Clavinet

Role in the mix

The Hohner clavinet (C, D6, E7; emulations Clavinet V, Keyscape Clavinet C, NI Vintage) is a keyboard rhythm guitar: strings struck by tangents with a rubber pad, picked up by two electromagnetic pickups, with a short, percussive, nasal sound. It is the instrument of '70s funk (Stevie Wonder, "Superstition", "Higher Ground"; Billy Preston; The Commodores), reggae (clavinet skank), rock (Led Zeppelin "Trampled Under Foot") and modern funk/neo-soul. The D6 has 60 keys (F1–E6), four filters (Brilliant, Treble, Medium, Soft) and a pickup selector (A/B/C/D) that changes the phase and the color. Useful spectrum 150 Hz–6 kHz, with a characteristic peak between 1 and 3 kHz: the same zone as rhythm guitars and vocals.

Recording and choosing the sound

• DI or guitar/keyboard amp; often with wah, auto-wah/envelope filter (Mu-Tron III), phaser and overdrive.
• In VSTs, choose pickups and filters: pickups combined out of phase ("out of phase" position) give the thinnest, funkiest sound.
• Doubles and layers: in funk, several clavinet parts are stacked that interlock rhythmically (one on the sixteenth notes, one on the accents), panned to different positions.

Gain staging

Peaks −12/−8 dBFS; very fast transients and a high crest factor: a limiter or FET to stabilize.

Corrective EQ

• HP 80–150 Hz (the clav's left hand can double the bass: in funk the bass is the instrument underneath).
• Mud 200–400 Hz: −2/−3 dB.
• Harshness 2.5–4 kHz: −1/−3 dB or dynamic EQ if it "scratches".
• Pickup noise above 8–10 kHz: gentle LP.

Creative EQ

• Funk: bandpass with HP 150 Hz – LP 6 kHz and a +2/+3 dB boost at 1–1.5 kHz.
• Thickness +1/+2 dB at 250 Hz for a solo clavinet.
• Bite +2 dB at 3 kHz in rock mixes.

Compression

• Fast FET (1176): attack 1–3 (fast), release 5–7, ratio 4:1, 4–8 dB: levels the notes and accentuates the "plink".
• Opto for a softer reggae clav.

Transient shaper

Attack + to make the notes snap in a dense mix; Release − for a super-staccato clav.

Saturation and overdrive

Light amp overdrive (Distructor, Fruity Blood Overdrive, amp sim) for rock clav; tape for vintage funk.

Filters and modulation (the heart of the sound)

• Auto-wah/envelope filter: in FL, Fruity Love Philter with an envelope on the cutoff, or an automated Fruity Filter; alternatives are Soundtoys FilterFreak, Mu-Tron emulations (Waves, Neural DSP), Arturia Clavinet V (built-in effects).
• Wah played in time (bandpass cutoff automation between 400 Hz and 2.5 kHz, synced to 1/8 or 1/16).
• Phaser (Vintage Phaser, Phase 90 style): '70s funk.
• Light chorus for '80s sounds.

Delay

Rare. In reggae and dub: tempo-synced delay on isolated skanks.

Reverb

Little: short room or plate (0.5–1 s); the clav should be up front and dry. Spring in reggae.

Stereo and panning

• A single clav off-center (±30–60), opposite the funk rhythm guitar.
• Multiple layers: different positions (e.g. −50 and +40) for rhythmic interlock.
• Effects (stereo phaser) can widen it; low end mono.

Sidechain

Dynamic EQ at 1–3 kHz from the vocal. In nu-funk/house: light ducking from the kick.

Interlocking with guitar, bass and horns

In funk, the clavinet, rhythm guitar and bass often play three complementary rhythms in sixteenth notes: listen to the sum and, if two parts fall on the same sixteenth notes in the same register, separate them with panning (opposite sides), with register (clav an octave above the guitar) or with EQ (clav centered at 1–1.5 kHz, guitar at 2–3 kHz). With the horn section, lower the clav by 1–2 dB on the horn stabs or use a dynamic EQ at 1–2 kHz sidechained from the horn bus. With the bass, an HP at 100–150 Hz on the clav keeps the left hand from doubling the line and muddying its rhythm.

Automation

• Wah/filter cutoff.
• Part volumes based on the interlock with guitars and horns.

Differences by genre

Common mistakes

• Clav and rhythm guitar on the same side and in the same register.
• Clav low end doubling the bass.
• Too much reverb: it loses its snap.