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Electric Piano VST: Software Instruments with Vintage Sound

  • An Electric Piano VST is a software instrument that emulates the vintage sound of electric pianos from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s in your DAW.
  • Virtual electric pianos are usually available as sampling instruments. Physical modeling versions offer extensive voicing capabilities.
  • Many sampled electric piano VSTs are available for the NI Kontakt software sampler or the free Kontakt Player. Tip: Be sure to check the licensing.
Electric Piano VST: Software Instruments with Vintage Sound
Scarbee Classic EP-88s for NI Kontakt Player and Scarbee EP-88M extension for Korg Module Pro
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Vintage electric pianos such as the Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer are the most popular keyboard sounds of the ’60s and ’70s. If you don’t have one of these wonderful vintage instruments, why not play an electric piano VST instead? Available as plug-ins, a sampling library, and an app for tablets and smartphones, these cool sounds are ready to go.

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Hand on heart, only a real Rhodes is a real Rhodes. But even vintage connoisseurs appreciate the sound quality and flexibility that digital simulations offer, whether live on stage or in music production. Thanks to the ongoing development of piano sampling and physical modeling, today’s electric piano VSTs reproduce the sound of the original vintage instruments with amazing authenticity.

In the following sections, you will learn what to look for in an electric piano VST. You can also jump straight to the list of the best vintage electric piano VSTs.

Electric Piano VST: Reeds or Tine?

Wurlitzer Electric Piano Reed Sound Generation: Hammers strike flat metal reeds. A pickup is attached to the tip of the reed. (Photo: J. Sunderkötter, photographed at the eboardmuseum, Klagenfurt)
Wurlitzer Electric Piano Reed Sound Generation: Hammers strike flat metal reeds. A pickup is attached to the tip of the reed. (Photo: J. Sunderkötter, photographed at the eboardmuseum, Klagenfurt)

Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer – these are the vintage electric pianos with absolute cult status. No wonder most electric piano VSTs are dedicated to these two classics. Although both electric pianos work electromechanically, there are big differences in the way they produce sound: In both cases, pickups convert the mechanical vibration of the reeds into electrical vibrations. However, the Rhodes uses a tuning fork-like construction consisting of a tine and a tone bar, while the Wurlitzer uses short metal reeds. This results in the very different sounds of the two electric pianos.

Fender Rhodes Sound Generation: Thin metal bars (tines) are struck by hammers. The tines are attached to the tone bar above them and together form the shape of a tuning fork. The small spring at the tip of the reed is used to tune the sound. Opposite the tip of the tine is a pickup. The angle at which the reed oscillates in the magnetic field of the pickup can be used to adjust the timbre (Photo: J. Sunderkötter, photographed at the eboardmuseum, Klagenfurt).
Fender Rhodes Sound Generation: Thin metal bars (tines) are struck by hammers. The tines are attached to the tone bar above them and together form the shape of a tuning fork. The small spring at the tip of the reed is used to tune the sound. Opposite the tip of the tine is a pickup. The angle at which the reed oscillates in the magnetic field of the pickup can be used to adjust the timbre (Photo: J. Sunderkötter, photographed at the eboardmuseum, Klagenfurt).

The Vibrant electric piano suite for Steinberg’s HALion software sampler has just been released. With a variety of vintage electronic piano sounds, you have everything you need to create smooth, funky soul grooves in a single library: Rhodes Stage Piano, Rhodes Suitcase, Wurlitzer Electric Piano, and Clavinet D6.

e-Instruments Vibrant electric piano library for Steinberg HALion (Image Source: Steinberg)
e-Instruments Vibrant electric piano library for Steinberg HALion (Image Source: Steinberg)

Electric Piano VST: Sampling or Physical Modeling?

Physical modeling means that the sounds are not read from memory, but synthesized in real time based on algorithmic models. As with acoustic digital pianos, physical modeling instruments have a reputation for sounding synthetic.

Which technique is best? That depends on your preferences. All of the software instruments recommended here deliver great sounds in professional quality. In general, however, you can choose based on these preferences:

  • Flexibility: If you want to have as much freedom as possible in your sound design, physical modeling has a clear advantage. A PM-based digital piano VST lets you control the sound of bars, reeds, and pickups. These editing functions are largely based on the mechanical and electrical elements of the original instruments. For example, you can adjust the vibration of the tines or the distance between the pickup and tine.
  • Authenticity: If you simply want the vintage electric piano to have a convincing sound and response – and nothing else, then a sampling instrument is the right choice. And even here, some variants offer surprising possibilities for sound editing – especially the instruments from e-instruments.

What Makes a Vintage Piano VST Authentic?

First and foremost, uniqueness. After all, two electric pianos never sound the same, even if they are from the same series. While there are certain established sound ideals, such as the Fender Rhodes Suitcase or the more rock-sounding Wurlitzer, each electric piano has its own unique characteristics and quirks in sound and playability.

XLN Audio Addictive Keys Mark One Electric Piano
Addictive Keys Mark One delivers the typical "mellow" sound of an older Fender Rhodes: Buttery smooth tone, perfect for atmospheric chords.

Manufacturing tolerances and wear and tear give each instrument a distinctive sound. After all, these are mechanical instruments that have been around for decades and hence have very individual quirks. While this can be charming, it is much more enjoyable to play a well-tuned and well-maintained electric piano.

