jRhodes3D for Nord instruments
1977 Rhodes Mark I Stage 73, full-length samples - Nord nsmp3 format
6MB file
Source: https://github.com/jlearman/nord-jRhodes3d
The jRhodes3 sampleset has 5 velocity layers, but sadly Nord user samples are
limited to a single velocity layer. I selected the middle layer, more or less.
Some samples have tuning adjusted so that they layer nicely with the NE6
EP8 Nefertiti Rhodes. I set the jRhodes at dynamics level 2 and Nefertiti
at dynamics level 3, so that Nefertiti provides the growl when I dig in.
I set Nefertiti level 3 dB lower than the jRhodes.
Two versions are provided:
- jRhodes4d-st.nsmp3 - DYNAMICS not enabled, so no velocity-based filter
- jRhodes4d-st-dynamic.nsmp3 - DYNAMICS enabled, so less LPF with higher velocities.
I use the non-dynamic version, which when layered with Nefertiti, is more realistic.
The rest of this page was duplicated from the jRhodes3d sfz sampleset.
jRhodes3 is my sampling of my 1977 Rhodes Mark I Stage 73 electric piano, which I purchased new back in 1978. This sample set is not intended to be a jack-of-all-trades Rhodes, but rather, it's how I usually set up and used my Rhodes. It was recorded with EQ, with a treble boost and low-mid scoop, emphasizing the bell tones, and with substantial bark on the higher velocity layers. There are 5 layers, sampled to peak at 3dB difference per layer at on the low notes and to maintain volume throughout each layer. Not all layers are full-keyboard width, as higher notes don't change timbre as much.
The set includes 67 16-bit full-length samples, with up to 5 velocity layers, sampling every 4th white key. The samples were recorded directly from the harp connector. Samples are encoded in lossless FLAC format to reduce disk space.
jRhodes3d has UNlooped full-length samples (up to 25 sec), with mono and two stereo effect options. In each case, it's provided with and without velocity crossfade. (Velocity crossfade blends velocity layers to make timbre transition more smoothly with velocity. However, this also causes some phase issues in low notes, so you get your choice.)
- The stereo effect is a mild pitch-shift doubling to create a stereo image, applied in mid-side effect so that it cancels out when summed to mono.
- The stereo vibrato effect is similar to the classic Suitcase Rhodes stereo vibrato, except that the vibrato applies to each note individually rather than the whole mix. This makes it sound very different from the classic effect, but nonetheless it's a very interesting effect.
The width for either of these effects is controlled via the MOD wheel. MOD wheel at zero is mono; at 50% gives 100% stereo, and pushed higher you get "extra stereo."
ISSUES: IF you have an issue, please open an issue on this github: github.com/sfzinstruments/jlearman.jRhodes3d .
If you would like a combined SFZ that has mono, stereo and stereo vibrato as programs, open an issue.
provides "extra stereo". When you load the soundfont, you get 100% stereo by default, and if you move the MOD wheel, it adjusts accordingly.
Six .szf files are included:
- _jRhodes3d-mono.sfz - mono only
- _jRhodes3d-mono-no-xfade.sfz - mono only, without velocity crossfades
- _jRhodes3d-st.sfz - stereo effect
- _jRhodes3d-st-no-xfade.sfz - stereo effect, without velocity crossfades
- _jRhodes3d-sv.sfz - stereo vibrato effect
- _jRhodes3d-sv-no-xfade.sfz - stereo vibrato effect, without velocity crossfades
(The sfz files can be found in the corresponding folders.)
Click the green "Code" button above, and choose "Download ZIP". Unpack the .zip file into a folder of your choice, and load the result into your sample player. I use Sforzando, which supports FLAC. You only need the jSteelDrum-flac-sfz folder and its contents. The .sfz file in there is what you load into your player.
In addition to the .sfz files in this folder, each sample folder also has two .sfz files (one with crossfades and one without), so if you only want one version, you can simply drag that folder wherever you want and it will have everything you need (but these instructions.)
The samples were recorded around 2006, from a Rhodes I had bought new in 1978. The samples were recorded directly from the harp connector, with EQ applied to give the tone I usually used, enhancing the bell-like quality and carving out low mids. The stereo samples have a stereo image added to by applying a 2 cent pitch shift, using mid-side technique so the effect cancels completely when summed to mono. Noise was removed from the samples using CoolEdit 96.
This is not intended to be the authentic original unprocessed Rhodes; it's intended to be what I wanted the Rhodes to sound like most of the time.
Regarding the naming convention: the 3 is because this was my third sampling attempt. (The first was a single-velocity sampling for dev test purposes only. The second was aborted for technical reasons I don't recall.) The "d" identifies this as the 4th attempt at processing the samples or mapping the keyboard.
The "d" mono samples are identical to the "c" samples but full-length.
I lost the original sample recordings in a home fire, but fortunately I did have distribution copies of the original looped and unlooped soundfont files, and these sample sets are recreated from them.