as a 23 year old man with 0 musical history or knowledge. this seemed like the perfect digital piano to dip my toe in the music world without breaking the bank. great video
Thanks so much and congrats on taking the first step into your piano journey! That is very exciting. Wishing you all the best with this first phase of piano playing. :)
In summary -- It's better than an older acoustic piano with regulation issues. It's functional. It's a musical exploration toy. Love your honest review.
I bought this keyboard March 2020 (a little over 3 years ago). I'm very happy with it. I taught myself to play and started my channel April 2022. You can hear and see it for yourself there. I think it was well worth the price. Enjoyed your review. 🎹
That's fantastic! We're so happy to hear that you've enjoyed your Alesis Recital and that has inspired a great deal of practicing and playing. Congratulations on starting your own channel! :)
I've only been playing about 5 months or so on this so I'm still a beginner but it's definitely worth the buy. Bought a pedal to go with it and it functions quite nicely. When I play a real acoustic piano I can really feel the difference and I don't play as well usually. I'm not used to the weight of the keys on a real piano so usually my volume is a little off but regardless I've learned to read sheet with it pretty well and learned some pretty easy pieces like fur Elise, river flows, and Turkish March. (I know they're very meta songs but good learning pieces). I'd rate it 7/10. Great price for the quality but could be better obviously if it had weighted keys and squeaked less when playing. Key noise gets a bit annoying but if you turn the volume up it's less noticeable.
@@tikeoff5512 like I said, it's good but the lack of weighted keys is a bummer. Everything else about it is good. If you plan on playing for a long time I'd say just get the pro version
Sorry, you probs don’t even remember writing this but what about plugging in headphones as to be isolated and not hear the notes squeeking? Would that work? Might buy one soon enough
@@spyqui5505 I have a new keyboard now, Roland fp30x. It's a hell of a lot better than the Alesis recital and still not too expensive. You will still notice the keys of the alesis despite wearing headphones. They are a glossy plastic and does not feel anything like a real piano.
Nicely done! I just picked one up today at a local Goodwill store in perfect condition for only $64.00 and I brought it out to my gig tonight. Very nice to play!
One of the most frequent questions on the various piano groups is "What's the best budget keyboard for a beginner?" And one of the most frequent replies is the inevitable "Nothing beats a real piano". In a sense true but totally missing the point. It's such a refreshing change to see an intelligent review of a 'budget' instrument. Thank you.
Currently, it is not one of a kind, but there are a few competitors - Korg Liano and Yamaha Piaggero, to my knowledge. I may add not only people learning or beginning to play would be interested. My mother was a professional pianist her whole life until she developed arthritis and couldn't play a full weighted piano any longer. We have been looking for an affordable semi-weighted option so she can play once more without suffering from pain.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! That is definitely a good point. There are some situations, as you've outlined, where a non-weighted keyboard is preferred. Furthermore, having a portable instrument like this for composition, jamming, or accompaniment when working remotely can be quite handy. :)
I have one of these on the way. I would like to one day get a weighted digital piano but I haven't had a piano in years and hopefully this will be good for me to get back into it.
The Alesis recital is basically a Yamaha p45 with unweighted keys, Alesis samples their keyboards from Yamaha pianos, so to say that the Yamaha p45 will "smoke" this thing is a bit of a stretch
It’s not just tonal signature. It’s also timber and expression with change in playing style, cabinet resonance change in harmonic partials with sustain pedal. All the little things that engages you for hours while playing. Now to be fair I don’t even find Yamaha very expressive around dynamic range of tone like Roland or best of the best: kawai!
@@Am71919 so you are saying (irrespective of sample) the rendering hardware / chipset of finer details in tone for Alesis is as good as Yamaha and u don’t hear distortion on super complex note sweep or non harmonic jazz style playing ? In that case u clearly need ear training my friend !
@@Raptor-lq4iz alesis and Yamaha are the same, alesis samples all of their keyboards from Yamaha pianos, Korg as well, why do you think that is? As a musician of over 40 years, in my honest opinion, Yamaha is the best, which is why if you look at any concert on tv, 95% of the time you're going to see a Yamaha board on stage, if you hear any kind of distortion in the boards you play, maybe you should look into a better quality amplifier
It’s fun to see people fighting about what brand gives you the most natural sound. I went with native instruments VST “ Grandeur” and arturia mkII 88. You can’t go wrong with that set up. The newest arturia got the best key action you can get out there. The keys are so heavy that took me a while to get used to it. It feels better than the overrated Nord stage piano 2
Yes the 88 weighted keys Alesis Recital Pro is now renamed as Alesis Grand and the new top model Alesis Artist even has 88 graded weighted keys to feel as close to a real piano as a keyboard can get. My advice is to get the older Recital Pro for its best price / features value due to insane rebates / discount due to undrrstandable stock clearances in favor of the newer aforementioned rebadged / upgraded models
@@ad5844 well 8 months on and using Pianote app for tuition I’m progressing good, Elton John hasn’t anything to worry about but I’m enjoying the progression. For a first piano it’s great but I will be eventually buying an FP30 for weighted keys.
