Has anyone seen this yet? Seems that Rhodes have placed a real authentic piano action in side a Midi Controller Keyboard - No built in sounds. Seems also that they are going to ship it with a sampled Rhodes Library. I wonder how this will stack up against the Numa models?
Its being discussed over at Piano World at the moment. I think it looks really ugly though....It has Carbon Fiber casing (Hope all the infor I gave is correct lol)
It costs in the region of 1,800 Usd so in around 1,240 Euros (Not a million miles away from the Numa). I for one am very interested
Somehow it seems strange (maybe even stupid) idea. Why to buy a Rhodes MIDI-controller and then use it with (some) Rhodes sample library... I would probably choose real Rhodes (with whole system inside) or then some good piano controller to play with computer. Maybe it's a marvelous thing with great action, I don't know. Anyway companies like Kawai (real mechanics inside) and Roland (PHA III) etc. have spent years of developing piano-like action in quite portable weight. For me it seems that Rhodes-company is using their brand name to get money from poor customers. But then again, aren't they all doing that?
I think it's about weight here.
The Rhodes controller weighs only 16 kilo, much less than a real Fender Rhodes
According to this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj4EPB8j...detailpage
it has a Rhodes action - not a full acoustic piano action. (that's still a good thing, of course)
Greg.
Is there much of a difference between a Rhodes action and an accoustic piano action?
http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthread...controller
Real piano action or usual Rhodes action???
Anyway it have not 88 keys.
I'm surprised that no chinese manufacturer had yet produced a real piano action midi controller. With so low workmanship costs, that could produce for a very competitive price, since they already produce piano actions for low price.
Anyway... this youtube video show this guy missed the oportunity to open the controller and to show for everyone. If have really real actions or almost that, he would get many good consumers's eyes if had opened it.
One difference, I suspect, between a Rhodes action and a grand piano action is that a grand has "double escapement". Some digital pianos have a simulation of double escapement, and it's possible that even this Rhodes has the same simulation, I suppose. (it will be interesting to see whether it does or not) I am referring to the behaviour of allowing a note to be repeated for relatively small key returns, and without the damper coming into contact with the strings inbetween each repeat. My understanding is that double escapement is nothing to do with feel - it is just behaviour.
"Escapement" is different, and I assume that the Rhodes would have this. However, some digital pianos with less authentic actions than the Rhodes simulate the feel of escapement as well. (the slight "click" of the key as it nears the bottom of it's travel).
Greg.
Thanks Greg
If it has the same action as the current Mark VII Rhodes pianos, then it has an excellent Rhodes action, which is not necessarily the same as an acoustic grand action, but is very good nonetheless. I am curious as to whether it also has polyphonic aftertouch as well as other features of the Midi'd Rhodes pianos.
if it has the polyphonic aftertouch (and why wouldn't it?) then this is one serious MIDI master keyboard.
I'll have one and a Vax infinite response for christmas please
Yes I think it makes sense - it is clear from that video that adding the back-check eliminates the hammer bounce. I suspect that the reason for wanting to reduce the bounce would be to improve the performance of the action for rapid repeats. For example, if you attempt to repeat a note at the exact instant that the hammer is moving up, away from the key (due to a bounce), a reduced or even NO force may be applied to the hammer from the key, and thus the hammer may simply drop back down without it contacting the tine at all, resulting in a missed repeat.
(or, it may contact the tine, but not as hard as it should, resulting in a repeat that is softer than the player intended)
It may also just make it feel crisper and more predictable generally.
I love those guys!!
Greg.
Would be bether if the back-check was added in a kind of bar a bit near the key than direct in the key (area near pivolt) ?
I mean a bar in the direction of the keyboard, right to left.
Are Rhodes still in business? Their website shop has been off-line for months.