Alesis Concert Review

We rated the Alesis Concert an 8/10. The built-in speakers and lesson mode serve beginning pianists really well. We love the full-size keyboard, adjustable sensitivity, connectivity, and lessons mode on this particular model. The piano package is also really economical and convenient for those just getting started. This piano serves its target audience (serious hobbyists) well. We do wish that there were more than 10 voices though, which is why it doesn’t rank quite as high as some of the other intermediate models we’ve reviewed.

Hi there! Today we are taking a peek at the Alesis Concert, a high-quality yet relatively low-budget full-sized piano. But before we get to the details and the full Alesis Concert Review, here is a little background on the company itself. 

Alesis first started growing its roots in Hollywood in the ’80s. They started out by making custom integrated circuits, which is, in other words, a microchip. A few years later they created their first effects processor, and thus dipped their feet into the music industry. From there, their electronic music creativity began to boom (as well as their business). They expanded to electronic instruments, amplifiers, and much more. 

Alesis is a part of a company called inMusic Brands. InMusic dubs themselves “Home of the world’s premier music industry brands”. In particular, Alesis makes everything from DAW’s (digital audio workstations), to interfaces, drum machines, and other electronic instruments like keyboards and drum pads (I actually happen to own one of their drum pads, and can attest to the fact that they are great at producing percussion! My drum pad has great action and sound samples, as well as a large memory bank, and a USB port for adding even more sounds). 

This brand is well-known for its electronic percussion in particular, and for being affordable yet high-quality. They’re based right out of Cumberland, Rhode Island. That being said, Alesis products are designed in the United States, but manufactured in China (which turns many musicians away). 

So does the Alesis Concert Keyboard hold up to inMusic Brands standards? We are about to find out!

Overview

The Alesis Concert 88-key digital piano is a semi-weighted, full-sized electronic piano keyboard. With its price tag under $500, it sure is tempting for new piano hobbyists. But what else does it have to offer? Let’s look deeper.

Alesis Concert Features

10 Realistic Keyboard Voices

While 10 voices are not many in the realm of electronic keyboards, the voices Alesis did choose are quality. Here are the ten types of realistic voices that the Alesis Concert has to offer: 

• Acoustic piano
• Bright piano
• Electric piano
• Harpsichord
• Drawbar organ
• Church organ
• Synth
• Strings
• Bass
• Clavi

If you’d like to hear these sounds in action, keep reading. At the end of this review, we have an unboxing and review video picked out for you!

20-Watt, Built-in Speakers

The Alesis Concert has two built-in, 20-watt speakers. They’re both powerful-sounding, and convenient. Unlike some full-sized keyboards, this instrument will not need to be plugged into external speakers. If you’re a hobbyist looking to buy less and get more sound, the Alesis Concert is a great place to start. 

Lesson Mode

Lesson mode is an invaluable tool for both students and teachers alike. What it does is splits the keyboard, so that both student (who would be sitting on one side of the piano), and the teacher (who would be sitting on the other side) can navigate the piano in the same pitches. What I mean by that is, lesson mode takes one side of each piano and puts it in the same octave. But why is that important?

Because, when students are first learning, they have a hard time recognizing that middle C and the C above that are both ‘C’. I love the idea of lesson mode. This makes this piano a good idea for both a student instrument, as well as a lessons-studio instrument. 

Adjustable Sensitivity

While velocity-touch is something that is common in full-sized electronic pianos, adjustable sensitivity is not. This is where the Alesis Concert really shines, especially for such a low price. In order to see how the adjustable sensitivity works, keep on reading and check out the unboxing/review videos down below. 

Three-Month Subscription of Skoove Premium

Skoove Premium is an in-depth online piano course. With each purchase of an Alesis Concert, you will get a three-month subscription to this program for free. Skoove includes everything from classical pieces to pop tunes. It also comes with music theory lessons and tips as well. What I really like about the idea of Sko0ve Premium is that they add new songs and lessons each month, so you are constantly getting new and relevant material. In order to check out more about Skoove itself, you can find more information on the website here:

Many Reverb, Chorus, and other Effects Options

The reverb options are as follows: 

• Room reverb 
• Hall reverb
• Church reverb
• Delay (delays are not technically reverbs…but anyways)
• Pan delay

For other effects, this piano has:

• A flanger
• A rotor
• And three different chorus’s

Pianos in this price range rarely have reverb or chorus options. And, if they do, there usually is just one generalized button simply titled “reverb”. For the more advanced hobbyist, this simply won’t do. I love the fact the Alesis Concert features three staple reverbs, which are often found in DAW’s. 

Effects Side Note: In case you aren’t too familiar with reverb types and effects, here are a few basics.

• Room reverb is a subtle type of reverb that sounds like the reflections in a smaller room
• Hall reverb is a step up when it comes to ‘ringiness’. It is more resonant than room but less resonant than hall. Just as the name sounds, it is created to imitate the sound of reflections in a hallway
• Church reverb is very resonant and sounds how music would inside of a church or cathedral with tall ceilings, and vibrant acoustics 
• Chorus and flangers are ‘delay-style effects’

Split and Layer Modes

If you’ve stumbled upon our other reviews, you probably already know what split and layer modes mean. Split mode is a function that lets you take half (or part) of the keyboard and make each side a different sound. Layer mode allows you to take two sounds and stack them on top of each other, for an entirely new effect. Split and layer modes are often considered staples among electronic piano keyboardists, so, it’s a relief to see that the Alesis Concert has jumped on board with adding these modes. 

