Table of Contents
Introducing the Alesis Recital
After reviewing the Alesis Coda piano series, we deemed it the perfect choice for professional pianists. Nevertheless, this series does not seem to be the right choice for beginners who will want to have fun during their piano lessons. The piano is not budget friendly for a piano newbie. Now with the production of the Alesis Recital, beginners and pros alike can feel comfortable with the features included and design of this piano.
The Alesis Recital digital piano features 88 semi-weighted keys. When you learn with this piano, you are really learning to play on a grand piano as well. The semi-weighted keys make the touch response adjustable. Also, with the customized voices, you can join two voices by using the layer mode. Also, you can assign voice to the right or left channel when using the split mode. Reverb, Chorus, and Pedal Resonance FX allow beginners to experiment with the sounds they wish to create.
The 20-watt speakers on this piano produce 128 notes; however, this feature is not the thing that sets the Alesis Recital apart from others. Since this piano was manufactured with beginners in mind who are just learning music, the lesson function simplifies the piano instruction with tutorials on pitch and voice. Also included is a three-month subscription Skoove Premium which students will find helpful. When it comes to connectivity, this piano has it all. The included USB to MIDI, headphone out (1/4 inch), and sustain pedal input (1/4 inch) make this piano a great choice. Also, the piano includes a stereo output pair (RCA).
Review and Experience with the Alesis Recital
With our experience testing several professional pianos, we assess that the Alesis Recital is better than many of the digital pianos costing around $1,000. While this piano does not feature hammer action, it does have quality speakers, outstanding tone, and excellent timbre. Also, it has the “feel” of a real piano and will be a favorite of newbies as well as professionals.
Alesis has built its reputation around quality and not unnecessary options. When Alesis upgrades its offerings, it is in response to the demand of pianists. They do not add features just to increase profitability. One feature that has been added is this model’s Lesson Mode. Additionally, you can enjoy the benefits of a Skoove membership. With a three-month subscription, you will be able to sharpen your skills more than you could just practicing by yourself.
The next important feature of any digital piano is its sound. This Alesis follows the previous models and does not disappoint in this area. Even though it has just five sounds, the keyboard can be split to provide a way to play different sounds on other keyboard parts. You can create a fuller, richer sound also by layering sounds. You can add a chorus option or a reverb to enhance the overall tone and sound.
When we reviewed the Alesis Recital, we found the sampled sounds to be of low quality as their tone washes out. The decrease in tone was especially noticeable in the bass portion of the keyboard. One way to alleviate this was by playing the keys with a greater force, but this is not proper piano technique. The speakers were found to be adequate with acceptable wattage. The option of adding RCA speakers is advisable. When speakers are added, the sound quality is very close to a real piano. This type of output is not expected from a piano at this level.
Pianists will enjoy the Alesis’ full-size keyboard. Alesis deems this keyboard as having the semi-weighted keys; however, they really have a spring action. The light feel of the keys closely mimics a synthesizer. Even though the keys are sensitive to force and speed, you will not experience the realistic piano feel with this keyboard. However, this is a very impressive instrument for a novice. When you use the Alesis Recital with its MIDI connection, you will also have a sound controller and a synthesizer. You will enjoy the polyphony of 128 notes provided by this keyboard. While 128 seemed a very high number since this piano does feature a keyboard with 88 keys.
Alesis Recital Pros and Cons
Pros
- The keys are touch sensitive and will change their loudness and pitch in response to how hard you strike them.
- True and natural sounds.
- The Lesson Mode is intuitive and simple. Even for those who have never had piano lessons, the Lesson Mode lets you start playing piano very quickly.
- Because this piano can be powered by batteries, it is very portable.
- The power for the speakers is sufficient; however, the piano does not feature a separate woofer and tweeter setup.
- The most popular and realistic voice is the organ. Using it was thrilling!
Cons
- With this piano being mostly for newbies, some of the extra features are missing. However, all basic features are included.
- When you use the speakers that are onboard at more than 60%, the high tones will become distorted and the low tones will bottom out. You will find that the sound is excellent when you are using a separate amplification system or headphones.
- The keys are touch sensitive, but the piano does not have a really good feel. The keys are semi-weighted but have an easy, springy feel.
Options and Features
- Touch sensitive, full-size keyboard with 88 semi-weighted keys.
- The three-month subscription to Skoove Premium is adequate for making a professional pianist out of any learner.
- When using the Lesson Mode to learn, pianists can change the voice and pitch rather than mixing them together.
- Adequate port connections are included – USB MIDI connectivity, RCA outputs, headphone output and sustain pedal input. The pedal is not included as an accessory, it must be purchased separately.
- The keyboard features five voices that are built in. These include Acoustic Piano, Bass, Organ, Synthesizer, and Electric Piano. You can also use Layer Mode or Split Mode with the included voices.
- The piano can be powered through the included power adapter or by 6 D Cell batteries. This makes the keyboard very portable.