Stage-73 V

How it works

The asymmetric tuning fork

Each key activates a hammer (felt in the early models, later neoprene) that strikes a thin metal blade, the tine. The tine is screwed to a larger bar, the tonebar: together they behave like an asymmetric tuning fork, in which the tine vibrates fast and the tonebar resonates and prolongs the vibration. The point and force of the strike determine how many harmonics are excited.

Electromagnetic pickups

In front of the tip of each tine there is a pickup (magnet + coil). The vibration of the metal in the magnetic field induces a voltage. The pickup distance changes level and saturation; its alignment relative to the axis of the tine is decisive: centered, the tine moves 'up and down' symmetrically and even harmonics prevail, with a thinner, more bell-like sound; offset, the output becomes asymmetric, the fundamental grows and the 'bark' appears when played hard.

Dampers, preamp and tremolo

On key release a felt damps the tine. In the Stage model the signal exits passively (with only a volume control and a tone or bass boost); in the Suitcase it passes through a preamp with EQ and an amplifier with two speakers, where the tremolo (called 'vibrato') moves the volume alternately between left and right.

The modeling

Stage-73 V physically calculates hammer, tine, tonebar, dampers, pickups and electronics (preamp, tremolo, amp) starting from the original schematics and comparing the model against real instruments; the spring reverb is an impulse response of a Fender Deluxe Reverb.

Character and tone

Bell-like, round and warm sound, with a soft attack at low dynamics and a metallic 'growl' (bark) when played hard: this is the most expressive trait of the instrument, because the brightness grows enormously with velocity. The body is between 150 and 600 Hz, the bell and the bark between 1 and 3 kHz, the 'tine' (the metallic ding) around 2–4 kHz on the middle notes. Long sustain, longer than the Wurlitzer and much longer than the Clavinet. The Stage is dry and direct, suited to going through amps or pedals; the Suitcase has its own preamp and EQ and the famous stereo tremolo that bounces the sound between the speakers. Strengths: dynamics, extended harmonies that do not 'clog', great compatibility with modulation effects. Limitations: at high volume the bass can boom and the highs can turn shrill, and the low register can muddy the bass in the mix. Compared with the Wurlitzer it is softer, more sustained and more 'bell-like'; compared with the Clavinet much less percussive; compared with the acoustic piano narrower in frequency and easier to place in the mix.

Architecture

Original

• Action: 73 keys (E1–E7), felt-tipped hammers (until about 1970) then neoprene; tine + tonebar for each note; felt dampers; sustain pedal.
• Pickups: electromagnetic, one per note, adjustable in distance and alignment.
• Stage 73: passive output, Volume and Tone (multiband) controls in the versions up to '73, Volume and Bass Boost from '74.
• Suitcase 73: preamp with Treble and Bass, stereo tremolo (Intensity and Speed), amplifier and cabinet with speakers, effects loop (Accessory).
• Signal path: key → hammer → tine/tonebar → pickup → (Stage: volume/tone → output | Suitcase: preamp EQ → stereo tremolo → amp and speakers).

What Arturia adds (Stage-73 V2)

• Two switchable models (Stage and Suitcase), with the '73/'74 variants of the Stage.
• Model profiles: Classic A, Classic B, High Tines, Main, Mark V A, Mark V B, Modern.
• Advanced panel: Tuning ±1.5 semitones, Hammer Hardness (from felt to neoprene), Output (Mono, Stereo, Room), Pickup Distance, Pickup Alignment, Damper Duration, Noise Gate, Pickup/Hammer/Tine/Damper Noise, Dynamics, Tonebar Resonance, Velocity Curve with up to 16 points and curve presets.
• FX panel: 4 slots with 13 pedals (Chorus, Flanger, Compressor, Analog Phaser, Delay, Distortion, Equalizer, Reverb, Stereo Pan, Analog Delay, Limiter, Tape Echo, Cry Wah), amplifier (Rotary Speaker with 5 cabinets or Twin Amp), convolution Room; In/Out Gain and Bypass.
• MIDI Learn, presets, macros.

