An electric piano is a musical instrument that has a piano -style musical keyboard , where sound is produced by means of mechanical hammers striking metal strings or reeds or wire tines, which leads to vibrations which are then converted into electrical signals by pickups (either magnetic, electrostatic, or piezoelectric). The pickups are connected to an instrument amplifier and loudspeaker to reinforce the sound sufficiently for the performer and audience to hear. Unlike a synthesizer , the electric piano is not an electronic instrument . Instead, it is an electro-mechanical instrument. Some early electric pianos used lengths of wire to produce the tone, like a traditional piano. Smaller electric pianos used short slivers of steel to produce the tone (a lamellophone with a keyboard & pickups). The earliest electric pianos were invented in the late 1920s; the 1929 Neo- Bechstein electric grand piano was among the first. Probably the earliest stringless model was Lloyd Loar 's Vivi-Tone Clavier. A few other noteworthy producers of electric pianos include Baldwin Piano and Organ Company, and the Wurlitzer Company.
85-718: The Hohner Pianet is a type of electro-mechanical piano built by the Hohner company of Trossingen , West Germany and designed by Ernst Zacharias . The Pianet was a variant of his earlier reed-based Hohner electric piano, the Cembalet , which, like the Pianet, was intended for home use. Hohner offered both keyboards in their range until 1968. The Pianet production consisted of two distinctly different mechanism groups with characteristically different sound. The first group, lasting from introduction to 1977, had ground stainless steel reeds,
170-518: A Urethane foam damper behind the leather surface. This decomposed with age, making the pads unusable. Hohner intended the pads to be a service-replaceable item (like the strings of a guitar), and sold spares while the instrument was in production. After the supply ran out, restorers and players had to create their own pads. The second group of Pianets, the T and M, used silicone rubber for their pads. They have aged extremely well and are still functional in most keyboards, as of 2012. The silicone pads of
255-411: A high-pass filter , while "Medium" and "Soft" activate a low-pass filter . The two right switches are marked "AB" and "CD" and control which pickups are selected. On the right was a mechanical mute slider. The final E7 and Clavinet Duo models reflected several engineering improvements to make the instrument more suitable for loud stage use, including improved shielding to avoid electrical noise. The E7
340-530: A Clavinet include Steely Dan 's " Kid Charlemagne " and Fleetwood Mac 's " You Make Loving Fun ". Lachy Doley uses the Clavinet (with the Castle Bar modification, similar to a guitar's whammy bar ) as one of his main instruments. His YouTube videos showing him use the mod's tremolo arm have gone viral. He bought his first Clavinet second-hand aged 17 for $ 150; the modification had already been made at
425-557: A Clavinet on several songs, such as his own " Outa-Space " (1972) and the Rolling Stones ' " Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker) " (1973). Herbie Hancock featured the Clavinet prominently on the albums Head Hunters (1973) and Man-Child (1975), and both he and Chick Corea regularly played the instrument. The first reggae recording to feature the Clavinet was the Termites' "Attractive Girl" (1967). Bob Marley and
510-423: A Clavinet when playing with Frank Zappa and solo, using the Castle Bar modification. Peter Hammill used the Clavinet as his main keyboard instrument on Van der Graaf Generator 's Godbluff (1975). Led Zeppelin 's John Paul Jones played a Clavinet on " Trampled Under Foot ", as did Daryl Dragon on Captain & Tennille 's " Love Will Keep Us Together " (both 1975). Late seventies hit singles to feature
595-470: A black case in the style of a Clavinet E7. The Duo has a rectangular case profile with rounded corners and a removable lid to protect the keys and control surface for transport. Samples can be found with both versions of the name: Pianet Clavinet Duo and Clavinet Pianet Duo. The control panels at the left hand end of the instrument include keyboard splits and mixtures of the two instruments as well as normal Clavinet mixture controls. Early Pianets were used on
680-437: A case profile with a taper towards the front. It has tapered rectangular cross-section legs forming an inverted 'V' that mount to the ends of the case and are secured by a large, threaded knob. The legs are wood-grain to match the case. The legs are braced by a gold cross-bar towards the base of the rear legs. It has a gold hammertone painted aluminum fascia panel below the keys with a lock fitted centrally. This panel also performs