This is honestly probably the only £200 piano that I'd recommend and from someone who plays on both an upright acoustic piano and a decent digital piano, that should say volumes. Heck I might even buy myself one for when I travel. 🤷♂️👏👍🏼👌
@@coldshouba4678 For a beginner, yes this makes sense. The sound quality is good for the price but dont expect this to compete with a more premium Casio CDP S110 or Yamaha P45. Either way, this digital piano is probably the best option for £200.
I’m getting this bad boy today. Figured since I’m just starting out and learning that this one would be perfect. I didn’t want to go too expensive just yet. This one sounds really good for the price. I’m excited
Stu can make the least expensive instrument sound like a million dollar artist model. With Stu in the driver's seat, this piano sounds better than many small acoustic grands. This instrument would be excellent for schools.
beautiful sounding piano. I needed something to practice in private for a church worship team and for recording more music covers. This review honestly solved all my questions from sound quality, to dynamics. The current piano I use is a old yamaha dgx 505 which was gifted to my family by my grandma before she passed away. There are 0 problems with the piano and the only downside I have with it is that its in our family room and I cant use it in private to practice. Also due to corona my dad has to work from home next to the piano which also limits me. This alesis piano is something I will use all the time whether if its for practice, recording, or even doing it for my live streams. I think this is a good piano if you wanna practice in private. I tried out the harmony mk2 and honestly hated that piano because it sounded like i went into the barnes and noble section and opened a kids book with a built in piano. and why would someone even make a piano with no pedal like thats like making a accoustic guitar with only 2 strings lol
Absolutely! With that said, depending on the volume of the choir and the room, you may need to connect the Alesis Recital to an external amp/PA system to establish a proper blend between the voices and accompaniment. This is possible to do via the piano's RCA AUX outputs. :)
What a wonderful review video. Your manner and voice and gestures are all perfect, and you come across as very authentic. You remind me a little of U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. I bought, based on your review of this one, the Alesis Recital 61, because I have very limited space. I hope it serves me well. I've not played in a decade, and even then, it was only for about a year.
Thanks for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on the kind words to Stu on your behalf! Congrats on your Alesis Recital! It should serve as a great starting point to restart your piano journey with. :)
Thanks for tuning in! I'd have to ask Stu as to what song he is playing in the first half of this video. With that said, perhaps, one of our helpful community members will be able to fill in the blank here. :)
Thanks Stu! This is hilarious. I definitely agree with you that this is a piano for folks who are trying to test the waters with music. Your review gave me several laughs. Especially the RCA part and "one of a kind" 😂 I actually was hoping to see you review the Amazon Basics piano? PLEASE!!! ID LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS
Hi! Brent here! Thank you for tuning in! A little bit of comedy never hurts. ;) Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be happy to pass it along to Stu and our production team. I am sure they will do their best to tackle it.
Thank you for the informative review Stu! You are a pleasure to hear and your comments are thoughtful and spot on. I got mine two days ago and have enjoyed it thus far. One thing I have noticed is a rather random pulsing on the low B-flat note when held and sustained...I don't know if it's a issue with the sampling or just a low note through the 10 watt speaker. I'm really pleased with this instrument and this doesn't bother me much..just wondered if any other users have experienced this.
It would have been nice if you mentioned the 4 level adjustable touch response and weight of the piano. I think it's about 15 lbs. And it's 128 note polyphonic too. That's a very nice feature.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your feedback! Naturally, there are a ton of features on a lot of these instruments, so it is difficult to showcase them all, but I will pass along the feedback to our production team.
The piano is marketed as "semi-weighted" but you say the keyboard is unweighted? That's kind of confusing, does this piano really just feel like a synth then?
It is weighted but as he is used to full weighted keyboards his fingers use more force than is needed on this keyboard which leads to the illusion of no weight if your fingers are weak or you have never used a keybaord before you'll feel the weight
Do the keys fall flat if you know what I mean or is there a Spring under the keys that doesn’t let the keys fall flat I don’t know if that makes sense hopefully it does
I am looking for something portable like this to take around for small church groups. I really like the sound of the piano. However, I think I would want something with a little better quality in regards to the sample sound with touch sensitivity. I can hear that when you go softer to harder on the touch it does get louder but you don't get that change in tone from the tine sound dynamics like you get on samples for more expensive ones. And when he was pounding it harder I expected the sound to get much louder, it sounded like it was limited on the hard hits. For a beginner doing lessons, I think this would be great. Also, I don't know how you would use this as a controller like he said at 13:41. I would think you need midi out for that. I don't know how a USB could be used for controlling. Another midi module?
MIDI USB. All the ones I've seen and looked at for future purchase (including the two that I currently have) connect to my computer via MIDI USB without needing a 5-pin MIDI port or adapters or anything like that.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We actually have a detailed comparison video between these two models. Stu does a wonderful job breaking things down (as always!). You can check it out here: th-cam.com/video/lVrutZkPQcM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the sub! We really appreciate that! We try to tackle as many community submitted requests as possible and will certainly add the Recital vs Recital Pro to the list of potential candidates for an upcoming comparison video. Thanks for the suggestion! :)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The Alesis Recital is a wonderful starting point for beginners. Stu breaks down to the model quite thoroughly in this video. :)
There was a new piano released in France called Colmann Olya Pro and it's supposedly better than the P45 for only 400€ with the bundle. If you could try to get it and review it would be awesome.
