I've owned this keyboard for over 3 years, and so I thought I'd offer some insight on this controller for anyone on the fence.
First off, do yourself a favor and download the Alesis VI editor so you don't have to deal with the onboard LCD to reprogram your buttons, knobs and keybed. It makes reprogramming every button a breeze. The (free) editor alone is almost worth 5 stars on its own.
PROS:
-Keys feel nice
-Drumpads feel VERY nice - usually keyboards with drum pads usually have a feeling that the drum pads were added as an afterthought. These drum pads, on the other hand, are very responsive and durable. My MPD218 - a dedicated drumpad midi controller - only feels slightly better than these.
Almost every control is reprogrammable on the keyboard within reason. You can't send CC commands from the keybed, but pretty much everything else is fair game. I can have each individual button mapped to different commands. For instance, button 1 might be a momentary CC, button 2 a program change, button 3, on/off CC, etc. Same with the drum pads, which can send CC commands and notes. In Ableton, the keyboard has the appropriate LED feedback.
-Preset slots make using this keyboard for different uses/setups a breeze. Again, DOWNLOAD THE ALESIS VI EDITOR to make your life easy for modifying presets.
-Reliable - this keyboard has been with me through 2 moves, a couple drops, and 3 years. Hasn't missed a beat .
- It even has a 5 pin midi out port if you want to use it to control other 5 pin midi devices.
CONS:
- Some of the knobs have a slight jitter that appeared about a year ago. For example, say I turn knob 1 to have a CC value of 120. The keyboard might send 119, 120, 121, 120, etc. all in succession, several messages a second. Not the biggest deal in the world as it hold the value within 1 or 2 CC values, but kind of annoying when you want to set a knob and be done with it. I also don't like the constant moving on certain knobs as it can cause a little more strain on my computer if I'm already pushing it to the limits. That being said, setting each knob at 0 or 127 fixes the issue so it's not a constant thing when I have the midi controller plugged in.
- This is really nitpicky one, but I'm unable to control the LED feedback on the controller no matter what I've tried. Sending midi out messages to the computer doesn't seem to do anything visually with the LEDs. Again, this is very nitpicky, and the LED feedback is automatic with Ableton, but I like more custom control. And one of the DAWs I use, Gig Performer from Deskew, doesn't automatically incorporate the LED feedback on this keyboard.
Overall, this is a buy and I highly recommend this keyboard. It was a steal back when I purchased in March 2019, and even now the price is a little higher, it's still a great value. Durable, reliable, customizable. Good on Alesis for the quality product.
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From the manufacturer
The Building Blocks of Professional Music Production
The Alesis VI49 is an advanced USB/MIDI keyboard MIDI controller that lets you take command of your music software with a series of pads, knobs, and buttons.
With 49 velocity-sensitive semi-weighted keys with aftertouch and Octave Up/Down buttons, you can expand the keyboard to the full melodic range and play bass lines, chords, and melodies.
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49 Full-Sized Keys and 16 Pads16 velocity-sensitive RGB trigger pads allow you to launch clips or finger drum with exceptional response and colorful visual feedback. Plus, pitch and modulation wheels expand the expressive capabilities of your performance |
Integration Made EasyVI49 was designed to seamlessly and effortlessly integrate with your music software. A single USB connection to your Mac or PC provides both power and MIDI functionality, allowing you to plug right into your computer and start making music. |
Full On-Board ControlVI49 also features 12 assignable knobs and 36 assignable buttons for manipulating effect plugins and virtual instruments: open and close filters, adjust volume levels, activate effects, tweak parameters, and more. |
Premium Software Suite Included
With VI49, artists and producers are given a virtually unlimited range of creative and versatile options with a specifically tailored МPC Beats software bundle for Alesis hardware, plus pro-grade virtual instrument software by Air Music Tech. Combining MPC Beats , Ableton Live Lite 9 and Xpand!2, this amazing recording software suite provides core tools for any artist, musician or singer-songwriter to create, record and share all their ideas across the world at any time.
From the brand
Compare with similar items
This Item  Alesis VI49 - 49 Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with, 16 Drum Pads, 12 Assignable Knobs, 36 Buttons and 5-Pin MIDI Out, Production Software Included Black |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | $256.94 | $125.95 | $169.00 | $179.00 | $219.00 |
| Delivery | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| number of keys | 49 | 49 | 25 | 37 | 1 | 61 |
| hardware interface | usb | usb | usb | usb | usb | usb |
| connectivity tech | USB | USB | USB | USB | USB | USB |
| model year | 2015 | — | — | 2022 | 2021 | 2023 |
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Reviews with images
Overall awesome!
I've played keys for several years, but always on technically borrowed equipment. This is the first large keyboard I've ever owned, and so far I love it!Pros:- Dimensions are PERFECT for me (shoutout to the absolute GODSEND in the reviews who provided accurate dimensions, I'll repeat them: 40¼" x 10" x 2¼" (3" with knobs) or 1023mm x 253mm x 58mm (75mm with knobs), as you can see it slots beautifully onto my desk!- Love the semi-weighted keys, it hits the balance of feeling sturdy while staying agile- Mod and pitch wheels feel SUPERB; just the right amount of resistance to aid precision without compromising speed, and the material is just.... Mmmm yes- Drum pads feel great, perfect material and just the right amount of travel (almost none but just enough for a bit of passive haptic feedback)- Aftertouch!!! It's not poly, and the range is kinda small (i.e. it goes 0-127 quickly) but definitely usable and better than nothing!- The lights OOF just gorgeous! My whole aesthetic mostly consists of black body with dark blue lights, and as you can see this fits perfectly. Love it!Cons:- Knobs have too much resistance for my taste. They feel great and can be super precise, but forget about any really quick adjustments.- Button clicks are INSANELY loud. Not sure who in their right mind would put that anywhere but especially on a MUSIC controller where sound (or lack thereof) really matters. Wouldn't want to use them in performances or anywhere near live mics.- Lights as far as I know are one-way, non programmable. I was hoping this could replace the NanoKontrol 2 I use with MainStage, where each patch can send updates to the button lights and keep them in sync, but this doesn't seem to be the case. Same goes for drum pads, those lights seem to be hard-coded to reflect velocity, in both brightness and color. That's all fine, but seems like something that wouldn't be too hard to add.- Bootup animation is fun but a bit long... Takes almost 7 seconds every time from powerup to ready. Not awful but not preferable.- The controller software... Oh boy. What a mess. Didn't work at all on my MacBook Pro (kept crashing when I select preset) and even when it did work on my PC it's still a clunky design. Gets the job done eventually.Conclusion:Despite the cons I love this keyboard! Not to mention how (relatively) inexpensive it was! I've only been using it for a couple weeks, so if anything happens I'll update this review. Overall highly recommend, especially for home studio!
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2022
Size: 61 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on April 29, 2016
Size: 25 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Everything needed for DAW production
Reviewed in Canada on April 5, 2024Size: 49 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
Eduardo Hoppe
Excelente custo benefício
Reviewed in Brazil on January 8, 2023Size: 49 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
Vittorio D.
Ottima
Reviewed in Italy on June 21, 2022Size: 25 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
David M
Model with "I" appended has aftertouch.But, I wouldn't pay retail price for it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2022Size: 49 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
abeonis
Excelente teclado USB
Reviewed in Spain on February 27, 2021Size: 25 KeysPattern Name: ControllerVerified Purchase
