XLN Audio Addictive Keys: Mark One

Our Mark One Instrument is based on a Fender Rhodes Mk. 1 electric piano. This king of electric pianos is played through a vintage tube combo amp and captured by rare vintage mics for a sublime sound. The tone can go from a smooth enthralling caress to a searing, crunchy sound that cuts through the densest mix. The Rhodes Mk. 1 has been the most popular electric piano for more than four decades and is heard on countless hit records. Rhodes pianos can vary in sound, and this particular instrument was selected for its unmistakable warmth and intimacy.    While the instrument's line output can be recorded "direct," it is often played through an amplifier to add some crunch and character. For this recording, we used a MusicMan 112 RD Fifty 1x12". Different recording setups can be mixed and matched to give you endless sound design options!   With the tube combo set up in a large recording room, vintage microphones was positioned at both close and far away perspective capturing the amp close-up and with natural ambience. To add variety, three mics were positioned next up to the speaker; a dynamic, a tube condenser and a ribbon microphone. One floor and one room microphone setup were used for the option of adding depth and ambience to the recordings.    In addition to the acoustical recordings, two line signals were also recorded: One "direct" through high-voltage DI box and another through the classic Roland Dimension D analog stereo chorus.   Recorded using the following: Music Man 112 RD combo amp (Close Mic):  - Telefunken U47 Tube Condenser  - Coles 4038 Ribbon  - Shure SM57 Dynamic  Ambient (Room) Recording:  - Neumann SM69 Stereo Microphone  Direct Output:  - Clean Line Output  - Line Output through Roland Dimension D  Acoustic Strings:  - Sela T25 Stereo Microphone