Electro-Harmonix KEY9

Started by Rhcole, August 20, 2015, 03:32:08 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Rhcole

Just got an email pitching an electric piano pedal for the guitar- the KEY9 from Electro-Harmonix. They don't have a video up. It's not for sale yet and doesn't even show up in a search engine.

Combine that with the C9 and the Boss SY-300 and you will have a guitar version of the standard 70's multi-keyboard setup: organ, piano, synth/strings.

Wonder if our pal Bill R. will be the video-meister for this product.

acousticglue

And not a single programming soul can produce these things in VST? Bummer. I would own all the EHX stuff eventually in VST. That means buy.

jassy

Why now every single sound needs a big and expensive stomp? even there are two different for organ sounds! are not those digital and programmable? so why not to make a multi pourpose unit an make the guitar player life a bit easier and less expensive?  ???
How many stomp box would I need to replace an VG99?, 50 units? or a GR55 or a GP10? thanks god Roland/Boss exists...
I know those dedicated units are good, sounds good and plays good... well i tried that organ stomp (dont remember which one ATM) and while it was good I prefer more my GR55 combining organ COSM and PCM, maybe a bit less playable in the low string, but much more authentic sound.
And the electric piano sounds are probably one of the most playable sounds via guitar midi.
Sorry not wanted to break this thread but I needed to say it.


CodeSmart

Quote from: jassy on August 21, 2015, 05:04:09 AM
so why not to make a multi pourpose unit an make the guitar player life a bit easier and less expensive?  ???
We all know what it's all about. Revenue and jobs. It's good looking and will sell a lot to regular players.
Look in Guitar Player magazine, you find hundred thousands of fuzz pedals but no pianos. I'm impressed by EHX development team. This is their niche. If making a do-it-all pedal would have brought in more revenue they would have done it already.

Quote from: jassy on August 21, 2015, 05:04:09 AM
thanks god Roland/Boss exists...
Agree!
But I got more gear than I need...and I like it!

Elantric


szilard

Quote from: Rhcole on August 20, 2015, 03:32:08 PM
Just got an email pitching an electric piano pedal for the guitar- the KEY9 from Electro-Harmonix. They don't have a video up. It's not for sale yet and doesn't even show up in a search engine.

Combine that with the C9 and the Boss SY-300 and you will have a guitar version of the standard 70's multi-keyboard setup: organ, piano, synth/strings.

I don't have the C9, but if EH can get a good tine sound, a good DX 7 and/or a bright Rhodes I'll buy it.


szilard

I like that, I'll be getting one  ;D I think I'll have my sonic palette covered.

mbenigni


aliensporebomb

My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

scratch17

Hope Bill is listening ...

First of all, you've done another great demo. I'll be buying as soon as it's available.

Now if you could convince your bosses at EHX to release a generic EHX pedal, where the user could pick effects from the B9, C9 and Key 9.

Or maybe make it a rack unit that could use multiple effects gleaned from any of the EHX algorithms from any of their pedals. 

I'd also like to see MIDI control. While you're at it, add a software plugin / editor so I could more easily integrate it into my DAW.

I know I'm dreaming, but it's not like other companies aren't doing powered plugins (UA). Or Midi controlled pedals (EHX). Or even user select-able algorithms (Eventide).
Hamer Duotone, Brian Moore i213, Taylor 710 BCE 

VG-99, FC-300, RMC Fanout
RJM Mastermind GT10
Kemper Profiling Amp
Radial JDV Mk3, X-Amp
Mesa Recto Pre + 20/20
68 Fender Bandmaster (AB763)
Marshal AS80R

UA Apollo X6, Twin X, Logic Pro, Luna, Melodyne Studio

Chumly

#11
It would be nice but my guess is that EHX marketers fully realize that their brand stands for compact, inexpensive, single-function, stand-alone, user-friendly, non-menu-driven, stomp-boxes that do not necessarily have or need peripheral support. It's a market they not only understand very well but excel in.

It would be a huge risk and quite possibly self-defeating profit-wise, for EHX to try and do what (for example) Roland does so well with multi-effects processors.

Also don't forget the un-user-friendliness that often happens when a manufacturer jams lots of goodies into a single box for a very competitive price, witness the GR-55 (which I own and love), it's unintuitive, excessively menu driven, and the antithesis of plug and play EHX boxes.