That is not a stupid question at all! You can certainly take the headphone output from this keyboard and run it through a guitar effect pedal to process the keyboard sound with whatever effect the pedal delivers. :)
@@MerriamPianos thats so fuckin cool. And it opens up Worlds of possibility. And your here still replying to comments in a timely manner on a few years old video. Badass man, thanks a million
On paper the donner dep 10 is better but the recital probably has a better sound. Hear how they sound and decide. Then See which feature you need and what they provide.
I want to get into piano but those things are expensive as hell in my country. My budget allows me to go for the Alesis Recital or the Donner DEP-10 .Which should I choose?
At the end of the day, touch and tonal preferences are a very personal thing. Both models have their loyal fanbase. My recommendation would be to head down to a showroom or music store to test out each model to see which one you connect with more. :)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not sure offhand what the second demo song is, but, perhaps, one of our community members here that owns the Alesis Recital will know the answer. :)
excellent review, very well done, seriously considering the 61 key for my wife for Christmas. She has said she wants light up keys, but I think semi weighted is a better choice to help her learn. idk though I don't play piano.
I just bought one for use in a choir concert setting without electricity. Great piano for a battery powered instrument, but it doesn't transpose, something I really need. The user manual says it does transpose, but in fact they did not include that fuction in the Recital version I have. So when you try to transpose using the keys indicated in the user guide, they don't do anything and you get a clicking sound instead of transposition. I looked it up on Just Ask and sure enough, Alesis didn't actually include that function in this version. We will use it at the concert for which is was bought, but after that, we're not sure. Is there any way to upgrade the software to include it?
I'm sorry to hear that the version of the piano that you have does not include transpose. To my knowledge, you cannot upgrade the Alesis Recital through any type of firmware or software update. I hope you are able to find a model that fits your needs and has all of the functionality you require.
Is there an 88 weighted key premium piano that runs on batteries? I understand there are pianos with better keys and sounds, though require a power adapter, which is a deal-breaker for what I'm looking for.
Hi! Brent here! There are a few options in the Casio line, such as the PXS pianos, which may be of interest. Models like the PXS5000 run on batteries, have a very impressive piano tone and a very nice action as well. :)
Now that I've watched it some more, there is no love at all at any point. I think the sum up shows with a sigh at 15:51. I say no therapy, just do the Faxmachine-deathscene of Office Space with this thing and let it go...
Stumbled across your channel while looking for a review for this specific keyboard. Great video, it didn't seem like you had anything bad to say about the keyboard so I'm leaning towards the idea that it's a safe buy but I would love to have heard an overall conclusion at the end. Or perhaps a direct comparison with another keyboard within its price range. Unless there are no good comparisons to be made, making this the absolute choice for digital keyboards in this price range?
I'd really like to play on a fully-weighted portable keyboard. Where is one that is similar to this one even if I have to pay a little more? Is it really worth it to pay more for a fully-weighted keyboard? That seems to be the question. You mention the P-45. Is it worth paying several hundred dollars more for that one in your opinion?
hi, i am a guitarist who has decided for a few weeks to learn to play the piano and doing lessons they tell me they already have a good predisposition, now i was using a casio ctk-240 to practice but not being mine i should buy one. they recommended alesis recital and souidmy and being still ignorant I don't know which one to choose, could you help me? I keep listening to your review thanks a lot
Does anybody know HOW a digital piano could possibly have 1 note "out of tune"? My Alesis Prestige has a low F (F2 I think) that is painful to hear....sort of like a pitch bend upwards. Are these notes really all pre-recorded sound bites, or is there a way to tune an individual note? There's a tune function for the whole keyboard, but I haven't heard of a "single note" function.
Hi there! Some pianos (some Roland models for instance) have the capacity to adjust the tuning of individual notes. However, it is unlikely that is the case with the Alesis Prestige. It is possible that it is a slight tuning flaw with the tone engine itself or, perhaps, something has gone awry electronically that is causing the issue. My recommendation would be to take it to a digital piano technician that is experienced with the Alesis line.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for your reply. That's crappy to hear though....I was hoping for an easy "hack"....lol. I'll have to consider doing that, I guess.....depending on the cost. Thanks again.
Hello ! Between a Casio LK-S250 61-Key and a Alesis Recital 88-Key (under 200 euros both) which one is the most worth it ? For a beginner, in term of sound quality, touch feeling, and general appreciation Thank you !
This alesis recital 88-key digital piano is semi weighted there is a little weight to the keys just not full weighted keys it is a good digital piano but much like my self I need something a step up now I just wasn't sure if play piano was something I was going to stick with. Don't get me wrong this piano is great I just need somthing now that the transpose has a better range then 5 steps up and 5 down. Yes that's right it has transpose function its just kinda hidden and you need to use your ear because there is no screen. There is a few other features I'm needing as well that this piano simply doesn't have.
