Few individuals know the Rhodes piano in addition to Herbie Hancock. In truth, he really knew the instrument’s inventor, Harold Rhodes.
It seems, although, that certainly one of Hancock’s early encounters with Rhodes was just a little awkward, with Harold not taking too kindly to among the modifications that Herbie had made to certainly one of his devices.
Speaking in a newly launched video from Spectrasonics, by which Hancock is seen enjoying the Rhodes emulation from the corporate’s Keyscape software program, the jazz nice reminisces in regards to the time that Rhodes got here down to look at him and his band acting at The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, the place he was enjoying one of many early variations of his piano.
“Harold got here all the way down to see me and the band… to see how his instrument was getting used,” Hancock remembers. “So we play and afterwards he comes as much as me and says ‘you cannibalised my instrument! Why did you try this?’”
Rhodes was referring to the truth that Hancock had geared up his piano with inputs and outputs, one thing that he felt was going to be helpful going ahead. And not just for him, however for different musicians.
“‘Harold, I believe that what I’m doing – which is utilizing different units with the instrument – I believe plenty of different guys are going to need to do that,’” Hancock informed Rhodes. “So I mentioned, ‘Why don’t you place some inputs and outputs over on the facet?’ And I began eager about the studio. I mentioned, ‘Why not put XLR [in the piano] additionally?’ And he did.”
Those aware of their Harold Rhodes historical past will know that the primary pianos he created have been created from aeroplane elements and constructed for wounded US troopers who have been convalescing after World War 2, and elsewhere within the video, Spectrasonics’ Eric Persing brings in certainly one of these mini devices – its toy piano-like sound was sampled for Keyscape – in order that Hancock can check out it.
“It doesn’t have audio outs as a result of he hadn’t met you but,” jokes Persing.
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