review of the Alesis QS7 by popeye-x
submitted to American Musical Supply 030227,
for the QS8.2, see below***
"All in all, its alright for a piece of shit. I've had the most fun with the unusual sounds it makes." - Dr. Popeye-X, 2003
(1 = Poor / 5 = Excellent) Overall 4 ::: Quality 5, Features 3, Ease Of Use 3, Value 4, Reliability 5
"I've used the QS7 (not the 7.1) in the studio for 3 years, and gigged around Texas with it for over a year. I paid $700 new, I think I got my money's worth, I've had a lot of fun freaking out the audience (and the musicians), whipping out the unusual alien sounds it makes. I think the Keith Emerson programs by his keyboard tech, Will Alexander, are fantastic, especially "Keith's C3". I use it as my trademark sound, since it was created by Will (my best friend on this Earth), and I know damn well Keith uses the real thing.
Will Alexander replies: "Actually Keith does use it when only one keyboard can be used."
My Alesis QS7 has served me well for the purposes I bought it for.
HIX live photo by SREVOLUTION; popeye-x plays the QS7 on far left
hauling it around Texas doing country gigs
and using it for a midi controller in my studio. All in all, its alright for a piece of shit. One thing I do hate about it is the way it jumps into General Midi mode, that is incredibly annoying. To me, General Midi sucks, I have no use for it. I wish I could disable it. I never put midi into the QS7, only out, and that is totally Alesis' fault. I still like my QS7 and will continue to use it. Like I said, its alright for a piece of shit. Its a reliable, lightweight gigging keyboard, and it sounds good enough."
***UPDATE FEB. 2004: "I just bought a QS8.2 for $770, from Sweetwater, its MUCH, MUCH better. The wooden keys make all the difference. Also I found if I put my SR-16 drumbox between the computer midi out and the QS midi in, and I set the SR-16 Clock Out to OFF, it solves the ridiculous Jump To General Midi Problem. Yes, my sequencer puts out a midi clock, how outdated... so fucking what? Should that condemn me to General Midi? Its marketing bullshit." - Dr. Popeye-X, 2004
from my friend, Badham, AKA Frankie Furlan, Jr.:
"you know what? they are shit boxes, but they are shit boxes like an 82
Toyota Corolla is. its beat, its ugly, some things can be a bitch, but the damn
thing is still a trooper. my QS6 sat out in 100 degree fourth of july weater in
the sun while we sat and waited for the fucking parade float we were riding on
to start moving. the keyboard quit working after about an hour and a half. i was
pissed! so after the parade we emediatly had a gig. i still had my korg m1 so i
knew i wasnt to bad off. after a couple of tunes i noticed that the QS6 was lit
up again, it worked for the rest of the night, and is still going today. its got
a little buzz now and then but i think it kind of adds some funkiness to some
sounds. i paid $400 for my QS6 and im pretty sure i got my moneys worth out of
it. by the way, my first car was a 82 Toyota Corolla, and i beat the piss out of
it for my first 2 years of driving. i used to jump the thing like i was one of
the Duke boys for Christ sake!"