Many of the Casio portable digital pianos operate on batteries, which make them an excellent choice for busking. The PXS1100 is quite the impressive instrument that presents a very attractive cost-to-value ratio. :)
You can adjust it yes. Can go from 1 to 9 beats and tempo is adjustable. You have to press the function keys then hit the right notes. Information is in the manual and easy to understand there
Hi! Unfortunately, without having a digital piano technician do a formal assessment of the instrument, it is difficult to troubleshoot and diagnose what is causing the keys to not work as there are a number of reasons as to why that could be happening. My recommendation would be to contact a technician that is experienced with working on digital pianos.
as a 23 year old man with 0 musical history or knowledge. this seemed like the perfect digital piano to dip my toe in the music world without breaking the bank. great video
Thanks so much and congrats on taking the first step into your piano journey! That is very exciting. Wishing you all the best with this first phase of piano playing. :)
In summary --
It's better than an older acoustic piano with regulation issues.
It's functional.
It's a musical exploration toy.
Love your honest review.
Very in-depth and useful analysis of the model.
Also very impressive that you can keep a straight face at 10:25.
I bought this keyboard March 2020 (a little over 3 years ago). I'm very happy with it. I taught myself to play and started my channel April 2022. You can hear and see it for yourself there. I think it was well worth the price. Enjoyed your review. 🎹
That's fantastic! We're so happy to hear that you've enjoyed your Alesis Recital and that has inspired a great deal of practicing and playing. Congratulations on starting your own channel! :)
You're like a music version of Linus Tech Tips, especially the host
Lol
@@OttoRoesch28 u made me look at it...
pianos tech tips
will be funny if there is a collab
Did not age well lol
I've only been playing about 5 months or so on this so I'm still a beginner but it's definitely worth the buy. Bought a pedal to go with it and it functions quite nicely. When I play a real acoustic piano I can really feel the difference and I don't play as well usually. I'm not used to the weight of the keys on a real piano so usually my volume is a little off but regardless I've learned to read sheet with it pretty well and learned some pretty easy pieces like fur Elise, river flows, and Turkish March. (I know they're very meta songs but good learning pieces). I'd rate it 7/10. Great price for the quality but could be better obviously if it had weighted keys and squeaked less when playing. Key noise gets a bit annoying but if you turn the volume up it's less noticeable.
Does it still work good?
@@tikeoff5512 like I said, it's good but the lack of weighted keys is a bummer. Everything else about it is good. If you plan on playing for a long time I'd say just get the pro version
Sorry, you probs don’t even remember writing this but what about plugging in headphones as to be isolated and not hear the notes squeeking? Would that work? Might buy one soon enough
@@spyqui5505 I have a new keyboard now, Roland fp30x. It's a hell of a lot better than the Alesis recital and still not too expensive. You will still notice the keys of the alesis despite wearing headphones. They are a glossy plastic and does not feel anything like a real piano.
@@spyqui5505 it's not just the squeak but the feeling too. Find a keyboard with weighted keys for a better experience
just goes to show its not the equipment but the player. great playing even on semi weighted. you just cannot dislike this video
FOR REAL. never thought cheaper keyboards would sound nice with a professional player.
Nicely done! I just picked one up today at a local Goodwill store in perfect condition for only $64.00 and I brought it out to my gig tonight. Very nice to play!
Thank you! Congrats on scoring a very excellent deal! Happy to hear that it served you well on your first gig with it. Happy playing! :)
One of the most frequent questions on the various piano groups is "What's the best budget keyboard for a beginner?" And one of the most frequent replies is the inevitable "Nothing beats a real piano". In a sense true but totally missing the point. It's such a refreshing change to see an intelligent review of a 'budget' instrument. Thank you.
I would love you to review the Alesis Prestige Artist. And give us your opinion on the piano experience. Sound and speakers. Thanks.
I am a music therapist and do adaptive piano lessons with a six year old. This is PERFECT for him.
Such a well-spoken and open-minded review! I'm really considering getting this now as a MIDI controller and portable gig piano
Thank you kindly! We're glad you enjoyed the review and that you found it helpful! Thanks for tuning in! :)
@caloytunes Update... I'm looking at getting one as a midi controller too!
10:24 please give this man an oscar
Currently, it is not one of a kind, but there are a few competitors - Korg Liano and Yamaha Piaggero, to my knowledge. I may add not only people learning or beginning to play would be interested. My mother was a professional pianist her whole life until she developed arthritis and couldn't play a full weighted piano any longer. We have been looking for an affordable semi-weighted option so she can play once more without suffering from pain.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! That is definitely a good point. There are some situations, as you've outlined, where a non-weighted keyboard is preferred. Furthermore, having a portable instrument like this for composition, jamming, or accompaniment when working remotely can be quite handy. :)
Canadian! Excellent review - we should be so lucky to have reviewers like this on all YT musical instruments...,
Thank you so much for the incredibly kind words! We sincerely appreciate it. :)
Absolutely great review, thanks for making this.
