RockJam 54-Key Portable Digital Keyboard review
Introduction and features
The RockJam 54 key digital keyboard is suited perfectly for a beginner and/or young children. The perfect gift for anyone looking to learn, and the numerous features this offers is more than enough to get you started.
With 100 sounds and 100 rhythms, you have plenty of sounds and beats to keep you busy for a very long time.
There is also a tutorial function which will show you the notes to play along with the in-built songs and demos. The LCD screen is nice and bright, and offers a pleasant experience whilst guiding you through the notes and various sounds.
Sound
The sound is actually a lot better than what you’d expect from a budget starter keyboard. I’ve played lots of keyboards over the years when I used to work in a music shop, and I always used to be disappointed with the sound that keyboards under £/$100 made. Not so with this keyboard – technology has moved on so much in the past few years, that even small keyboards pack a punch when it comes to the numerous voices on offer.
I cycled through lots of the sounds and they all sound very authentic, and the quality is really good. You’ve got a lot to choose from – organs, electric pianos, organs, guitars, strings, and much more.
The rhythms also offer a lot of variety. Being able to choose from so many sounds and rhythms makes this keyboard extremely versatile.
Touch and feel
The RockJam comes with 54 keys, which is usually the standard for small portable keyboards. However, I was very surprised to see full size keys, as this isn’t usually something you’d get when you spend so little money.
The full size keys add that little bit of extra weight to the keys, which is great if you are looking to emulate the touch and feel of a piano. Although the keys aren’t fully weighted like a piano, you still get a nice bounce back when playing.
Price
At around £40-$50 you can’t really worry too much about how much you’re spending here as it’s extremely cheap. The perfect starting price if you are looking to begin learning, or if you are buying this as a gift for your child.
Summary
The perfect starter keyboard which is extremely light and portable. Offers a ridiculous amount of sounds and rhythms for so little money. I often recommend this keyboard to parents who are looking to buy a keyboard for their child to see if they take to it.
I come across lots of parents who don’t really want to spend too much money in case their child decides to quit after a few months. So for this price, you don’t really need to worry.
