electric piano
A keyboard instrument that produces sound through electromechanical means — struck tines, reeds, or strings amplified by pickups — distinct from a synthesizer.
In Depth
Electric pianos emerged in the 1940s and reached their peak popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. The two most iconic designs are the Fender Rhodes, which uses hammers striking metal tines over electromagnetic pickups, and the Wurlitzer, which uses hammers striking metal reeds. Each produces a distinctive bell-like tone with natural harmonic overtones that no digital instrument has perfectly replicated.
The Fender Rhodes defined the sound of 1970s jazz-funk, soul, and fusion through players like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Joe Zawinul. The Wurlitzer appeared on countless pop and rock records, from Ray Charles to Supertramp. Though largely replaced by digital keyboards in the 1980s, original vintage instruments now command premium prices, and their sounds remain among the most sampled in modern music production.
The original Fender Rhodes piano was invented by Harold Rhodes as a bedside instrument for injured World War II soldiers — he built the first prototypes from spare airplane parts.