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
I have one of these on the way. I would like to one day get a weighted digital piano but I haven't had a piano in years and hopefully this will be good for me to get back into it.
How is it?
Excellent sound and tone and nice price too
The Alesis recital is basically a Yamaha p45 with unweighted keys, Alesis samples their keyboards from Yamaha pianos, so to say that the Yamaha p45 will "smoke" this thing is a bit of a stretch
It’s not just tonal signature. It’s also timber and expression with change in playing style, cabinet resonance change in harmonic partials with sustain pedal. All the little things that engages you for hours while playing.
Now to be fair I don’t even find Yamaha very expressive around dynamic range of tone like Roland or best of the best: kawai!
@@Raptor-lq4iz that's your opinion, mine is different
@@Am71919 so you are saying (irrespective of sample) the rendering hardware / chipset of finer details in tone for Alesis is as good as Yamaha and u don’t hear distortion on super complex note sweep or non harmonic jazz style playing ?
In that case u clearly need ear training my friend !
@@Raptor-lq4iz alesis and Yamaha are the same, alesis samples all of their keyboards from Yamaha pianos, Korg as well, why do you think that is? As a musician of over 40 years, in my honest opinion, Yamaha is the best, which is why if you look at any concert on tv, 95% of the time you're going to see a Yamaha board on stage, if you hear any kind of distortion in the boards you play, maybe you should look into a better quality amplifier
It’s fun to see people fighting about what brand gives you the most natural sound. I went with native instruments VST “ Grandeur” and arturia mkII 88. You can’t go wrong with that set up. The newest arturia got the best key action you can get out there. The keys are so heavy that took me a while to get used to it. It feels better than the overrated Nord stage piano 2
Isn't there a weighted version (Alexis Recital PRO?). Would love to get Stu's impression on the action of that!
Looking at it right now Terry, hoping to get that review happening very shortly!
Cool, will look forward to that. BTW, The best piano reviews on youtube are on this channel. Stu, you are a fantastic player and a great presenter!
Yes the 88 weighted keys Alesis Recital Pro is now renamed as Alesis Grand and the new top model Alesis Artist even has 88 graded weighted keys to feel as close to a real piano as a keyboard can get.
My advice is to get the older Recital Pro for its best price / features value due to insane rebates / discount due to undrrstandable stock clearances in favor of the newer aforementioned rebadged / upgraded models
Just got this for xmas
Yeah, me too. Let's see how it goes!
Nice gifts, heh? Can you guys play something on TH-cam? I'm so curious about this piano
Was it nice?
@@ad5844 well 8 months on and using Pianote app for tuition I’m progressing good, Elton John hasn’t anything to worry about but I’m enjoying the progression. For a first piano it’s great but I will be eventually buying an FP30 for weighted keys.
@@gopherbar thank you!
This is honestly probably the only £200 piano that I'd recommend and from someone who plays on both an upright acoustic piano and a decent digital piano, that should say volumes. Heck I might even buy myself one for when I travel. 🤷♂️👏👍🏼👌
Would this be good for a beginner? And is the sound quality good?
@@coldshouba4678 For a beginner, yes this makes sense. The sound quality is good for the price but dont expect this to compete with a more premium Casio CDP S110 or Yamaha P45. Either way, this digital piano is probably the best option for £200.
I rushed here to see the alesis- did not think Stu would review this one!
He didn’t; he went in for the kill
Bought it. Love it!
Agreed 100%
Lesson mode made the sale !!
Does anybody know of any other keyboards that do that ?
I’m getting this bad boy today. Figured since I’m just starting out and learning that this one would be perfect. I didn’t want to go too expensive just yet. This one sounds really good for the price. I’m excited
Absolutely! It is a wonderful musical companion for the starting phase of an aspiring pianist's journey. Happy playing! :)
Good video but would really have preferred a Recital PRO review... Hope it's coming soon!
Keep up the great work and much success to Merriam Music.
Bravo, what was the piece he played at 6:00?
Stu can make the least expensive instrument sound like a million dollar artist model. With Stu in the driver's seat, this piano sounds better than many small acoustic grands. This instrument would be excellent for schools.
Are you going to review the Kawai es 920?
It will be one month tomorrow that I ordered one. They are still on back-order.
Very objective and professional and helpful!! Thanks a lot for your review! Subscribed
You're very welcome! Thank you so much for subscribing! We sincerely appreciate that! :)
omg bro your such a amazeing piano player beautiful so inspirational
Hi! Brent here! I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu on your behalf. Thanks for tuning in! :)
@@MerriamPianos Agreed. Very nice playing.
Thank you very much!!! This review was extremely helpful!
Were we listening to the actual speaker on the piano or the monitors behind you?
Hi! Brent here! I believe the sounds of the Alesis Recital featured in this video were captured by recording the line out feed. :)
Ok thks
Thank you for the review!
