We’re set to review the Alesis Melody 61, a decent instrument made by Alesis. Over time we have seen a couple of instruments from Alesis. Some of them good, others better but of all of them obviously well made.
Although most of the pianos carried by Alesis are beginner pianos, you can easily tell that they are well made.
Alesis is not known to add many unnecessary features as some brands are known to do, thereby hiking the price. The brand only sticks to features it believes are absolutely necessary for its customers. And it follows that same principle on the Alesis Melody 61.
The Alesis Melody 61 is a fun instrument that many beginners, especially kids will enjoy having.
If you’re looking to purchase the Alesis Melody 61, then come with us and let’s show you around this instrument. There’s a lot to see but first, let’s give you the bottom line. It will help you decide if this piano is for you or not.
(3.9 / 5)Contents
The Alesis Melody 61 At A Glance – The Bottom Line
We included the bottom line section to help you make a quick decision on whether this is for you or not. When you’ve gone through and decided that this is what you want, then you can proceed to our full review in the next sub.
First of all, this keyboard isn’t just for anybody. It’s an entry-level keyboard made for beginners, kids especially.
It’s a very affordable unit. In fact, at such a low price point – it’s a sub-$200 keyboard – this still comes as a bundle. So, you don’t just get a keyboard, you also get headphones, music rest for music sheets, a microphone, and a power adapter.
Without doubt, this is a fantastic value purchase for the beginner. It comes ready with everything you need to begin playing right out of the box.
It comes with only 61 keys which is sufficient for kids to begin learning the keyboard. Kids might not have the finger strength just yet to begin pounding on fully weighted keys. So, this should work for them till their skills advance to the point where they can play on a fully weighted keyboard.
It’s got a recording feature too which we’re not quite sure that kids would understand except they are at least 5 years old. But then there are 200 different sounds for kids to have fun with on this instrument. From pianos, to drums, to synths there’s enough to enjoy. And they sound good too.
Finally, the keyboard is quite portable, also operates on batteries, and is quite economical too. All round decent keyboard in our opinion.
Features Of The Alesis Melody 61
The Alesis Melody 61 Is A Value Purchase
The Alesis Melody 61 is an excellent value purchase if you’re looking for. At this price point, we are quite impressed by all the offerings Alesis gives us with the Alesis Melody 61. For an instrument that comes at a price tag below $200, this keyboard comes with a lot of accessories.
So, besides the keyboard, you’ll get headphones in the bundle. This will come in handy when you need the kids to take it down a notch. The keyboard is a lot of fun so they’ll probably keep playing this all day long.
Of course, you won’t expect the quality of the headphones to be on par with some Dr. Dre headphones. They are good but we can’t exactly call them high quality.
There’s also a bench in the package as well. This is another thoughtful addition by Alesis. So, you don’t need to dedicate any piece of furniture in your house to the keyboard. The Melody 61 already looks out for itself in that regard.
Next, this keyboard comes with a stand as well. It will suffice to hold your keyboard for the time being. But we cannot assure you that this stand will last a very long time. It kinda feels a little flimsy and not as sturdy as we would advise especially because this is targeted at kids.
However, since the keyboard is really compact on its own, it will easily stay on any table at all without cramping anyone’s style.
Now, this addition we are really impressed with because we don’t get to see it all the time. The Alesis Melody 61 comes with a mic! This way if your child wishes to record their pieces, you can easily use this. Don’t expect wonders from this mic, though. It’s just decent quality at best.
Built-In Voices – Fun And Delightful
Now before going fully to discuss this aspect of the Alesis Melody 61, we would like to remind you of what we’re dealing with here. The Melody 61 is not a pro instrument, in fact, it is made for kids. So, most of the features you’ll find here are made with the kids in mind.
Now, to the sound. There are 200 sounds on the Alesis Melody 61. Yes, 200! In most entry-level keyboards, and even some intermediate level keyboards, you’d hardly find up to 200 sounds. But then again, the few sounds on such keyboards usually sound really high quality and close to the real thing.
