AlesisMelody 54 - Electric Keyboard Digital Piano with 54 Keys, Speakers, 300 Sounds, 300 Rhythms, 40 Songs, Microphone and Piano Lessons

Now, I have seen the negative reviews as they are the first thing that I turn to. I used to own an Alesis QS8 which was a full 88 keys and fully weighted hammer type keyboard. It was built like a tank and felt like it weighed as much at 55 pounds. Even though it was classified as portable you really needed to have two people to move to a gig. I got rid of it for that reason alone as lighter keyboards came out. It was still a great keyboard when I sold it.This Alesis Melody 54 is nowhere near the QS8 but it serves the purpose that it was intended for. I have two other keyboards, a Yamaha Mod X7 and a Casio PX560. Both are decent in their own rights but are only middle of the road keyboard without the fully weighted hammer action. I bought the Melody 54 so that I could sit in front of the TV and if it was boring, I could practice fingering which is something that I lose if I don’t practice.The Alesis sound may be light sounding compared to either of my other keyboards but it only has enough polophony notes to create basic sounds with no real timber whereas my Casio has 256 polophony notes which can make any note sound richer. The Alesis Melody 54 still doesn’t sound as tinny as the video suggested but it is nowhere near as good a quality as either my Yamaha or Casio.Now, for the action, it has a synth action like my Yamaha but actually heavier, which means that you only have pressure and no little ‘kick’ feel to simulate a piano like my Casio. In case you are wondering why I have two keyboards is that it is easier to play organ and light sounding instruments like flute, trumpets, etc because of the smoother action on the Yamaha, plus I can have it set up and ready to go for certain songs. I am just a middle of the road musician and by no means promote any keyboard. I am just trying to set people straight on what to expect for a $70 keyboard.Also, my Melody 54 keyboard came undamaged and worked perfect right out of the box.If you want a decent hammer action keyboard, expect to pay a minimum of $2500 for something like a Kawaii MP11SE or a Korg. They have passed down some of their top of the line features to more basic models. I would be wary of pawn shop deals unless you have a friend that understands keyboards and pawnshops. Most people that I know or have known wouldn’t pawn a great instrument except as a last resort.If you want a good practice keyboard for learning, I feel that this is a good choice. You can always move up to a higher quality if things take off. I suggest asking online stores as they are usually helpful and not pushy. If you are lucky enough to have a local music dealer, most of them are helpful as well. In fact, you may be able to get this locally at the same price.

The sound quality on this keyboard is so much better than I expected!I originally bought a RockJam 54 key keyboard - and returned it. The piano tones were pathetic and there was no weight to the keys. I guess if you're looking for a great tuba or bassoon sound, it might work for you, but I wanted a piano. Also, there were 300 rhythms, but only a few were actually useful, and they sounded tinny.This Alesis keyboard has useful and nice-sounding percussion rhythms, and the main piano tone sounds like an acoustic piano. This one's a keeper.

Pros: Great for composing melodies. A budget keyboard that's actually playable and inspiring. I found myself making up nice musical riffs/motifs on the fly with ease. I feel that this is when you know an instrument has soul and is a good fit for you when you instantly start jamming out. A great portable option for basic practice and composition as well as a nice compact MIDI keyboard option (most are either 25 keys (too small) or 49 keys (too large), so a 32-key keyboard is a great option).Cons: keys are not touch-sensitive (velocity-sensitive), so you get the same loudness and timbre no matter how hard or soft you play a note. Also, as you can expect, a lot of the sounds are pretty cheesy-sounding, but quite a few are actually pretty realistic/pleasant-sounding. This would be a great fit for a high school or middle school age student, or even a gifted elementary-age student. It would also work for college-age and adults, but by that point, you're probably wanting something at least a little more professional. Also note that you may get some electronic noise as a constant but soft squealing sound when plugged into some USB power sources. If this happens, just try plugging it into a different USB device for power. But again, given the price of $50, this is a pretty good keyboard!

I have been playing a Casio keyboard and wanted to upgrade. I did to the Alesis Melody 54 and I'm very happy with it. It is easy to play, it has sustain on some of the sound selections, and there are many sounds; 300 actually, to use. You can plug an auxiliary speaker into it, although it does have two onboard speakers, which are quite adequate. And again, the sound is terrific. There are many sounds on there that I would equate to a more expensive keyboard such as a Korg or similar more high end instrument. So, there is a lot to like here and I am very happy with my Alesis Melody 54 purchase. I paid about 60 bucks with shipping all totalled. Super deal!!

Great value for the money. Well built, sounds awesome, everything works as it should. When Dad turns it on the kids come running. I would not recommend if you don’t like family jam sessions.

This keyboard is a lot of fun with my son who is almost 2. However the musician in me feels let down with some of its limitations. Mainly no octave transpose buttons. The drum pads are terrible and can't handle fast tapping. Also the piano sound sounds sampled at one note then just tuned to each note with that sample making it sound terrible. However there are lots of fun sounds on this thing.For the price and being battery powered, my son loves it. Loves the tunes built in and also loves just having random drum tracks. For a musician this thing is limited.My review is a mix on the limitations this thing has for me, having been a professional musician, but also the fun my son has.5 stars for a toddler 1 star for a pro.

Got this for ear learning and for my grandson. I have found it quite useful. Fun for both of us.

There are everything what you need to start your piano journey