Plenty of Connections

This instrument comes with the following connections:

• Sustain pedal input
• Headphone output
• USB to MIDI
• Stereo RCA outputs

These connections are really all that any beginner or intermediate pianist could ask for. Using USB to MIDI you can plug the Alesis Concert into your computer, and produce music. The stereo RCA allows you to connect the instrument to bigger speakers if you like, that way you can have an even more powerful sound. And, needless to say, headphone connectivity can prevent you from disturbing your neighbors, and the sustain pedal input is for the external pedal. 

Specifications

• Weight: 33.8 pounds
• Dimensions: 55 x 15 x 13
• Keys: 88
• Power Source: Corded electric, or by using 6 D-batteries
• Speaker wattage: 20 watts
• Split Mode: Yes
• Layer Mode: Yes

Who Is It Suitable For?

The Alesis Concert is suitable for serious hobbyists. In fact, a lot of thought went into the sounds and making of this piano. While it is far from a professional instrument, a serious student will do well on the Alesis Concert. Because it has partially-weighted keys and a full-sized keyboard, those who wish to play the classical piano will find themselves happy with this budget-friendly instrument. Ultimately, the more keys you have (within reason, we don’t need an Imperial Bosendorfer here…) the more access to a wider range or repertoire you will have.

Alesis Concert In Action

Let’s head on over to Youtube and check out the reverse unboxing that Richard Ashby has on his channel.

As it says in his description, there really isn’t much information out there on the Alesis Concert, besides those that are promotions created by the company. So let’s check out what he has to say. If you don’t have time to watch the video yourself, I will paraphrase here:

• It’s clear to see that the Alesis Concert is packed really well for shipping
• At 2’ in you get an up-close view of the keys
• The piano comes with a power adapter. (He got it from Sweetwater. But unless you get our special Amazon bundle, the instrument will only come with this)

In his full review (watch it here) he brings up the following: 

• Well-built
• It doesn’t have hammer action, but it still feels good and professional
• It is velocity-sensitive, and that feature is adjustable
• The buttons are high-quality
• The stand is sturdy
• The ports are snug as well

At 2:15’ he shows us what the effects and piano voices sound like with a little Bach piece. If you decide to watch any part of either video, definitely watch this section! It will help you decide if this piano’s sound is what you are looking for, and thus if this piano is right for you. At 4:20’ he demos how to navigate split mode, including how fast it is to change the split point. Next up, he shows an example of layer mode (5:45’). At 7’ in he teaches how to navigate the metronome and advanced functions mode. 

Certainly, his review taught me a little more about navigating the reverb and chorus. When you press the reverb/chorus button and it turns green, then that means it is in reverb mode. When it turns red, it’s in chorus mode. Of course, everything you’d need to know after purchasing this piano will be in the manual. But it’s much more fun (at least for me) to watch someone actually using the instrument than to read a stiff and technical book. 

Overall he says that this piano is really great, and I would have to agree with him! 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It is budget-friendly
• This piano comes from a reliable brand name
• It has all the connections you’ll need; You can record with it, and connect it to external speakers for gigs
• The sounds are clean and professional
• It has a full-sized keyboard
• It is partially weighted
• Relatively portable
• It includes split and layer modes
• The advanced function mode allows for a lot of customization overall
• It is student-teacher friendly
• It comes with a learning software trial
• Everything about it is well-built and sturdy
• The velocity/ touch sensitivity is adjustable
• The are many effects, especially for the price point

Cons

• This keyboard is not fully weighted
• It only has 10 voices
• The sustain pedal quality isn’t the best
• The keys do click a little

In my opinion, the keyboard only being partially weighted isn’t a huge deal for serious hobbyists. It is much better to have a partially weighted keyboard than no weight at all. Plus, the adjustable velocity/ sensitivity helps to make the keys feel and sound more natural, despite not being fully weighted. That being said, if you are planning on playing a lot of Bach and Beethoven, it might be a good idea to take a few steps up in the Alesis line, to avoid the above drawbacks.

Quick View 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Alesis Concert is a well-built, high-quality electronic piano. While it doesn’t have as many voices and effects as many beginners would like, personally, I think that this is a pro, because it leads the player to focus on the music itself, rather than the bells and whistles. Until next time!

Oh, and let me leave you with a music quote:

“Music is, at its essence, what gives us memories. And the longer a song has existed in our lives, the more memories we have of it” -Stevie Wonder

8Expert Score

We rated the Alesis Concert an 8/10. The built-in speakers and lesson mode serve beginning pianists really well. We love the full-size keyboard, adjustable sensitivity, connectivity, and lessons mode on this particular model. The piano package is also really economical and convenient for those just getting started. This piano serves its target audience (serious hobbyists) well. We do wish that there were more than 10 voices though, which is why it doesn’t rank quite as high as some of the other intermediate models we’ve reviewed.

PROS

• It is budget-friendly
• This piano comes from a reliable brand name
• It has all the connections you’ll need; You can record with it, and connect it to external speakers for gigs
• The sounds are clean and professional
• It has a full-sized keyboard
• It is partially weighted
• It is relatively portable
• It includes split and layer modes
• The advanced function mode allows for a lot of customization overall
• It is student-teacher friendly
• It comes with a learning software trial
• Everything about it is well-built and sturdy
• The velocity/ touch sensitivity is adjustable
• The are many effects, especially for the price point

CONS

• This keyboard is not fully weighted
• It only has 10 voices
• The sustain pedal quality isn’t the best
• The keys do click a little