RockJam RJ549 49-Key Portable Digital Piano Keyboard

Description

• RockJam RJ549 keyboard with 49 keys
• 40 note record and playback function
• 10 instruments, 10 rhythms, and 8 percussion sounds
• Headphone input
• Small, lightweight, portable and compact
• Powered through mains power or batteries
• Includes stickers for the keys
• Exclusive content within the Simply Piano app
• Two stereo speakers
• Auto chord, vibrato, and sustain effects
• Includes music stand

RockJam RJ549 keyboard review

I never thought we would see the day when a decent and serious keyboard would hit the market for less than £40 – but here it is folks, the RockJam RJ549. For that crazy low price it still has to offer a good sound and a few options to keep your child or toddler happy. So does it deliver? Read on to find out!

Sound

Let’s start with how it sounds, as this was my big concern before I got to try it out. Let me remind you that at the time of writing this review the keyboard is only £32. So my expectations were of course very low, which is the right way to approach this review. With many years of experience playing really expensive grand pianos, I had to come at this from the perspective of a child and how they would view this.

The sound is what I would call tinny. This would be a bad thing if the keyboard was £100 instead of £32, but for this price it isn’t unexpected. Sure, I would like to have heard a better sound, but this just isn’t what this keyboard is all about. It would cost RockJam money to install a better sound which would mean you’d be paying £60+. If you want to pay that kind of money or more then you wouldn’t be looking at this keyboard in the first place.

To a child aged between 2-5 years, the sound issue wouldn’t be a problem. I very much doubt you would ever come across someone of that age complaining that it didn’t sound like a real piano. So if you are worried about the sound quality I would consider spending more money. But if you want to buy this for your child to begin their learning experience and you don’t want to spend more than £35-£40 in case they quit after a week – then this would be perfect. You can always upgrade after a year if they are progressing well.

Features

This keyboard has 49 keys which isn’t a lot, but just the right amount for a small beginner. My recommendation for the age range of the RJ549 is 1-5 years. Your child could easily play lots of songs for a good amount of time with only 49 keys, and if after some time you need more – then simply upgrade. At least you will know that your child has taken an interest and is looking to take it more seriously.

There are 10 voices (instruments), 10 rhythms and 8 percussion sounds. This isn’t a lot for a keyboard, but again I have to remind myself of the price. The cost of a keyboard or piano is important to 99% of people looking to buy, and if you are asking me if there are enough features on this keyboard for the money, I would certainly say yes. A child of 3 years old would not complain at only having 10 instruments to play around with that’s for sure.

Another nice feature the RJ549 offers is stickers for the keys. One of the hardest aspects of learning to play the keyboard is trying to work out what the notes are. So these handy stickers mean you can put the letters on the keys and then buy a music book that has the letters also. This is a quick and easy way of getting your child to play from music so they can progress onto harder songs through time.

This keyboard comes with exclusive content within the simply piano app. For more information on the app and how you can use it, here’s a short video:

Finally, as a parent myself I appreciate how important it is for your child to learn but for your ears not to suffer as a consequence. As such, it’s worth noting that you can connect headphones to the RockJam RJ549. You also get a music stand! So quite a lot of features for such a cheap price.

Price/summary

I often have a ‘price’ section in my reviews, and I almost thought about leaving it out of this one. I’ve mentioned it a few times already, but just to be sure you realise – this is only £32. For me, and with the features it comes with, it’s an absolute bargain.

Don’t be put off by any reviews about the sound or the lack of features. Most people who review this negatively are not 3 years old and are looking for more than this offers. I’ve seen a review on YouTube that mentioned how small the keys were, but that person was a fully grown adult and clearly not in the market for a child’s keyboard.

The RJ549 is specifically aimed at parents who want to see if their child will enjoy learning to play an instrument and if this something they should pursue. As a parent I understand the expense that goes with buying new clothes and new toys all the time. If I wanted to see if my little boy would like learning and playing a keyboard, then this would be the perfect choice. Because if they give up and move onto something else within the first week, you’ve only spent £32. This is the cost of an hours tuition! You may even decide to keep it in case their interest returns.