Alesis Melody MKII 61 key Keyboard Review#
Reviewed by: Josh
Learning a new instrument is an extremely rewarding venture. It can teach you a lot about patience, music theory, and creativity. Learning to play the piano is something that many of us have aspired to do, but maybe felt like the roadblocks were just a little too high. Especially when it comes to the cost of buying a new piano. That's why the Alesis Melody 61 key Keyboard just might be the perfect solution. For people who are just starting out, and want a decent budget option to practice with, this keyboard is pretty great.
Features:#
61 standard piano-style keys.
Built-in speakers.
300 built-in tones to practice with.
40 pre-installed demo songs to play along, and practice with.
The ability to record your own songs.
Microphone, stand, headphones, music stand, and power adapter are included.
What I like about it:#
Easy to set up.
From unboxing to playing, takes just a few minutes. The stand is a breeze to set up, and this keyboard is ready to start using as soon as you turn it on. So for beginners who are looking for a simple plug-and-play option, this keyboard is great.
Free lessons.
The Alesis Melody 61 key MKII comes with three free months of piano courses through Skoove Premium. All you have to do is go to the website and set it up. This is a great option for people who want a little bit of a head starts in their learning.
Value for the price.
This keyboard offers a lot of value for the price. At first glance, you may not expect it to come with all of the things it does. But the mixing options, percussion capabilities, and bundled bench, headphones, and microphone really make this keyboard impressive for the cost.
What I don't like about it:#
Lack of Aux input.
I would really like the ability to plug a smartphone, or tablet into the keyboard. The lack of ability to play along to your own music through the keyboard is a bit of a downer.
No sustain pedal input.
For those who want to practice with a sustain pedal, the Alesis Melody 61 key MKII doesn't allow that option.
No Bluetooth support.
While this may seem like a bit of a nitpick here, I really would like Bluetooth support. The headphones that come with this keyboard, while not horrible, aren't outstanding. Being able to use your own Bluetooth headphones would be a big bonus.
Overall Thoughts:#
While the Alesis Melody 61 key MKII keyboard isn't going to blow away any experienced keyboard players, it is a really good option for beginners. You get the benefit of being able to simply jump right into practicing, without all of the confusing technical aspects that can come with more advanced equipment. The menu options and sound controls are very easy to understand. The added bonus of not needing to buy peripheral equipment is nice as well, for someone who wants to start learning but isn't sure f they want to sink the cash into everything right away. However, bear in mind, that you may outgrow this keyboard pretty quickly depending on your skill level. If you are someone who takes to things very quickly and learns fast, you may find yourself needing to upgrade to a higher-end keyboard sooner rather than later.