Dudes...

Can anyone recommend a good Rhodes VST/Rompler/Kontakt instrument that is as close to the sound of the original as possible?

Dont really care about features etc, just the sound...

 

Close to which original? Mk1? Mk2? Suitcase? Modded? Direct or amped?

I like the SonicCouture EPs a lot. Dirty and authentic, so much that you have to tame them sometimes
Otherwise, Neo Soul Keys.

As for VSTi, GenuineSoundware MrRay and MrTramp are small but great-sounding plugins too, very authentic, just not as dirty as the SC instruments.

Many guys like AAS LoungeLizard too, but that's a matter of taste.

 

Good point lol...

my only point of reference is records, so ive no idea what model they played, i just know its a Rhodes...

Is there a big difference between the models?

 

Kontakt's Scarbee A-200 is decent but doesnt get the top part of the bell sound as cleanly.
Addictive Keys is your best bet imo, the Mark I library replicates that bell top end pretty nicely, and with minimal Eqing/comp, will get the smooth lows mids and highs.

 

I would go with Soniccouture or Neo Soul Key.

I also tried the Lounge Lizard and Addictive Keys but didn't like their sound too much compared to the two I mentioned.

 

Best Rhodes all times :

 

Neo Soul Keys 4.x from Gospel Musicians is the best!
http://store.gospelmusicians.com/Neo-Soul_Keys_4/

Check these amazing demos


Jamal is a kick ass player

 

i probably tried every rhodes (vst or sampled) out there. i certainly can't judge how close to the real thing they are, but sound wise these are my favs:
1. e-Instruments Session Keys Electric R - current best at realism and versatility of sound (add the famous grit by automation - cool. less velocity volume jumps, which is less real, but if i compress the fck out it anyway, makes life easier)
2. Addictive Keys Mark I - deff easiest and was my fav before session keys. my only problem with it was that i had to add a lot of processing if i wanted it to stand out in the mix (lower notes mostly). for background chords works well though. velocity samples didn't feel "sensitive" enough. (well, it's a lot lighter to be fair)
3. Mark1 Stage Premier 96k (what Millenium said) - this sounds soo good for just dry samples. and the samples are raw hq wavs, so u can convert it to whatever sampler format u want. i like to do my own processing sometimes and this is the one i go to.

 

Much respect for all the suggestions people...

Gonna be a busy night for me...

 

e-Instruments Session Keys Electric R gets another vote from me, though if I'm just messing around I sometimes use the one that comes with Pianoteq.

 

anyone got the Wallpaper and nicnt for MK1 Stage Premier?

cheers...

 

all the suggestions are great, but there isn´t a best out there
simply because there wasn´t a rhodes sound
every rhodes sounded the way the owner wanted and how it was amped + fx and mostly wear and tear

you find the best depending on you particular needs for the song
i had great results with the mda epiano synth once
nice drive + lush reverb cuts right through the mix in a dnb tune

i love most them

 

Indeed " Neo soul Keys " is a good VST ,however naked (I meam without effects ) this one is less realistic as " Mark1 Stage Premier 96k " from

Premier Sound Factory.

 

Last edited: Oct 22, 2015

I sent you the files.

 

Hi Millenium, could you send me the wallpaper and nicnt too ? TIA

 

Done .

 

Out of curiosity, can you please let us know the one you prefer after trying these?

 

very slim one: http://www.yohng.com/software/rpiano.html
but i doubt it'll trump the kontakt competition

 

Hi Remix. Unless I'm very much mistaken, probably the most accurate Rhodes EP Sound was created on a Yamaha DX-7. That being said I would guess by definition the most accurate emulation of that keyboard is NI FM8

 

dexed is THE dx-7 clone, but fm8 is cool too...