Alesis’s VI61 keyboard controller has been designed to provide comprehensive musical input via a 61-note semi-weighted keybed and 16 velocity sensitive backlit performance pads. Editing and performance controls are equally well catered for with a row of 16 assignable rotary controls at the top of the keyboard with a further three banks of 16 buttons located just below, this configuration integrates competently into the workflow of the bundled Ableton Live Lite software. Additionally there is transport and bank selection controls to be found above the keybed along with octave shift buttons and illuminated pith-bend and modulation controls.
The Alesis VI61 connects to PC or Mac via the bundled USB cable, providing power and MIDI communication to the host computer. A sustain pedal input is also available to the rear of the unit along with a single MIDI out for control of external hardware. Coming bundled with the ever-popular Ableton Live Lite software, recording and editing your music is fast, intuitive and fun. To further increase the out of the box experience Alesis have also supplied the AIR Xpand!2 virtual instrument which provides a broad and plentiful set of sounds, to help create pretty much any genre of music.