A Rhodes piano

A Rhodes piano is an electromechanical musical instrument, a brand of electric piano. Its distinctive sound has appeared and still does in thousands of songs of all musical styles since it was first introduced in 1965. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... An electric piano (e-piano) is an electric musical instrument whose popularity started in the late 1960s, was at its greatest during the 1970s and still is big today. ...

History

The Army Air Corps piano was invented during World War II by Harold Rhodes in an effort to provide a piano that injured servicemen could practice while in bed. It evolved from the Rhodes Pre-piano over the 1946 to 1950s timeframe, to an initial design launched as the Rhodes PianoBass in 1959. The Rhodes piano's tone-generating principles are derived from the concept of an asymmetrical tuning fork - with a stiff wire (called a "tine") struck by a felt-tipped (neoprene rubber-tipped after 1970) hammer acting as one side of the tuning fork, and a counterbalancing resonating tone bar above the tine acting as the other side. This tone generator kit's vibrations are then picked up by an electromagnetic pickup (one for each tine), and amplified. Harold Rhodes was the inventor of the Rhodes Piano. ... A tuning fork is a simple metal two-pronged fork with the tines formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic material (usually steel). ... For a device which detects vibrations from music instruments, see pickup (music). ...

The Rhodes' action is quite different from that of a conventional piano. Whereas in a conventional piano each key causes the hammers to strike sets of strings, in a Rhodes piano the hammers strike the tines instead. The result is a unique, fat sound with a bellish attack and good sustain. A short grand piano, with the top up. ...

Rhodes Pre-Piano (1950)

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Sound-producing mechanism

The tuning forks themselves are "unbalanced" or asymmetrical: one arm consists of a short, stiff metal rod (essentially a stiff wire) called a "tine" which is struck by the hammer, and the other arm is a tuned resonator resembling a piece of metal bar stock, sized to sound the appropriate note. The actual sounded note is, just like on an electric guitar, produced to be picked up by an electric-guitar-style pickup. The pickups' output is fed to an amplifier which can be adjusted to produce the desired volume. For the British rock band of the same name, see Amplifier (band). ...

The sound produced has a bell-like character not unlike a celesta or glockenspiel. Because the instrument produces sound electrically, the signal can be processed to yield many different timbral colors. Often the signal is processed through a stereo low-frequency pan oscillation (which was called Vibrato on the Rhodes front panel) effects unit, which pans the signal back and forth between right and left; it is this "rounded" or chiming sound that is most typically called a classic Rhodes sound, which can be heard on, for example, many of Stevie Wonder's songs. The preamp with stereo panning is included on the original Rhodes Electric Pianos and after 1970 on the "suitcase" models; the "stage" models lack the preamp and the amplified speaker cabinet. French type, four-octave Celesta The Celesta (IPA ) is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. ... Most orchestral glockenspiels are mounted in a case. ... It has been suggested that Effects pedal be merged into this article or section. ... Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. ...

Inspired by one particular and very famous rental piano in L.A., the E-Rhodes, used on hundreds of famous records by many big artists, in 1977 and during the 1980s a set of Rhodes modifications done by a company called "Dyno My Piano" became popular: it made the sound brighter, harder, and more bell-like. It can also be heard on many records from that time. The modifications brings out more of the Rhodes sound and makes it cut through like a grand piano, for instance : when notes are played forcefully, the sound becomes less sweet, as nonlinear distortion creates a characteristic "growling" or "snarling" overload—skilled players can contrast the sweet and rough sounds to create an extremely expressive performance.