Now, don’t expect same on the Melody 61. The sounds aren’t totally bad and you shouldn’t completely dismiss them. But then they are just fun sounds and they will definitely make the kids happy. Someone with more advanced skills though, will find the sounds less than impressive.
But we’ve got to say, though, that these sounds are better sounding than the sounds you’ll get on some other beginner keyboards.
Furthermore, the Melody 61 comes with 10 demo songs. And these songs are useful for two main reasons.
Firstly, your kids will find these songs really entertaining. And you can use the songs to keep them engaged when you need that peace and quiet.
But beyond entertainment, the demo songs can also help facilitate learning for the user. Your kids can follow the songs on the screen and learn to play simple songs as they build their piano skills.
Build Quality And Layout
When it comes to build quality, we have found that we can depend on Alesis. Its keyboards are always well made. And we are yet to meet an Alesis keyboard that’s short of solid, in build at least. When you touch this keyboard, you can feel the quality construction that went into the making of this instrument.
The layout is also very simple as you’d expect. This is for kids/beginners after all. The buttons are just enough to make the features and functions on this keyboard easy to access and navigate.
This also comes with an LCD display which is quite impressive for the purpose of this keyboard. The display isn’t all that, to be honest. But it is definitely better than nothing as it will help your kids interact with the keyboard a bit better.
On either side of the control buttons, you’ll also find a speaker each. The speakers are decent enough. Of course, at this price point, you shouldn’t be expecting speakers that are super high quality. But they are fair enough and then again there is the option of using headphones.
And yeah, we won’t forget to add that this keyboard looks good. It’s attractive enough for your kids to be love and be proud of. With its black finish, plus buttons and speakers all nicely designed, this digital piano is a looker.
Moreover, it is lightweight so your kids will definitely take this around whenever they can. Get ready for that. It weighs under 7 pounds. Well, it’s a spring action so that’s expected.
Plus, since it can also operate on batteries, it means that your kids don’t need to be at home before they can use this. Just give them 6 AA batteries and they can use this keyboard just about anywhere they want.
Keys – Light Enough For The Kids
Kids are still building their finger strength so it might get stressful for them to pound away at fully weighted keyboards. The Alesis Melody 61 uses a spring action to help encourage the beginner to start out on the piano.
However, if you ask us, we will advise that if your kid is engaging in the keyboard for more than just fun, you get something else. Most piano tutors who teach even kids would insist on a full sized keyboard with fully-weighted keys.
That is, 88 keys fully-weighted for your kid to begin early to build impeccable piano skills. Talking about piano skills, read the next sub to find out about the lesson feature of the Melody 61.
Lesson Mode
The Alesis Melody 61 comes with a learning function which is great news. Most entry-level keyboards tend to include a lesson mode to make the keyboard a lot easier for their users to follow.
However, there’s a small problem with the learning mode. It seems to be quite difficult especially for small kids to follow. And you might find better learning programs but they are found on higher end keyboards too.
So, except you’re willing to spend the extra, you’ll have to work with this. It is an excellent value purchase either way.
Pros Of The Alesis Melody 61
- Durable and reliable instrument with an excellent build quality.
- Keys are light enough to encourage kids to play for hours without tiring easily.
- Compact, lightweight, portable.
- Operates on batteries which enhances portability.
- Comes with a learning function.
- Excellent value purchase.
- Enough fun sounds and demo songs to keep the kids engaged.
- Features a recording function.
- User-friendly interface.
Cons Of The Alesis Melody 61
- Lesson function is a little difficult for kids to follow.
- Might not be the piano of choice for piano tutors.
Conclusion
We have no problems recommending this to any parent wishing to give their kids something to keep them engaged. The Alesis Melody 61 is beautiful, easy to navigate, very user-friendly and quite solidly built.
It might not be the best choice for someone intending to take playing the piano very seriously. At least, not in our opinion. But without doubt, this is something that kids can pick up a few skills from and have fun while at it!