765-410: A case side profile with a taper towards the front. It has tapered cylindrical wooden legs that mount to the underside of the case. It has a gold hammertone painted aluminum fascia panel below the keys. This panel also performs the key-leveling function. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. The word 'Pianet' appears in gold facing upward on the left hand end of the music support ledge. The ledge includes
850-407: A clavinet comes from the impact of the pad striking its anvil point against the string. This makes the keyboard weighted which allows a different volume for each note like a piano and clavichord, along with aftertouch as the string is stretched. The end of each string farthest from the pick-ups passes through a weave of yarn, which damps the vibrating string after a key is released. Each string
935-484: A distinctive bell-like tone, fuller than the Wurlitzer, with longer sustain and with a "growl" when played hard. The Hohner Pianet uses adhesive pads made from an undressed leather surface cushioned by a foam rubber backing. The leather is saturated with a viscous silicone oil to adhere to and pluck metal reeds. When the key is released, the pad acts as a damper. An electrostatic pickup system similar to Wurlitzer's
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#17327988335711020-415: A group of students using headphones. The term "Electric piano" can refer to several different instruments which vary in their sound-producing mechanisms and consequent timbral characters. Yamaha , Baldwin , Helpinstill and Kawai 's electric pianos are actual grand or upright pianos with strings and hammers. The Helpinstill models have a traditional soundboard; the others have none, and are more akin to
1105-458: A home instrument to one that was practical to play on stage. Around 38,000 units were manufactured in total. The Clavinet I was the first model to be introduced in 1964. It is housed in a heavy brown teak veneer box with a bronze front panel stating the model number, covering the tuning pegs on the front. The panel can be removed with two thumb screws in order to tune the instrument with a rectangular case profile. A lockable lid can be folded over
1190-546: A lump of solder at the free end of the reed. Replacement reeds are furnished with a slight excess of solder, and thus tuned "flat"; the user is required – by repeated trial and error – to gradually file off the excess solder until the correct tuning is achieved. The Columbia Elepian (also branded as Maestro), the Brazilian-made Valente, and the Hohner Electra-Piano use a reed system similar to
1275-453: A modesty panel. There is a piano-like volume pedal fixed on a timber extension from the modesty panel. The optional amplifier unit available for the N model is mounted underneath the keyboard between the legs. Vibrato effect is standard. Approximate manufacturing span 1968–1977 The Pianet N (second variant) has a case side-profile with a taper towards the front. It has tapered rectangular cross-section legs forming an inverted 'V' that mount to
1360-403: A nickname) use flat steel reeds struck by felt hammers. The reeds fit within a comb-like metal plate, and the reeds and plate together form an electrostatic or capacitive pickup system. This system produces a very distinctive tone – sweet and vibraphone -like when played gently, and developing a hollow resonance as the keys are played harder. The reeds are tuned by adding or removing mass from
1445-571: A number of hit recordings from the 1960s and 1970s, including " She's Not There " by The Zombies ; " Louie Louie " by The Kingsmen ; " I Am the Walrus ", " Getting Better ", " The Night Before ", " Tell Me What You See ", " You Like Me Too Much " by The Beatles ; " This Guy's in Love With You " by Herb Alpert ; " These Eyes " by The Guess Who ; and " Joy to the World " by Three Dog Night . In
1530-438: A pair of Pianets in live performance, played both by the group's violinist David Cross , and the guitarist, Robert Fripp . Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks used the Pianet prominently in the group's early career, as a lead instrument through a homemade fuzz box . Fleetwood Mac 's Christine McVie was a noted proponent of the Pianet N and Combo Pianet from the first group of products. In an article written by Bob Doerschuk in
1615-463: A pick-up using variable capacitance, and leather-faced activation pads. The second group from 1977 until the end of production used rolled spring-steel reeds, electro-magnetic pick-ups, and moulded silicone rubber activation pads. The Hohner Pianet is an electro-mechanical instrument, and needs to be connected to an amplifier to produce an audible sound. It had 61 keys ranging from F1 to F6 (43.6 Hz – 1396.9 Hz). Later models had 60 keys, missing
1700-454: A pick-up. The resulting sound has a complex mixture of harmonics when the reed is first struck, which later reduces to a cleaner sustained tone. Early Pianets feature a knee lever volume control. The early 1960s Pianets (Pianet, Pianet C, Pianet CH, and Pianet N) featured lids which opened in an upright 'V' to form a music stand. This feature was introduced on Cembalets and became common to both instruments. The C and N models were equipped with
