Free Rhodes Plugin Vst

 

The famous Fender Rhodes Mark II stage 73 electric piano!
Essential if you plan to do funk-jazz, deep house, or any soulul music.
The Rhodes keys can be heard on countless tracks, from Herbie Hancock to Stevie Wonder, the Doors & Ray Charles, Chick corea & JojoLapin.

It’s funky, soulful, deep, smooth, jazzy, lounge, groovy.
Here are the best FREE VST emulations of the e-piano:

1. MrRay73 & MrRay22 VST by Guido Scognamiglio

Free Rhodes Plugin Vst Downloads

MrRay 2.2 ! rhodes 4 ever

These two VSTi are donationware.
and they are pure synthesis, no sample involved.
The sound is very good, Mr Ray 73 VST gives you that funky feeling when you play it.
Mr Ray 22 has more parameters and some good classic effects : a chorus, a wah wah, a tremolo/autopan, a distortion and a stereo delay.

  1. A very rich sounding free rhodes VST This VST is made up of 2 layers of 13 waveform sounds. Each layer offers the typical controls e.g. ADSR, Volume, spread, pitch, flanger and of course delay. There is also assignable automation and even portamento.
  2. Definitely one of the best free VST plugins you ought to have in your VST rig! 33) MX Project T. Rex 606 Modelled after the vintage Roland TR-606 drum machine of yore, The T.REX 606 is a beast in its own right with some added bells and whistles.
  3. Spitfire Audio LABS Soft Piano. Spitfire LABS contains some of the best free plugin instruments.

Audiolounge present Urs Wiesendanger 'Rhodes Affair' AU /VST Plug-in for OSX and Windows 32/64 Bit 'Rhodes Affair' is indeed a very particular instrument. For some of you maybe just another rhodes sound, but for SOME of you the distinctive sound you were always looking for! 'Rhodes Affair' couldn't be more simple and straight forward. It contains ONE SOUND ONLY! A sound you'll be more than. Versilian is a virtual instrument development company who develop a wide range of orchestral, acoustic virtual instrument plugins. This free piano VST plugin was sampled from a Yamaha upright piano at Berklee College of Music. Given it was recorded in a “lonely basement dorm room” the sound is clean, precise and very good quality.

Mr Ray Charles:
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Mr-Ray-Charles-Shake-a-Tail-Feather.mp3

stormy !
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/riders-on-the-storm-mrray22.mp3

straight Rhodes e-piano
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/mrray73.mp3

soft deep house chords
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/mrray22.soft_.mp3

Rhodes piano through wah wah effect!
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/mrray22.wahwah.mp3

2. MDA ePiano

Based on a small but clever wavetable, the antique MDA ePiano still sounds fresh in 2014!
and since MDA plugins became open source, you can also find version for Mac & Linux, and also 64 bit versions => http://sourceforge.net/projects/mda-vst/files/mda-vst/mda-vst-src 20100214/

MDA ePiano VST is simple & effective, of course it’s more limited than Mr Ray, but sounds great!

riders on the storm!
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/riders-on-the-storm-mda-epiano.mp3

Ray Charles – Shake a Tail Feather
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Ray-Charles-shake-a-mda-epiano.mp3

3. EP-Station VST by Big Tick audio

EP station : more groovy keys

A very nice FM modeled electric piano. EP-station is now freeware.
The plugin is not a straight emulation of a Rhodes piano.
It can also do the ” DX 7 e-piano “, the famous FM piano as heard on 95% of the pop / ballad / tv show theme / etc. tracks produced between 1983 & 1989.
The EP-station also features a chorus & a phaser effect.

smooth sound for deep house
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ep-station1.mp3

phased Fender Rhodes !
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ep-station2.mp3

ultra smooth Deep house Rhodes+phaser
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ep-station3-effectrhodes.mp3

FM pop piano ! the sound of the 80’s
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ep-station4-dxpop.mp3

4. 4Front R-Piano VST

Based on samples, but not only, this emulation gives you a clean sound.
It comes for Windows 32 & 64 bit, and Mac OS X.
4Front R-piano also include a reverb.

soft e-piano for lounge house
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/4frontrpiano.mp3

plucked style
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/4frontrpiano2.mp3

5. LazySnake VST by Andreas Ersson

Lazy Snake VST

Back to a 100% synthesis emulation !
The Lazy Snake electric piano gives you this lounge and mellow sound.
The synth is easy to tweak, and you have a tremolo + wah wah effect.
It’s not really a Rhodes piano emulation, but it’s perfect for deep house chord.

soft clean deep house chord
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lazysnake-smooth.mp3