Artists who play Rhodes

The first known use of the Rhodes piano on a mainstream recording was by Joe Zawinul with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in 1967. This inpired Miles Davis to have Herbie Hancock play it too. In fact Herbie had never even heard of the Rhodes piano and thought it was some kind of toy. However he admits to being blown away by the big, rich sound of the instrument, ^{[citation needed]} and would go on to be one of its most recognisable exponents. The Rhodes was particularly popular from the early '70s-mid '80s, and many of its signature songs date from this period: "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You by The Alan Parsons Project, "Freeway Jam" by Jeff Beck and the Jan Hammer group, "Just the Way You Are" and "James" by Billy Joel, "Ride Captain,Ride" by Blues Image, "Still Crazy After All These Years" by Paul Simon, "Babe" & "Don't Let It End" by Styx, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Stevie Wonder, "Peg" by Steely Dan, "Just You 'N' Me" & "Call On Me" by Chicago, "Gotta Serve Somebody" by Bob Dylan, the intro to "Sheep" by Pink Floyd, "I Can't Tell You Why" and "New Kid in Town" by The Eagles and the theme from Taxi by Bob James. Also, Billy Preston played one on the Beatles' "Get Back". The Rhodes also features prominently in the song "Incommunicado" by Jimmy Buffett. Michael McDonald of The Doobie Brothers also played a Rhodes on, to name just a couple of hits, "You Belong To Me" and "Minute By Minute." The instrument was also featured in Peter Frampton's best-selling Frampton Comes Alive album. Other songs include "Who Will Save Your Soul" by Jewel and "Dig" by the Christian band Adam Again. This article is about the collective named The Alan Parsons Project. ... Geoffrey Arnold (Jeff) Beck (born June 24, 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck in Wallington, Greater London) is an English rock guitarist. ... Jan Hammer (IPA: ) (born 17 April 1948, in Prague, then Czechoslovakia, today part of the Czech Republic) is a composer and keyboardist. ... Just the Way You Are is a love song from Billy Joels 1977 pop rock album, The Stranger. ... William Martin Billy Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, pianist, songwriter, composer and musician. ... The Blues Image is a late 1960s rock band whose only hit was the song Ride Captain Ride. The Blues Image was formed in Tampa, Florida in 1966 by singer and guitarist Michael Pinera, percussionist Manuel Bertematti, and drummer Joe Lala. ... Still Crazy After All These Years is an album and a song by Paul Simon Song list Still Crazy After All These Years My Little Town I Do It For You Love 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover Night Game Gone at Last Some Folks Lives Roll Easy Have A... Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, half of the folk-singing duo Simon and Garfunkel who continues a successful solo career. ... Babe is a song on Styxs 1979 triple-platinum album Cornerstone. ... Dont Let It End is the third track on the 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, by Styx. ... Styx (pronounced sticks) is an American rock band that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s, with such hits as Come Sail Away, Babe, Lady, Suite Madame Blue, Mr. ... Stevie Wonder (born Stevland Hardaway Judkins on May 13, 1950, name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris),[1] is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. ... Peg is a song by rock group Steely Dan, which was released as a single from their 1977 album Aja. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Just You N Me is a song written by James Pankow for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VI (1973), with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. ... Call On Me is a song written by Lee Loughnane for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Chicago VII (1974), with Peter Cetera singing lead vocals. ... This article is about the American pop-rock-jazz band. ... This article is about the recording artist. ... Sheep is a song by the English band Pink Floyd. ... Pink Floyd are an English rock band that initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock music, and, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. ... The Eagles are an American rock music group that originally came together in Los Angeles, California in the early 1970s. ... Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC, and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series focused on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers working for the Sunshine Cab Company, as well as their abusive dispatcher. ... Bob James can refer to: An actor Bob James A jazz musician Bob James An historian Bob James This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American soul musician from Houston, Texas, raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Jimmy Buffett (born James William Buffett on December 25, 1946, in Pascagoula, Mississippi) is a singer, songwriter, author, businessman, and recently a film producer best known for his island escapism lifestyle and music including hits such as Margaritaville (No. ... Several people bear the name Michael McDonald: Michael McDonald is an American blue-eyed soul singer. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Peter Kenneth Frampton (born April 22, 1950 in Beckenham, Kent) is an English musician, best known today for his solo work in the mid-1970s and as one of the original members of the band Humble Pie. ... Frampton Comes Alive! is a live album by Peter Frampton. ... For R&B singer Jewell Caples, see Jewell (singer). ... Adam Again was the name of a rock band, lead by vocalist Gene Eugene, and backed by Riki Michele, Paul Valadez on bass, John Knox on drums, Greg Lawless on guitar, and Dan Michaels on saxophone. ...

