Stage-73 V

Synthesizers aren’t the only instruments that have shaped the history of electronic music. In fact, electronic pianos and organs played a huge role in defining the sounds of the 1960s and 1970s. Among them, the Rhodes electric piano was an extremely popular instrument, being used by artists such as The Doors, Herbie Hancock, Billy Preston, and Stevie Wonder.

If you want to add its unmistakable sound to your musical compositions, you needn’t spend thousands of dollars on an original physical model. Rather, you could use a well-designed emulation called Stage-73 V.

Part of Arturia’s V Collection, Stage-73 V doesn’t disappoint in terms of sounds and interface design. The application contains two versions of the instrument, labeled Stage and Suitcase; although they sound quite similar, they offer slightly different controls and parameters.

The sound of the piano can be processed by up to four effect units and a volume/wah pedal. The Stage version comes with a separate amp that can be turned on and off, while the Suitcase version has an integrated amp right under the keyboard. Even though the Stage amplifier is way more versatile, the Suitcase version has more controls attached to the piano itself, including separate sliders for bass and treble, but also two knobs that adjust the speed and intensity of a vibrato effect.

When you open the advanced panel, you gain access to a few more knobs that allow you to adjust parameters such as tone bar resonance, pickup alignment, tuning, dynamics, and hammer hardness. Moreover, the instrument comes loaded with a few presets that showcase its capabilities; feel free to tweak them and add their sounds to your compositions.

I can only conclude that Arturia has again made great use of its advanced physical modeling technology. Stage-73 is a versatile instrument, no matter if you want to use it as a retro plugin or as a modern musical tool.