Electro-Harmonix Key 9 is a guitar pedal that simulates a piano machine. It is a very smart and useful guitar pedal. This article gives a Key 9 Pedal Review.
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Key 9 Main Feature
The main objective of the Key 9, Electro-Harmonix, is to transform your guitar into an entirely new instrument.
Using the Key 9, you can change the tone of your guitar to sound like a keyboard.
This will give you an entirely new level of sound possibilities that can be explored by guitar players. The ability to change the way the guitar sounds is refreshing and at the same time surprising.
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Characteristics of the Key 9 Pedal
First of all, the Key 9 has a number of preset features that can be used to simulate common keyboard instruments.
The standard presets give you 9 sounds, that have been carefully researched by the pedal creators.
Some of these presets can be used to emulate some classic keyboard sounds. For example, you can simulate the following keyboards:
- Rhodes keyboard
- Wurlitzer
- Organ
- Standard Piano
- And much more.
The Electro-Harmonix Key9 Electric Piano Machine is a pedal that’s part of the EHX “9” series, which aims to replicate the sounds of specific instruments using a guitar or other instrument as the source. The Key9 is designed to emulate the sounds of various vintage electric pianos and keyboard instruments. Here are some of the key features of the Electro-Harmonix Key9 Pedal:
Multiple Electric Piano Sounds: The Key9 pedal offers a selection of nine different presets, each emulating a distinctive vintage electric piano or keyboard sound. These sounds include iconic instruments like the Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and more.
The pedal is polyphonic, meaning it can accurately track and reproduce chords and complex playing styles. This allows you to play full chords and harmonically rich phrases without sacrificing accuracy.
The Key9 features controls for various parameters, allowing you to shape and customize the sound to your liking. Common controls include Blend (mix between dry and effect signals), Mod (modulation depth), Click (adjusting the key release sound), and Sens (adjusting the sensitivity of the tracking).
The Blend control lets you mix the dry guitar signal with the processed electric piano sound, allowing you to find the perfect balance between your original tone and the effect.
- Mode Selector: A rotary switch allows you to select from the nine different electric piano presets, each modeled after a specific vintage keyboard instrument. This gives you a wide range of tonal options to choose from.
- Expression Pedal Input: The Key9 has an expression pedal input, which can be used to control various parameters in real-time. This adds an extra layer of expressiveness to your playing and allows for dynamic changes during performances.
- Stereo Output: The pedal features stereo output capabilities, making it suitable for connecting to stereo amplifiers, audio interfaces, and recording equipment. This can enhance the spatial dimension of the electric piano sounds.
- True Bypass: The Key9 pedal features true bypass switching, ensuring that your guitar’s original signal remains unaltered when the pedal is disengaged.
- Sturdy Build: Electro-Harmonix pedals are known for their durable construction. The Key9 is built to withstand the rigors of live performances and studio use.
- Power Options: The pedal can be powered using a standard 9-volt DC power supply.
Changing Sound Parameters
The Key 8 gives you the ability not only to change the basic sound, but you can also tweak specific parameters of each keyboard configuration. These parameters can adjust fundamental parameters for each sound. Therefore, they define the final sound of the instrument.
The types of parameter adjustment are extremely easy and intuitive. For example, one possible change is the addition of tremolo.
Other possible parameters are the inclusion of phaser and chorus, two very important effects used by guitars and keyboards.
Quality of the Key 9 Synthesizer
The Key 9 operates as a synthesizer. The quality of this piece of software is very good in my experience.
For example, it provides great tracking of individual notes as well as chords. This way, you don’t have much lagging and annoying problems in the sound transformation. The keyboard sound seems fluid and natural.
Using With Other Pedals
The Key 9 can also be used along or in combination with other guitar pedals. In this case, it provides big expressive possibility for musicians.
In particular, this pedal can be combined with some others of the same company. For example, the B9 and C9 organ machine also provide sound transformations to other instruments.
The organ sound of the B9 or C9 can be added in a rig, which allows you to play with multiple keyboard instruments from one configuration.
Preset descriptions
Here are descriptions of each of the main presets available for this pedal:
- DYNAMO – An evocation of the ‘Dyno My’ modified Fender Rhodes electric pianos of the 1970s and 1980s. Ctrl 1 adds bass to the lower strings of your guitar. Ctrl 2 adjusts the ‘tine’ or high-end overtones.
- WURLI – The classic sound of the Wurlitzer electric piano. Ctrl 1 adjusts tremolo depth. Ctrl 2 sets tremolo speed.
- SUITCASE – This preset pays tribute to the sound of a Fender Rhodes electric piano routed through a phase shifter. Ctrl 1 adds a bass octave and adjusts the “tine” or high-end overtones. Ctrl 2 sets the phase shifter speed.
- MALLETS – Here we have the sound of a wood marimba. Ctrl 1 adjusts chorus depth. Ctrl 2 sets chorus speed.
- EIGHTY EIGHT – This preset emulates a Fender Rhodes 88 electric piano with built-in tremolo. Ctrl 1 adjusts tremolo depth. Ctrl 2 sets tremolo speed.
- TRI-GLORIOUS – The sound of a Dytronics/Dyno My CS-5 Tri Stereo Chorus. Ctrl 1 adjusts chorus depth. Ctrl 2 sets chorus speed.
- VIBES – The sound of a metal vibraphone with motorized tremolo. Ctrl 1 adjusts the high pitch attack. Ctrl 2 sets tremolo speed.
- ORGAN – This preset offers a highly touch-responsive percussive organ. Ctrl 1 adjusts the high frequencies (treble). Ctrl 2 sets the rotating speaker speed.
- STEEL DRUMS – This preset conveys the metallic sound of a steel drum. Ctrl 1 adjusts chorus depth. Ctrl 2 sets chorus speed.
Video Demonstration
Here is a video that demonstrates the versatility of this guitar pedal:
