Electro-Harmonix Key 9 Electric Piano Machine Demo
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- Опубликовано: 18 сен 2015
- First customer review!
This is a demo for the EHX Electro-Harmonix Key 9 Pedal.
I am not a paid spokes person for this company: just like the sounds and wanted to post.
This begins with a backstory and the actual sounds begin at about 15:15.
Also I used the ducking effect so that during the times I'm playing and talking, the music is louder and you hear less acoustic noise. This muffles the vocals a bit but you're likely here for the sounds anyway.
I hope you enjoy. Thank you for watching and listening. 
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I actually watched all 53.16 minutes of your demo. This is what made me buy it! Nicely explained from a musicians point of view. Great player. You come across well on camera. Smooth playing... smooth voice.
+Kick biker Thank you very much. I'm still experimenting with sounds though I just like what's available. Good luck with yours and feel free to stay in touch: I'd love to hear what you do with it.
Nice demo! Just a heads up on these pedals ( B9, C9, & Key9 ). If you're going to emulate a true keyboard sound then you must adjust your "guitar" behavior. Every musical instrument not only has it's own sound but also has it own laws, rules, physics, touch and timbre which have to be respected. You can't bend, slur or cliché notes on a piano. But you can on guitar. Your sound will be more authentic if you don't do it. You'll only sound like a guitar player with a counterfeit keyboard sound if not aware of certain principles.
1mespud true, but I always advise people to be creative wherever possible. Do you think Kurt Cobain worried unduly regarding the physics of sound waves? of course not.
I have to applaud you for your honest review of the Electro Harmonix Key 9. You really took the time to tweek each of the different possibilities for each selection. Great job!!!
Great demo jin! Your video really covered the whole pedal and you love of music really shines through. Thanks for posting!
+beautifuldaymusic Thank you for your kind words: I appreciate you.
Wow exceptional vid. Thank you so much. I agree w every word u said and I've been waiting for a pedal like this to make my gtr playing sound like a keyboard.
thank you for the work, nice playing too
I might be getting this one as soon as I can!
Thanks very much for making such a thorough and thoughtful demo.
+Mike McKoy Thank you for checking it out and for the kind words.
Thank you for this fantastic demo!
+R.J. Horeski Thank you for checking it out.
I love the vibes sound seen on another Key 9 video. I'll buy the pedal just for that and work in the other effects. I checked with some of the big pedal companies and they said there was no way they could get a vibes sound from a single pedal. EHX did it. I play jazz guitar in a trio and this pedal will work great. Thanks for the video.
good in depth talk about the effect and usage.
Great job. Nice chops too. I picked up the C9 it definitely is a fun pedal to play. You're right, they can get pretty shrill and can be touchy. Just the option to turn your guitar into an organ and in this case electric piano is pretty awesome. Great demo again!
+Hendrix G No doubt. I've been using this for shows and am still figuring it out though I just appreciate that there are actual working pedals that exist where we get those options. I appreciate you checking out the video and thank you for your kind words.
great demo, thanks
Excellent, thank you !
I'm at 16.20 and I could listen to you just riff all day :)
+MarkThomasMusic Thank you. ;)
Awesome demo man
wonderful review
Thank you, Lucas.
Its so cool how you can just jam out on the guitar like that
+Killa Keem Rock on - I appreciate you.
Even though you play totally different (and much better) than me, your clip is an excellent way to get an impression of what works and what does not, instead of those slick EH demoes.Thanks a lot!
I kept skipping the monologues though ;-)
Evert. Thank you for your kind words. It's your right to skip over the dialogue. I put the start time in the video for a reason: I was very excited to see these pedals on the line and was essentially expressing that joy and a bit of backstory. I still think these are great pedals with a lot of great sounds.
Great stuff mate,I was looking exactly for a trial like this in a Jazzy/Fusion like contest,for the Key9.I am gonna use it with my Digitech Band Creator Plus,and I need something to lay E Piano layers,it seems to be right up to the job.I also share your opinions on what you said about some tonal ups and downs ,thanks you helped me a lot!
Thank you for giving this video a listen. A lot of cool sounds out of it, and the fact that it's polyphonic means it holds up for real applications. Have a great one.
