Binding: Electronics
Brand: M-Audio
EAN: 0612391760106
Feature: Premium stage piano loaded with 14 world-class instrument samples
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: M-Audio
Manufacturer: M-Audio
Model: 9900-41309-00
Publisher: M-Audio
Special Features: Its essential complement of instruments including grand piano, electric pianos, organ, and clav sound unbelievably good for an instrument in this price range. The piano?s semi-weighted action also delivers the best feel you can get without the added cost and weight of hammer action. While many digital stage pianos cram as many as 128 instruments into limited space, the ProKeys 88sx dedicates all of its memory to 7 high-quality sounds devoting extra attention to the multi-layer stereo samples of
Studio: M-Audio
MPN: 99004130900

• Premium stage piano loaded with 14 world-class instrument samples
• Designed with split and layer capabilities
• Doubles as a great master controller keyboard with a built-in USB interface
• Connects to your PC or Mac, communicates with other MIDI gear, and more
• Measures 13 x 5.9 x 57 inches (WxHxD)

• Premium stage piano loaded with 14 world-class instrument samples
• Designed with split and layer capabilities
• Doubles as a great master controller keyboard with a built-in USB interface
• Connects to your PC or Mac, communicates with other MIDI gear, and more
• Measures 13 x 5.9 x 57 inches (WxHxD)

The M-Audio ProKeys 88 Hammer Action Premium Stage Piano is loaded with large, realistic samples -- 14 world-class instruments in all, including split and layer capabilities. And M-Audio has paired these great sounds with an 88-key hammer-action keyboard that delivers a realistic feel to satisfy the most demanding professional pianist. The ProKeys 88 is also a great master controller keyboard that includes a built-in USB MIDI interface for easy direct connection to your PC or Mac, MIDI in and out jacks to communicate with other MIDI gear, pitch and modulation wheels, sequencer controls, and more. M-Audio pulled out all the stops in creating the ultimate playing experience in an affordable digital stereo piano.

Ultra-Realistic Piano Sound
The goal behind the ProKeys 88 design was to create an extremely musical, realistic piano experience. The caliber of a digital piano is greatly influenced by the quality and size of the samples, so M-Audio started by giving ProKeys 88 a generous amount of memory. Then, rather than dividing it up amongst a smorgasbord of sounds that would never get used, they focused on the 14 sounds that are considered the bread and butter for most keyboardists -- paying extra-special attention to the stereo grand piano sound.

More Than a Stage Piano
The ProKeys 88 delivers all the staple keyboard sounds desired by almost all musicians. The flagship stereo grand piano is complimented by an alternate grand sound designed to really cut through in pop music tunes. This keyboard has electric pianos covered as well -- including classic sounds like the Yamaha DX7 and the Fender Rhodes, and the vintage Wurlitzer (don't forget the tremolo effect!). And with the Clavinet, one word will come to your mind: funky. Acoustic and electric basses give you the option of layering a ride cymbal for jazz tunes, while vibes, ensemble strings, and an inspiring synth pad round a great sonic palette for the serious gigging keyboardist.

Splits, Layers, and 88-Key Hammer Action
The ProKeys 88 keyboard also features split and layer capabilities. This smart instrument can put a bass in your left hand and the keys in your right; organ chords while playing a piano lead; lush strings layered over a delightful piano. You can even have a split and layer simultaneously for a total of three different sounds at once. Of course, none of this really matters if the piano doesn't feel like a piano. A realistic digital stage piano must have a full 88 keys that are properly weighted. The ProKeys 88's full-range clavier features hammer action that feels just like the real thing. Plus, it has three velocity curves tailored to different touches, as well as a fixed velocity for synth work.

Control your Digital Audio Workstation
When it comes to communicating with the outside world, most digital pianos offer little more than a MIDI jack. In sharp contract, this keyboard inherits much from M-Audio's many years of experience with mobile MIDI controllers. It incorporates a full USB MIDI interface that communicates with your PC or Mac via a single, simple USB connection. This is the perfect tool for recording with virtually all of the MIDI sequencer software that is available on the market. In fact, you can even control your sequencer remotely via the front-panel Start, Stop, and Tempo buttons.

In addition to computer connectivity, the ProKeys 88 has MIDI in and out jacks that allow full communication with all standard MIDI gear. This keyboard also features performance controls that are rare on digital stage pianos, such as a pitch wheel, modulation wheel, two footswitch inputs, and an expression pedal input. The three different ranges available via the ProKey 88's combined split and layer function can each transmit on separate MIDI channels, as well. You also get dedicated front-panel buttons for program change, channel, bank MSB, bank LSB, and local on/off for the ultimate in control.

Built-in Effects, Pedals, Headphones and Outputs
With the ProKeys 88 you can forget about messing around with additional gear to add basic effects. This instruments on-board EQ lets you easily tweak any tone on the fly. You also get three different built-in reverb spaces that simulate different acoustic environments. Ever feel the need to practice privately? This keyboard includes a 0.25-inch stereo headphone jack so you can play in private. The ProKeys 88 also has a 0.25-inch, unbalanced audio output with 20Hz-20kHz frequency response and 108dB dynamic range for the best sound in the business.

What's in the Box
Prokeys 88SX keyboard, software CD (drivers and applications), 5-foot USB cable, user's manual, power supply, and sustain pedal.