You're welcome! Thank you for tuning in! :)
beautiful sounding piano. I needed something to practice in private for a church worship team and for recording more music covers. This review honestly solved all my questions from sound quality, to dynamics. The current piano I use is a old yamaha dgx 505 which was gifted to my family by my grandma before she passed away. There are 0 problems with the piano and the only downside I have with it is that its in our family room and I cant use it in private to practice. Also due to corona my dad has to work from home next to the piano which also limits me. This alesis piano is something I will use all the time whether if its for practice, recording, or even doing it for my live streams. I think this is a good piano if you wanna practice in private. I tried out the harmony mk2 and honestly hated that piano because it sounded like i went into the barnes and noble section and opened a kids book with a built in piano. and why would someone even make a piano with no pedal like thats like making a accoustic guitar with only 2 strings lol
Hey, Bud. Check the New Casio CDP S-90. Although I still have the impression this Alesis sounds better 🤔
@@3xperiment8 other than the hammer action on the casio, the alesis is better in everything
What is the first song that you played? Thank you!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I would have to ask Stu as to what song he was playing, but it is certainly quite nice! Thanks for tuning in! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you so much man!
Does Alexis need a head phone jack in order for the head phones to work?
It’s the thicker jack so if you have to yes. Most piano headphones come with the correct jack
Could you see this being used to accompanying small group church singing?
Absolutely! With that said, depending on the volume of the choir and the room, you may need to connect the Alesis Recital to an external amp/PA system to establish a proper blend between the voices and accompaniment. This is possible to do via the piano's RCA AUX outputs. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you and appreciate so much your videos.
What a wonderful review video. Your manner and voice and gestures are all perfect, and you come across as very authentic. You remind me a little of U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. I bought, based on your review of this one, the Alesis Recital 61, because I have very limited space. I hope it serves me well. I've not played in a decade, and even then, it was only for about a year.
Thanks for tuning in! I will be sure to pass on the kind words to Stu on your behalf! Congrats on your Alesis Recital! It should serve as a great starting point to restart your piano journey with. :)
Thank you for the nice review! Would you mind if I ask what song you played at first on the video? You played it very well!
Thanks for tuning in! I'd have to ask Stu as to what song he is playing in the first half of this video. With that said, perhaps, one of our helpful community members will be able to fill in the blank here. :)
@@MerriamPianos Sounded like I'm Always Chasing Rainbows to me.
I guess I'm confused. This sounds great. I' sure I could get by with this one. Is this the semi-weighted one?
yes
Thanks Stu! This is hilarious. I definitely agree with you that this is a piano for folks who are trying to test the waters with music.
Your review gave me several laughs. Especially the RCA part and "one of a kind" 😂
I actually was hoping to see you review the Amazon Basics piano? PLEASE!!! ID LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS
Hi! Brent here! Thank you for tuning in! A little bit of comedy never hurts. ;)
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll be happy to pass it along to Stu and our production team. I am sure they will do their best to tackle it.
Excellent review nice playing.
Thank you... exactly the review and information I was looking for :-)
Great video. I do notice that your rockstar hair of yesteryear wants to come back:)
Can you please review the Rockjam digital keyboard with 88 keys please?
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll pass it along to our production team for you. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you very much! Have a great day
Super helpful review! Thanks!
Exactly what i'm looking for thanks for the review 😄
You're very welcome! Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
I played keyboard for a bit in school and ever since then I've really wanted a piano, I might get this, thx for the review
Thank you for the informative review Stu! You are a pleasure to hear and your comments are thoughtful and spot on. I got mine two days ago and have enjoyed it thus far. One thing I have noticed is a rather random pulsing on the low B-flat note when held and sustained...I don't know if it's a issue with the sampling or just a low note through the 10 watt speaker. I'm really pleased with this instrument and this doesn't bother me much..just wondered if any other users have experienced this.
Great job.
Very nice video. It would have been nice to hear all the reverbs and choruses on all the voices.
It would have been nice if you mentioned the 4 level adjustable touch response and weight of the piano. I think it's about 15 lbs. And it's 128 note polyphonic too. That's a very nice feature.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your feedback! Naturally, there are a ton of features on a lot of these instruments, so it is difficult to showcase them all, but I will pass along the feedback to our production team.
What were you playing at 11:19?
The piano is marketed as "semi-weighted" but you say the keyboard is unweighted? That's kind of confusing, does this piano really just feel like a synth then?
It is weighted but as he is used to full weighted keyboards his fingers use more force than is needed on this keyboard which leads to the illusion of no weight if your fingers are weak or you have never used a keybaord before you'll feel the weight
Do the keys fall flat if you know what I mean or is there a Spring under the keys that doesn’t let the keys fall flat
I don’t know if that makes sense hopefully it does
would love to see a review of Alesis Recital PRO!
Be honest, how does it sound in person for those of you that have it?
