You might be torn between choosing the Alesis Recital Pro piano, especially if you are a beginner and do not possess much knowledge in this regard. But, we assure you that you will not find any other user-friendly option better than this one available in the market. The reason for this is the large battery which possesses exceptional power retention abilities.
Therefore, this, coupled with the durable construction and high sound output, makes it a go-to product for the majority. Hence, you are also getting a scope to experiment with the sound and melodies, making the process fun. So, if you are wondering whether or not to invest in this reasonable piano keyboard, you need not to worry. This is not the all to the piano, and its other detailed features are discussed below in this Alesis recital pro piano review. So, let’s dive into the article for more information in this regard.
Specifications
The package includes the following;
A 128-note polyphony
Three different modes based on skillset
Two built-in speakers (10W and 20W)
A number of connectivity ports (line output, headphones, USB Type B, MIDI, and Sustain Pedal input)
Pre-existing songs (10 piano demo songs and 12 voice demo)
Includes three types of touch sensitivity
It comes with a set of full-size action keys (88)
Includes a metronome and transpose
There’s another amazing and budget-friendly piano you would like to buy: Korg LP 380 Review
Design
The first thing I have reviewed from this affordable keyboard is its design. To start with, it is primarily inspired by the Recital, however, with better buildup plastic quality and improved key sequence. Thereby, you don’t have to worry about its service life and durability. Likewise, because of its full-size keys, you might feel it a bit heavier, yet it is not a major problem for users.
Another upgrade included in the design is its front-panel display that is backlit and provides a smooth and convenient experience. It further comes with a metronome setting that allows you to easily navigate through the process. All in all, the layout is basic and can be understood by anyone who has some level of previous experience. However, you will feel that buttons and knobs are not the best when it comes to quality.
Keyboard Arrangement
Speaking of the keyboard, the first thing you will notice in this design are its 88 full-sized keys that look basic and simple, making it an impressive alternative for beginners. This arrangement is one of the best selling points of this keyboard as the organization makes it appropriate for all skill sets; hence you can easily make it versatile and functional. Another thing that adds value to it is that all the keys are fully weighted, which makes it easy, bouncy, and comfortable to press them.
Sound
Likewise, when it comes to the overall sound quality, I have been highly impressed by its twelve functioning sounds. It is equipped with 20W built-in speakers that make the sound powerful and full of character. It further allows you to use headphones at such a price which makes this keyboard highly valued. So, with this function at hand, you can perfectly understand the melody and rhythm of the sound ideally.
Similarly, speaking of its twelve voices, it incorporates acoustic sound, digital settings, electric piano, church organ, synth, strings, electric bass, and much more. Thereby, you can effectively use these sounds for practice sessions. Here, the 128-note polyphony is specifically designed for advanced users, with which they can experiment with the melodies and add character to the overall sound. On the whole, you can ideally utilize these effects to make this reasonable piano an impressive alternative.
In addition, it includes bass sound and synth sound that allows you to practice left and right-hand splits. These sounds are absolutely mimicked as per the original Recital piano sound. This further comes with a sustain pedal that offers fortissimo sound and takes only 2.5 seconds to produce the desired sound. Likewise, for variations, sounds like strings and layers.
Improvisation
This digital Alesis Recital Piano comes with different functions like equalizer, modulation, reverb, and chorus that absolutely offers a scope to experiment and improvise different sounds. These features are included in this keyboard to provide you with more character and depth. Furthermore, these attributes can also serve beginners well, all credit to its basic and simple equalizer. Thereby, you can easily customize the overall EQ for better performance.
Similarly, you are getting different options, including eight reverb algorithms, twelve present modules, eight choruses, and pedal adjustments. All of these functions are fully-fledged and offer an additional sense of space. The modulation and manual included in the design make it easy to adjust nuance and minute details.
Speaker’s and PolyPhony Performance
This Alesis Recital Pro has a set of 128 notes of polyphonic. Hence, considering the overall price and features of this piano, it is quite impressive and adds value to this product. The high polyphony settings included in the package are 64, so you can easily utilize them as per your need, whether you are a beginner or a professional.
Another thing that is quite popular about this Recital Pro is its dual-speaker setup. This setup includes two speakers, one being the 10W woofer and the other being 20W tweeters. Each of the speakers is quite powerful, considering the overall price, and offers a separate bass and treble, making the sound even more clear and sharp. I didn’t find any distortion throughout the process, even at maximum volume. So, you can go as high as you want.
Key Features of Alesis Recital Pro Review
Here are some of the key features of this Alesis Recital Pro Review.
Types of Modes:
Another difference you will find in this Recital Pro from its previous version is its different types of modes included in the construction. These are targeted to different parts of the keyboards which make them highly versatile and functional. Here are the main three modes you will find in this Alesis Recital Pro;
Layer Mode is the first sound included in the keyboard that allows you to add character and richness to your music. In simple words, it is a combination of the classic strings sound and a piano sound that adds richness and bass to the overall sound. The two sounds are designed to make an octave with no round clashing and chasing. Hence, you can activate this easily by following it up on the settings.
The Split Mode is the second mode that is divided into two halves, and each half has its own attributed sound. It is primarily designed to transfer the bass from one side to another, making it fun and exciting to practice and experiment with this keyboard.
Finally, the Lesson Mode is included for learning purposes as it allows teachers to occupy half space on the keyboard and guide their students throughout. This offers easy navigation and better communication overall for the students and makes the learning process even more efficient.
Type of Functions:
Likewise, another thing that makes this Alesis Recital Pro one of my favorites is its transposition and Metronome functions. These are the necessary functions that can help you in maximizing its utility at a reasonable price range. Hence, with these features, you can easily customize the piano as per your individual requirements.
