Review: Scarbee Classic EP-88s – Piano Library for NI Kontakt

Ask any vintage electric piano enthusiast: you can never have enough sounds. But what about the perfect sound? The Scarbee Classic EP-88s would be a strong competitor.

Okay – one optimal vintage electric piano sound and that’s it? How is that supposed to work? The electro-mechanical pianos of the ’60s and ’70s sound too different and individual, especially when it comes to capturing the sounds of the legendary Fender Rhodes.

Danish sound designer Thomas Scarbye, whose Mark I has been one of the best sampling libraries in the world for many years, is an expert in this field. Scarbee Mark I is now part of Native Instruments’ Komplete library and also available in a package with the Wurlitzer and Clavinet under the name Scarbee Vintage Keys. You can also still find it in the Scarbee online store.

Scarbee Classic EP-88s vs. Mark I

If you’re already familiar with the Scarbee Mark I, you may be wondering if there’s anything left to improve. For sure: Yes, there is! True to the motto “the more samples, the more authentic”, the Scarbee Classic EP-88s is not only more powerful. It also takes into account subtle nuances and unique details to enrich your musical expression. The sound was developed in close contact with George Duke, which becomes clear when listening to the Scarbee Classic EP-88s.

In terms of size, the five-gigabyte download takes up almost 14 GB of disk space. The library is licensed via NI Access for the Kontakt library. This means that you can play the Scarbee Classic EP-88s with the free NI Kontakt Player and do not need the full version of the software sampler.

The Scarbee Classic EP-88’s piano sampling contains almost three times as many samples as the Mark I: the 88 version has a few more notes, but most importantly, the velocity layer samples have been increased from 12 (Mark I) to no less than 30 velocity layers.

Dynamics and Detail

The dynamic resolution of the Scarbee Classic EP-88s is outstanding. From softly plucked reeds to a distorted bark sound, the Scarbee Classic EP-88s covers the full range of expressive possibilities for which the Fender Rhodes is so famous. In this respect, the EP-88 also has a pronounced attack to it. This sound lets you play an electric piano solo that dominates the backing without overpowering it. Just fantastic.

In addition to the realistic-sounding attacks, the decay is also impressive: beautifully full, clear, and warm. But that’s not all: Thanks to 3D sampling, you also get perfectly detailed release behavior.

The key-off effect of the Scarbee Classic EP-88 is so realistic because it simulates the inertia of the dampers. This gives you the rich and wide sound of an authentic Rhodes, particularly when you accentuate boldly.

There is also ambient noise when you press and release the sustain pedal, as well as when you repeat notes in the pedal. All of these details come together in the EP-88s to create an incredibly realistic sound and playing experience.

Effects, Amps, and Stompboxes

It’s as much a part of the Rhodes as its curved top: adding authentic effects and tweaking the sound. The EP-88s makes this very easy. Amp simulation, phaser, chorus, flanger, wah pedal, and especially the stereo tremolo all contribute to the great sound of this software instrument. The Scarbee Classic EP-88s comes with all these effects, showing the expertise and taste of the developers: You can use the effect presets in parallel and it always sounds the way it should.

The somewhat angular modulation curve of the original tremolo on the Suitcase Rhodes is done very well. A small quirk: with some DAWs (Bitwig Studio in my case), the tremolo sweep can get out of hand and work polyphonically. In general, however, the sound of the tremolo is very successfully implemented.

Conclusion: Feels Like the Real Thing!

There are certainly some good-sounding Rhodes simulations out there, not least the Scarbee Mark I. However, none of them are as convincing in terms of sound and feel as the Scarbee Classic EP-88s. Thanks to the high resolution, especially since key-off behavior and pedal resonances are taken into account, I can feel the original instrument while playing.

Another factor is that the EP-88s have a very realistic damper response, which is very important for articulation. With these capabilities, the Scarbee Classic EP-88s surpasses any currently available simulation of a Fender Rhodes, be it sampling or physical modeling. Without a doubt, the best Rhodes sound of all time!

By the way: The Scarbee Classic EP-88M is also available as an expansion for Korg Module Pro.

Scarbee Classic EP-88s – Overview

Release date: 2016
Platform: Piano Library for NI Kontakt/Kontakt Player
Storage Requirements: about 14 GB
Price: 99 Euros
Manufacturer: Scarbee