I am looking for something portable like this to take around for small church groups. I really like the sound of the piano. However, I think I would want something with a little better quality in regards to the sample sound with touch sensitivity. I can hear that when you go softer to harder on the touch it does get louder but you don't get that change in tone from the tine sound dynamics like you get on samples for more expensive ones. And when he was pounding it harder I expected the sound to get much louder, it sounded like it was limited on the hard hits. For a beginner doing lessons, I think this would be great. Also, I don't know how you would use this as a controller like he said at 13:41. I would think you need midi out for that. I don't know how a USB could be used for controlling. Another midi module?
MIDI USB. All the ones I've seen and looked at for future purchase (including the two that I currently have) connect to my computer via MIDI USB without needing a 5-pin MIDI port or adapters or anything like that.
Bro you are pretty awesome!!
For a total beginner, do you prefer this one or the Yamaha P45 ?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We actually have a detailed comparison video between these two models. Stu does a wonderful job breaking things down (as always!). You can check it out here:
th-cam.com/video/lVrutZkPQcM/w-d-xo.html
p45 absolutely
Subscribed~! Is there a chance to see the comparison between Alesis Recital and Alesis Recital Pro?
Thanks for the sub! We really appreciate that! We try to tackle as many community submitted requests as possible and will certainly add the Recital vs Recital Pro to the list of potential candidates for an upcoming comparison video. Thanks for the suggestion! :)
Hello... Is the Alesis Recital a good instrament for beginners please?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! The Alesis Recital is a wonderful starting point for beginners. Stu breaks down to the model quite thoroughly in this video. :)
There was a new piano released in France called Colmann Olya Pro and it's supposedly better than the P45 for only 400€ with the bundle. If you could try to get it and review it would be awesome.
Great tip, I'm going to try and hunt one down!
It makes more sense to compare it against Yamaha NP-V80 and Roland GOPiano88 series...
Thank you kindly for the suggestion! That would make for a very good comparison video. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for your kindness.
This might be a stupid question so brace yourself
Can you plug a guitar pedal into it?
That is not a stupid question at all! You can certainly take the headphone output from this keyboard and run it through a guitar effect pedal to process the keyboard sound with whatever effect the pedal delivers. :)
@@MerriamPianos thats so fuckin cool. And it opens up Worlds of possibility. And your here still replying to comments in a timely manner on a few years old video. Badass man, thanks a million
@@MerriamPianos You could also use the RCA line outs for that.
Based on my budget, either this or the Donner Dep 10
On paper the donner dep 10 is better but the recital probably has a better sound. Hear how they sound and decide. Then See which feature you need and what they provide.
donner dep-20?
I want to get into piano but those things are expensive as hell in my country. My budget allows me to go for the Alesis Recital or the Donner DEP-10 .Which should I choose?
I'd go with the donner because it has fully weighted keys
If you got a notebook and It has Midi connection. Don't worry about voices
Wondering how this compares to the Roland RD-88
Is the action on this better than the Np 32 Yamaha . ANd better since the 32 doesn't have full size keys?
At the end of the day, touch and tonal preferences are a very personal thing. Both models have their loyal fanbase. My recommendation would be to head down to a showroom or music store to test out each model to see which one you connect with more. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you!
What’s the second piece on the demo. The first one is Fantaisie Impromptu but I don’t know the second
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not sure offhand what the second demo song is, but, perhaps, one of our community members here that owns the Alesis Recital will know the answer. :)
You've almost convinced me... :-o
excellent review, very well done, seriously considering the 61 key for my wife for Christmas. She has said she wants light up keys, but I think semi weighted is a better choice to help her learn. idk though I don't play piano.
yeah semi weighted is better, she can learn the dynamics (like playing softly for nice songs, or hard for extreme songs) and it feels a lot better tbh
I saw a 61 key model of this one
Are they the same??
Do they have the same features??
Sorry I'm late, but yes they have the same features. The 88 key version just has 27 more keys, allowing you to play more songs.
I just bought one for use in a choir concert setting without electricity. Great piano for a battery powered instrument, but it doesn't transpose, something I really need. The user manual says it does transpose, but in fact they did not include that fuction in the Recital version I have. So when you try to transpose using the keys indicated in the user guide, they don't do anything and you get a clicking sound instead of transposition. I looked it up on Just Ask and sure enough, Alesis didn't actually include that function in this version. We will use it at the concert for which is was bought, but after that, we're not sure. Is there any way to upgrade the software to include it?
I'm sorry to hear that the version of the piano that you have does not include transpose. To my knowledge, you cannot upgrade the Alesis Recital through any type of firmware or software update. I hope you are able to find a model that fits your needs and has all of the functionality you require.
No harpsichord mode??
What song was at 9:20
I would have to check with Stu on that! In either case, thank you so much for tuning into the video! :)
Can you do a review on ZENY 88?
In México the Yamaha p45 is three times the price of this alesis
Is there an 88 weighted key premium piano that runs on batteries? I understand there are pianos with better keys and sounds, though require a power adapter, which is a deal-breaker for what I'm looking for.
Hi! Brent here! There are a few options in the Casio line, such as the PXS pianos, which may be of interest. Models like the PXS5000 run on batteries, have a very impressive piano tone and a very nice action as well. :)
@@MerriamPianosThank you for the response!! I will look into that, great channel!
