Hot on the heels of Toontrack’s recent EZKeys 2 update, the Swedish instrument maestros have followed on with an expansion featuring classic electric pianos with MIDI to match. We take in its vintage EP vibes here in our first look.
In Summary
Soul Roads EKX is an instrument and MIDI expansion for EZKeys 2. Using the company’s new add-on structure for its keyboard player, Soul Roads EKX brings a pair of Rhodes Stage 73 pianos from two eras with sounds to match.
Going Deeper
Freak Or Unique? - The Electric Piano
Many vintage electro-mechanical instruments started out life as smaller or cheaper alternatives to The Real Thing, with the electric piano being no exception. Starting out with long-since forgotten instruments such as the Neo Bechstein, Harold Rhodes’ electric piano known by many started out life during World War 2. It was initially designed as a music therapy tool for injured soldiers that could be played in bed. This was later taken on as a joint venture with Leo Fender to produce larger pro instruments for use on the stage. The sound found its way onto countless records, and the rest as they say is history.
One thing it has in common with many other surrogate instruments is the fact that it doesn’t sound very much like the thing it’s replicating; indeed many of these sounds were only successful thanks to their portability as much as anything else. In the case of the Rhodes piano the sound comes not from strings, but from its short fork-shaped steel tines struck with felt or neoprene hammers. Certainly the sound is instantly exposed as soon as you play one that isn’t plugged in! The design was refined over the years, however two of the most recorded generations were the Mark 1 and Mark 2 Stage 73 pianos.
Toontrack Soul Roads EKX
Following on from the release Toontrack’s recently refreshed EZkeys 2, the company have moved to the same add-on model as available for their drummers. The new EKX expansion format allows EZkeys 2 users to switch out or augment their existing Fazioli F212 grand piano with other keys and extra sympathetic MIDI flavours.
In the video, we check out Soul Roads EKX’s instruments, presets, and MIDI. Auditioning both models, we also sample some of the effects and amp sounds on offer that set out to give this EKX some authentic tones from 70s edge to crystalline 80s flavours.
Toontrack On Soul Roads EKX
Features
Two classic electric pianos from the 1970s and 1980s.
Handpicked from a meticulously restored and curated collection.
Recorded at Toontrack Studio in 2023 using extreme attention to detail.
Two sound libraries with one set of mix-ready presets each.
Includes a collection of MIDI inspired by soul from the ‘60s through to today.
Rhodes Stage 73 Mk1
This is a very early Mk I from 1970, the year the model was launched. Equipped with the old famous silver tone bars from the ’60s models and the then-new Torrington tines, it has a beautifully sparkling upper tonal register. This piano also has an original StereoVibrato like the ones you’d see in the earlier Suitcase models, adding even more vintage character. This is the very instrument that started the absolute craze that made this piano a staple in most music productions during the ‘70s. If you’re looking for that classic bark, bite and edge you can hear in tons of riff-driven and funk-infused songs from the past – this is where it stems from.
Rhodes Stage 73 MkII
Launched in 1980, this Mk II is from the first series of the new model that came out after ten years of research, development and improvements of the Mk I. For this second generation of pianos, the keybed had been reconfigured, the tines swapped with those from a different supplier and aluminium and plastic had replaced much of the wood previously used for many of its parts. From a technical and engineering standpoint, this all resulted in a substantially better instrument. Sound-wise, it lacked some of the growl of the Mk I but, on the other hand, offered a much smoother, cleaner and lush timbre. If you’re looking for the perfect tone for a soul ballad, a neo-soul beat or a contemporary R&B track, this is your best bet. To add, the particular one sampled for this EKX is equipped with a third-generation StereoVibrato preamp, adding substantially to the depth of its tone.
Final Thoughts
For those who need a basic palette of studio staple keyboard sounds, the electric piano has to be in there. While the Fender Rhodes isn’t the only design out there, it’s probably the one that many will gravitate towards when they just need Electric Piano. Soul Roads EKX can definitely evoke these classic sounds either in a mix, or even on their own. There are other VIs chasing the electric piano sound that offer more tweakage that might appeal to afficionados, but this instrument exists for people who just need it to sound good straight out of the box. Having sat in front of a handful of these instruments I can confirm that those users won’t be disappointed.
As for other EP flavours, from the pianets and Wurlys of this world, other EKXs await… The only thing really missing is the smell of gin-soaked wood and Tolex, along with the impossibly clunky action and backache offered by the Real Thing…. Luckily Soul Roads EKX lets us keep the most important part for the studio - the sound.
A Word About This Article
As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.