Scarbee Classic EP-88s for NI Kontakt and Kontakt Player

An outstanding example of a perfectly tuned electric piano is the Scarbee Classic EP-88s – an 88 Fender Rhodes Mark I sampled with fantastic detail. Probably the best electric piano VST ever released. A smaller version called the Scarbee EP-88M is available as an expansion for the Korg Module Pro iOS app.

Not only the sound quality of the Scarbee EP-88 is impressive. The piano sampling, in particular, takes into account a wide range of expressive possibilities related to the sustain pedal and damper behavior. In addition to the Scarbee EP-88s, Modartt Pianoteq’s electric pianos also accurately simulate articulation features such as the key-off effect and damper resonances.

Custom Electric Piano Sound

The Rhodes sound comes in many variations, including the extremely mellow and slightly woody sound of the earlier Mark I models. Meanwhile, the Mark Two is capable of producing a really wiry sound with a lively attack. Then there are the aggressively distorted Rhodes sounds, as well as its brilliant bell-like variations.

The wide variety of Rhodes sounds comes from the ability to tune the piano with relatively simple means. When you open the lid, the entire sound generation is right in front of you. Simply adjust the angle of the tines and the distance between the pickups to find your own unique sound. However, tuning the entire piano quickly turns into a test of patience.

Physical Modeling Electric Piano VST Modartt Pianoteq
There are many ways to customize the sound of this electric piano module for Pianoteq. In the Pro version, Note Edit is especially interesting for voicing the piano sound note by note.

Physical Modeling Electric Pianos

Today’s physical modeling instruments are just great, and basically the alternative for anyone who values individual sound. A physical modeling electric piano simulates the adjustment of pickups, tines, reeds, and dampers. While this is much easier to achieve than on a real vintage Rhodes, it results in these instruments lacking some of the individual touch. Only a few physically modeling VSTs offer the possibility of voicing each note individually, as Modartt Pianoteq does.

The AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4 doesn’t let you edit single notes, but you can still make extensive changes to the reed and pin models to create amazingly realistic-sounding electric pianos.

Rhodes Tine Model Lounge Lizard (Image Source: Applied Acoustic Systems)
The Lounge Lizard is a physical model of the tuning fork principle of Fender Rhodes sound generation in three parameter groups. (Image Source: Applied Acoustic Systems)

The Right Keyboard for Electric Piano VST

You actually don’t want a keyboard with an authentic feel, as vintage keyboards are anything but high quality. Nonetheless, a somewhat similar keyboard is much better than an ordinary one: A MIDI keyboard with lightly weighted piano keys should do the trick. Since vintage keyboards do not have weighted keys, there is no need for a graded hammer-action keyboard.

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A Different Electric Piano

Vintage electric piano libraries have been optimally voiced for sampling, resulting in the most consistent electric piano sound possible. While you can find such high-quality electric pianos in good studios, the reality in many rehearsal rooms is quite different. Rhodes & Wurlitzer rarely sound perfectly balanced, and this is what makes vintage instruments so appealing.

The EP-73 Deconstructed by Soniccouture is a good example of how different a Fender Rhodes can sound. This library is all about the mechanical sounds that Rhodes produces. In addition to the line out, condenser and contact microphones were used to record the electric piano. As a result, it is very interesting to experiment with the sound components. The EP-73 Deconstructed can sound extremely bell-like, but also totally broken – a great variation if you already have an optimally intoned Rhodes sound.

Another recommendation is Soniccouture’s Broken Wurly. A bit clattery, but great for rock-playing styles.

The Best Vintage Electric Piano VSTs

The peculiarities of original electro-mechanical pianos can certainly have their appeal. But if you want sounds you can rely on live or in the studio, retro electric pianos or electric piano VSTs are a good solution. Here are our recommendations:

1
Scarbee EP-88s
The 88 Fender Rhodes Mark I is the best electric piano VST for maximum authenticity in sound and playability. Read the Scarbee Classic EP-88s review here.
Scarbee EP-88s
2
e-instruments Session Keys Electric R / W
The two vintage electric pianos in the Session Keys series sound great and offer exceptional sound-shaping capabilities. With Electric R (Rhodes) and Electric W (Wurlitzer) VSTs, e-instruments brings two real vintage classics to your DAW. Also available as a vintage keyboard library for Steinberg HALion.
e-Instruments Electric Piano Icon
3
NI Scarbee Vintage Keys
The classic sampling library for many years. The Scarbee Vintage Keys collection is part of the NI Komplete software package and includes high-quality Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and Clavinet sounds.
Scarbee Vintage Keys Icon
4
XLN Addictive Keys - Rhodes Mark I
A highly recommended addition to the XLN software instrument is the charming sound of a Rhodes Mark I. An outstanding feature is the wide range of virtual microphone options. Click here to read the XLN Addictive Key review.
XLN Audio Addictive Keys Mark One Icon
5
AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4
Lounge Lizard was one of the first digital piano VSTs to use physical modeling. Now available in version 4, it has been continuously improved and offers two models, Rhodes (Tine) and Wurlitzer (Reed).
AAS Lounge Lizard EP-4
6
Modartt Pianoteq - E-Piano Module
You can extend Pianoteq with different modules: In addition to acoustic pianos, there are many great-sounding electric pianos, including Rhodes Mark I and II, Wurlitzer, and Hohner Pianet T. Extremely detailed sound simulation. Learn more about Modartt Pianoteq.
Modartt Pianoteq
7
Spectrasonics Keyscape
Electric pianos galore: Keyscape is a collection of the most important vintage keyboards of all time. Expensive, but with excellent sound quality. Read the Spectrasonics Keyscape review.
Spectrasonics Keyscape Electric Piano

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