There’s a fascinating and awesome world of electric pianos that often gets overlooked in music. No, I’m not talking about electric keyboards like the ones that you can purchase at Songbirds or other stores. I’m talking about bonafide analog electric pianos from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. These incredible instruments occupied that special space where musical innovation blossomed out of necessity – technology wasn’t advanced enough yet, but music couldn’t wait. I’ve recently fallen back in love with my vintage keyboard sounds, and I’ve become increasingly aware of how many of my favorite records, both new and old, use these sounds heavily. If you’re a composer, it’s a great idea to experiment with these tones. And, if you’re a music nerd, read on and learn a bit about this hidden realm of music history!
The Reason for Innovation:
In the 1960s, rock and roll was taking off. Big bands, swing bands, jazz, and Hawaiian shows were starting to take a back seat, and there was a brand new need for portable piano sounds for rock shows. If you’ve ever tried to move an acoustic piano, you know that they are extremely heavy. They require multiple adults to lift, plus ramps, dollies, and lots of tylenol for that inevitable back pain. What’s more, acoustic pianos need frequent tuning and upkeep, especially after being moved. If you’re planning on throwing an acoustic piano in the back of a truck every night after a show, you’d better have a piano tuner and technician on board. It boggles my mind that, in his book, one of my favorite modern pianists and composers, Ben Folds, admits to starting his career by doing just that – lugging a real piano to all of his gigs.
Another challenge of acoustic pianos in loud rock shows is that they are notoriously difficult to mic. The piano has the widest range of any common instrument, so the sound technician has to adequately capture all of it. The piano also produces and ‘sprays’ sound in all directions – it’s not like an acoustic guitar with an obvious sound hole in the front. Combine these challenges with a loud noise floor on the stage and antiquated sound technology (remember, the Beatles played their first stadium shows with just a few amps!), and the acoustic piano was a dreadful nightmare for audio engineers.
Hit the Rhode
Invented after World War II by Harold Rhodes, the Rhodes electric piano is still considered the king of the niche. Often called a “suitcase piano” for its portability and rough, road-worthy Tolex covering, the Rhodes acts like a combination of an electric guitar and an acoustic piano. When a key is played, a hammer strikes a thin metal rod called a tine. This tine is connected to a larger piece of metal (called a “tone bar”) which vibrates at the correct pitch. This vibration is picked up (pun intended) by an electric pickup just like on a guitar. This allows the instrument to be plugged into an amplifier and negates the need for microphones. What’s more, most models included an onboard preamp and some rudimentary effects like tremolo, EQ, and even a patch bay for use with other outboard effects.
Rhodes produced a smaller bass version as well as full piano models that had 73 or 88 keys. Much like with their acquisition of the Leslie rotating speaker, Fender produced the Rhodes piano as an already-completed product with the Fender name slapped on. When someone speaks about a vintage electric piano sound, the Rhodes is likely what comes to mind.
Wurlitzer
Invented by Benjamin Miessner and first introduced in 1954, the Wurlitzer electric piano is the sister instrument to the Rhodes. It uses a real piano action and hammers to strike a metal reed. This causes vibration which is then “heard” by an electrostatic pickup, a different technology than the more traditional coil pickup found in the Rhodes. Most Wurlitzers are smaller with only 64 notes, and they currently are more expensive and harder to find on the used market than the Rhodes. While both brands sound similar, the Wurlitzer has a distinctive “bark” that cuts through a mix more sharply. If examined under an oscilloscope, the sound of the Rhodes resembles more of a natural sine wave while the Wurlitzer looks more like a saw wave. This is a more abrasive sound, and today, saw waves are commonly found in synth leads and bit-crushed synth guitar effects.
Yamaha CP-70 and CP-80
The Yamaha CP-70 and CP-80 stand out as notably different from the style of the Rhodes and Wurlitzer. Boasting 73 and 88 key models respectively, the Yamaha CPs are about the size of a modern miniature baby grand piano. They use the same piano action as a Yamaha full grand piano, but the strings and harp assembly are much shorter and smaller. Real hammers and felts strike real strings just like on an acoustic piano, but the full instrument is wired with piezo pickups. This allows it to be plugged into an amp or a PA, plus most models include rudimentary onboard effects and a patch bay. Unlike the Rhodes and Wurlitzer, the Yamaha CPs sound just like a regular acoustic piano, but amplified. Sure, you can get wild and creative by adding outboard effects, but this instrument does not sound like an electric piano, rather an amplified piano. This instrument is the most piano-like model in this category, and has been heard on countless piano-centric albums made by Billy Joel, Journey, Genesis, Elton John, and more.