1785-530: A popular combination of keyboards at the time. A number of D6-labeled instruments were made in the E7-style case and include D6 logos on the control panel and the removable tuning cover. These are known as D6-N models, the "N" denoting "new". The Clavinet Duo model was first produced in 1978. It combined a clavinet with the Hohner Pianet T in one compact, albeit heavy, instrument. A foot switch allows
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#17327988335711870-429: A routed recess for the bottom of the music. It has a valve pre-amplifier and a knee lever for volume control. Approximate manufacturing span 1963–1965 The Pianet C has a case side profile with a taper towards the front. It has tapered cylindrical wooden legs that mount to the underside of the case. It has a gold hammertone painted aluminum fascia panel below the keys with a lock fitted centrally. This panel also performs
1955-584: A similar model. In the 1980s and 1990s replacement parts for clavinets became harder to find, as Hohner had ceased to support them, and the price for second-hand models dropped. In 1999, Clavinet enthusiast Aaron Kipness established the website clavinet.com, and started manufacturing replacement hammer tips with his stepfather. The website quickly became popular with worldwide orders for replacement parts. Subsequently, Hohner asked Kipness if he would be interested in buying all remaining stock. The website encouraged other people to begin to manufacture spares, and there
2040-431: A solid state preamplifier that allows a line level output to be fed to an amplifier. The volume of the preamplifier can be set by a control to the left of the keyboard. The Clavinet was designed by German engineer Ernst Zacharias . He grew up listening to Bach harpsichord music, which led him to design a comparable modern instrument. He joined Hohner in 1954, at a time when it was struggling with manufacturing after
2125-483: A solid-body electric guitar . On Yamaha's pianos, such as the CP-70 the vibration of the strings is converted to an electrical signal by piezoelectric pickups under the bridge. Helpinstill's instruments use a set of electromagnetic pickups attached to the instrument's frame. All these instruments have a tonal character similar to that of an acoustic piano. Wurlitzer electronic pianos (sometimes called "Wurli" as
2210-598: A stepped rectangular case side profile with no lid. It has straight black tubular steel legs that mount to the underside of the case. It has a black painted aluminum fascia panel below the keys. This panel also performs the key-leveling function. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. It has a transistorised pre-amplifier and amplifier and a knee lever for volume control. It plays through two small internal speakers or through an external amplifier. Available as model L – mains voltage, and model LB – powered by 5 'D' batteries. Approximate manufacturing span 1965–1968 The Pianet N has
2295-605: A teenager, and studied electrical engineering at the University of Kiel . He began working for Hohner in 1954 after meeting designer Siegfried Mager. The Pianet evolved through a number of model changes. These included both self-amplified versions and versions that required the use of an external amplifier and speaker. The most popular model, the Pianet N (denoting "natural wood finish"), evolved through two different specifications. The N had side-mounted ‘inverted-V’ legs, and could be equipped with an optional 12-watt valve amplifier,
2380-400: A vibrato circuit operated by a switch mounted next to the keyboard. The N models used a variable-resistance volume pedal cabled to a socket on the rear of the keyboard. The Pianet evolved from the earlier Cembalet , introduced in 1958. Both instruments were designed by Ernst Zacharias . Zacharias became interested in keyboard instruments such as the clavichord , harpsichord and organ as
2465-456: Is a particularly popular setup when playing funk. Other suitable stomp boxes that can be used with a Clavinet include phaser or chorus . The early Clavinet I and II models were not designed for stage use, and would easily cause audio feedback if plugged into a loud amplifier. Later models such as the D6 resolved this issue with better string damping. The pickups are unshielded, which increases
2550-429: Is amplified through electromagnetic pickups, circuitry and a speaker system, making it the world's first commercially available electric piano. Many types were initially designed as a less-expensive alternative to an acoustic piano for home or school use. Some electric pianos were designed with multiple keyboards that could be connected for use in school or college piano labs, so that teachers could simultaneously instruct