Free Rhodes Plugin Vst Plugins

wah wah effect!
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/lazysnake-wah.mp3

Ray Charles shake a snake
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Ray-Charles-shake-a-snake.mp3

6. Orange Lounge 2004A by StarrFish Lab

A funky japanese VSTi , created with Synthdit.
It’s not a Rhodes MK2 emulation, but it’s also groovy, and well suited for that deep house feeling.
We can feel the FM modulation but it’s nice!

pretty hard tremolo effect for this e-piano
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/orangelounge-deep1.mp3

funky !!
https://blog.wavosaur.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/orangelounge-deep2.mp3

7. SFZ + Learjeff jRhodes3 soundfont

SFZ+ soundfont player

SFZ+ + Learjeff Rhodes soundfont

There are some nice free Rhodes multisample bank around the interweb. So you can pick your favorite sf2 capable VST player and load a Rhodes piano soundfont into it!
Here i choosed the SFZ+ player by RGCAudio and the jRhodes sf2 , that’s the best combo!

(november 17 2014 update !!)

4front Rhodes Free Vst Plugin

8. RhodyMK1 by Wahnsyn

Free Vst Plugins Downloads

A Synthedit VST plugin from Plugindex German website : it has a clean sound, i think it’s based on a soundfont / wav bank. It’s very usable. Unlike the other “classic” emulations, it features a vibrato effect instead of a tremolo effect, it’s strange but that makes unusual sounds!

9. Clavia Lab by Simple Media

Clavia Lab VST

This plugin is intended for e-piano sounds and also organ and clavinet / harpsichord sounds.

There is nothing quite like the warm tone of a Rhodes piano. The unique sounds of this instrument can be found in countless songs in modern music through a variety of genres, including R&B, hip-hop, electronic music, and chillwave.

Want to infuse the sounds of the Fender Rhodes in your mix? Well, you basically have two options. Spend thousands buying the real thing or spend considerably less on an authentic digital version.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great options to choose from if you want to go down the more convenient, less expensive path.

We’ve put together a list of some of the best Rhodes VSTs you can currently buy.

Top 6 Rhodes Plugins

1. Applied Acoustics Systems Lounge Lizard EP-4

If you’re looking for a quality plugin that faithfully replicates not only the Fender Rhodes but also Wurlitzer sounds, check out the Lounge Lizard EP-4. This plugin, created by Applied Acoustics Systems, is fairly simple with fewer than 20 parameters. This means it’s easy to use and won’t be overwhelming if you’re not super experienced with mixing.

Even though it is simple, it does go far beyond the typical Rhodes sounds that you might expect. You can achieve unique Rhodes tones, including organ-like, chime-like, and bell-like tones. You can explore these and others in the Experimental preset section. Beyond that, you can also play with the compressor, equalizer, and multi-effect processor to dial in some crazy, unexpected tones.

Pros

  • Doesn’t take up much CPU
  • Get a good amount for what you pay
  • Sounds are super authentic and transparent

Cons

  • Interface is a little outdated
  • Not able to import sounds from older versions

2. XLN Audio Addictive Keys: Mark One

XLN Audio has a very popular professional drum VST called Addictive Drums, but their Addictive Keys VST definitely shouldn’t be overlooked. The Mark One plugin authentically emulates the distinctive warm tones of the Fender Rhodes. The Fender Rhodes on this plugin was played through a vintage tube combo amp and was recorded with the help of several rare microphones to give the best sound quality.

The Mark One can give you any Rhodes sound you are looking for from classic to funky. If you’re wanting a super transparent tone, you can also use the line output on the Rhodes rather than the amp.

This software from XLN Audio gives you the ability to adjust the recording and mixing. You can also choose from a selection of vintage microphones and adjust their distance to achieve a shift in ambiance. If you want to play with the distortion or warmth, take a look at the amp settings.

With the Mark One you get a dynamic mic, room condenser, and ribbon mic in addition to a floor mic and room mic. You also have the option of adding in a Roland Dimension D for analog stereo chorus.

Pros

  • Impressive sound quality and great microphone choices
  • Takes up much less CPU than you would think
  • Flexible in the processing stage

Cons

  • Doesn’t have pre/post switching for effects sends

3. AIR Music Technology Velvet 2

The Velvet 2 VST from Air Music Technology is an electric piano plugin with a good amount of versatility. It actually combines the sounds of five of the best electric pianos out there today. These are the Fender Rhodes MK I, Fender Rhodes MK II, Wurlitzer 200A, Fender Rhodes Suitcase, and Hohner Pianet-T. This VST gives you intimate tones that authentically emulate sounds from a Rhodes piano.