The first function this keyboard has to offer is Transposition. Thus, with this feature at hand, you can move the octave up and down so that it can adapt to different unique key arrangements and signatures. It also adds to the semitone and overall bass of the sound.
Likewise, the second function of the Metronome is one of my favorites as it facilitates you well in your practice sessions. It is designed to help you with the variations, including symbols, rhythm, and chorus. Hence, you can customize these things to make them effective for your learning, so you can easily progress in this field.
Finally, the Touch Sensitivity feature is included to help you with high velocity and smoothen the sound. This includes three different intensities and an on/ off button that helps you in adjusting the speed and acceleration of the sound. So, by pressing the button, you will be able to achieve the desired sound.
In the end, if you know how to use these functions correctly, you can master this piano like no one else. If you are a beginner, I would recommend you spend more time adjusting this tuning system. So, you will get the perfect temperament that you require for your performance. All in all, the 440 Hz default sound is absolutely insane for this price range.
Battery Compartments:
Likewise, this keyboard from Alesis has a separate compartment for batteries. This instrument is powered by a 6D cell battery that is absolutely long-lasting and offers you a long service life. It is also quite lightweight and durable, making it worthy of your price. Similarly, it is worth mentioning that this expensive battery is a luxury addition to this reasonable keyboard.
Connection Options
While buying any keyboard or piano, the primary concern of users is about their connectivity as it determines the overall performance of your instrument. When it comes to this one, you will be surprised to hear that manufacturers have included a number of connectivity options in this one, making it even more versatile and functional. The first thing to notice here is its pedal Jack that allows you to practice different piano parts with absolute ease and convenience while being on a budget.
Likewise, the stereo outputs are accompanied by the 1/4 inches TRS Jacks that allow you to facilitate the overall setup with amplifiers and bass enhancers. It further comes with headphone jacks that allow you to facilitate your practice sessions, specifically if you are a beginner and you want to enhance your practice on melodies. Finally, the USB Type B port and MIDI ports are included to help you with basic connectivity, so you can easily attach other devices to this keyboard.
Accessories Included in the Package
You won’t find any keyboards with accessories included at such a price. However, this Recital Pro is here to facilitate you with extra tools that can maximize its utility and allow you to practice efficiently. Here are some things that can provide you with ease and functionality;
The sustain pedal included in the design makes it ideal for beginners who are in the initial stages of their practice and want something that can stabilize the overall sound, making it absolutely impressive for the price.
Another thing I really like about this keyboard is the Alesis signature stand that allows you to maintain stability and balance while practicing your skills.
All in all, the package includes a power adapter, music rest, a music rest, a user manual, and this digital piano, making it undoubtedly worthy for the price. Other accessories like speakers, headphones, and additional connectivity cables make it easy to use and control.
Pros
This Recital Pro is one of the best-budgeted pianos you can find across the market.
It incorporates all the weighted full-sized keys accompanied by a simple arrangement. Hence, this design makes it extremely versatile for beginners as well as advanced users.
Similarly, it is powered by a long-lasting and powerful battery that allows you to practice throughout the day without any inconvenience.
The overall display panel incorporates backlighting, is easy to use, and offers straightforward instruction. In addition, the user guide included in the package helps you in effectively controlling the modes and functions according to your needs.
It incorporates three different modes that help you in maximizing its utility for better performance and efficiency.
Last but not least, the accessories included in the package allow you to use it as per your requirements and customize it ideally.
Cons
The top notes lack character and depth.
At a time, this keyboard could only record one song. Thereby, if you want to record another song, you will have to overwrite it on the first song, making the overall process even more difficult and complex (especially for beginners)
The knobs are not the best when it comes to quality, and the keyboard can feel a bit heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better: Alesis Recital vs. Recital Pro?
Both of these alternatives are great for beginners who are looking for something budget-friendly and performance-oriented to facilitate their practice sessions. When it comes to the Alesis Recital, you will have to consider that it has the edge over the original as it incorporates a number of upgrades when it comes to key arrangement, construction quality, accessories, and modes. So, if you have intermediate skills and want to enhance your learning experience, the Recital Pro would be a great option for you and vice versa.
Is Alesis Recital Pro any good?
Yes, the Alesis Recital Pro is absolutely worth your price, considering its efficiency and functional design. It is equipped with a simple and basic yet functional key setup accompanied by different improvisation modes and functions that facilitates you throughout. It is primarily designed for beginners who are looking for something reasonable and performance-oriented on which they can practice their skill on. All in all, it further includes a long-lasting battery and a number of accessories that make it highly valuable.
What is the difference between the Yamaha P45 and Alesis Recital Pro?
Both of these two pianos are a little bit more expensive than Alesis Recital. Thereby, when it comes to Yamaha P45, it is designed specifically for beginners and includes a digital keys setup. It further incorporates a number of functions that facilitate your practice sessions ideally. In contrast, the Alesis Recital Pro is an upgraded version of the Recital and is designed with a simple yet functional key setup. It is overall designed for people with beginner and intermediate skills, having various improvisation modes.
What are the accessories included in Alesis Recital Pro?
A lot of accessories are included in this Recital Pro. The most commonly used and famous ones are the sustain paddles, connectivity ports, user manual, stand, and power adapter. So, having these efficient tools at hand, you can easily customize the piano set up as per your individual needs and maximize its utility.
In the end, this Alesis Recital Pro 88 key hammer-action digital piano is an impressive alternative for anyone who wants to facilitate his or her practice sessions with a budget-friendly yet highly performance-oriented product. It is equipped with a number of improvisation functions and modes that allow you to customize and use it as per your need. Likewise, the fact that it incorporates a long battery life and sturdy construction at a budgeted price makes it highly valuable.
Finally, I hope that this Alesis Recital Pro review can help you make a buying decision ideally.