Ray Charles played "Shake a Tail Feather" on a Rhodes during the music store scene in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, and was seen playing "What'd I Say" on a Rhodes on a late 1970s Saturday Night Live appearance (although he played a Wurlitzer electric piano on the original 1959 recording). For the composer and conductor of the Ray Charles Singers, see Ray Charles (composer). ... Shake a Tail Feather is a song written by Verlie Rice, Otha Hayes and Andre Williams. ... The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a Saturday Night Live musical sketch. ... Whatd I Say is a popular two-part recording that was released in 1959 by R&B/soul singer-songwriter Ray Charles. ... This article is about the American television series. ... One of a series of electromechanical stringless pianos manufactured and marketed by the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Corinth, Mississippi, USA. The Wurlitzer company actually called the instrument (inaccurately in retrospect) the Electronic Piano, but musicians usually describe it correctly as an electric piano. ...

The Dear Hunter, a newly formed band's singer plays a few songs on there Act II Cd. The new song they use the Rhodes piano for is going to be a new style on its own with a smooth mix of sounds and really powerful vocals. This article is about the band The Dear Hunter. See The Deer Hunter for the movie of homonymity. ...

The Rhodes was also used in jazz-fusion throughout the late 1960s and '70s. Chick Corea's album Light as a Feather and Miles Davis's In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew featured the Rhodes throughout the whole album. Joe Zawinul of Weather Report, Jan Hammer of the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Herbie Hancock also used the Rhodes. Donald Fagen of Steely Dan uses the Rhodes on many recordings such as "Hey Nineteen", "Kid Charlemagne", "My Rival", with a phaser on "The Fez", and on most of their newer recordings. On tour he brings five of them, and always has his MXR phaser in reach to add when needed. Bill Evans used the Rhodes (often together with a grand piano) on different recordings (including "The Bill Evans Album" and "From left to right"). Armando Anthony Chick Corea (born June 12, 1941) is a multiple Grammy Award winning American jazz pianist/keyboardist and composer. ... Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926 – September 28, 1991) was an American jazz musician widely considered to be one of the most influential of the 20th century. ... Joe Zawinul live with The Zawinul Syndicate (Freiburg/Germany, 2007) Josef Erich Zawinul (born July 7, 1932 in Vienna, Austria, died September 11, 2007 in Vienna) was a jazz keyboardist and composer. ... For the song Weather Report by The American Analog Set, see The Golden Band. ... Jan Hammer (IPA: ) (born 17 April 1948, in Prague, then Czechoslovakia, today part of the Czech Republic) is a composer and keyboardist. ... The original lineup in 1972, featuring Billy Cobham, John McLaughlin, Jerry Goodman, Jan Hammer and Rick Laird. ... Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an Academy Award and multiple Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and composer from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Hancock is one of jazz musics most important and influential pianists and composers. ... William John Evans (better known as Bill Evans) (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and one of the most famous of the 20th century; he remains one of the major influences on post-1950s jazz piano. ...

