Alesis Recital - 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard with Semi-Weighted Keys, 2x20W Speakers, 5 Voices, Split, Layer and Lesson Mode, FX and Piano Lessons

6 MONTH UPDATE: So, I have had this piano now for close to 6 months and couldn't be happier. Just the starter piano you would give a child to get them started. Sound quality and volume is fantastic. Only gripe so far has been that keys aren't as well weighted but for the price, that is easy to overlook. I noticed that several reviewers have issues with the volume and have returned the piano because it wasn't loud enough and Alesis is to sorely blame for that. Turns out that the Piano has 5 different volume levels and: 1. The default Factory settings are not set at the 'loudest'. 2. It is easy to set the volume to a different level unknowingly (If you enter Advanced Functions mode inadvertently/ younger kids do that when playing with the keys, pressing the middle C (the most frequently used keys) will put the piano to its lowest volume level.) Here are the steps to get the Piano into its loudest volume level 1. Press the Metronome and Lesson keys simultaneously to enter Advanced Functions mode. The two keys should light up. 2. Press the E3 Key once. It should make click sound (it won't play the instrument) sound. 3. Press the Metronome and Lesson keys simultaneously again to exit Advanced Functions mode. 4. Your piano should be set to the loudest volume now. Do try these steps before you consider returning this piano. Its a nifty little instrument, the Alesis! ========================== I was looking around for a good piano for my 5 year old daughter to practice at home as she has just started with Piano lessons. My 2 other shortlists were the Yamaha P71 ($399) and the Casio Previa PX 160 ($499). Ultimately, decided on the Alesis based on the reviews and espeically the price as it was less than half the cost of the other 2. My thinking was that once she develops some skill at playing and retains her interest in learning the piano, we could always upgrade to a better one. Once I got the piano, I couldn't be happier. What I really liked was: 1. Good sound, especially for the Piano. 2. Semi-weighted keys offer good feel and volume response. 3. Very light and easy to cart around 4. Included Power adapter. 5. And of course, the price for a full 88-Key Piano - you can't beat that. Things that I feel could be improved are: 1. Volume - one needs to keep the volume control at around 75% to 80% of the max volume setting to get decent sound. 2. It has a ton of features that can be customized, like Tempo, Metronome, Metronome Volume, etc. but all of these need to be accessed using a combination of Piano keys. Very difficult to remember and I find myself opening the user manual every now and then.

New -- check out the recent youtube demo video they posted: youtube dot com/watch?v=Wpbj9Mi4AAA This is a super value, a full-size 88-key digital piano that works very well. Sound quality is excellent; the piano & other patches are solid. Key action is in between a keyboard & hammer-action; good spring action. It's full-size fun. At 15 pounds, it's solid and doesn't slip around, it's built strong and sturdy. I've been a lifelong keyboard player, since my Roland D-50 and Alesis HR16/MMT8 in the 80s (all of which still work fine). I was looking for a starter digital piano, and this one is a new release. I normally never buy new-release Anything with no reviews. but I thought I'd take a chance on this, and I'm glad I did. Just got it today and thought I'd write this to help anyone on the fence (and as a thanks to Alesis, I've enjoyed the HR16/MMT8 drum mach/sequencer for decades). The 2 main criteria I wanted are: a) piano sound: how realistic, the timbre and depth? This one is as good or better than my $1k pro keyboards. I'll likely make a review video soon so you can all hear. Much better than expected piano sound; pro-quality at a consumer price, super value. b) key action: how solid, responsive, playable? I'm impressed, very pro build quality, solid and fun to play. I've just played it 2 hours today and am thrilled. Solid, responsive and sounds great. And I really like they are full-size keys, a must. I like the ease-of-use in layering 2 patches (like piano/synth), for different sounds; for variety, though mostly all I care about is the piano sound, which is superb. . Walter, your product review video sold me; thanks Alesis team for an affordable high-quality dp. Also the velocity sensitivity is excellent, a must-have for a digital piano. Highly recommended, very good playability, tone, features & value. Bravo Alesis, thanks. Worth a lot more than they're asking, it's a very satisfying instrument at a great price. -Ken

A solid beginner’s digital piano with room to grow The Alesis Recital hits a nice balance between price, features, and playability. The 88 keys give you the full range of a traditional piano, and while they’re only semi-weighted, they still feel good under the fingers—enough resistance to build proper technique, but light enough for younger players or casual use. I found the built-in 20W speakers surprisingly strong for practice at home, and plugging in headphones makes late-night sessions easy without disturbing the household. The included voices (acoustic piano, electric piano, organ, synth, and bass) are fun to experiment with, and the layer/split options add variety for practice or small performances. Lesson mode is a thoughtful addition for beginners—it divides the keyboard for student and teacher, which I can see being handy in practice sessions. Setup was straightforward: plug it in, turn it on, and start playing. Things to keep in mind: this is not a stage-level professional instrument. The key action won’t fool someone used to a high-end hammer-action board, and the sounds, while decent, don’t have the depth of premium models. It also doesn’t ship with a sustain pedal, which I immediately found myself wanting, so budget for one if you’re serious about practice. Bottom line: A very good entry-level digital piano that offers the essentials for learning and casual playing. It’s not a pro instrument, but it’s a smart buy for beginners or hobbyists who want the feel of 88 keys without spending thousands.

