Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!
Please subscribe to MPN’s YouTube Channel!

Give an example of your favorite Rhodes tone

scottasin

By scottasin
in The Keyboard Corner

Recommended Posts

scottasin

scottasin

Posted
Posted

I was just listening to one of the local public radio stations, and a song came on that had a Rhodes tone I instantly recognized. Its from the album Action Figure Party. I've never owned it, but a few of the songs were in heavy rotation on a pandora station of mine a few years ago, and I remembered why I loved it so much. The Rhodes tone is just perfect to my ears, it barks, it sparkles, its got it all. I haven't yet gotten around to refurbishing my Rhodes yet since I've been having too much fun with it as it is to take it apart, but now I've got a model for the tone I want, whether or not I can achieve it is yet to be discovered...

 

Anyways, whats your favorite Rhodes sound?

 

[video:youtube]lvSsPkXYk98

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 78
  • Created
  • Last Reply
CEB

CEB

Posted
Posted

My favorite Rhodes tone is a Wurly. LOL

 

Sorry, just kidding .... sort of.

 

Got to go with classic Chick. This will do for a start.

 

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_OEJ0wqt2g

[video:youtube]

 

 

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ksoper

ksoper

Posted
Posted
My favorite Rhodes tone is a Wurly. LOL

Sorry, just kidding .... sort of.

 

I understand completely, but if I had to choose...

 

 

[video:youtube]

 

Or:

 

[video:youtube]

 

And finally:

 

[video:youtube]

 

 

9 Moog things, 3 Roland things, 2 Hammond things and a computer with stuff on it

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Moonglow

Moonglow

Posted
Posted

Im having a hard time not letting the outstanding performances/solos bias my evaluation of the "Rhodes tone" in the Crusaders and Frampton tunes below. Regarding the Pablo Cruise tune, while the overall song is rather mushy, I've always liked how the "cool Rhodes vibe" carries the verses. Again, I don't mean to turn this into a "favorite Rhodes song" thread....but sometimes it's difficult to disentangle evaluating the tone from the performance, solo, composition, etc. These remain my favorite Rhodes, nonetheless. I think they are all Mark I's.

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

[video:youtube]

 

 

 

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Meisenhower

Meisenhower

Posted
Posted

Here's one of my favorite Herbie Rhodes. Go up to 5:25 when he really starts to blow on the second section.

 

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3vhl88j9jg

 

 

George Duke's Rhodes on the live version of Red Baron. His minimoog work is also so worth watching in this version.

 

[video:youtube]

 

Jan Hammer's Rhodes on the studio version of Red Baron is killer too. Have to start this track at 1:02 to get to Red Baron. He also puts ring modulation on his solo, which was a very cool effect, tastefully used at about 3:55.

 

[video:youtube]

 

I also like Chick's Rhodes on Captain Senior Mouse, but that entire Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy album has monster rhodes tracks on it.

 

[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcWkhWbRvC0

 

 

+1 on Spain also.

Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CrimsonianKing

CrimsonianKing

Posted
Posted
You'll need to provide definitive proof.

 

Nah, i know my radiohead, google it.

 

This site suggests it is a prophet

 

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090407181235AA0rKmv

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BvpCn2eyAN0/SGKqLUqgNfI/AAAAAAAAAg4/9UHcyjJvc38/s1600/kida.jpg

 

This is what was used for that song.

 

But so we don't waste our time trying to prove me wrong, here's another one

[video:youtube]

"The purple piper plays his tune, The choir softly sing; Three lullabies in an ancient tongue, For the court of the crimson king"
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Al Coda

Al Coda

Posted
Posted

 

Jan Hammer's Rhodes on the studio version of Red Baron is killer too. Have to start this track at 1:02 to get to Red Baron. He also puts ring modulation on his solo, which was a very cool effect, tastefully used at about 3:55.

 

That´s one of my favourites too !

To be precise,- it´s not a ringmodulator.

It´s a BODE Frequency Shifter originally being designed for MOOG modular system.

Jan had it in a separate box the frequency sweep/shift being controlled by a MOOG 1120 CV pedal.

 

Here´s a plugin emulation of this device which explains the functionality very good:

http://music.service-1.de/html/bode.html

 

According to all the examples in this thread, most of the Fender Rhodes and Rhodes pianos we see and hear in these vids are custom modified ones,- and w/ the right adjustments of the tonebars and pickups and some little tricks you get almost any tone out of a real Rhodes, depending on processing w/ outboard gear in addition.

 

Joe Z´s Rhodes, even customized too, is running thru a wah, the Mutron Bi-Phase and a Roland Space Echo.

I had all this in the 70th/80th and my 1972 Rhodes mk 1 sounded the same.

These FX device chains color the sound so much you can plug in almost everything and it sounds similar.

 

A.C.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Meisenhower

Meisenhower

Posted
Posted

 

Jan Hammer's Rhodes on the studio version of Red Baron is killer too. Have to start this track at 1:02 to get to Red Baron. He also puts ring modulation on his solo, which was a very cool effect, tastefully used at about 3:55.

 

That´s one of my favourites too !

To be precise,- it´s not a ringmodulator.

It´s a BODE Frequency Shifter originally being designed for MOOG modular system.

Jan had it in a separate box the frequency sweep/shift being controlled by a MOOG 1120 CV pedal.

 

Here´s a plugin emulation of this device which explains the functionality very good:

http://music.service-1.de/html/bode.html

 

According to all the examples in this thread, most of the Fender Rhodes and Rhodes pianos we see and hear in these vids are custom modified ones,- and w/ the right adjustments of the tonebars and pickups and some little tricks you get almost any tone out of a real Rhodes, depending on processing w/ outboard gear in addition.