More recently, the Rhodes has seen a resurgence in popularity and has been adopted by a number of bands and artists, including Damien Rice, Pulp, Radiohead (heard most prominently on OK Computer and Kid A), The American Analog Set, Daft Punk, Justin Timberlake, Money Mark, Copeland, Incubus, Rainer Maria, Little Glitches, The Appleseed Cast, Super Furry Animals, Bright Eyes, Eisley, Arcade Fire, Vanessa Carlton, Secret Machines, Tori Amos, David Byrne, Cat Empire, Silversun Pickups, Wilco, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Mute Math, Thrice, Kate Bush (fender rhodes are heard on almost every song in her album The Red Shoes) R.E.M., Hot Hot Heat, Cake (the Rhodes is in "Sheep Go To Heaven" in the background chords of the chorus), Man Man (most of their songs are recorded with a real piano but all are played live on a Rhodes) The Strokes, Citizen's Band (Omaha, NE), The Flaming Lips, Jim Asbell and the Tropiholics (the Rhodes figures prominently on "800 Miles Away") and Glenn Danzig of the Misfits. On the album "Insomniatic" by teen duo Aly & AJ, Aly Michalka is credited as using a rhodes in the song "Silence". It has also seen a large resurgence in the genre of "Jam Bands", being used regularly by Phish, The String Cheese Incident, Leyline and The Special Purpose. Although it is unconfirmed, The Raconteurs seemed to have used one on their album Broken Boy Soldiers. Heavily filtered or processed Rhodes piano samples have become canon for contemporary dance-oriented electronic music genres. Also Jack White often plays a Rhodes live, and he uses it notably on the songs "The Air Near my Fingers" and "Apple Blossom," and also is seen live using a fender rhodes bass piano Damien Rice (born December 7, 1973) is an Irish folk singer, famous for his two albums O and 9. ... Pulp were a rock band, formed in Sheffield, England in 1978, by then 15-year-old school boy Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar). ... Radiohead are an English rock band. ... OK Computer is the third album by the English rock band Radiohead, released in summer 1997. ... This article is about the Radiohead album. ... The American Analog Set or The AmAnSet is an Austin, Texas based United States indie-post-rock pop band. ... Daft Punk is the collective name of Paris house musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (born February 8, 1974)[1] and Thomas Bangalter (born January 3, 1975). ... Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981[1]), sometimes known as JT, is an American pop and R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor. ... Mark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. ... Copeland is an American indie/alternative band, originally formed in 2000 by singer Aaron Marsh (who also plays the guitar, mellotron, organ, and piano) with his friend, bassist and backup singer James Likeness, in the city of Lakeland, Florida. ... Incubus (IPA: /ɪŋkjubəs/) is a five-piece American alternative rock band based out of Calabasas, California. ... Rainer Maria were an indie rock band originally from Madison, Wisconsin, later residing in Brooklyn, New York. ... Little Glitches are a four piece folk/indie band from Sheffield, UK. The band formed in 2004 after all collibrating and writing together in previous bands. ... The Appleseed Cast is an indie rock band based in Lawrence, Kansas and currently comprises singer/guitarist Christopher Crisci, guitarist Aaron Pillar, bassist Marc Young and drummer Aaron Coker. ... Super Furry Animals (also known as SFA, the Furries and the Super Furries) are a Welsh rock band, with leanings towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. ... Bright Eyes is a band consisting of singer-songwriter/guitarist Conor Oberst, multi-instrumentalist/producer Mike Mogis, Nate Walcott, and a rotating lineup of collaborators drawn primarily from Omahas indie music scene. ... Eisley is an American indie rock band from Tyler, Texas, consisting of four siblings (Chauntelle, Sherri Gilbert, Stacy, and Weston DuPree) and their cousin (Garron DuPree). ... Arcade Fire (often known as The Arcade Fire) is an indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American pop singer, songwriter, and pianist best known for the single A Thousand Miles from her debut album, Be Not Nobody (2002), which was certified platinum in the U.S. The commercial failure of Carltons second album, Harmonium (2004), led... The Secret Machines are a band. ... Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos on August 22, 1963) is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. ... David Byrne may be: David Byrne (politician) (born 1947), Irish & European official David Byrne (musician) (born 1952), musician and former Talking Heads frontman David Byrnes self-titled album David Byrne (footballer) (born 1961), football player David Byrne (web designer) (born 1981), Australian Web / Graphic Designer David Byrne (soccer), (born... Symbol used by The Cat Empire, a mixture of a crown and cats eye. ... Silversun Pickups (also simply known as sspu) is an American indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, signed to Dangerbird Records, and headed by Brian Aubert. ... This article is about the music group. ... Black Moth Super Rainbow is an experimental band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... Mute Math is a New Orleans rock band formed in 2003. ... Look up thrice in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Kate Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. ... This article is about the 1948 film and the Broadway musical. ... R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980 by Bill Berry (drums), Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass guitar), and Michael Stipe (vocals). ... Hot Hot Heat is an indie rock band from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. ... Cake (often written as CAKE) is a band from Sacramento, California, formed in 1991. ... Man Man is an American experimental rock band from Philadelphia. ... For other uses, see Stroke (disambiguation). ... The Flaming Lips (formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983) are an American alternative rock band. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the movie, see The Misfits (movie). ... Aly & AJ are a teen pop duo consisting of sisters Alyson Renae Aly Michalka and Amanda Joy AJ Michalka. ... This article is about the band. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Leyline [1] seems to be a studio band from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, formed in 2000 by musician, composer, vocalist Luiz Esteves[2] and his young son, Gabriel Esteves, who was only 14 at that time. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... The Raconteurs, also known as The Saboteurs in Australia, are a Grammy-nominated rock band, featuring four members previously known for other musical projects. ... Broken Boy Soldiers is the debut album by The Raconteurs, which was released on May 15, 2006 in the UK and May 16, 2006 in the US to generally favorable reviews. ...

