who makes the best virtual rhodes?

[paulmulligan]

Suggestion welcome .Does anyone make a stereo rhodes where you can contril yhe rate  and intensity of the stereo pulsing like you can on an original Peterson  stage piano with satellites.

[Abraham]

For me, the best virtual rhodes available, coming in two flavours:

1. VSTi/AU/RTAS: Genuine Soundware Mr.Ray MkII

Light and cheap, the most realistic software emulation without any doubt. No other software instrument comes any closer. There's an older version they give away for free.

2. Sample library: Native Instrument Scarbee MarkI for Kontakt

THE rhodes library, not that cheap and a little hungry on resources but OK, the real deal, sampled by people who knows the instrument. Sounds like a PERFECT flawless rhodes. I miss some bark but in a recording you couldnt difference from a real rhodes.

There are a few other libraries you might consider (Neo Soul Suitcase, Chris Griffin Avatar Rhodes) but to me Scarbee is the way to go. Also there are plenty other you may not even bother to check... they use to fail on key releases and EQ.

For the FX section I use "Overloud Vintage Keyboard FX" wich is a decent all in one, also "Amplitube Fender"

The downside is software doesn't feel like you are playing a rhodes, even thoug it sounds like one. Also, I miss the mechanics noise while playing (no problem for a recoding, again)

[charles]

EDIT: see my reply below, got some important details wrong here.

Mr Ray MkII is excellent, but I slightly prefer AAS Lounge Lizard for its tone and enjoyment playing. There's a full version which is completely editable so I understand (never used it), and a "Sessions" version which is partially editable. There's also a version included with Ableton Live Suite, so if you have it then you have a limited version already. It sounds good y the way.

I got the Sessions version in a sale for $25 I think it was, an unbelievable price for what you get. It has a great set of presets and a few editable parameters plus fx. It's a pleasure to play. If you can find it for a good price (RRP is $99) i'd recommend this over Mr Ray MkII, but Mr Ray has a free demo so try that too. There are also older versions "Mr Tramp" and Mr Ray original (i.e. MkI) which I think were freeware if you can find them - also very nice.

The difference between the two is the way the sounds are formed. Mr Ray is sample-based, Lounge Lizard uses physical modelling, meaning that there are no samples, only a mathematically crafted computer emulation of the sound. When it's done well, physical modelling is always superior to samples imho.

I see AAS have a 50% off sale until 26th November: http://www.applied-acoustics.com/ and a new Version 4 is coming out soon.
Mr Ray MkII can be found at http://www.genuinesoundware.com/. It currently costs 50 EUR for the full version, slightly more than AAS Lounge Lizard Sessions with the current discount.

[Abraham]

Thats wrong Mr Ray is NOT sample based. AAS lounge lizard sounds nothing like a rhodes, I agree it can sound great in a mix but anyone ever came close to a real rhodes would agree it doesnt sound realistic

[VintageGearFreak]

Mr.Ray MkII  for me, it also has a stereo tremolo built in.

Lounge Lizard is also good but I always felt it lacked a bit in damper/side noises. I haven't tried the latest versions though so they might have fixed that.

[mojito]

I have LL, Neo Soul Keys x3 and Mr Ray.

All are very good LL is the one that i find easy to set up and use in productions. Sound wise, Mr Ray just takes it.

[charles]

Thats wrong Mr Ray is NOT sample based. AAS lounge lizard sounds nothing like a rhodes, I agree it can sound great in a mix but anyone ever came close to a real rhodes would agree it doesnt sound realistic

oops, you're totally right. 

I always assumed it was samples because of their website name, www.soundfonts.it. I just looked it up and it is indeed a physical modelling emulation, sorry for that

[goldphinga]

redtape samples...great!

[hw2nw]

digging the NI scarbee stuff...also hate to admit a couple of the Logic patches aren't bad if you mess with them.

HOWEVER it does the Mark I sound best. My barky Mark II hasn't been matched. Closest I could get was a Logic patch with Soundtoys Decapitator and some light comp to add some 'bark'