Customer Rating:
Summary: nice keyboard!
Comment: playing this is close to real piano, and price is very reasonable. Sounds it has isn't that great but I should say it's fine unless you get some from other instrument.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Can't go wrong at this price even if it's essentially a "toy"
Comment: Anyone who purchases a $400 piano expecting it to perform with the touch and sound of a Steinway is terribly naive or bluffing. No electric is fit for playing Liszt, Chopin, or Rachmaninoff--even the fully weighted and graded (heavier touch on bottom, lighter on top) models at ten times the price of this M-Audio. A keyboard like this one is OK for use with computer programs, midi work, and learning something about the lay of the keyboard and how to "flesh out" a lead sheet. You don't require more than 76 keys for jazz and pop music, or 61 for computer programming (88 keys is to impress the consumer). By all means pass up the keyboards with built-in rhythm sections, several hundred instrument sounds, recording capability, pre-installed songs and styles, auto-accompaniment. They're counterproductive. (You may as well play your stereo.)

As for touch, if you're a jobbing musician, you'll soon be all too happy to sacrifice weighted action in favor of the lightest, most decent -sounding keyboard available. Unlike an actual piano, you learn how to let the electrical contacts of the keyboard do the work and to use "finger" technique (instead of deriving power from the weight of the arm and shoulders). Moreover, if you occasionally want to use an organ voice, weighted action will simply drag you down.

For those expressing disappointment: never buy a keyboard without trying it, and don't expect it to sound the same at home as in the store--or on the job as at home. (So much the better if the seller has a return policy.) A previous reviewer is partially right in insisting touch is all that matters--but only because 50% of an electric's tone quality is dependent upon the amp. I've been looking for many years for electric keyboards that come close to delivering what they promise (above all, a musician wants to have a sense of "control" of his instrument at all times), and I can't say we're closer to the goal (Kurzweil was almost there in 1988 with the K1000, but then the company was bought out by Korean giant Young Chang). Just be patient, stay with it, and don't let the "gear" become more important than the music. And bear in mind that electric keyboards are merely a "necessary evil" for us lowly, week-end jobbers. The real pros--from Oscar, Ahmad, and Bill Evans to Jarrett and Mehldau would quit music before playing a concert or even a 30-minute jazz set on an electric.

Warning: Amazon advertises this instrument as being capable of splits and layering. I frankly don't recall it having that capability (check with the manufacturer). Even so, a mere seven instrument sounds would make either feature pointless unless you were midi-ing the keyboard with a another keyboard or an external tone generator. Still, at Amazon's current price, this 20-pound instrument is a useful and affordable controller, computer accessory, and even occasional jobbing ax (e.g. big band dance jobs, where the pianist, at most, gets a couple of Basie fills or Peter Duchin arpeggios).

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Decent piano; good as a midi controller.
Comment: I'm using this piano for two purposes -- regular old playing and also as a midi controller for use with Propellerhead Reason 4.0.

As a piano, it's a good full-sized keyboard for the price. It's a light unit (17 lbs) which is good for convenience sake, but sometimes it's nice to have something a little more substantial. The action on the keys is fine -- it's not like a real piano but for 300 something dollars, it's not bad. The action on this piano is lighter (keys push down more easily) than on some of the other M-audio keyboards I've tried, btw.

As some reviewers have noted, in order to hear the piano, you'll need to buy either a pair of headphones with a 1/4" jack or external speakers.

I'm using this keyboard as a midi controller with Reason, and it's worked perfectly well. The software and drivers are easy to install, and it's really just plug & play. Very simple.

One last thing, this unit comes with a sustain pedal, so don't make the mistake I did and order a sustain pedal, b/c you'll just end up returning it. You should, however, probably buy a keyboard stand (I bought the World Tour Single X Keyboard Stand which is working great) and music stand.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Value but need to know about add-ons
Comment: I researched and was impressed with the great reviews of this piano. Reviewers noted that it didn't come with speakers and that you'd have to get those. I didn't think it would be an issue as I have a few sets of speakers we use with laptops, etc. The problem is that the piano input jack for speakers is 1/4" and most of the remote electronic speakers use a smaller jack. I wound up giving my 7-year old a piano she couldn't hear for her birthday (NOT a good Dad move). I wound up going to a local music store and buying a keyboard amplifier for about $150. With that, everything is fantastic. My daughter is taking lessons and the teacher has commented on how nice the keyboard is. It has the important features like full keyboard and weighted keys. I recommend the keyboard, but know what you're getting into with the need for speakers!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: No complaints
Comment: I bought this thing for two reasons: to teach myself to play piano (despite 20 years grounding in music theory and various instruments, I've never sat down and learned the instrument), and to help with my computer compositions using things like Garritan Personal Orchestra. As a piano for a beginner, it seems great. I have it hooked up to a computer speaker since I'm not terribly worried about stage quality sound while I'm plinking away at Canon in D, but even so the samples all sound great to me. As far as its functions as a MIDI controller, I can't speak to the advanced functions yet since I haven't learned how to use them. The basic function--that of inputting notes into Finale or whatever program you use--works great, and will greatly speed up your note entry. The included pedal is a nice touch, although put something hard underneath it (like a book) if you're using it on carpet.
The only thing that irked me was the 1/4" jacks for audio, necessitating a trip to Radio Shack to purchase a suitable connector.
All in all, well worth the price. I'd buy it again any day.

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