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At a Glance
For our Editor’s Choice, we’ll give you the lowdown with an Alesis VI61 review for all you MIDI keyboard enthusiasts out there. But for those who aren’t that familiar with it yet, what exactly is a MIDI keyboard?
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. 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.
Out of all the different MIDI keyboards out there, one product caught our eye – the Alesis VI61. If you want to know why check out our review below for its features and specs.
Our Alesis VI61 Review: The Features
We break down some of the best features we can find from the Alesis VI61:
Large, Semi-Weighted Keys
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). 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.
Colorful Drum Pad
Basically, you not only get a MIDI keyboard controller – you get a bite-sized Launchpad-like drum pad controller on the left side! Pretty handy, huh? 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.
Keep in mind that not all MIDI controllers have drum pads, especially those that are cheaper and smaller in size. 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.
Tons of Buttons and Knobs
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. Be the live DJ or producer that you’ve always wanted to be and easily put effects on the fly!
USB or Power Adapter Choice
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.
Freebies Included
With the VI61, you get free stuff such as downloadable content from Ableton Live and AIR Xpand!2. 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.
Other Comparable MIDI Keyboards
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:
Akai Professional MPK249
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. Here are the major differences between the two:
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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. 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.
NI Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk2
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. Here is a list of its features as compared to the Alesis VI61:
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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. However, not everyone might be comfortable with that. Not to mention, NI’s keyboar
d is actually a lot pricier than both the Akai and the Alesis keyboards.
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.
Our Verdict
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. 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.
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? Check out its updated price on Amazon and you may be surprised!
