Me too!!! Finally at last the player is most important. A great musician like Mike can make anything sound good! Wish I could hear him on my Crumar Seven! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qVMHKPYPu_U.html
This guy sounds fantastic on keyboards across the price range. The real best sound clearly comes from practice, note choice and taste. On another note, I love how well the little reface holds up!
If someone released something in the format similar to the old Alesis Nanopiano, but with Keyscape quality sounds - then wow, it would be a big seller.
The low end on that thing is ridiculous.. surely no real Rhodes could do that. I wonder if it's one of those things that's incredible in solo but needs a lot of work to sit in a mix.. which Roland stuff seems to do right out of the box? Still, sounds fkn amazing so .. there's that
In my experience Rhodes have so much character that a Rhodes doesn’t sound like a Rhodes sometimes! But this was a cool shootout and good reason to buy all of the libraries for different flavors!
The thing about Rhodes pianos is that you would set the position of the pickups and tines to your own preferred sound .... and these different ones represent different philosophies. The Roland has the tine closer to the center, which accentuates the first overtone more. it's a certain kind of sound that you might not want. The Keyscape samples are the opposite, they focus on the fundamental by having the tine set up more off the pickup center, giving you that round, bassy sound.
that is interesting. as much as i call myself a rhodes fan, i haven't heard anything about this thus far! is this something that would easily be done? i'm just trying to understand the context of this.. would this be done once after purchase? change from song to song? when people say that even for older models, not all rhodes sound the same, is it based on this? partially? or not at all?
@@rautshsale1948 Yeah, I think it's a half-truth that all Rhodes sound different. They were made by hand and of course there's variation there, but most of the variety in sound stems from different setups! I would say that all Rhodes from roughly the same generation can be made to sound exactly alike. It's called "voicing" the instrument and it consists mostly of adjusting the height, angle, and distance of the tone bar in relation to the pickup. For this you have two scews that hold the tone bar in place, and one on the pickup, all can be adjusted. And here, a tenth of a millimeter can make a huge difference! Considering that you have three parameters for every note, yeah .... you can certainly make your Rhodes like no other. ;-) If you have your Rhodes just sitting around, you pretty much set it up once the way you like it and then you can leave it be. Of course you can go nuts and adjust it for whatever you need. And after transport there's usually a little touching-up necessary. The same goes for tuning by the way.
Looks like we made a little typo in this video & referenced the Yamaha Reface DX instead of the Reface CP. Thanks to those of you who spotted & we have now changed the description links accordingly. We hope that you all enjoyed this shootout as we've got plenty more to come! 🤘 For more info on the Yamaha Reface CP please check the link here | tinyurl.com/y2qr8mc3
Yes!!!!! I’m personally blown away by my Nord Grand EP’s. Sparkle top and the Nefertiti are just soooo inspirational, responsive and with the easy tweakable effects it’s hard to stop playing.
I do wonder if it’s just the keybed or a lovely red paint job, but for whatever reason Nord boards just keep me hooked from the moment I touch a key. More so than any of the keyboards I own, I just find myself entranced in the sound and feel of the Nord, and I’m always surprised and what I play with them.
I need to get me a pair of those magic red goggles! (Oh...It turns out those aren't what made the music sound so great. It sounds even better without them!) This video is closest thing I've watched to a legit test of the various keyboards. Even then, it's hard to control for all the variables. The Reface benefited from the Montage keybed. And as Jack pointed out, we're just listening to one basic sound - without any effects or amp simulation. Still, I loved it. Mike is an amazing player. Plus, he's honest and a really good sport. Thank you, Jack and Andertons!
My favs are a mixture of 2 Yamaha FM Electric Piano Sounds, 1 panned at 9 o'clock, one a 3 o'clock, but the panning changes based on velocity and which notes you play, from my DX7FD ll FD with Grey Matter E! board installed. Layered along with a killer multisampled, multi velocity sampled Rhodes patch panned in the center, that distorts a little when you dig in. A little Chorus, a Little Reverb. The true non sampled dynamics of the FM, and motion of the panning, really gives dynamics, that you feel as you play, the sampled version gives it more warmth and body. And for the finishing touch, a controller pedal brings in the warm strings, and only at the hardest velocity, does a supremely soft warm quiet sampled analog flute pad lands on the strings. I no longer have that board, but, I would love a Montage patch like that again. Memories, I remember them well.
