I say this because I personally don’t believe their products to compare to the high-end products of say Roland or Yamaha. Rocket Piano Review – Is It Any Good In 2020? Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items. Also, it has a lesson mode that will allow you to split the keyboard so you and an instructor can play at the same time. In all, Alesis has designed the Melody 61 to be easy to play and use. My overall opinion on this controller is that is very solid. Tight Budget? Shop Gear Categories Brands Shops Deals and Steals Price Drops 0% Financing New and Popular Handpicked Collections. My Personal opinion on the Recital Pro is that it’s a great pick for newer pianists. With the Alesis VI61, you will get a few quick-start manuals, a power supply, a copy of Ableton Live Lite, and a copy of Xpand2. It’s definitely worth either upgrading or looking for other DAWsbecause the Lite version doe… Overall, we think that the Alesis VI61 is a great choice for those who want to have a MIDI keyboard and a drum pad in one go, plus the various assignable knobs and buttons at hand, and is on a budget but doesn’t want to sacrifice quality for the price. The Harmony 61 is entry-level for students. This particularity makes this keyboard the best in the Alesis catalog. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. I will say that this is currently their best MIDI controller right now. Here’s a quick rundown on the specifications of the AlesisRecital 88 vs 61. Alesis makes one of my favorite digital pianos for beginners to intermediate players. Read our Review of the Best Piano Keyboard for the Money! Alesis Harmony Ultra Portable 61 Keyboard. With the VI61, you get free stuff such as downloadable content from Ableton Live and AIR Xpand!2. It’s powerful, practical, versatile and its keys respond very well to the touch. Keep in mind that not all MIDI controllers have drum pads, especially those that are cheaper and smaller in size. The Harmony 61 is a very nice beginner's keyboard. All Rights Reserved. Best Digital Pianos & Keyboards In 2020 – All Price Points, The Recital Pro is a quality instrument that is low priced and gets the job done for many pianists, 8 Best Keyboard Workstations For Producers In 2020, Roland FA 08 Workstation Keyboard – Owner’s Review, Yamaha CP88/CP73 Review – Here’s Why It’s Great. Disclaimer: There may be affiliate links on this page and others. This makes it even more perfect for a beginning player. But for those who aren’t that familiar with it yet, what exactly is a MIDI keyboard? This is one of the best models of Alesis. KeyboardKraze.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (i.e. However, not everyone might be comfortable with that. its stores in the country listed above). I stated earlier that I believe Alesis makes a great keyboard for beginners and intermediate musicians. The Harmony 61 MKII has 61 piano-style keys, onboard speakers, and 300 great sounds that cover a wide range of instruments, from pianos, strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion to … This piano has 128-note max polyphony for increased playability. Their keyboards are used for all sorts of beginner piano students. They are currently leading the industry in keytars easily in the last few years. The sound is very good with realistic reproduction of the sound of a piano. Important: The memory slots will be reset to their default settings if you turn Harmony 61 off. Next post: Tight Budget? Learning a new instrument is an extremely rewarding venture. This is the entry-level MIDI controller that they make. alesis harmony 61 digital piano, comes with power supply but can also take batteries. Try this digital keyboard out, and see if you like it before taking the plunge and purchasing a digital piano for under $1000 . This is a very common opinion in the piano world and I don’t think this a bad thing for Alesis. Well, think of it as a game controller or joystick – you press buttons but it doesn’t exactly make a sound on its own – you need to connect it to a computer or a sound generator in order to make music out of it. Alesis Harmony 61 – 61 Key Ultra-Portable Keyboard The Harmony is a top quality, starter keyboard that packs a great deal in power, responsiveness, and adaptability. Since then, Alesis keyboards have been recognized as a major keyboard brand in the music industry. As you’ll see from the comparison table below, the Alesis Recital seems to be a lot bulkier than other budget keyboards below $300. This would be useful if you want to play drum loops (or even instrument/voice loops) from your DAW (digital audio workstation) and then play along with your melodies in the piano keys. It is the type of keyboard that you buy for your kids to practice on while at home or in a musical lesson group. Basically, you not only get a MIDI keyboard controller – you get a bite-sized Launchpad-like drum pad controller on the left side! Alesis Harmony 61 Portable Keyboard The Harmony 61 is entry-level for students. The Alesis Harmony 61 MKII keyboard has 61 piano-style keys, built-in speakers, and 300 built-in sounds covering a wide To store the current settings to a memory slot, press and hold Store, press one of the M1– M4 buttons. Hunting Down the Best Keyboard for Making Beats, Latest and Greatest Yamaha P45B Review of 2018. Seller Reviews. MIDI keyboards are generally used to sequence notes and create