Rhodes piano
- Range
- E1–E7
- Peaks up close
- up to 118 dB SPL
- Sources
- 11 independent: not from a mic maker
What it is
An electromechanical piano: hammers strike thin metal tines beside an electromagnetic pickup, and the signal goes by cable to an external keyboard amp and speaker. Other names: Fender Rhodes, Rhodes Stage Piano.3
Also called Rhodes, Fender Rhodes, Electric piano.
Range
E1 to E7241.2 Hz – 2.64 kHz
the 73-key models; keys E8 to E80 in Rhodes's own numbering, where the 88-key piano runs A1 to C88
Where the sound goes
The instrument is silent without an amp. The source is the keyboard amp's speaker; the Suitcase models have their own amp and speaker in an enclosure underneath.3
About the range
Most Rhodes pianos have 73 keys, E1 to E7; some have 88, A0 to C8, like an acoustic piano. The Piano Bass has 32 notes, E1 to B3.2,3
How loud
Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.
| Playing level | |
|---|---|
| 60–110 dB | at 3 m; keyboards (electric), single musician secondary4 |
| 98.7 dB(A) | next to percussion and keyboards; distance not given; band rehearsal, measuring point 'Percussion/Keyboards/Return sound', mean (Mendes et al.)5 |
| Peaks | |
| 118 dB | keyboards (electric) secondary4 |
The UK Sound Advice table gives electric keyboards 60-110 dB at 3 m with a 118 dB peak (secondary), and a band-rehearsal meter by the percussion and keyboards read 98.7 dB(A) on average. No figure for an electric piano on its own.
Recording it
- Amp, mic: through a bass rig (Music Man HD130, 15 in) an AKG D 112 gave thickness, but the player preferred an SM57 on a Boogie 50 Caliber; another engineer used a Sennheiser kick mic on a Silverface Twin with a Tube Screamer.
- DI: several forum users record by DI box ("if it's just a background colour then the D.I. is fine"), others always use an amp.1
Mics
- 4 setups from 1 sources, 1 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- Few independent sources so far, so the full list shows no counts.
No mic is named by more than one source yet: each names its own.
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (2)
Studio
Close
The 4 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Shure SM57through a Boogie 50 Caliber amp
A 57 has worked nicely on the Wurlitzer speaker; a Rhodes through a Boogie 50 Caliber: "the player ended up liking the EQ curve of the 57 best".
1 - Close AKG D 112bass-rig speaker (Music Man HD130, 15 in)
A D112 on a Rhodes through a bass rig "put on a real thickness I liked".
1 - Close dynamic, kick drum mic (Sennheiser kick drum mic)Silverface Twin with a Tube Screamer
"We tried a Rhodes through a Silverface Twin with a bit of Tube Screamer, miked with a Sennheiser kick drum mic."
1 - Direct DI (DI box (and mic the amp))DI
Forum replies: DI usually, sometimes through an amp; "if it's just a background colour then the D.I. is fine."
1
Sources
- Tape Op message board: when recording a wurlitzer electric piano...? (2003)
- Rhodes Service Manual (1979), chapter 6: tone generator assembly replacement
- Wikipedia, Fender Rhodes
- Representative noise levels table with orchestra noise guidance (UK Sound Advice material)
- Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology: Mendes, Morata, Marques, Acceptance of hearing protection aids in members of an instrumental and voice music band