I decided I was going back to playing after 30-something years I was away. I bought this because I didn't want to spend too much on something I don't know if I want to invest in, for that slight chance I'll drop this playing music thing again after six months. It's good for beginners to learn to read notes and play them. You get those other keyboard styles you can play with and mess around with, but if you want to control your legato or work on your transitioning to a crescendo, I would recommend spending the extra bucks. The keys are semi-weighted, and it makes it hard to change from P to f or mf. I find myself putting more pressure on the keys in order to make a sound. Also, I miss the lasting natural sound of the acoustic piano. Trying to get a good legato can sometimes be a challenge, but maybe it's just how those simple electronic keyboards sound. It's good for what you pay, I can practice with headphones (The sound quality is not "clean" without headphones, and it's ok with them), and it's easy to move around if I need to. You can add a peddle, and overall it's easy to use. I will be in the market for a better instrument soon, but in the overall price performance, it's not that bad. A small tip for attaching the keyboard to a stand with the straps. If the screw you get with the stand doesn't fit, try an M6 screw.

After reading some of the one or 2 star reviews i had my doubts, but i still bought it because i really just needed a beginner keyboard to start learning on. It seems most of these people just got bad piano's are just out right lying... This keyboard is great for beginners that want something that sounds really good and is not going to be to much of a hit in the wallet. I play guitar, bass, and drums, and i also have a home recording studio . Just mentioning this because i would tell you if this was a bad product. The sustain pedal is a must get with this keyboard though. I would not know what i would be missing if i didn't buy it. Makes it just sound so much better. Now that i am practicing everyday, i wish there were other pedal functions, but, the key board has a usb port, so if you are like me, you can turn it into a midi controller and use other midi controllers to control anything about the keyboard you wish. The piano sounds great. It is dynamic so the harder you play the louder and more intense the sound becaomes. It will work with any DOS recording software. All the I/O work. The so called "semi weighted keys" though i think are basically not there. They keys feel good and do not feel like a cheep keyboard, but they are defiantly not weighted to where they feel like a real piano, even in the slightest. The volume is pretty loud. you can easily sing under it and over it at max volume if you wish... but if not, you can hook it up to a set of louder speakers if you want. My only complaint is that the other instruments, like the synth, bass, and electric piano, are basically useless. there is no decay in the sound. they are either on or off. And if you use the sustain pedal, they go on forever never decaying the sound... They are just not nearly as good as the piano sound. However, if you are buying this piano, you should only be buying this piano because the piano sounds great, and you want to learn piano. This is something you would practice on but still want something that will sound great.

I purchased this keyboard for beginning piano students. That is important as I will be judging this keyboard based on it meeting the criteria for a beginning student. I played through all the keys up and down and on all the select instrument options. I heard no rattling of the shell, very little clicking of the keys. It's solid and seems well built. The sound is not professional quality, nor even close, but it's good enough that it doesn't sound excessively fake. I did not like the other instruments (Electric Piano, Organ, Synth, and Bass). The organ sound especially doesn't sound like an organ to me, and is completely ineffective in the lower register. Same with the synth and somewhat with the bass. These are small problems to me, as the piano registers clear throughout the range but does seem a little faint in the upper register. This Alesis keyboard is designed to be a low-end professional keyboard, hence it doesn't have the myriad synthesized sound options that most keyboards have. However, at a professional level it falls very short. They should have just added more instruments anyway. My only regret is that my beginning students won't be able to play around with the many synthesized instruments that other electronic keyboards have. Others reviewers have had trouble with volume. I haven't encountered that yet. Still testing. The keys are springy, they do not feel like a piano at all, but they are much better feeling than most synthesizers. For a student practicing scales, arpeggios and other technical studies the instrument will serve much better than most keyboards. The fact that it is 88 keys is helpful, but not necessary for beginners. It's a plus. I have played some other inexpensive low quality keyboards, and so far this one is the best bang for the buck. I am happy with it, though I am thinking that it might be too expensive for a starting student. However, it meets all the criteria that I needed for my students, and so 5-stars.

I love this keyboard! I did a lot of research first, and I'm glad I did because I was not disappointed. I am amazed at the sound quality and the feel of the keys. Much better than I expected on every point; price, all around quality, and delivery...BRAVO!!!

Whether this is a back up keyboard or a keyboard for beginners, it is a perfect musical instrument. It is easy to use and has the benefit of being a full sized 88 key keyboard. The semi weighted keys are perfect for beginners because this allows for a smoother transition to a conventional piano keyboard. Although this item may seem plain, without all the bells and whistles of far more expensive keyboards, I assure you this is somewhat deceiving. The Alesis Recital has settings for piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizer and bass with additional adjustments for each using the keyboard when the player is ready. The music holder that is supplied with the keyboard is very easy to install, very stable and holds either sheet music or music books. The built in speakers are perfect for room sizes from small to large. In order to perform in a larger area, an external speaker or sound system is necessary but for home play, the built in speakers are more than adequate. The keyboard does not come with headphones for private playing and practice but fortunately the prices of good quality headphones has come down substantially and can be purchased from $15 up and are available on Amazon. The keyboard does not come with a sustain pedal. It is a good idea to purchase one to use the piano setting. This item is available on amazon for under ten dollars. It is my opinion that the Alexis Recital is perfect for all players from those just beginning to advanced and is of such quality that it may be used for stage performances with an available sound system. I bought this keyboard using my Amazon Prime membership which provided me with free shipping. And for the record, this purchase arrived a day before it was guaranteed. Amazon meets and exceeds any and all expectations that I have. I recommend the Alesis Recital 88 Key Keyboard and an happy to give it 5 stars all the way!