a song – it makes it easier to edit key mistakes rather than recording from a direct instrument. This is well worth every penny and would make a Great Gift. Unlike other cheaper MIDI keyboards out there, you get a plethora of stuff to tweak – the MIDI keyboard has 48 buttons and 16 knobs in total, by which you can assign them all to any parameter that you want on your DAW or instrument. Here is a list of its features as compared to the Alesis VI61: Based on the comparison chart above, we can see that NI’s S61 controller lacks drum pads, but you can always suffice with assigning it to the keys. This 61 key console intended for apprentices is really a package. If you are looking for a good instrument that will travel well, then the Alesis Melody 61 is for you. They were founded by Keith Barr who had a long history with design circuits for electronic instruments. These could be useful when making music so that your sounds and instruments don’t always sound the same and you may be able to use them for different genres of music. It comes with 88 full-size hammer-action keys and 20-watt speakers. 8 control knobs, 8 faders, and 8 switches. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For our Editor’s Choice, we’ll give you the lowdown with an Alesis VI61 review for all you MIDI keyboard enthusiasts out there. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who have been playing for a while, but I think this is solid for a person just starting to play the keyboard. A thing I have really enjoyed with Alesis is that their MIDI controllers have really good functionality. Your Source for MIDI Controllers, Digital Pianos, and Keyboards. Be the live DJ or producer that you’ve always wanted to be and easily put effects on the fly! The best keyboard for a gigging musician is going to be a keyboard that allows for a lot…, The keyboard workstation has been around for many years and it is a very powerful music production instrument.…, The Roland FA 08 is the newest version of the Fantom series. The Best Bluetooth MIDI Controllers – Wireless Options In 2020, Best Fake Books For Piano – All Genres Of Music, Prepared Piano – A Complete Guide To This Technique, Best Digital Pianos & Keyboards In 2020 – All Price Points, Best Ways To Learn To Play The Piano In 2020. Not to mention, NI’s keyboard is actually a lot pricier than both the Akai and the Alesis keyboards. I have a ton of personal experience with this keytar as I have been using it for about 2 years now touring. We’ll give you Details! Well, think of it as a game controller or joystick – you press buttons but it doesn’t exactly make a sound on its own – you need to connect it to a computer or a sound generator in order to make music out of it. The Recital Pro comes with a three-month subscription to Skoove, an online piano-instruction service. Alesis Melody MKII 61 key Keyboard Review – 2020 3 min read. But for those who aren’t that familiar with it yet, what exactly is a MIDI keyboard? The Alesis 61 keyboard is a perfect choice for the beginner player. It comes with 300 different sounds that are pretty good for what you are paying for. Review Alesis HARMONY 61 Buy Alesis Harmony 61, 61-Key Portable Keyboard with Built-In Speakers featuring 61 Velocity-Sensitive Keys, Adjustable Touch Response, 320 Built-In Sounds, Layer and Split Modes, Song Mode with 100 Built-In Rhythms, Intuitive Backlit LCD Screen, Chord Dictionary with Notation, Includes Music Rest, Power Adapter. Love all the different sounds, tones and styles you can play. It has a really nice built-in arpeggiator that I’m very fond of. Alesis Harmony 61-Key Full-Size Keyboard with Bench, Stand and Lessons Learn to create something beautiful right away. If you’re planning on purchasing a portable option, this is not the way to go. What’s the Best Way to Learn Piano on your Own? Your email address will not be published. This just means that a few features are excluded. Make Wonderful Music with these Best Upright Piano Brands, 7 FACTS ABOUT PIANISTS THAT ARE SURE TO BLOW YOUR MIND, A Keyboard Throwdown: The Yamaha P255 vs P155, FIVE OF THE BEST 88 KEY KEYBOARDS FOR BEGINNERS. You can read more about Roland keyboards here if you are interested. The headphones are great for practicing, and the microphone is extremely light but works very well, good sound. I’m not going to sit here and tell you why Alesis makes the best keyboards in the world because I simply don’t believe that. The Alesis Harmony 61 MKII keyboard has 61 piano-style keys, built-in speakers, and 300 built-in sounds covering a wide variety of instruments–pianos, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, mallets, guitars, synths, even sound effects! For our Editor’s Choice, we’ll give you the lowdown with an Alesis VI61review for all you MIDI keyboard enthusiasts out there. It's easy to use. I wouldn’t recommend this to people who have been playing for a while, but I think this is solid for a person just starting to play the keyboard. I think I personally think this is Alesis’ best keyboard that they have released. Once you start playing on weighted keys, you’ll find it hard to go back to non-weighted keyboards. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Alesis Harmony 61 - 61 Key Ultra-Portable Keyboard With Velocity-Sensitive Keys, Built-in Speakers, 300+ In-Demand Sounds and 3-Month Skoove Premium Subscription at Amazon.com. Similar Products. Where the Recital Pro sets itself apart for beginners, is the learning tools it comes with. The Hamzer is a good instrument for beginners of all ages, with a wider range of capabilities than the Alesis Melody 61 MKII. Although it’s meant to work with the NI Komplete, you can still use it for other programs like FL Studio since it is still technically a MIDI keyboard. The other voices don't quite sound like the actual instruments, but that is not a problem for me since I am mainly interested in using it as a piano. Out of all the different MIDI keyboards out there, one product caught our eye – the Alesis VI61. The Recital Pro is a quality instrument that is low priced and gets the job done for many pianists. If you are just getting started, the software will be functional enough for you to start playing around. The keyboard is a 61 key designed item that features a high speed touchy keys stage. The one thing that I wish this instrument had would be weighted keys. I am going to buy another one for two reasons: 1.My StudioLogic has two MIDI outs and I could use a two NanoPianos on the two different zones of the controller, piano left hand and organ right. I currently am touring and using their Vortex 2 keytar live and having a blast doing so. Adjustable key sensitivity(low, medium, and high), USB-Midi output(Allows you to hook up to a laptop for more sounds), Record mode so you can record and listen back to your performance. Here are the major differences between the two: As we can see, the Akai MPK249 is slightly smaller when it comes down to the size, number of keys and controls, but probably what made it more expensive is the fact that it has more free software bundles included than the Alesis VI61. This is a big reason why I say that their keyboards just aren’t made for professional musicians as weighted keys are important. The Alesis Recital 61 offers full 88 keys and comes with a plethora of sound options, including a USB midi. There are a ton of lousy keyboards out there that don’t compare to them and this is why I really do like their company overall. Not to mention, Akai has been a long-time player in the history of music production, so it’s given that its price is at par with brands like Yamaha. Last Updated 26 Nov 2020 Alesis Melody MKII 61 key Keyboard Review # Reviewed by: Josh. Chris Senner is a passionate keyboardist, songwriter & blogger from Milwaukee, WI. Take for instance the headphone port that allows your kids to connect and play discreetly without disturbing the peace of the house or surroundings. It is also wireless, so you don’t need to have it connected to a wire while you’re playing. For musicians who want to use a pedal, The Q49 comes with a sustain pedal input. My personal history is that I have played their digital pianos and their MIDI controllers for the last 5-10 years now. Pretty handy, huh? And, the instrument can be moved around easily. Page 10 Memory Memory Slots Harmony 61 has 4 memory slots where you can store the current voice, tempo, beat value, sustain effect, etc. Read our Review of the Best Piano Keyboard for the Money! Not having weighted keys is what holds it back from being suitable for advanced players. It can teach you a lot about patience, music theory, and creativity. We break down some of the best features we can find from the Alesis VI61: You get a total of 61 keys that are full-sized so you will feel like you are playing in a real piano, especially for those who are used to such (and for those with long fingers). While it’s true that the Alesis VI61 has a ton of great stuff to boast, there may be other brands and products that are similar and comparable, such as the following: If you want a more branded and expensive MIDI keyboard then the Akai Professional MPK249 may be a good choice that’s quite similar to the Alesis VI61. Alesis’ Recital is an extremely affordable digital piano. Check out its updated price on Amazon and you may be surprised! See Reviews & More for Alesis Recital 61 Alesis Recital 88-key The volume is awesome, the bench is very comfortable. 5. This product, in particular, doesn’t have a ton of features, but it gets the job done for someone looking for a cheaper option. My opinion on this controller is that it does the basic things it needs to do well. 2. This could be useful if you want a more realistic feel to a piano or keyboard when it comes down to the sensitivity, just like a real grand piano or upright piano, so that your music doesn’t sound flat. The functionality is really incredible as I haven’t really had any problems with it. Since this is a decently-priced and right-sized MIDI keyboard, it does have extra space for such, which could be useful for both live and recording sessions. Required fields are marked *. Check out the Alesis SR-16 Review page at Sweetwater — the world's leading music technology and instrument retailer! The buttons are clear and large enough to press while playing. Copyright 2018 by Piano Keyboard Authority. With this being said, I think Alesis is happy with kind of being the company that can rule the beginner and intermediate students. As a whole, if music-making is your forte (or arranging tunes, for that matter), why not make your life easier with the Alesis VI61? The Recital 61 comes with a decent RCA and headphones, making it a good option for a starter digital piano. We give you some insights! Sell on Reverb The