If you’re lucky, your DAW might come with a great Rhodes instrument bundled, the most notable example probably being Logic Pro’s Vintage Electric Piano. There are a fair few around, but among the best are NI’s Scarbee Vintage Keys (£129), AAS’s Lounge Lizard EP-4 ($199) and Modarrt’s Pianoteq with Electric Piano expansion pack. Featuring extensively in 70s rock and 80s pop, the Rhodes was and remains a mainstay of the jazz world. Models without their own speaker were intended to be played through Fender Twin amps, and all kinds of other FX pedals were also commonly used to process the signal. It could be soft and dreamy, or bite a little harder when you pushed the keys more firmly. The originals used a unique system of tines with electromechanical pickups to achieve its sound, which was extremely responsive to the way it was played. The company even started making a newer model, the Mk7, in recent years. The Rhodes is a bona fide classic, from the original Stage 73 through to the Suitcase 88 with integrated stereo speakers.

Arturia fender rhodes