You are an excellent musician!
+plod Thank you, Plod! I appreciate that.
Great video! I had the b9 for a while but i decided to send it back due to the fact that at a certain amount of volume the whole thing just didn´t work out for me. the clicking noise is just too much and (just like you said it) without that the whole effect looses its sound and ability to simulate the sound. Playing the pedal on a low volume is great! Big fun! Sadly that wasn´t the purpose...
Have fun!
+Billyvergissdasnicht I played my first show with it yesterday. I was flying blind with it - and going through a house pa. The "eighty eight" electric piano sounded more like a chorus pedal though it (that could have been because I didn't have access to the eq) though it was a show stopper - people gave me the most "compliments" (not that it's about that) when I used that setting. The organ effect I used (and not tweaked) I had a hard time with. I will keep trying though I get the feeling that the actual EPs and Tri-Glorious will be my bread and butter with this guy. Thank you for your post, Billy.
Great demo buddy.!! Glen Drover
great vid bro. greetings from germany !:)
+Max Peplinsky Thank you, Max!
Keep up the good playing........
+rrrrdavid1 Thank you!
Thanks for such a "depthy" review (I loved your choice of words there!) I was so looking forward to this… and what a missed opportunity. I own a B9, which I use in gigs and I love, plus several other EHX pedals, and I have to say after checking out a few YT demos and reading a few reviews I find the K9 very disappointing. There’s no single preset that remotely approximates what I consider a decent, basic Rhodes sound. The most usable preset appears to be the phased "Suitcase"... Most “models” just sound like guitar plus chorus/trem/phaser, and then there’s the “fun” sounds (mallets, vibes etc). Very limited use if you plan to emulate an electric piano. I’m sure other people will find this useful in different ways, of course, but I feel maybe the good people at EHX have rushed this one? I can only hope they’ll try again.
+xebio6 Yeah... I don't hear any Rhodes, and not much electric piano in general. I think Roland's GR55 probably does a much closer approximation of electric piano.
+xebio6 I think you have summarised it pretty succinctly. I have a few EHX pedals and bought the K9 looking for the Rhodes sound but..it's not there. As you say, very limited use if you want to emulate an electric piano
xebio6 would you guys recommend the synth 9 ?
Really Enjoyed this Demo & your Jazzy Playing. Leave it to: Electro Harmonix to come-up with Cool and Unique Pedals & Effects. Mike Matthews ( and his team ) @ EHX have been Pioneer's for many Years - allowing Us Guitar Players to have as-much-fun as the Synth Players. - Michael Caz - NYC -
isiah kendall,i own the C9 and it works well with my acoustic guitars,piezo albeit,mic up through a preamp ,prefferably tube ,and you've a super set up,two amps for a nice stereo effect,i make amps ,so i have a few for my own use,but ,yep acoustic sounds great.i take it the EHX pedals of this type will use the same electronics with slight differences in the phaseing and oscillators etc,but very much the same .
enjoy .
Mate, you should be a musical genius!
Hey This is so great, thanks for this video. I was wondering if you ve been able to play a Mel 9 from ehx. If so, what do you think? Thanks in advance
+Bekafunky Unfortunately I haven't been able to play it yet. It sounds like it'd be a pretty cool option to have on the board. I thought the EHX demo was pretty cool though I'm always curious of how they sound with my set up. Keep me posted on it if you're able to play with it.
Good Work with the review, your very brave to be the first, thank you so much for sharing with all of us, i to admire the Fender Rhodes sound ( i get it with a GR55, but to many tracking issues ), this effect intrigues me, are you using the front pickup for this demo ?, also i'm a Jazz Head, I'm really into Bill Evans.
+Stacey Carras Thank you, Stacey. I used the neck pickup for all of this demo until the very end where I switched to the bridge for the steel drum effect. Thank you for checking it out and for the kind words.
Nice demo, so at one point you said its pretty boomy if you dont roll back on the bass.
I'm primarily looking at this pedal to cop some piano/organ chord sounds in a fusion band that already has a guitar player. I know its obviously not going to sound exactly like having a keyboard player but want to know if it cuts the mustard in a band setting?