 

Joe Z´s Rhodes, even customized too, is running thru a wah, the Mutron Bi-Phase and a Roland Space Echo.

I had all this in the 70th/80th and my 1972 Rhodes mk 1 sounded the same.

These FX device chains color the sound so much you can plug in almost everything and it sounds similar.

 

A.C.

 

 

Thanks A.C. That's a good tidbit to know, as I've been reasonably emulating that effect with a ring modulator, but that extra bit of control and filter sweeping was eluding me.

 

Very cool unit. I'd grab that VST plug in in a second if it were Mac compatible.

Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mate stubb

mate stubb

Posted
Posted

 

Jan Hammer's Rhodes on the studio version of Red Baron is killer too. Have to start this track at 1:02 to get to Red Baron. He also puts ring modulation on his solo, which was a very cool effect, tastefully used at about 3:55.

 

That´s one of my favourites too !

To be precise,- it´s not a ringmodulator.

It´s a BODE Frequency Shifter originally being designed for MOOG modular system.

Jan had it in a separate box the frequency sweep/shift being controlled by a MOOG 1120 CV pedal.

 

 

I can't speak to what Jan used in the studio for Spectrum, but when Mahavishnu Orchestra played live in my hometown in 1972 or 73, he had the Maestro ring mod unit sitting on top of his Rhodes. It was right on the tone bars - he had the plastic top off.

Moe

---

"I keep wanting to like it's sound, but every demo seems to demonstrate that it has the earth-shaking punch and peerless sonics of the Roland Gaia. " - Tusker

http://www.hotrodmotm.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Al Coda

Al Coda

Posted
Posted

I can't speak to what Jan used in the studio for Spectrum, but when Mahavishnu Orchestra played live in my hometown in 1972 or 73, he had the Maestro ring mod unit sitting on top of his Rhodes. It was right on the tone bars - he had the plastic top off.

 

Yeah Mate,- I´m sure Jan Hammer used a lot of gear in his life being a musician, but I´m pretty sure the sound on the recording Meisenhower posted is exactly what I described.

Also on the record "The 1st Seven Days" from 1967,- IIRR, the Bode Frequency Shifter was used for the Rhodes, creating all the bell sounds on that record p.ex..

The Maestro had the slider for the pitch "bend" thingy and the usage of a pedal was more comfortable keeping the hands free for playing.

 

Here´s more ...

http://old.nabble.com/Re%3A-Ring-Modulator-on-Jan-Hammer%27s-Rhodes---BODE!-td1814475.html

 

And here,- go to "changing frequencies"

http://jonathan.miller4.users.btopenworld.com/Featurespages/JanHammerKEYBOARDS/hammertext.html

 

And it´s also evident he used the Maestro ring modulator and the Bode Frequency Shifter,- maybe both depending on what the task was or how complex the setup was and such.

http://www.moogmusic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=44989

 

I don´t find the interview in the web,- but I´ve read in the past (decades ago) for the solo in "Red Baron" he used the Bode controlled by a Moog 1120 pedal,- that is.

 

If you google "Jan Hammer Bode Frequency Shifter" you´ll find a lot in a second.

 

If we´re talking about Jan Hammer´s Rhodes sound,- don´t forget his love for pumping compressors like the Fairchild.

 

A.C.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mate stubb

mate stubb

Posted
Posted

The reason I got a good look at his setup was that the contract rider called for a Hammond. I wrangled it so that it was my Hammond being used (our sound man was providing PA for the gig).

 

Jan blew up 2 15" Gauss speakers in my high powered custom leslie. :eek:

 

My other remembrance is that he arrived first for the sound check, sat down at Billy's drums, and proceeded to SMOKE - in all kinds of odd key signatures.

 

I think most keyboard players would be well served by learning to play drums.

Moe

---

"I keep wanting to like it's sound, but every demo seems to demonstrate that it has the earth-shaking punch and peerless sonics of the Roland Gaia. " - Tusker

http://www.hotrodmotm.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Al Coda

Al Coda

Posted
Posted

 

I think most keyboard players would be well served by learning to play drums.

 

Well said !!!

I started w/ drums in the 60th before I touched my 1st VOX organ and several other incl. Hammond,- then buying a Fender Rhodes in 1972.

I don´t say I was a good drummer before I started playing keys, but it was a good advice or help according to some techniques using a keyboard instrument.

In fact, I buyed a marching drum book to learn and practise paradiddles and hand-to-hand stuff on a kitchen table.

 

IIRC, Jan Hammer said,- playing a keyboard is like playing percussion w/ 10 fingers,- and he was right.

He´s playing drums himself on several early recordings done in his (8-track !!!) studio and before he had all the success w/ Miami Vice,- which was a big luck for him.

"Elvin is on the Mountain" is also recorded on 8-track tape and it´s one of my favourite records ever (Jan Hammer, Elvin Jones, Gene Perla).

 

Blowing 2 Gauss isn´t/ wasn´t easy at all IMO ... :-)

What kind of gig was that,- he (possibly?) rarely played a Hammond and the only record I know he did is "Timeless" w/ John Abercrombie,- which I LOVE b.t.w..

 

Mate, you know a lot and I like reading your posts !

What´s up w/ your controller project ?

I regulary search on ebay for "drawbars" because I want something usable to convert to a MIDI controller device sooner or later.

 

Anyway ...

 

A.C.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...