Alesis Harmony 61 MKII keyboard has 61 piano-style keys, built-in speakers, and 300 built-in sounds covering a wide variety of instruments--pianos, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, mallets, guitars, synths, even sound effects! PianoKeyboardAuthority.com we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Just like the Recital Pro, the Harmony 61 comes with Skoove which is a good program for beginners. While it’s true that most MIDI keyboards are only often connected to your computer, some, like this VI61, can even have the option for an external power adapter in case you have a more complicated studio setup. Your email address will not be published. Overall, my opinion of Alesis keyboards and digital pianos is that they are great for beginning to intermediate musicians. The Recital Pro is definitely their best digital piano that they have. I previously owned the Fantom G…, The Yamaha CP88 & CP 73 Stage pianos are relatively new keyboards from Yamaha. If you want to know why check out our review below for its features and specs. I think that if you’re a parent or a student looking for a solid keyboard to get familiar with the instrument, Alesis is great. The 61-key Harmony features high-speed responsive keys, and you can fully adjust this feature. Alesis HARMONY 61 Overview The Harmony 61, 61-Key Portable Keyboard with Built-In Speakers from Alesis features 61 velocity-sensitive keys with adjustable touch response, two built-in 5W speakers, and over 300 realistic built-in sounds such as pianos, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, mallets, guitars, synths, and even sound effects. Now, this is a keyboard so that means it … Now, this is a keyboard so that means it has more sounds than a digital piano. Alesis Melody 61 Review | 61-Key Portable Keyboard . Check it out on Amazon at the link above. Other keyboards we mentioned lacked features such as the drum pad and the number of keys but were still significantly higher in price as compared to the VI61. Alesis provides a copy of the lite version. Previous post: Make Wonderful Music with these Best Upright Piano Brands. While the Hamzer 61 is not a professional instrument, the better sound, higher quality construction of the keyboard and accessories, better onboard learning tools, and greater range of instrument options make it an overall better choice than the Alesis Melody 61 MKII, for just a few dollars more. Get the guaranteed best price on MIDI Keyboard Controllers like the Alesis VI61 61-Key Keyboard Controller at Musician's Friend. There are other Alesis keyboards sold online ( https://amzn.to/2UkCrVa). Costco has the ALESIS Harmony 61 – 61 Portable Keyboard Bundle for $99. The Alesis Harmony 61 is an amazing 61 key velocity-sensitive keyboard with adjustable touch response, built-in speakers, and over 300 realistic built-in sounds that cover a wide variety of instruments. Now when it comes to their MIDI controllers, I think they are fit for professional producers and keyboardists as I think their MIDI functionality is some of the best available. The Recital Pro is highly regarded for beginners and intermediate players because for this price, it’s hard to top. This would be a good keyboard bundle for beginners or for a smaller keyboard for practicing. The Alesis Harmony 61 keyboard has 61 velocity-sensitive keys with adjustable touch response, built-in speakers and over 300 realistic built-in sounds that cover a wide variety of instruments--- pianos, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, mallets, guitars, synths and even sound effects! I’ve been playing keyboards for over 20 years and this is the place that I love to share my knowledge. This release was very…, The Roland A-88 MKII was recently announced just a couple of weeks before the popular NAMM 2020 and…, It is an exciting time in the MIDI world as we are starting to see companies making the…. Alesis started producing keyboards in the 1980s in a small town in Rhode Island. Alesis Harmony 61 Kit Features:61 piano-style keys with built-in speakers300 built-in tones with layer and split modesOne touch song mode with 300 built-in rhythms1/8” headphone jack mutes speakers for private practiceIncludes Keyboard, Throne, Headphones, Stand, and MicrophoneDimensions - Depth17.05 in.Dimensions - He The Harmony 61 MKII is a great keyboard for students just beginning their musical journey. Ableton Liveis a great DAW. He's toured the country with Vinyl Theatre & now has developed a passion for writing about all things keyboards. There’s really a ton of good things to say about this instrument. Alesis Harmony 61 Enjoy true professional-quality sound with powerful learning tools in a convenient portable package! Roland A-88 MKII MIDI Keyboard Review – Gamechanger? For those who own mostly NI (Native Instruments) plug-ins and VSTs on their computer, they may find the Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk2 Keyboard much more useful. This is a keyboard you could get a couple of years out of before needing to seriously upgrade. MIDI keyboards are generally used to sequence notes and create a song – it makes it easier to edit ke… Part of that is due to the weighted nature of the keybed (more on that in the Keyboardsection of the review). Here’s a look at some of the specs below. How Hard is it to Learn Piano on Your Own? The actual body construction of the Recital is …