It's really tough to say. I've not been using it as much when I do play live, though when I do, I use it for specific reasons. If you put a distortion or overdrive after it, it takes on a nice lead synth sound. It seems to like amps better than PAs, though that just be how I use it. I think it's a cool pedal to have and everyone kind of has to find what they feel it does and best and stick with it. I've primarily used it in a solo setting though when I've had duo work I've used it and liked it for chords and solos. Hope that answers your question.
You could put a 10 band mxr eq just before the c9 to tweak low mids
Great video. Good insights
Question: how is the "88" piano patch. Can a guitar player play Piano parts ?
How realistic playing Billy Joel, Elton John, Piano ballads, or something like Journey "Don't Stop Believing"
+johnnymegabyte I personally do not use the 88 much. As for if they sound realistic, that's tough to say. For me, it's about getting consistency. They touch on an ep sound under the right circumstances but it's more of a hint instead of a recreation.
Hi! Nice video! I'm a gypsy jazz player, I want to ask you something, do you know if the key9 works well in a classic guitar with nylon strings?
Hi Ariel. That's a great question. Honestly I hadn't thought to try until now. I have an Ibanez Classical with a piezo pickup. Today I sat with it to give it a few sounds. Personally I wasn't liking the combination. Unlike the magnetic pickup which the Key 9 tracks very smoothly, the piezo pickup tracks well for midrange and high notes though the bass notes get a bit lost, especially with the Dynamo which has a low bass octave that kind of turns into "clicks". I think if someone sat with it and really tweaked it you could get some decent sounds though a preliminary try with my classical and I think I'll stick to electrics. If you end up trying it tell me what you find out. Thank you.
Great, thak you for your answer. I guess I should try in a shop with my guitar and my amp to find out if thes sounds convince me enough.
Thanks for such in depth review - and great playing - this pedals sounds very convincing as far as tracking goes - in jazz context. I tried B9 with Telecaster at the store when it first came out but I was getting a lot of squeaky artifacts - it was hard to be musical with that. Like you I always loved electric piano sound so Key 9 sounds very very interesting to me. Your point about light touch is probably the key. I did not get your chain description - maybe you could add it to the video comment. If I get Key 9 I may run occasional autowah (3LeafAudio GR2) as first pedal - it has Blend knob so you can nicely dial down the quack to the point it gives you nice rounded vocal inflection.
Couple questions:
Key 9 is not true bypass - when bypassed - do you hear it messing up with your tone?
Does it work for you as replacement for chorus or tremolo - eg. if you put a lot of Dry signal into mix?
Is there any issue of volume jump/loss when pedal is engaged?
+woland99 Thank you for the kind words. Signal chain for this video I only used an EH Freeze pedal but didn't use my pedal board. I wanted to focus only on the Key 9 so it was less about everything else. Otherwise it was guitar direct into an old Presonus Tubepre (V1) and then into the Presonus AudioBox 22VSL. Outside of a hair of reverb no other effects were utilized. Also even though the pedal is not true bypass I don't detect it when it's not engaged. Many people who use the Microsynth feel that is a problem in regards to tone tone loss though I don't have any issues with it. I've totally made it a staple my live rig and after playing a lot of shows with it and working out "the kinks" really like it. I still do use my chorus pedal (MXR Black Label) though I think that's just because of preference though truth is I had a Octave Pedal (an old Boss OC-2 and Boss CS-3 compressor) in the loop that I was able to retire: the Key sounds way more usable for a bass and without the "flubs" from old analog octave sounds. I also had a phaser on the board that I ended up selling: it was a great one though just saw no need for it.
+jinjxmusic Thanks for reply. I am working on simplifying my board - although I am not yet on the level of complete "straight to amp" purity. I will do it when at jam session - no time/space to set up board. But for my own playing I like few pedals. My current setup will be fairly simple - 2LeafAudio Groove Regulator 2 autowah (our bass player loves funk so it is nice to have it - it can also be very subtle sounding effect - I never learned how to be creative on wah so autowah is better option for me), Boomerang E-155 chorus/delay (I have a bit of love hate with it - some nice featured like presets, very nice spacious sounding delay but chorus to me just does not have right EQ), EP Booster (ClinchFX custom box - EP part is always on and it has switchable clean boos), Strymon Flint reverb/tremolo (tremolo is nice - reverbe is OK although not the greatest spring reverb I heard - but Hall reverb is nice and can get big). The reason I was asking about tremolo and chorus on Key 9 is that if I get it I may bump E155 and maybe even Flint off the board. and put looper instead. I could play just with bass player.