You’ll also find a number of onboard effects that will help you venture outside of the natural capabilities of the instrument. The tube drive panels can help if you want to warm up your tone. You can further shape the sound by adjusting the timbre, curve, and reaction to playing dynamics.

If you want to boost the authenticity of the sound, you have the option to blend in the noise of the pedal and other mechanical sounds from inside the keyboard. With these details, it’ll truly sound like you’re working with an actual Rhodes. You’ll also have access to a 3-band EQ and 350 amazing presets created by the AIR Technology sound designers. This can help you work more efficiently as you search for the best tones for your mix.

Pros

  • An incredible library of 350 presets
  • Numerous effects to choose from
  • Very authentic sounding Fender Rhodes plugin

Cons

  • There is no standalone version
  • Can take too long to load

4. Arturia Stage-73 V

Arturia stands out among the competition when it comes to vintage synthesizer and keyboard VSTs. They offer just about anything you could think of in this arena, but we’re going to take a look at their Rhodes Stage-73 VST. This is an impressively versatile and authentic emulation of the instrument with beautiful, transparent tones. You can also switch over from the 1973 to the 1974 version just by turning the tone knob.

The layout of the Stage-73 is not only aesthetically pleasing but also user friendly. There’s a wide range of pedals for you to play with to take your Rhodes sounds to a different level. There’s no shortage of effects options too, such as changing the curves and the wet/dry mix.

Free

If you want a grittier final tone, you can take advantage of the small Fender Twin amplifier. The awesome selection of presets is conveniently organized by category, including Clean presets, Short presets, Dark presets, Distorted presets, and many others. If customization is a priority for you, Arturia’s Stage-73 should be at the top of your list.

Clavinet free vst. Pros

  • Incredible preset menu
  • Makes use of top-notch physical modeling
  • Stomp effects section is very unique

Cons

  • Certain presets take some time to render

5. Waves Electric 88

Waves has built a strong reputation based on their incredible product line of plugins. They are the go-to for many mixing engineers worldwide. Among their amazing collection you’ll find the Electric 88, an authentic Rhodes plugin. Its interface lets you dive into the details to craft the ideal tone for your track. You can use this plugin to enhance nearly any type of production. One of the best features is its price tag. It is one of the most affordable Rhodes plugins in the market.

Free Rhodes Plugin Vst

The Electric 88 utilizes a sampling method that borrowed tones from the Mark I 88. You’ll get super realistic and smooth sounds with its fine-tuned velocity curves. You’ll definitely notice a drop-off in effect options compared to the Stage-73, but all the effects you want can be added in later. If you’re wanting a good-quality, low-priced VST, you need to pick up the Waves Electric 88.

Pros

Best Free Vst Plugins

  • Easy to dial in various sounds
  • Affordable
  • Great quality sampling with lots of layers

Cons

Free Rhodes Vst Plugin

  • Not a very wide range

6. Toontrack EZkeys Classic Electrics

Yes, Toontrack has awesome VST keyboard plugins with grand piano sounds, but they also have a solid option for those who want classic electric keyboard sounds. The Toontrack EZkeys Classic Electrics bundle features the sounds of the Rhodes MK I and Wurlitzer 200A. One thing we love about this plugin is that it offers several songwriting features to help those who may struggle in that area. Transposing MIDI tracks is a breeze, and you can also use various playing styles from other MIDI tracks. The Chord Wheel feature can be used to add some color to your chords or adjust the voicings.

With the EZkeys MK I, you can experiment with tones that are outside the natural realm of the Rhodes. There’s an exciting collection of various presets with built-in effects for processed sounds. These include a chorused Rhodes, a distorted Rhodes, and a funky Rhodes with a wah-wah pedal.

If you’re not a super strong keyboard player but would like to add some chord progressions and keys into your mix that sound human produced, the EZkeys bundle is a great option.

Pros

  • Included Export to WAV function
  • Built-in sequencer is top notch
  • Awesome sound quality

Cons

  • MIDI data is a little too similar to some popular songs

The Sweet Sounds of the Fender Rhodes

When you look at all the options of Rhodes VSTs out there, it might be a bit overwhelming narrowing down which one is best for you. But we have to say that it pretty much comes down to your budget as any VST on our list will likely get the job done. The plugins we have described are the best on the market right now, and each holds its own in this space.

You already know that there is nothing quite like the sound of a real Fender Rhodes in a professional production. Trying to replicate this sound with various effects and piano and synth sounds might seem like an impossible task. Make the whole process much easier for yourself by adding a Rhodes VST to your collection.