In addition, the Rhodes has seen heavy usage in hip hop—especially that of a more jazzy nature. This can be seen with artists such as The Roots, Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star, Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, A Tribe Called Quest, and others. It is even more popular in the neo-soul genre with such artists as Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, and Jill Scott, almost replacing the traditional piano. J Dilla, a late Hip-Hop producer, was a well-known Rhodes player. The Rhodes sound is also all over the late Tupacs records. The Roots, also variously known as The Legendary Roots Crew, The Fifth Dynasty, The Square Roots and The Foundation, are an influential, Grammy-winning hip-hop band based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, famed for a heavily jazzy sound and live instrumentation. ... Mos Def (born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.), is an American rapper and actor. ... Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene in Brooklyn, New York City on October 3, 1975) is an American MC from Brooklyn, New York. ... Black Star is the self-titled debut by the pairing of rappers Talib Kweli and Mos Def. ... Blackalicious is an American alternative hip hop duo. ... Jurassic 5 was a six- and then later five-piece hip hop group formed in 1994. ... A Tribe Called Quest is a critically acclaimed and highly-influential American hip-hop group, formed in 1988. ... Erykah Badu (born Erica Abi Wright, February 26, 1971, in Dallas, Texas) is an American neo-soul, R&B/hip hop artist whose work crosses over into jazz. ... DAngelo (born Michaela Eugene Archer on February 11, 1974 in Richmond, Virginia) is a Grammy Award winning American soul singer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. ... Jill Scott (born April 4, 1972) is an American R&B singer and songwriter. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: J Dilla James Dewitt Yancey (February 7, 1974–February 10, 2006), better known as J Dilla, Jay Dee, or J-88, was an American hip hop producer and MC, who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip-hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. ... For other uses, see Hip hop (disambiguation). ... Tupac may refer to the following: Tupac Shakur, an American rapper, actor, poet, and social activist Tupac Inca Yupanqui, the tenth Sapanoso Inca of the Incan Empire Túpac Amaru, the last indigenous leader of the Inca people in Peru Túpac Amaru II, a descendant of the Inca chief...

In recent years, the Rhodes has been explored in the "prepared" format. The Rhodes is "prepared" as John Cage and others prepared an acoustic piano, (i.e. the insertion of springs, plastic tubes, pins, etc). These objects when touching the strings or the tines change the sound of each key played. The most notable of musicians that perform on the "prepared" rhodes include classical pianist Eric Glick Rieman & free jazz pianist Armen Nalbandian.