BTW - talking about Pat Metheny (I am big fan of his music too - pretty much Pat and Kenny Burrell are my fav guitar players) - Pat uses stereo delay setup for chorus.
+woland99 Rock on. I use a looper and am a solo jazz guitarist and I think you will like the bass sounds for that purpose from the K9.
Also, you're right that Pat was the first guy who made the "delayed chorused" sound famous though not so much anymore. Pat doesn't use that stereo chorus, delay setup anymore. I've seen him multiple times over the years at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and he's slowly been changing going in a different direction.
I've read interviews that he's talked about a more "direct" sound with reverb as the focus instead of the two Lexicon Prime Time units that I don't think he even takes on tour anymore. He also started using the Bose L1 system around the Orchestrion period so his guitar sounds HUGE (there is a youtube video of him endorsing the Bose system).
I've also seen recent footage (youtube has taken it down) of him playing with Ron Carter with a Slaman Guitar with a Charlie Christian pickup and what looks like a Fender Deluxe Reverb. I believe he's made a conscious effort to move away from a processed thing and more "natural" - at least that what I think.
Seems like the first setting you played with didn't work that well with short duration notes-- they sounded pretty much like the guitar, not an organ. Organs probably need a little longer note duration for the sound to develop-- or at least some of them do. I'd be interested in a similar test with the Vibe and Marimba sounds, since they're more percussive I'm wondering if they'd work better, and I would probably use those sounds a lot as well...
I really dig the last suitcase one for sure. I'm into old school rock and like stuff like John Lords. Is that possible with any of these gadgets. Thank you for your time you play very well.
I'd give it a try. I think you'll be able to get the tones you want from it. I bought this one for a specific thing though it has some great tones that I wasn't expecting. Thank you for your kind words and have a good one.
What did you think of the tracking on your faster single note runs? Sounds like it might be a little behind your playing. Thanks
Hi Peter, I still would like to do a follow up video on this and hope to get that done soon.
In the mean time and to address your question, I think it tracks pretty fast. This video shows me brand new with the pedal. While I had the settings emulating the suggested settings I had the guitar volume on the pedal down during the recording. I find that the pedal needs at least some guitar mixed in to make the effects sound "real" and not so "gelatinous". With the guitar volume on the pedal to about 12 o'clock I think it makes a real difference. Hope that answers that question.
Yeah, thanks. You know, I actually bought one last night and used it in rehearsal. You're right - tracking is pretty decent. I was getting the same thing you were in the video, though - some drops and swells in the overall volume. I kinda felt like it had to do with my pick attack on the strings, but still experimenting. Your video had a lot to do with me buying one. You should hit up EHX for an endorsement!
Rock on. I think you'll get good use out of it. As I mentioned previously: I'd put the "dry" pedal volume at noon - it makes a huge difference and you don't have things dropping out so much.
Also it occurred to me too: technically speaking, the pedal "likes" when you have the volume maxed on your actual guitar. If that's what you do, you'll notice the difference there too. I don't really do that live: I prefer to have guitar volume at around 3 - that way I can use boosts to get louder and also, on occasion, use the actual volume knob to get a wiry lanky sound from the archtops. It takes some fooling around with to try and get it together though I still like having a "synth" sound on my pedal board. Good luck and keep me posted. ;)
P.S.: Also, Mike Matthews the founder of EHX saw the video when I first posted it. He sent me a personal message where he said a lot of nice things about my playing and gifted me an Electric Mistress pedal that I use a lot for recording. I think they're a great company and am glad they're putting out some great stuff for guitarists who want a wide range of sounds without drilling holes in our axes for "synth pickups". May they live forever.