2635-603: Is an amplifier housing with a sloped front face and two player facing cloth speaker-grills. An acrylic music rest slots into the top of this housing. The leg panels are wood-grained boards finished with a timber foot and joined by a horizontal wood grained panel. The word 'Hohner' is printed in gold centrally above the keys. The model 'Pianet – M' is printed on the amplifier cover panel at the rear. Built in Hohner Modulator, another invention of Ernst Zacharias. Approximate manufacturing span 1978–1983 This hybrid model uses
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2720-447: Is covered in black vinyl leathercloth and the upper surface of the instrument is teak veneer, which was cheaper to manufacture. The instrument came with a removable lid used for transporting, which also had space to store the music stand. The D6 allowed a more versatile sound election, which could be selected by six rocker switches to the left of the keyboard. The left four switches are concerned with tone; "Brilliant" and "Treble" activate
2805-519: Is essentially an electric clavichord . A rubber pad under each key presses the string onto a metal anvil, causing the "fretted" portion of the string to vibrate. This is detected by a series of pickups, which convert them into an electrical signal. Hohner Clavinet The Clavinet is an electric clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen , West Germany , from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds with rubber pads, each matching one of
2890-420: Is now a cottage industry around keeping the Clavinet in playing condition. In 2018, a Clavinet in pristine condition could sell for about $ 2,000. Though some musicians insist on using a real Clavinet, many modern keyboards provide a suitable emulation. The Nord Stage features the various pickup switch combinations, but not the mute slider. Ticky Clav 2 is a software emulation of the instrument, providing all
2975-402: Is produced by a harp of 60 tensioned steel strings placed diagonally below the key surface. Each key pivots on a fulcrum point at the rear, with a spring to return it. Beneath each key, a metal holder grips a small rubber pad. Pressing a key forces the pad to fret the string like a hammer on on a guitar. An electro-magnetic pickup turns the string vibration into an electric current. The feel of
3060-453: Is tuned by a machine-head positioned along the front of the harp. This harp mechanism is different from the other Hohner keyboard instruments, the Cembalet and Pianet , which have pads plucking metal reeds . Most clavinets have two sets of pickups encased in epoxy in a plastic case, positioned above and below the strings. These are conceptually similar to a neck and bridge pickup on a guitar. The Clavinet has pickup selector switches, and
3145-461: Is used. The tone produced resembles that of the Wurlitzer but brighter and with less sustain, largely owing to the design having no sustain pedal mechanism. The same firm's " Cembalet " uses rubber plectra and separate urethane foam dampers but is otherwise almost identical. Hohner's later "Pianet T" uses silicone rubber suction pads rather than adhesive pads and replaces the electrostatic system with passive electromagnetic pickups similar to those of
3230-533: The Wurlitzer . The first prototype model, the Claviphon, was manufactured in 1961. It used the string harp found on later production models, with a Pianet keyboard. Seven different models of the Clavinet were produced from 1964 to 1982. Originally, Hohner intended the instrument for home use and for late Medieval, Baroque and early classical music. The changes reflected Hohner's transition from marketing as
3315-442: The Wurlitzer electric piano , which has a related reed-based mechanism for generating sound but is typically much heavier, requires more maintenance than the Pianet, and is overall more expensive. Following the end of production, replacement parts for Pianets became progressively harder to find because they were no longer being supported by Hohner. The principal problem was the activation pads for 1960s-manufactured models, which used
3400-439: The glam rock era, the Pianet was used by Bryan Ferry on the first few Roxy Music albums, for instance featuring prominently in their hit " Editions of You ". It was a staple of the "classic lineup" sound of Curved Air (1970–1972), featuring prominently on their first 3 albums, played by both guitarist/keyboardist Francis Monkman and violinist Darryl Way . The 1972–74 lineup of progressive rock pioneers King Crimson used
3485-520: The 1956 sessions included on his second album Super Sonic Jazz (a.k.a. Super Sonic Sounds ). The popularity of the electric piano began to grow in the late 1950s after Ray Charles 's 1959 hit record " What'd I Say ", reaching its height during the 1970s, after which they were progressively displaced by more lightweight electronic pianos capable of piano-like sounds without the disadvantages of electric pianos' heavy weight and moving mechanical parts . Another factor driving their development and acceptance