Songbirds has a Yamaha CP-70! Let us know if you’re interested in seeing it or purchasing it for your own studio.
Clavinet
Featured prominently on albums by Stevie Wonder, the Clavinet has a unique and distinct sound unlike the other listed instruments. The clavinet was invented by Ernst Zacharias in Germany around 1964. Produced by the famous Hohner company, most Clavinets have 60 keys and are most at home in reggae, rock, and pop. The Clavinet sound is produced by small rubber mallets that are struck against metal strings. This sound is transferred to a series of traditional pickups like in an electric guitar or the Fender Rhodes electric piano. Each string is further dampened by yarn, preventing the string to vibrate in excess and ring out. The sound of the Clavinet is distinctly sharp, “barking” and the most in-your-face of all the instruments in the electric piano family. Just listen to the opening riff of “Superstition”, and you’ll immediately know the classic Clavinet tone!
Honorable Mentions:
Rock and roll wouldn’t be the same without the Hammond B3 organ. This instrument doesn’t quite fall under the same category as the rest, and I’m sure I’ll write a dedicated post all about Hammonds in the near future. In the meantime, check it out and get used to the awesome, swirling sound of the B3!
Another honorable mention includes one of the first commercially available digital synthesizers, the Yamaha Dx7. This one is historically important because it fits into the category of vintage piano sounds. The tones and modeling that it attempted sound nothing like the real instruments that it is emulating, and that’s exactly why it has solidified its place in the electric piano hall of fame. It sounds bad, and that’s the charm.
Practicality for Today:
If you’re like me, you may have played a bunch of different electric and digital keyboards that include “electric piano” patches. Or, perhaps you’ve experimented with plugins and effects on your computer or digital audio workstation. The problem here is that many (dare I say, most) of these patches don’t sound very good. They also usually aren’t specifically labeled, so you commonly end up with some cheesy, outdated tones that sound like they belong in a K-Mart advertisement rather than your newest hit song. Most manufacturers focus on the actual piano sounds and leave the electric piano patches as an afterthought.
So, what do you do if you’re hunting a real Rhodes sound, for example? You can look at the used markets – they’re not super uncommon yet, but they are steadily rising in price. I’d be wary of buying a real vintage one unless you have the studio space for it. Any of the above discussed instruments are amazing, but they all do require upkeep, and I wouldn’t feel confident dragging them to gigs. This is one example where modern technology has done a really, really good job at copying the tones if you know where to look.
My personal favorite option is the Korg SV-1 or SV-2. I’m biased as this is the keyboard that I gig with and have in my studio. It’s my baby. I love this option because Korg set out with the goal of specifically capturing the electric piano sound. The other patches on the keyboard, like acoustic pianos and strings, punch well above their weight class and will get you through a demanding multi-genre cover gig. However, Korg really nailed the Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Clavinet sounds. When you power on an electric keyboard, the first patch that auto-loads is usually an acoustic piano. Not the case here – Korg proudly presents the Fender Rhodes front and center.
The flagship electric keyboard brand has been Nord, pretty much forever. The sight of a sleek red chassis on stage inspires awe and envy for those in the know. Nord is expensive, but their emulations and patches can’t be beat. There’s heated debate about which is better between a Korg and a Nord for the electric piano sounds, and the general consensus is that Korg beats Nord if you are just looking for Rhodes and Wurlitzer patches, but Nord has more versatility and edges out the competition for other sounds. For example, I admit that the organ sounds on the Korg are lackluster, and most players prefer the Nord in this department.
I’ll also shout out Yamaha for their work in emulating electric piano tones. While their patches may not be as accurate as Korg and Nord, many players opt for a flagship Yamaha like the CP-88 for their all-around excellence. (Note: the CP-88 mentioned here is a modern digital keyboard, not the vintage analog electrified piano. Confusing, I know.) Much like Fender and Gibson fans in the guitar world, Yamaha has a healthy cult following in the keyboard universe. From their lovely, reliable keybed and action to their utilitarian tones and versatility, you can’t go wrong. Many players who need a lot of diverse sounds at a gig or in the studio grab a flagship Yamaha before upgrading later to a Nord.
It’s Electric!
I hope that this post has inspired you to dive into the beautiful and hidden world of electric pianos. If you listen closely, you’ll start hearing Rhodes and Wurlitzers everywhere! Let us know if you have any questions, and we’ll see you for our next blog post!
