Dynamic on the Rhodes

stamkorg wrote:

I have never played on an electric piano.
Is the dynamic the same as on a classical piano?
Which should be the value of the dynamic to emulate the playing sensation of a Rhodes ?
Thanks
SK

Ps: also, on a Rhodes is the pedaling continuous or just on/off?

Less dynamic range. They are more like an electric guitar relying on the playback system. Very wide dynamic range is usually undesirable on soul, pop, rock and jazz where electric pianos compete with other amplified instruments.

Take the presets as guidance for dynamic range. As the playing feel and tonal qualities that's down to your preferences and velocity curves.

Have a look at Wikipedia and the Vintage Vibe and possibly Rhodes Mark 8 website. You want to have a basic understanding of the tines and reeds of electric pianos as compared to the strings of an acoustic or a electric grand like the CP80.

Less dynamic range compared to an acoustic piano - you don't have to play one for yourself you can hear this in absolutely any recording whatsoever - there is no super wide dynamic range recording because that's not how they work. This is understandable when you look at the mechanisms of the tines and reeds relation to their pickups.
However like an acoustic piano they can be tuned differently. Some will be more sensitive than others. They can be voiced for radically different sound. Have a look at the modifications done by Vintage Vibe to see how the modern builders give new EP owners a taste of these different balances with a novel sliding mechanism:
https://youtu.be/FYpzVhgnPDU?feature=shared

Less tonal range compared to Wurlitzers, however they are generally superior in what tone they produce. So I like both. I believe Pianoteq is giving us a pretty good representation of that.

It is my understanding that there is far less tonal range on the Rhodes piano compared to the Wurlies. I would say it is true to say the same comparison with an acoustic piano.
However a radical departure from acoustic pianos is the tonal range of sound depending on the velocity of attack.  The difference is hitting the keys harder may produce a crunchy bark (depending on how they are voiced).

I think half peddling would be mostly meaningless on any older Rhodes and it just sounded bad. In terms of the real electric pianos the real things were a nightmare to adjust. As the modern reproductions are only made for a wealthy audience rather than mass production the modern ones are apparently rather better mechanically and so they probably handle half peddling better. I don't think it's a playing technique used on EPs so much though, could be wrong.

Dynamic range mechanical adjustment:
https://youtu.be/pnqI6whK9io?feature=shared