That's actually true, I was mad about it but in the PA the nord sounds like butter, I think that they modelled the rhodes for these purpose. But I agree, keycape it's the most realistic, the downgrade it's to have a machine that runs it totally fine with no latency or glitching
@LuisFlores-xr5bu I just came back from a music store comparing the sound quality and character of the Rhodes piano samples in Keyscape versus a Nord. I have to admit they both sound equally good in my opinion, but in their own way. They both have their own character in which an individual may prefer one over the other. The Rhodes samples used for each instrument have a fundamentally different tone. To be honest, I think using the Nerfetit model in the Nord for the comparison in this video was not such a good idea. To me, the other models in the Nord sound much better and have a much fuller tone with lots of character. With that said, Keyscape sounds amazing and also have lots of detail and character as well. I do think Keyscape wins in regards to emulating the details of the mechanical noises of the Rhodes instrument. In regards to the tone of the harmonics of the Rhodes, I honestly can't say one is better than the other because they both sound excellent and they're tones are fundamentally different. I will say I do prefer the bassier tone of the Nord if I could only pick one over the other. Ideally, I'd like to have both. BTW, the Nord has Dyno filters (and eq) as well as brighter sounding models that give it a much fuller and less muddy tone than the Nerfetiti model. You can actually hear the bell-like overtones in the other models. In fact, the Nerfetiti model which is number 8, is my least favorite model out of the other Rhodes samples I've heard from the Nord. If you try the brighter tines model and throw the Dyno filter on it along with that beautiful chorus, you will get very lush tone that very comparable to the one from the Keyscape patch used during the outro of this video.
Keyscape is just soooo damn good. I really wish they would just release different versions. Some with electric piano packs and others with acoustic, etc.
I feel like all of them (but the keyscape) are missing that bell element PLUS the noise adds a lot of texture n warmth! Great sounding piano VST and another great video!!!
I'll echo the comments regarding the lack of a Korg SV1/2. I've owned three Rhodes (including a super rare Executone which I made a video of on youtube) and the SV1 default is by far the most realistic Rhodes simulator I've ever played, and I've played a bunch. None of the emulators in this wonderful comparison videos were even close, IMO. That said, thanks for this terrific comparison!
Why is this, my favorite channel to watch now, and these guys are my favorite host and guest on this channel? Btw. The tune played on the yamaha yc61 was my favorite.
What Mike thought about the Reface CP at the end is true - it's definitely tuned to its small action, and if you try to play it over a bigger weighted one, you'll always land a bit on the soft side unless you dial in a velocity curve. (but: it's still one joyful little thing, that one, and one of my favourite purchases)
As soon as I saw that Keyscape was in the shootout, I knew it would win. Nothing sounds better than Keyscape. Spectrasonics makes the best stuff around.
I guess EP1 on the Nord would’ve been more in the ballpark of Keyscape :) The Neferti is more “barky” and imho not so good for dynamic playing Mike did 😁
Number two gave me the most goosebumps maybe because it reminds me a lot of X-Mas time atmosphere around lots of family and friends with a cozy fireplace, and grandfather clocks. Snow piling up slowly outside with dogs and lots of games.
So, for me the sun goes up at 18:00.......i really really love that sound, also because of being a great fan of Phillipe Saisse, who played that Modell E Rhodes on the Jarreaus-Tune "Mornin", one of my alltime-favs.....but these chords you play are very similar and the great feel in your playing makes me smile and smile again. Thank you ! You´re great musician !
Nice test! Apart from telling the difference between top products, these videos inspire so much by what is being played. Good that there's a camera from above. And props to Mike, a true skilled player!
Great video Jack and team. Funny, the first youtube video of Mike I checked out after watching this was of him playing a Nord Electro. The Nord is still my personal favourite.
