Rhodes V8: The official virtual Rhodes MK8 instrument
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Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Rhodes has released a virtual version of the MK8. Called the Rhodes V8 it hopes to capture every detail of the hardware in the first official Rhodes virtual instrument. And win yourself a Rhodes MK8!
Rhodes V8
There have been plenty of virtual electric pianos over the years, and none have been as deeply modelled as the Rhodes. Software developers have tackled all versions of it, but none have been able to put the Rhodes name on it, until now. Introducing the Rhodes V8 virtual edition of the MK8 electric piano.
The Rhodes V is unique in that it’s not trying to capture some old heap of an electric piano someone found at the back of a studio. This is a deeply multi-sampled, hyper-realistic version of the current Rhodes MK8. The makers of the piano know it inside and out, every nut bolt and tine and are best placed to capture the timeless beauty of “The True Rhodes Sound”.
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
The instrument is built from 30,000 samples across 100 velocity layers. You can download a trial from the website but be warned; it’s a 20GB download. That’s one heck of a single instrument. The Pre-amp is fully modelled with Drive, EQ and Vari-Pan effect. A suite of presets and profiles lets you get into all sorts of Rhodes tones and configurations. You can even get into tuning adjustments, mechanical noise balancing and electroacoustic timbre shift.
V8 Pro
If you want a bit more, then there’s a V8 Pro version which goes even deeper. It has the MK8’s envelope for controlling the auto-wah and other parameters. And you get the MK8 effects such as the compressor, chorus, phaser and delay. You can get down and dirty with the Timbre, Fine Tune, Level and Damper response for every note. There’s a selection of mics and amps to play with to give you that classic Rhodes setup for studio or stage.
Rhodes V8 · Source: Rhodes
Competition time
So, while you’re thinking about why they’d release two versions rather than have it all in one awesome plugin, here’s a chance to win yourself a real-life Rhodes MK8. Here’s the skinny:
To mark the V8 release, Rhodes has made a new short film entitled ‘Missing Keys’ featuring James Smith of the Mercury Prize nominated band, Yard Act – and they want YOU to soundtrack it for them, utilising a free trial of the new Rhodes V8 virtual instrument.
All you need to do is sign up for the V8 trial, wait while the massive 20GB instrument downloads, download the vocal performance and the video for reference, and then write your soundtrack. You can use whatever you want, any style or genre, as long as the vocal is unchanged. I’d recommend including a bit of the Rhodes for good measure. Submit your finished mp3 by March the 1st, 2023.
Good luck with that.
Otherwise, the Rhodes V8 is $149.95, and the V8 Pro is £249.95. I confess that the £100 extra for the Pro version makes me wince a little bit.
- Rhodes website.
- Missing keys competition.
- More from Rhodes.
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2 responses to “Rhodes V8: The official virtual Rhodes MK8 instrument”
I think $100 for the ability to make your Rhodes sound like it has been played in a bit and toured is money well spent. Being stuck with one ‘perfect’ tune is a bit limiting. If you are truly going after that ‘vintage’ vibe, the fact is few studio Rhodes were maintained PERFECTLY and usually had a little bit of slop in the tuning and hammer response.
Pianoteq also have about a $100 bump between the single tune and the completely adjustable tune and intonation versions.
I’m wincing far less at this than the hyper inflated cost of the hardware Rhodes, which is several thousand dollars more expensive than the (adjusted for inflation) original Rhodes was…
I use my spectrasonic solution for years now, and yes, what do you believe? The Keyscape offers a very very extremly authentic Collection of Pianos and many different e-Piano types. For a newbe the Keyscape cost certainly much more, but Your taste desides. In general, there are so many piano and epian Collection out there, and very New, not to forget the physical modelling models are offering a more organic tone than just Samples, but are not so authentic but unique. Dont try everything, just try and decide what is your taste