I can full see why EHX sticks to its knitting!
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

Elantric

#12
QuoteIt would be nice but my guess is that EHX marketers fully realize that their brand stands for compact, inexpensive, single-function, stand-alone, user-friendly, non-menu-driven, stomp-boxes that do not necessarily have or need peripheral support. It's a market they not only understand very well but excel in.

It would be a huge risk and quite possibly self-defeating profit-wise, for EHX to try and do what (for example) Roland does so well with multi-effects processors.

totally agree.

Why sell one DSP pedal - when you can create dozens of new pedals (= sales $$ )  with only a change in firmware and paint.

Thats the logic that keeps EHX in business, and pedals boards growing in size.

by contrast an open source DSP pedal tends to not make enough $$ to buy coffee

Now_And_Then

Quote from: Chumly on September 11, 2015, 04:16:43 PM
It would be nice but my guess is that EHX marketers fully realize that their brand stands for compact, inexpensive, single-function, stand-alone, user-friendly, non-menu-driven, stomp-boxes that do not necessarily have or need peripheral support. It's a market they not only understand very well but excel in.

Also don't forget the un-user-friendliness that often happens when a manufacturer jams lots of goodies into a single box for a very competitive price, witness the GR-55 (which I own and love), it's unintuitive, excessively menu driven, and the antithesis of plug and play EHX boxes.

That is incredibly well put! (Although I might take issue, to a small degree, with the "inexpensive" part - some of their things are kinda pricey. And some - very pricey indeed.)

GeePeeAxe

This is the best invention since VG8 for guitars!

I think I'll buy one, because Bill nailed exactly the tones I like.
Maybe occasionally a simulated sitar in addition, and I am quite satisfied.
For the electic tones I use now Triaxis with a Black Star combo.

Djordje

Rhcole

Mine will show up in a couple of days.

Look for a review.


Rhcole

Dude talks way too much.

Needs to hire a script writer and editor.

Looking forward to getting the pedal though.

mbenigni

Quote from: Rhcole on September 24, 2015, 10:47:05 PM
Needs to hire a script writer and editor.

I doubt he's making such a killing with YouTube videos that he can afford to hire a staff.  :)  Just doing his thing...

|||-|||

#19
I have it but am confused about keeping it. It has really great potential, but there are aspects that bother me.

Plus side:

  • The sounds are very nice, really all of them have a nice space and vibe and if played correctly really sound like epianos.

  • I love the very high rhodes notes, so sweet




Minus side:

  • Tweakability. The bass and tine are on the same knob on almost all of the sounds, which means that I have to have the octave doubling if I want tine. This makes single note lines sound funny because the octaves all of the sudden jump in if you go below the C above middle C...


  • Treble - the pedal is EQed with too little treble/bite - it will need it's own amp or a second EQ pedal after it to sound good - wish there was a tone knob...


  • The vibes, stele drums, and mallets have completely different sensitivity levels than the rest of the sounds and don't trigger properly unless I use a very low power pickup like a strat single coil - the other sounds are best with a hot bridge pickup


  • There is a slight hiss that accompanies the sounds - this hiss seems to gate off pretty soon after notes stop


My favorite sound is # 3 if you turn the phase off and the tine/bass almost all the way down - but again the EQ is not equivalent to a guitar - if I use it with the base and tine up it sounds more equivalent to the guitars EQ range, but I kind of like the pure rhodes sound without them

Here is a little review
! No longer available

mbenigni

#20
QuoteTweakability

Yeah, EXH has achieved some amazing sounds with these three pedals (B9, C9, Key9) which just makes it that much more tragic that there aren't higher-end versions with all the programmability trappings.  They are capable of so many great tones that throwing them on a pedal board to set and forget is just criminally wasteful.  I kept wishing I had two or three B9's instead of just one.  Someone has already recommended a single pedal that incorporates tones from all of these products, and I'd love to see that, with more parameter controls, preset storage and recall, MIDI and/or expression pedal control, and the ability to crossfade between guitar and keys on a single output.

But it would be costly, and perhaps EHX just can't see a business model for it...

IanRamos


Rhcole

Latency isn't really an issue because it is mostly a tonal shaping and fx box without reprocessing the sound. The octave below and tine sounds might be subject to latency but I can't hear it.

Now_And_Then

Latency in all-analog devices is rarely a problem.

|||-|||

Quote from: Rhcole on October 02, 2015, 06:29:26 PM
Latency isn't really an issue because it is mostly a tonal shaping and fx box without reprocessing the sound. The octave below and tine sounds might be subject to latency but I can't hear it.

same