The controls, one by one

Model selector (top bar)

Stage / Suitcase

Chooses the model: Stage drier and more direct, Suitcase with preamp, EQ, stereo tremolo and amp. The advanced controls are the same for both.

Suitcase — front panel

Power amp (cable)

Click the cable or connector to insert or bypass the modeled power amplifier; without the cable the sound stays cleaner (the FX remain active: for a completely dry signal bypass the FX too).

Accessory (FX loop)

Connectors that send the preamp signal to the effects under the piano and back.

Volume

Preamp volume: at high values it slightly saturates the amplifier like the original.

Treble / Bass

Sliders to cut or boost treble and bass.

Vibrato On/Off

Actually a stereo tremolo (amplitude modulation alternating between the two sides); the LED shows the state.

Intensity

Tremolo depth: low = slight movement, maximum = the sound 'bounces' between left and right.

Speed

Tremolo speed: 3–5 Hz for ballads and soul, faster for psychedelic effects.

Stage — front panel

'73 / '74

Switches between the circuits and controls of the two versions of the Stage.

Tone ('73)

Multiband EQ that cuts or boosts treble and bass together.

Bass Boost ('74)

Boosts or attenuates only the low frequencies.

Volume

Preamp volume; pushed, it saturates slightly.

Advanced — Model and action

Model

Build profiles: Classic A and Classic B (vintage Mark I), High Tines (brighter tines), Main, Mark V A and Mark V B (action and tone of the Mark V), Modern (cleaner and more modern).

Tuning

Overall tuning ±1.5 semitones around A 440.

Hammer Hardness

From felt (soft attack) to neoprene (aggressive attack): strongly affects bark and definition.

Output

Mono (mono line, centered image), Stereo (stereo line, notes panned from low to high), Room (stereo microphone pickup).

Pickup Distance

Pickup–tine distance: closer = more level, more saturation and bark; farther = cleaner.

Pickup Alignment

Alignment relative to the tine: centered = thin, bell-like sound; misaligned = more fundamental, richer and 'fatter' sound.

Damper Duration

Distance of the dampers from the tine and therefore how quickly the note dies out on release.

Dynamics

Hammer–tine distance: closer = less dynamic range, an almost compressed effect with harmonics more audible even when playing softly.

Tonebar Resonance

Sustain of the tines: high = long, singing notes, low = shorter, more percussive notes.

Advanced — noises

Noise Gate

On: pickup noise is heard only while a note is sounding; off: noise always present.

Pickup Noise

Volume of the pickup hum.

Hammer Noise

Hammer impact noise; together with Hammer Hardness it determines how much 'touch' you hear.

Tine Noise

Bright, bell-like resonance of the tine at the attack.

Damper Noise

Noise of the damper falling back on release.

Advanced — Velocity Curve

Curve Presets menu

Factory and user curves, Save/Save As, deletion of user curves.

Editor

Up to 16 points; arrows between points to bend the segments. A 'harder' curve in the upper part makes the bark controllable.

FX panel — globals and pedals

In Gain / Out Gain / Bypass

Levels of the chain and total bypass of effects, amp and room.

4 slots

Effects that can be reordered by drag and drop, each with its own presets.

Chorus / Flanger / Analog Phaser

Classic modulations: the slow phaser is the 1970s fusion sound, the chorus the 1980s pop sound.

Compressor / Limiter

Even out the dynamics; compressor before the distortion for a constant bark.

Delay / Analog Delay / Tape Echo

Digital, BBD and tape delays.

Distortion

Light to heavy saturation for rock and lo-fi Rhodes.

Equalizer

EQ to fit the piano to the mix before the amp.

Reverb / Stereo Pan / Cry Wah

Pedal reverb, stereo autopan (an alternative to the Suitcase tremolo), wah for funk.