How are you doing that sustain when you hit a chord and it stays ringing while you play lead over it? Is that a pedal?
thats the Freeze pedal he mentioned
Great demo. I enjoyed your noodling at Springfield Music but forgot where you said you play. Lets us know for those in the area. I need to take my wife on a date :)
+Lance Riffle Thank you, Lance - I'd love to see you and the wife out. I stay pretty active on my FB Music page and promote pretty tirelessly - if you're ever interested. facebook.com/jinjxmusic Thank you for the kind words.
How do you record your guitar and video and make it so clean ?
+1funkyangel I thank you for your post. Truth is, I'm using a presonus Tube pre and a presonus 22VSL. Keeping the tube pre from clipping can be tricky though I believe recording direct in like this is the way to get the cleanest of the clean instead of micing a tube amp. I'm using an old version of garageband so I'm able to do a bit of EQ after the fact though, for the most part, the secret is going direct. It's harder to record like this because it sounds so dry while doing it though if you can push through it typically sounds better when listening back and that's when you can add the good stuff. It also keeps buffering down if using an older computer like I was. I hope that helped: let me know if that makes sense.
Thank you for taking the time to explain that in such detail ! :)
I'd love to jam sometime next time i'm in springfield bro
Does this work well with acoustic electric guitars?
Hi Isiah. Truth is I couldnt' answer that. I have a classical and archtops though I don't currently own a steel string, flattop, acoustic at the moment. I'd assume it could: steel strings often have a stronger more balanced signal than classical when using piezo. It'd definitely be worth a try.
Thanks Ill let you know how it sounds! Is there anything else on the market that does this? I specifically wanted a nice "Rhodes" sound when I play.
Isiah Kendall oh yeah! believe bro!
Hi Jin. Excellent demo! Thou very thoughtful and complete, I didn't like the constant close up take on your "face". As a guitar player, a wider take letting viewers see more of the guitar and the way you play it would've been nicer. Anyway as I said, very nice.
Good review..and back story..it's good that you play jazz..mainly..but I think you should have played some songs,that actually use the type of sounds in the pedal..hope he u do some more videos playing other songs,and chords,with not just jazz riffs...play on!,,
+mastertung7 Thank you for the kind words! Also, I understand where you're coming from though truth is, I purposely stayed away from just playing riffs and licks - So many demos are done from the perspective of lead rock players so even the "clean" tones are distorted, a lot of rock bends and the like. I wanted to come from a different angle: true clean tones direct into a tube pre, focusing only on the sounds that notes make instead of something to genre specific. That way hopefully a listener doesn't hear "rock", or "blues" or any thing to heavy and can decide if they like the sounds. I may cook up some more though so I appreciate your perspective.
Thanks for the reply...yes its true..many reviews,focus on distortion(yukyuk)..its very..unpleasant..and overplayed imop...love the eps...rhodes and all..do more..playing..r and b chord type songs.
I wish you lived in Miami :( So I can jam with you
what kind of hollow body is that?
+NeonsDglow I am playing an Ibanez Artcore
Because of you, I bought one! Now my wife is pissed at me. :-(
+ThePacratz As long as you use it, she can't stay mad for long. I think you'll dig it. Let me know what you think.
With every one of these pedals I feel like there are only 1 or two sounds I would use. And oh how I wish they had been able to get a decent steel pan sound but that patch just sounds like crap.
+John Horne Hi John, I totally respect where you're coming from and, initially may have agreed with you though this pedal has had an unexpected "effect": it retired three or four other pedals on my board. I was using the Boss OC-2, a pedal that I thought sounded straight horrible. I had that in a looper with a Boss compressor CS-2 to try and help it produce a better sound. Took a lot of space and room for one "sound" that was pretty terrible. Some of the patches on the EH have an octave and it's actually usable so those two Boss pedals went away. Same with phaser: I don't really use it though had one on the board though some of the EH options have a built in tremolo and phaser. I was able to trim the herd and get sounds that are light years ahead of what I was using. So even though I only consistently use two of the sounds on the EH I feel the whole operation is streamlined. Well worth it in my opinion.
Yeah. It's definitely a cool pedal. I'm don't see me using it in its current state but if it could get a more convincing vibraphone or steel drum sound I'd be tempted. I'm sure the technology will get better and better - and I have to hand it to EHX for releasing such creative effects.