The Fender buyout

Leo Fender of The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, then called the Fender Electric Instrument Company, entered a joint venture with Harold Rhodes in 1959, and they produced the instruments for six years. As a result, Rhodes instruments were called Fender Rhodes for 15 years. Image:Leo Fender tinkering. ... “Fender” redirects here. ...

The first Fender Rhodes product was the Piano Bass in 1959, and no other models were mass-produced until after the CBS takeover of Fender. During January 1965 CBS bought the Fender company for 13 million dollars, and shortly afterwards the 73 and 61 key Fender Rhodes Electric Piano went into production. The '60s also saw the Fender Rhodes Celeste, the Student/Instructor models and systems as well as the very rare Domestic models. In 1970 the more portable Mark I Stage model was added to the range as well as the two 88 note Stage and Suitcase models, and in 1974 the brand name was correctly changed from Fender Rhodes to just "Rhodes"( Fender was just involved between 1959-1965, and didn't like the piano! ). The Rhodes piano went through internal improvements continuously. The hammers became all plastic, the pedestals changed shape and were bare for a short while, (the felt was on the underside of the hammer), the pickups were altered, and the tine structure modified to endure more wear. The Mark II model was introduced in late 1979. Keyboard bass The keyboard bass is the use of a low-pitched keyboard or pedal keyboard to substitute for the bass guitar or double bass in popular music. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... This article is about the broadcast network. ... It has been suggested that Fender Amplifier History be merged into this article or section. ...

Also manufactured for a brief period was the Rhodes Mark III EK-10 which had analog oscillators and filters alongside the existing electromechanical elements. The overall effect was that of a Rhodes piano and a synthesizer being played simultaneously; compared with the new polyphonic synthesizers being marketed at the same time, it was far too limited in scope and sound. Very few units were sold. For other uses, see Synthesizer (disambiguation). ... In music, the word texture is often used in a rather vague way in reference to the overall sound of a piece of music. ... The term synthesiser is also used to mean frequency synthesiser, an electronic system found in communications. ...

The final Rhodes electric piano was the Mk V in 1984. The Mark V was thought to be the ultimate Rhodes instrument. With a lighter body, all new action design with an improved cam, increasing the hammerstroke by 23% for power and increased dynamics. A new harmonic tone bar designed for better upper and lower clarity as well as a big reduction in the weight with usage of polymer material in the outer case reducing the weight to about 100 pounds.

Models

Different models of the Rhodes pianos were manufactured. 73 and 88 note versions were available of both the stage model and the suitcase model, which included built in pre-amp with the famous Stereo-Vibrato, amplifier and speakers. For quite a few years, a 54-key version was also produced. The first model to be produced by Fender-Rhodes was the 32-note PianoBass in 1959. This was followed by the Sparkletop Fender-Rhodes Electric Piano or "Mark 0" (1965), Mark I (1970) and Mark II (1979) which was continuously improved and developed, but housed in about the same construction throughout the years. In 1984, the last year of production, the Rhodes Mark V was released.

Future

 Mr.Joseph A. Brandstetter Harold's good friend and busness associate acquired the rights to the Rhodes trademarks in 2003 and announced plans to introduce new Rhodes piano products in 2007. Prototypes of the "new" "Mk 7" Rhodes pianos were unveiled on January 18, 2007 at the annual NAMM Show in California. [1] Early indications are that there will be three sizes; 88, 73 and 61 keys, each available in three specifications for a total of nine piano models - passive electronics; active electronics; active plus MIDITheare reportedly lighter than the previous models, with the addition of a pre amplifier and a midi system. It appears that something like the Suitcase configuration will be available (called a Sound Platform) to allow a self-contained instrument with speakers. Preliminary production said to begin spring 2008. 

is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The NAMM (National Association of Musical Merchants) Show is the largest musical trade show in the world. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is a system designed to transmit information between electronic musical instruments. ...

External links

• Rhodes Music Corporation
• www.fenderrhodes.com
• www.fenderrhodes.org
• www.haroldbrhodesmusicfoundatin.org