As a former owner of an original Fender Rhodes Stage piano, the evolution of the sound was fast. .They came up with the dynomine modification which was a very costly modification of the Fender Rhodes. Then came the Yamaha DX7 which displaced the Fender Rhodes because of its lighter carrying weight. ..Since Every Manufacturer has been duplicating this sound. As part of the electronic piano libraries. .Having said that I believe Yamaha is the Pros Choice of Piano libraries including the the dyno Rhodes Sound
Having owned a Nord electro 5d and currently owning a Yamaha CP73 _ Keyscape I can totally see where this dude is coming from. Keyscape is ultimate but CP73 is excellent. Nord is ok but the reason I don’t have it anymore is the Rhodes. Acoustic pianos and organ are great though. Disappointed that the Korg SV2 wasn’t included as I recently got this and I love it. The default Rhodes when you switch on isn’t its best but there are some great Rhodes sounds in it. Happy to play Keyscape, CP73 or SV2. What a cool guy and player this dude is.
The first patch on SV-2 Mark I Suitcase is probably the worst. But take any of the others, they are really good. Mark V stage is very warm sounding. Mark I Stage is most bell like, Mark II both stage and suitcase are good.
Hi guys! Great video as usual, really enjoyed it and I did played to game, same ranking as your man. BUT: I think you used a Reface CP (not the Reface DX) as other guys already said 😉
In the end, it's about the sound you personally enjoy. Keyscape sounds authentic, but the aftertouch is something you have to like; personally, I find it a bit too intense. The Nord has a dreamier sound that I can appreciate. Of course, it also depends on how and what you play. Very good video!
He plays beautifully. So soulful. Amazing! The test however is flaut in several ways. Each of these keyboards has a ton of different Rhodes sounds. So it really doesn't make sense to only pick one for each keyboard. I would also much rather hear the exact same piece when comparing the sounds. I know that keyboard players adapt how and what they play instantly to a sound they are hearing. For example, sometimes he plays a certain sound only in one register. That doesn't make for a fair comparison at all. His opinion however matters to me. Some sounds feel cold and uninspiring, especially when they don't react well to dynamic changes. Thanks for the video!
I love Keyscape. I have Rhodes and recently had a Wûrli, and I almost feel out of my chair when I tried them in keyscape, it soooo close to the real thing my jaw just feel to the ground. although you have to mess around with the sensitivity of your midi board. but when you get it dialed in, its so so good :)
@@jcjc4314 i got friends that run and work in a studio with a wurli 200a a yamaha grand a b3 (keyscape needs organ samples) and last but not least a rhodes mk2. On a side by side it's a godsend of a sample library
@@ChurroLightyear yeah, I let my dad try keyscape. He has been a semi pro musician since he was like 17, and have had just about every great elec. piano under his fingers. He was like "what kind of sorcery is this??!" when he played is.. lol.. he is very old school, and very hard to impress.
Problem with keyscape rhodes is a lack of dynamics and multi layered samples. I enjoy the dynamic response of the rhodes on my montage but perhaps it is not as real as other options but I still prefer it due to the dynamic response and musicality it brings.
Super vid thx. This guy is great. Yes agree, Keyscape just dominates them all. So much soul growl and body. I was actually supposed at these results. And hearing them side by side was amazing. Cheers.
In terms of bang for Buck the little Yamaha Reface CP sounds awesome, although the tiny keyboard is not useable but if you hook it to a larger midi keyboard it’s great
This is such a good video to start the year! One day I want to play like Mike Patrick with the blindfold, it's almost as if he sees what he is playing, that's just amazing.
Would love to have heard you pit Keyscape against the Scarbee EP-88S which as another brilliant Rhodes VST. And I’ll be checking out Mike’s music. Wonderful playing.
Great video not only Mike's lush playing but using one keybed so it was totally about sound. Keyscape is King, that's why I bought a copy as my end of year gift to myself. Looking forward to lots more Jack and videos this year!!!
People are confused as to what a Rhodes really sounds like. I worked at a music store in the '70s and spent hours and hours tweaking customer's instruments to get more chime out of them. Getting the amount of hammer chime in the Keyscape was just about impossible on a real Rhodes. To me it sounds like some artificial Yamaha DX voice. For my experience the Rhodes voice on my Crumar Mojo is the most realistic under the fingers and faithful to the sound of the real ones. The Crumar uses additive synthesis rather than sample manipulation and is able to reproduce the dynamics and touch of a real one.