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3570-650: The Amplifier CP, which mounted below the unit in front of the player's knees. The Pianet soon found popularity with music groups of the 1960s, including the Beatles , the Zombies and Manfred Mann . This led to Hohner to producing the Combo Pianet model in 1972. It was designed for the performing musician, without legs, and intended to be placed on top of another instrument. In 1977, Hohner began producing
3655-466: The October 1980 issue of Contemporary Keyboard she outlined why she preferred the sound of the 1960s Pianets and why she eventually replaced them. The Pianet is enjoying a renaissance (e.g. Bugge Wesseltoft 's Change ) due to its unique sound and the availability of new pads for the earlier models, most of which had been reduced to unplayability due to pad decay. It is also popular as a substitute for
3740-590: The Rhodes Mark 7, followed by an offering from Vintage Vibe . The Neo-Bechstein electric piano was built in 1931. The Vierlang-Forster electric piano was introduced in 1937. The RCA Storytone electric piano was built in 1939 in a joint venture between Story & Clark and RCA. The case was designed by John Vassos , the American industrial designer. It debuted at the 1939 World's Fair. The piano has normal strings and hammer action but no soundboard. The sound
3825-548: The Rhodes. The Pianet T has a far mellower sound not unlike that of the Rhodes instruments. None of the above instruments have the facility for a sustain pedal . A close copy of the Cembalet is the "Weltmeister Claviset", also marketed as the " Selmer Pianotron". This has electromagnetic pickups with a battery-powered preamplifier, and later models have multiple tone filters and a sustain pedal. Although not technically pianos,
3910-522: The Suette Piano, another reed electric piano that was made in Brazil in the 1980s. The tuning fork here refers to the struck element having two vibrating parts. In Fender Rhodes instruments, the struck portion of the "fork" is a tine of stiff steel wire. The other part of the fork, parallel and adjacent to the tine, is the tonebar, a sturdy steel bar which acts as a resonator and adds sustain to
3995-481: The T & M are not suitable for the 1960s Pianets. Their adhesion properties don't suit the ground reeds of the first group of instruments, and they produce a static discharge that is amplified by the capacitive pick-up of the instrument. In the 2000s, a number of businesses took up the servicing and maintenance of vintage keyboards, so pads suitable for both groups of Pianets are now available. The mechanical structure of keys, pivot rail, reeds, reed bar and pick-up are
4080-534: The Wailers ' " Could You Be Loved " (1980) is driven by a Clavinet riff played by Earl Lindo , as is Wonder's Marley-influenced track " Master Blaster (Jammin') ", played by Wonder himself. The Band 's Garth Hudson played a Clavinet fed through a wah-wah pedal on " Up on Cripple Creek " (1969). Keith Emerson played the instrument on Emerson, Lake & Palmer 's cover of " Nut Rocker ", heard on 1971's Pictures at an Exhibition . George Duke regularly used
4165-542: The Wurlitzer but with electromagnetic pickups similar to the Rhodes piano . In 2015, Brazilian inventor Tiago Valente created the first prototype of the Valente Electric Piano, an electromechanical instrument where the hammers strike reeds, similar to the ones used in a Wurlitzer. In 2020, the Valente Electric Piano was launched commercially; at the time of launch, Valente said that he took inspiration from
4250-423: The actual electro-mechanical instruments in the 2010s, due to the small size, light weight, and versatility of digital instruments, which can produce a huge range of tones besides piano tones (e.g., emulations of Hammond organ sounds, synthesizer sounds, etc.). However, some performers still perform and record with vintage electric pianos. In 2009, Rhodes produced a new line of electro-mechanical pianos, known as
4335-411: The brand name for electronic and digital keyboards. The "Clavinet DP" was applied to a range of digital pianos . Though Zacharias approved of the instrument, they were designed for the home market, and made no attempt to emulate the original. The Castle Bar is an aftermarket device invented by Buddy Castle in the mid-1970s that connects the strings to a rotating bridge, which is fixed to a rod on top of
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#17327988335714420-504: The clavinet on Bill Oddie 's song " The Funky Gibbon " performed by The Goodies . Oddie recalled that MacRae's playing had a "very Stevie Wonder-type feel to it ... And then I literally started whacking the top of the grand piano. So the actual rhythm-track of 'The Funky Gibbon' has only got me and Dave on it." The Clavinet was used in funk music, often played through a wah-wah pedal. It can be heard on Bill Withers ' " Use Me " and Funkadelic 's "A Joyful Process". Billy Preston used
