The Rhodes piano (Fender Rhodes) is an electromechanical keyboard instrument invented by Harold Rhodes. Unlike the acoustic piano, its sound is produced by small metal tuning-fork tines struck by hammers; the vibrations are converted into an electrical signal and amplified.
This gives an inimitable timbre — warm, soft, “bell-like,” with a singing attack that cannot be mistaken for anything else. The Rhodes became one of the defining sounds of the 1970s: it rang out in jazz and especially in jazz fusion (Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock), in soul, funk, and pop ballads. More portable and expressive than the organ, it gave keyboardists an entirely new palette. Despite the arrival of digital synthesizers, the warm, nostalgic voice of the Rhodes piano remains a favourite today — in neo-soul, hip-hop, lounge, and modern electronica.