FX panel — Amp

Rotary Speaker

Cabinet Closed, Open, 122 Closed, 122 Open, 147 Open; Fast, Brake, Stereo, Balance, Dry/Wet; advanced Horn/Drum Slow (0.1–2 Hz), Fast (2–8 Hz) and Acceleration.

Twin Amp

On Axis, Bright, Drive, Bass, Mid, Treble, spring Reverb, tremolo Speed and Intensity: the classic Rhodes through a Fender amp.

FX panel — Room

Room

Fixed convolution reverb at the end of the chain, with choice of room, size, duration and Dry/Wet.

Sound design tips

• Velocity and bark: the Rhodes changes timbre with playing force: play softly for the bell, hard for the growl. Adjust the Velocity Curve so that the bark arrives only above velocity 100–110, so it stays an accent and not a flaw.
• Pickup Alignment and Distance: these are the real 'tone controls'. More fundamental and warmth = alignment offset; more bell and transparency = alignment centered. Moving the pickups closer increases saturation and bark: afterward, lower the volume for an honest comparison.
• Hammer Hardness: felt for ballads and lo-fi, neoprene for funk and fusion; with hard hammers and high Tine Noise the ding emerges in the 2–4 kHz range.
• EQ in the mix: high-pass at 60–90 Hz (higher if there is a full bass), a 2–3 dB cut at 250–400 Hz if the sound is 'boxy', gentle presence at 1–2 kHz to bring out the bark, possible reduction around 3–4 kHz if the tines sting.
• Register: extended chords sit beautifully between C3 and C5; below C2 the Rhodes booms, leave that zone to the bass or play only octaves.
• Suitcase tremolo: keep it between 3 and 5 Hz for a soft movement; do not necessarily sync it to the tempo, a slight misalignment sounds more natural. With Stereo output the note panning plus the tremolo can widen too much: check in mono.
• Phaser and chorus: slow rate (0.2–0.6 Hz) and moderate depth for fusion; after the compressor, before the delay.
• Compression: ratio 3:1–4:1 with 10–20 ms attack preserves the hammer attack; for a constant bark put the compressor before the Distortion.
• Lo-fi: soft Hammer, medium Tonebar Resonance, Tape Echo with slight wow and a low-pass at 5–6 kHz; age also comes from Pickup Noise and Noise Gate off.
• Common mistakes: dynamics too compressed (you lose the character), long reverb on fast chords, deep tremolo under the vocal that distracts.

Presets to recreate

In genres and records

• Jazz, jazz-fusion and jazz-funk: Herbie Hancock discovers it in 1968 in a session with Miles Davis and also plays it through a wah-wah; from In a Silent Way (1969) the Rhodes is the main keyboard on Davis's records until the mid-1970s; Chick Corea plays it on Spain and Joe Zawinul with Weather Report. On Chameleon one of the two keyboard solos is on the Rhodes.
• Soul and R&B: many Stevie Wonder records of the 1970s, such as You Are the Sunshine of My Life, use the Rhodes, often together with the Clavinet; Donny Hathaway (This Christmas) uses it regularly.
• 1960s–70s rock and pop: Ray Manzarek plays a Mark I Stage 73 on Riders on the Storm by the Doors; Billy Preston plays it at the rooftop concert and on Get Back by the Beatles; Billy Joel on Just the Way You Are; Donald Fagen (Steely Dan) uses it on all of his solo albums.
• Smooth jazz and TV: Angela by Bob James (theme of Taxi, 1978); Vince Guaraldi uses it from 1968 in the Peanuts music; Angelo Badalamenti records the Twin Peaks theme with the Rhodes.
• Electronic, French pop and neoclassical: Air make constant use of it; Nils Frahm uses it extensively in the studio and live.
• Funk and disco: Rhodes with bark, compressed.
• Hip hop, boom bap, lo-fi and chillhop: sampled or recreated with saturation, wow and filter.
• Neo-soul, acid jazz, nu-jazz, deep and soulful house: seventh and ninth chords with tremolo.
• Japanese city pop and AOR: clean Rhodes with chorus.
• Contemporary gospel and worship, ambient and soundtracks.