4505-592: The company factories had been seized by the Nazis during World War II . Zacharias revitalised the company's product range, introducing the Cembalet and Pianet . He was particularly interested in producing an electric clavichord , and discovered that striking a hammer tip across a string mounted on an anvil allowed the player to hit the keys more forcefully and gain greater volume. He was interested in using metal keypads and plastic keys as an alternative to wooden frames and action that had been used on electric pianos such as
4590-578: The design and development of the original instrument for the Cannon Guild Company, a premier harpsichord maker located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This instrument had an aluminium bar frame, a spruce wood soundboard, bar magnetic pickups, and a Plexiglas (clear plastic) openable lid. The prototypes and design were sold to Baldwin who made some modifications, and then manufactured the instrument under their own name. Hohner's " Clavinet "
4675-410: The ends of the case and are secured by a large threaded knob. The legs are satin black. The legs are braced by a black cross bar towards the base of the rear legs. It has a gold hammertone painted aluminum fascia panel below the keys with a lock fitted centrally. This panel also performs the key-leveling function. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. The word 'Pianet N' appears in gold facing forward on
4760-420: The ends of the case. The keys are injection-moulded plastic over pressed metal frames. The words 'Pianet T' are screen printed in silver on the rear of the case and on the inside surface of the lid. Approximate manufacturing span 1977–1983 The Pianet M has the Pianet T mechanism built into a rectilinear wood grain console case. There is no lid over the keys. Sitting above the box that holds the playing mechanism
4845-440: The features found on the original boards. The Clavinet is strongly associated with Stevie Wonder , particularly his 1972 number-one hit " Superstition ", where it provides the main riff and accompaniment to the song. The track features multiple Clavinet C overdubs, and requires Wonder and another keyboardist to play on two Clavinets simultaneously to recreate the arrangement in live performances. Wonder began to use Clavinets in
4930-519: The following are electric harpsichords and clavichords. Baldwin's "Solid-Body Electric Harpsichord" or "Combo Harpsichord" is an aluminum-framed instrument of fairly traditional form, with no soundboard and with two sets of electromagnetic pickups, one near the plectra and the other at the strings' midpoint. The instrument's sound has something of the character of an electric guitar, and has occasionally been used to stand in for one in modern chamber music . Roger Penney of Bermuda Triangle Band worked on
5015-402: The ground finish of the earlier type to a smooth milled finish, making them incompatible with earlier models. The new range of Pianets had a mellower sound than earlier models. While it could not lend it itself well to rock music, it was aligned more with musical tastes of the time, such as the sound of a Rhodes through a chorus pedal . It was advertised as being practical and portable, but this
5100-428: The instrument. This makes it possible to bend the pitch , in a similar manner to a tremolo arm on a guitar, by pressing the rod. The Clavinet can then be used in a very different manner, and it makes it a suitable lead instrument. There are upgraded reissues of the device available which are more reliable than the original. The Clavinet is often played through a wah wah pedal or fed through an auto wah box. This
5185-432: The key-leveling function. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. The word 'Pianet N' appears in gold facing forward on the left-hand face of the music support ledge. It has a transistorised pre-amplifier and a floor pedal volume control. An optional amplifier, the Amplifier CP, was available which mounted underneath the keyboard between the legs. It is a 12-watt valve amplifier with two inbuilt speakers and two inputs, one for
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#17327988335715270-403: The key-leveling function. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. The word 'Pianet' or 'Pianet C' appears in gold facing upward on the left hand end of the music support ledge. The ledge includes a routed recess for the bottom of the music. It has a transistorised pre-amplifier, a knee lever for volume control and optional vibrato effect. Approximate manufacturing span 1963–1968 The Pianet L has
5355-404: The keyboard and one for a record player. Vibrato effect is standard. This variant can be seen on the cover of a Hohner demonstration record for the Pianet. It has an upper case profile with a taper towards the front. It has a gold hammertone painted aluminum fascia panel below the keys with a lock fitted centrally. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. It stands on two shaped panel legs joined by