Perhaps they isolated the mechanics and the attack portion of the sound by close micing and then increased the volume of those sounds to exagerrate the "realism" ? Only speculating, but I agree that when properly amplified, most rhodes won't have that kind of sparkly chime and loud mechanical noises we're hearing here with Keyscape.
I had a Mojo - it was fantastic, best modelled Wurlitzer I've played too. But, I wasn't a fan of their dodgy editing app, so hence sold it, but there is also the GSI Gemini Dual DSP module, which uses the same engines. That's worth a listen!
A nice comparison as far as it went. Im the latest to view this and comment. In the 1970s i owned both a Rhodes 73 suitcase (w/built-in amp), and a Rhodes Stage piano. All of my musician friends who played keys, had one or both also. NONE of them sounded exactly the same! We were constantly adjusting the tines/pick-ups etc, so they sounded like the various Rhodes we were hearing on recordings by Weather Report, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, etc. Also we all had Wurlitzers which we adjusted to sound like Donny Hathaway's Wurlie. Then we all got Yamahas DX7s when that came out with FM synthesis. The goal then was to edit the sound to be as close to the Rhodes sound as possible. My point is, there was no single Rhodes sound or Wurlitzer sound - just a general sound that was recognizable. 50 years later, I no longer have any of my old keyboards except my DX7 II with disk drive. When I want to recapture the variations of the original Rhodes sounds, I now go to Pianoteq, particularly Pianoteq Pro 8, which was just released. It has infinite tuning and adjusting abilities to get any Rhodes and Wurly sound I have ever heard, that is still in my ears. The other plug-in I use is Neo-Soul Keys sold only online by Gospel Musicians. It is infinitely adjustable and captures the original Rhodes sounds from the 70s/80s. I know you only compared items that you sell at your shop, so its understandable why some were left out of the blindfold comparison. One suggestion, you could have repeated the Keyscape #1 again in the #6 slot, after the Roland. That way we could see if Patrick felt the same way about it as he did when he heard it at #1. By the way, Patrick is a fine player that would fit in very well in the Gospel community here in America, particularly in California on the West Coast. This is where some of the best Gospel keyboard string players live (in the Northern Calif San Francisco Bay Area, and the Southern Calif, Los Angeles area). A great video!!
You really need to do more of these video's with various keyboards, no matter the quality of the internal sounds. Just choosing a "standard" Rhodes sound on each instrument and take all the amp modelling and effects of. Best way to decide. If you think it was best for Korg to leave it out you could have dropped the Roland too (imo) just give it to us as raw as possible .. someone may like the Korg .. or the Roland wich was very disapointing to my ears. But thats the key ... just because I didn't like it It shouldn't be left out. We all have different ideas of how a certain sound should be. Very nice video, and nicely played. could have included the Montage too :) and Kronos, and Nautilus ... and .. :)
The stage piano/keyboard concept is dead. What’s been needed for a long time is a superb lightweight controller with an action by Kawai or another specialist piano maker coupled with quick ‘n ‘easy user-storage of VST’s such as Keyscape. No factory sounds - just a host instrument for storing sounds to internal SSD’s - no computer required. Probably not enough profit it in though so won’t happen. So we’re left with endless rehashes of tech developed by Yamaha/Roland or Nord (sample players) etc 20/30 years ago. Who the hell needs GM harpsichord or Pan pipes on an instrument they’ve paid 1 or 2 grand for these days?
I have a SM Pro Audio V-Machine, it still works, limited capabilities compared to today, but this is a very good concept and form factor, which was ahead of it's time IMO.
Yes I’ve considered getting one and selling my over-specked, over-complex Nord Piano 4 (a lot of money for red paint😉). What’s the action like on the D1? To give the Nord some credit, its action is lighter (more like an acoustic grand) than some competitors like the CP88 etc.
Mike plays so beautiful, I forgot we were doing a comparison test. LoL. I love Keyscape patches for solo patches, however, when mixing with an ensemble, I find myself thinning the Keyscape track a bit.
