOLO" in the name are amped up and sound killer for rock piano. "B Complete Solo" is my favorite so far.So, if you're a life-long piano player and you need a controller, this is it. The software is good. I'm using it on both my older MacBookPro and MacPro Cheezegrater tower. Runs beautifully. There is a bit of a pain-in-the-ass where the "authorization" mess is concerned. I hate that kinda stuff to begin with, and this "iLok" thing isn't that intuitive. BUT: you're allowed TWO activations with each plugin, so put 'em on a studio Mac and a portable Mac with the iLok thing, and yer set.Ableton is the quickest and easiest thing to get going with. ProTools is as obtuse as ever.And I gotta say the VELVET electronic piano plugin RULES! EVERY make/model of significant electric piano from the '60s and '70s. All very well done. Nice graphics, too.And Hammond emulator with LESLIE emulation also???? WOWOWOWOW!!!!! IT sounds real. I've played a real B3. I've been around and used REAL Leslies...this is VERY cool and easy to use.SO: Get to know your software. Dig for help videos, because AIR "support" is totally non-existant!BUT BUY THIS THING BEFORE THEY "UPDATE" IT AND SCREW IT UP!!!!!!UPDDATE 05-16-21: TO EVERYBODY COMPLAINING OF LOOSE USB JACKS, THROW AWAY THE ORIGINAL CABLE AND GET A FRESH NEW CABLE WITHOUT THE STUPID FERRITE COIL KNOB IN IT!!!!!!!! VOILA !!!!!! PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!! NOW, GO GET A NEW CABLE AND STOP TRASHING THIS BEAUTIFUL KEYBOARD ON THE WEB!

I am not a pro and just learning (again, I played for a couple years when I was in 3rd and 4th grade, over 40 years ago) but I have played around on a very nice Yamaha Grand Piano and a few high-end keyboards from Yamaha and Roland. I can say this thing is GREAT in comparison! I am not saying this exactly mimics the feel of a real Grand Piano but it sure comes close! When you consider how reasonable the price is in comparison to some of the high-end keyboards out there, this is at least a great choice for anyone wanting the feel of a real piano but lacks the space or willingness to pay, or is just interested in learning. As I improve I really see no reason to "upgrade" to anything else. I have a real piano (decent "Spinet type) but this plays and feels more "real" IMO.Setup is not real complicated but there is a lot of software involved and I have ZERO experience with software MIDI and things like Protools. I just know they are pigs for system resources. But, this comes with everything you need. They provide the download links and license keys to activate things like Protools and Ableton,etc. I installed everything on a decent Windows 10 laptop (did not try Mac or running on Linux box with Windows VM but probably could). I would not try on cheap "Netbook" type laptop. Mine is Intel i5 with 4Gb ram and 500Gb SSD. Works fine.In the end I found I could have just installed Ableton Live package and any drivers. I simply wanted something that sounds like a real grand piano. Ableton has way more bells and whistles than I need but it is what it is. Protools, I am not even going to try at this point.It does not have speakers and as it is it uses USB MIDI. In my case I am using it just as it came, no additional accessories other than laptop and old Bose sound canceling headset I have plugged into my laptop. Any speaker you can connect to laptop will work and I have tried with nice Bluetooth speakers and sounds great also. I choose to use headset so I can play any time of day or night an no one is subjected to it. Great when you have children that go to bed early.It sounds beautiful, no noticeable delay using the USB MIDI. I simply open Ableton, go to and open the instruments list and chose key/piano list to open it and double click on Grand Piano (there are many types but I only care about Grand) and start playing. Just that simple (I think you do have to chose you speakers out in the first time setup but I forget now) With headset you can also watch and listen to lessons on Youtube while playing away...I also like the fact that this keyboard DOES NOT have a lot of buttons and electronics built into it. I have a cheap Yamaha keyboard with all of that stuff and hardly touch it. I gave it to my children to make noise with. This keyboard is so simple, a USB cord provides all the power it needs (I was surprised but that is all it takes) and the only other part is the sheet music stand that I use for my $150 Chrome Flip that I setup as tablet to play Youtube lessons on.You may also want to purchase a stand and little stool but I found a table works just fine or anything else I can support it with. I did finally get a stand for $40 that is very adjustable and stable. I forget the name but spend extra $10 for a solid and wide one. It is full 88 keys so is as long as a real pianos key board. With children yanking on it the wide stance type stand is much stabler.It is a bit big but not real heavy so taking it from place to place is not a workout.I highly recommend it!

I was in the market for a great stage keyboard but didn't want to spend several thousand dollars for a Nord. This keyboard feels on par, honestly even BETTER than the Nords I've played. The hammer action is just right and has exactly everything I needed.I use this keyboard with Kontakt and Keyscape and have been elated with the quality, feel, and sound.This keyboard does not have any drums pads/buttons besides the octave control, however, the one slider (and any of the keys) can be MIDI mapped to anything you'd like, which for me was the master volume of my DAW. You could also just use another piece of equipment. In my case, I ordered laptops stands to hold my laptop and a launch control XL.The pitch wheel feels incredibly sturdy and the mod wheel very firm yet durable and have gentle red backlighting --perfect.I was very apprehensive of ordering a keyboard online without trying it in person in real life and felt overjoyed and blessed by the quality of this keyboard.