Roland A-88Item ID: A8888-key MIDI Keyboard Controller with Hammer-action Keys, Octave/Transpose Buttons, Sustain/Expression Pedal Inputs, Bend/Mod Lever, and D-BEAM Controller 
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12 Months Interest Free Financing!On purchase of Roland or BOSS products totaling $499 or more, made with your Sweetwater Card now through June 30, 2013. From Our Research Team:Impeccable Piano Action in a Pro ControllerPianist? The Roland A-88 MIDI keyboard controller gives you Roland's impeccable Ivory Feel-G Keyboard with Escapement in a trim, roadworthy package that offers USB and iPad compatibility, as well as onboard control of Roland SuperNATURAL-powered synths. You get robust performance control, too, with assignable knobs and switches, octave and transpose buttons, keyboard split and layer functions, sustain and expression pedal inputs, and Roland's way-cool bend/mod lever and D-BEAM controller. If authentic piano hammer action is on your controller must-have list, you need the Roland A-88.Click for Video & Audio Demos:
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Roland A-88 MIDI Keyboard Controller at a Glance:
All you could want in a full-sized keyboard controller Roland is back at it, flexing its considerable keyboard design mojo with the A-88 MIDI controller. This 'board gives you everything you could want in a full-sized keyboard controller, starting with a superb Ivory Feel-G keybed with Escapement - which simulates the hammers lifting off the strings. You also get assignable knobs and switches, octave and transpose buttons, keyboard split and layer functionality, sustain and expression pedal inputs, Roland's slick bend/mod lever, and even their insanely cool D-BEAM controller. Control your SuperNATURAL synths directly The A-88 sports a dedicated SuperNATURAL mode button that unlocks a bevy of sound-selection features when hooked up to a Roland SuperNATURAL instrument such as the INTEGRA-7 sound module or the JUPITER-80 and JUPITER-50 synths. It's like they were made for each other. And the A-88 is perfect for playing that killer grand piano VI you just added to your instrument library. Compatible with three operating systems The Roland A-88 is three-OS compatible. That's right. You get compatibility with the Mac, as well as iOS apps on the iPad (via the optional Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit). If you're a Windows user, the A-88 comes bundled with SONAR X1 LE DAW software, for straight-out-of-the-box music production. Roland A-88 MIDI Keyboard Controller Features:
Compact, versatile, and highly playable - that's the Roland A-88 controller!
A-88 Image GalleryCan We Help?Sweetwater's friendly and knowledgeable Sales Engineers are regarded as the most experienced and educated professionals in the music industry, with extensive music backgrounds and intense training on the latest products and technologies. As your personal contact here at Sweetwater, they are available to provide personalized advice any time you need it.Call toll-free (800) 222-4700 or E-mail us Recommended Accessories
Wyndell, Mckinney, TX Reviewsbased on 3 reviewsPerfect for My Needs
by Robert Mirabelle from Stratford, CT
This keyboard is a fabulous unit for gigging. I purchased it to replace my TANK of a keyboard (the AKAI MPK 88) because it weighs about half as much. A robust MIDI controller? Definitely not. There's ... read more [+]no display and limited flexibility. And programming via the keys themselves is simply awkward. But what you do is AMAZING feel. Despite the very heavy feel of the keys, the action is smooth as silk and surprisingly nimble. Because the control section is off to the left, this keyboard fits into the "extra wide" category, so be aware when purchasing a case. Speaking of which, at this time there aren't any truly good case options. Ultimately very happy with this unit so far - the feel is so nice, it actually makes me sound better! close [-]
January 10, 2013 Music Background: Almost Ideal But....
by MarTeeN from Miami
This keyboard is an answer to my wishes of a simple, no frills keyboard controller with a good piano action where I can put my computer and other peripherals where I want them in front of me without t... read more [+]he interference of needles bells and whistles. The keyboard feel is great, the D--Beam controller is a nice feature to have and the whole thing is surprisingly light making it fairly portable.March 14, 2013 Music Background: Producer Musician The only downside (at least with my unit) is that the side of the keyboard where the controls panel is tends to arch or bend downwards revealing a less that rock solid construction quality for the not-so-cheap price which is a real pity, otherwise I would've given it 5 stars. close [-] Almost great!
by Rich from Bay Area, CA
I'd almost give it a 4 even though I don't really think it is "great!" because it's better than most other weighted controllers out there but then I don't think that would help to improve the product ... read more [+]since they need constructive reviews (maybe 3.8 stars). What I like about it is that it is really light and compact for an 88 key controller. The key tops also feel really nice and the weighting is pretty good. The USB port and the ability to power it from your computer is priceless. Setup was fairly simple on my Macbook Pro Retina although there are several steps you need to follow in the MIDI device configuration utility just to get playing. I prefer when you can just plug a device in and it works (like when I use it with a MIDI to USB converter).April 24, 2013 Music Background: Pro musician What I don't like is the velocity curve and the D-Beam controller. The D-Beam controller sucks pretty bad in my opinion. Totally uncomfortable to use and isn't useful for volume control since it goes full tilt once you pull your hand away. Seems to be more of a gimmick than a useful feature. It also doesn't seem to have a decoupled hammer and key-stick. This makes it play nothing like a real piano and that's all I really want it for. Real piano actions allow you to play harder based on the speed of the key, not the distance the key travels. Think about the repetition lever, for example, and how you don't need to release the key all the way before you can re-trigger a note. Because of this, it forces me to completely change the way I play and I don't want to play piano two different ways. The velocity curve also is a bit strange in that it plays really nice when playing softly but trying to gradually get louder is really tough. Instead it's nice and mellow when playing soft and when you try to build the dynamics, suddenly it's just SCREAMING LOUD! On the positive side, you can play softer classical pieces pretty easy; just don't expect the same dynamics control as a grand. close [-] Also popular
Roland A-88
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