5440-478: The keyboard when the instrument is not being played. The instrument is supported by four wooden legs fitted to the main body by threaded knobs, and secured with a crossbar brace. There is a built-in battery-powered speaker and amplifier, but there also the option to use an external amplifier via a jack socket. The only controls on the Clavinet I are volume and two tablet switches that selected a relevant combination of pickups. A bent rod music stand pegs into two holes on
5525-501: The keys and responding to a keystroke by striking a given point on a tensioned string, and was designed to resemble the Renaissance-era clavichord. Although originally intended for home use, the Clavinet became popular on stage, and could be used to create electric guitar sounds on a keyboard. It is strongly associated with Stevie Wonder , who used the instrument extensively, particularly on his 1972 hit " Superstition ", and
5610-414: The keys. The Pianet T has a rectangular case profile with rounded corners and a hinged integral lid with central handle. With the lid latched closed the instrument forms its own carry case. The body of the case is covered with black vinyl leathercloth and the ends are padded with vinyl-skinned urethane foam. There are no legs supplied as standard. An optional stand can be fixed to threaded mounting points on
5695-669: The keys. This panel also performs the key-leveling function. The keys are injection-moulded plastic. The words 'Combo Pianet' are screen printed in black on the left end of the fascia. It has a transistorised pre-amplifier and a volume control knob is fitted at the left end of the keyboard. Approximate manufacturing span 1977–1983 The Pianet T introduced a very innovative electro-mechanical system where by vibrating reeds are plucked by plastic suction pads (patented by NASA). The Pianet T does not require electrical power. The vibrations are converted into electrical energy via an electro-magnetic pick-up. The reeds immediately become damped on release of
5780-424: The late 1960s, when he was looking for a keyboard that could play guitar-like sounds. He first used it on " Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day " (1968). As well as "Superstition", other tracks such as " Higher Ground " are led by the Clavinet played through a Mu-Tron III filter pedal, and the album Talking Book makes prominent use of the instrument. The track "Sweet Little Girl" (on 1972's Music of My Mind ) features
5865-422: The left hand face of the music support ledge. It has a transistorised pre-amplifier and a floor pedal volume control. Vibrato effect is standard. Approximate manufacturing span 1972–1977 The Combo Pianet has a rectangular case side-profile and no lid. There are no legs or leg mounting points. Four grey rubber feet are fitted to the underside of the case. It has a gold hammertone painted aluminum fascia panel below
5950-432: The likelihood of picking up interference from nearby lights, switches and transformers. Over time, the rubber hammer tips deteriorated, resulting in the key no longer functioning properly. The strings can last longer than those on a guitar, as they are sealed instruments and not prone to oil and sweat from fingers. The keys are not the same as any other Hohner instrument, and replacement is only possible by taking them from
6035-501: The line "You know your baby loves you, more than I love my Clavinet". By the 1970s, Hohner began to use photos of Wonder in their advertising. He has continued to record and tour with the Clavinet into the 21st century, and has several models. His main stage instrument is a customised D6 with modified preamps and high-quality film capacitors. The D6 is powered by a 9V battery instead of mains power, as it avoids ground loops and associated noise. In 1975, keyboardist Dave MacRae played
6120-491: The player to combine the two sounds. Production ceased around 1983. During the production life, the case, mechanical features and electronics changed with developments in electronics, cheaper manufacturing, and fashion. These were coordinated with Cembalet production changes from the C models onward. Specific manufacturing dates are difficult because of undated sales figures and a lack of consistent worldwide availability. Approximate manufacturing span 1962–1963 The Pianet has
6205-712: The player to switch between clavinet, pianet, or a mixture or the two. There is also a "split keyboard" mode that allows either instrument to be used in a particular range of notes. There is a stereo output jack, that allows either a mix of the two sounds or each individual sound on one half of the stereo channel. It used a black case in the style of a Clavinet E7. By the time the E7 and Clavinet Duo were being produced, polyphonic synthesizers had become popular, and electromechanical keyboards were beginning to fall out of fashion. The final models were manufactured in 1982. After Hohner stopped producing electro-mechanical clavinets, they used