07:47 When you try to be positive, but you are positively destroying it 😊
LOLLL ikr
Now that I've watched it some more, there is no love at all at any point. I think the sum up shows with a sigh at 15:51. I say no therapy, just do the Faxmachine-deathscene of Office Space with this thing and let it go...
Please Make A video On Artesia Digital Piano
Alesis Recital - 88 vs Alesis Concert 88 Digital Piano? whats the difference because they look identical
Alesis is not alone. Here in amazon UK you can get Casio CDP-S100BKC5 Full Weighted Hammer Action Digital Piano for basically the same price.
I would go for a weighted action over any unweighted synth action.
Stumbled across your channel while looking for a review for this specific keyboard. Great video, it didn't seem like you had anything bad to say about the keyboard so I'm leaning towards the idea that it's a safe buy but I would love to have heard an overall conclusion at the end. Or perhaps a direct comparison with another keyboard within its price range.
Unless there are no good comparisons to be made, making this the absolute choice for digital keyboards in this price range?
I'd really like to play on a fully-weighted portable keyboard. Where is one that is similar to this one even if I have to pay a little more? Is it really worth it to pay more for a fully-weighted keyboard? That seems to be the question. You mention the P-45. Is it worth paying several hundred dollars more for that one in your opinion?
Does this keyboard have a carrying case that can be ordered separately? Is there anyone that can answer my question ⁉️
hi, i am a guitarist who has decided for a few weeks to learn to play the piano and doing lessons they tell me they already have a good predisposition, now i was using a casio ctk-240 to practice but not being mine i should buy one. they recommended alesis recital and souidmy and being still ignorant I don't know which one to choose, could you help me? I keep listening to your review thanks a lot
Get Alesis Recital Pro. Or the Yamaha P 45 or Roland FP 100 or Casio CDP 350
Does anybody know HOW a digital piano could possibly have 1 note "out of tune"? My Alesis Prestige has a low F (F2 I think) that is painful to hear....sort of like a pitch bend upwards. Are these notes really all pre-recorded sound bites, or is there a way to tune an individual note? There's a tune function for the whole keyboard, but I haven't heard of a "single note" function.
Hi there! Some pianos (some Roland models for instance) have the capacity to adjust the tuning of individual notes. However, it is unlikely that is the case with the Alesis Prestige. It is possible that it is a slight tuning flaw with the tone engine itself or, perhaps, something has gone awry electronically that is causing the issue. My recommendation would be to take it to a digital piano technician that is experienced with the Alesis line.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for your reply. That's crappy to hear though....I was hoping for an easy "hack"....lol. I'll have to consider doing that, I guess.....depending on the cost. Thanks again.
@@MerriamPianos Factory reset?
a face on 6:31 as if after a full glass of mixed beer-vodka ... is named as ёрш\yorsh )))
Hello !
Between a Casio LK-S250 61-Key and a Alesis Recital 88-Key (under 200 euros both) which one is the most worth it ?
For a beginner, in term of sound quality, touch feeling, and general appreciation
Thank you !
Out of this two Alesis Recital all the way. Or get the Pro, unless you get a Warehouse B-Ware retour Deal on this one for under 200$
This alesis recital 88-key digital piano is semi weighted there is a little weight to the keys just not full weighted keys it is a good digital piano but much like my self I need something a step up now I just wasn't sure if play piano was something I was going to stick with. Don't get me wrong this piano is great I just need somthing now that the transpose has a better range then 5 steps up and 5 down. Yes that's right it has transpose function its just kinda hidden and you need to use your ear because there is no screen. There is a few other features I'm needing as well that this piano simply doesn't have.
does anyone know any other suitable piano for busking apart from this?
Many of the Casio portable digital pianos operate on batteries, which make them an excellent choice for busking. The PXS1100 is quite the impressive instrument that presents a very attractive cost-to-value ratio. :)
Nice Barry Harris voicing progressions
I'll pass on the kind words to Stu for you! :)
isnt it semi-weighted as apposed to not weighted at all
That is correct. Usually, spring-loaded actions, like the one featured on the Alesis Recital, are referred to as semi-weighted.
@MerriamPianos thanks, I guess semi-weighted just means half way house then between a keyboard and acoustic piano feel?
Can we adjust metronome on this please if, how?
You can adjust it yes. Can go from 1 to 9 beats and tempo is adjustable. You have to press the function keys then hit the right notes. Information is in the manual and easy to understand there
Found long time ago. Thanks
I had an Alesia Recital pro, I didn’t like the sound, the sound around C4 sounds strange
using this piano, and can i say, this sound is more hollowy sound
hey just got my Alesis Recital and the first 23 keys dont work and make no sound can u help me?
Hi! Unfortunately, without having a digital piano technician do a formal assessment of the instrument, it is difficult to troubleshoot and diagnose what is causing the keys to not work as there are a number of reasons as to why that could be happening. My recommendation would be to contact a technician that is experienced with working on digital pianos.
Are you recording this out of the headphone jack? I see the RCA line outs aren't being used; just curious