6290-465: The same in the 1960s Pianets from the "Mk.1" and C to the Combo, so spares to get a Pianet working can come from most models. While the electronics differ from model to model, they can be exchanged if the aim is to make a keyboard playable rather than to restore it. Electric piano Early electric piano recordings include Duke Ellington 's in 1955 and Sun Ra 's India as well as other tracks from
6375-479: The second group of models and ceased production of the Pianet N and Combo Pianet. The second group had two models, the Pianet T and M, and a hybrid version combined with a Clavinet, the Pianet/Clavinet Duo. These featured a change in design from electrostatic pick-ups and leather and foam pads to electromagnetic pick-ups (like the Rhodes piano ) and silicone rubber pads. The reeds were also changed from
6460-430: The sound. The tine is fitted with a spring which can be moved along its length to allow the pitch to be varied for fine-tuning . The tine is struck by the small neoprene (originally felt) tip of a hammer activated by a greatly simplified piano action (each key has only three moving parts including the damper). Each tine has an electromagnetic pickup placed just beyond its tip (see also tonewheel ). The Rhodes piano has
6545-404: The top F. Each key is a single lever element pivoted on a fulcrum point with a spring to return it to the rest position. The key is extended at the rear so that a pad can be mounted over a tuned spring steel reed. This pad adheres to the reed when at rest, and lifts and releases the reed causing it to vibrate when the key is depressed. The vibration of the reed is converted to an electrical signal by
6630-478: The underside of the case. The legs fit into a box section under the top surface for transport. A removable transport lid fastens over the keyboard and controls. As well as mains power, the instrument could be driven off a 9V battery. A rare variant of the C, known as the Echolette Beat Spinett featured reverse-colour keys like a traditional harpsichord, and an integrated ashtray . The clavinet L
6715-416: The upper surface. This model was designed and marketed as a home model for Baroque music. Early advertisements from Hohner featured the instrument in such a setting. The Clavinet II had the same basic features as the Clavinet I, which replaced the built-in amplifier and speaker system with a preamplifier. It was the first model to support changing the instrument's tone via rocker switches. The Clavinet C
6800-405: Was also introduced in 1968. This was a domestic model with a trapezoid -shaped case and three wooden legs. The keyboard has reverse-colour keys, and a clear plastic music stand. It has a built-in amplifier and speaker which run off four 1.5V batteries. This model was designed to resemble a typical Renaissance-era keyboard. The Clavinet D6, introduced in 1971, continued the case style of the C but
6885-492: Was introduced in 1968. It has a slimmer case than the I or II, and is finished in red vinyl, which was popular with contemporary combo organs at the time. A removable black aluminium panel below the keys provides access to the tuning machines. The upper surface of the keyboard is finished in white, and a slot holds an acrylic panel music rest, with the Hohner logo. Four black tapered tubular steel legs are threaded into mounts on
6970-416: Was introduced in 1979. It has a black vinyl leather cloth covered case with a rectangular profile with rounded corners and a removable metal lid to protect the keys and control surface for transport. The control panels at the left hand end of the instrument include those found on a D6 along with a sliding volume control. It included support brackets so it could be mounted on the rounded top of a Rhodes Piano ,
7055-452: Was misleading as it did not have an inbuilt amplifier or speakers. The M model, designed for home use, was built with a wooden veneer console case with internal speakers, while the T model was vinyl covered and designed for live performance. Subsequently, Hohner produced the Pianet/Clavinet Duo model which combined a Hohner Clavinet (essentially an electric clavichord ) with the Pianet T in one instrument, with an integrated preamp that allowed
7140-421: Was regularly featured in rock , funk and reggae music throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Modern digital keyboards can emulate the Clavinet sound, but there is also a grass-roots industry of repairers who continue to maintain the instrument. The Clavinet is an electromechanical instrument that is usually used in conjunction with a keyboard amplifier . Most models have 60 keys ranging from F1 to E6. The sound
7225-436: Was the progressive electrification of popular music and the need for a portable keyboard instrument capable of high-volume amplification. Musicians adopted a number of types of domestic electric pianos for rock and pop use. This encouraged their manufacturers to modify them for stage use and then develop models primarily intended for stage use. Digital pianos that provide an emulated electric piano sound have largely supplanted
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