Virtual Electric Piano: the soulful sound of keys, reimagined
There’s something timeless about the electric piano. Its tone bridges warmth and grit, soul and science. And in the digital era, that sound is alive and thriving — not through vintage gear, but through carefully crafted virtual electric pianos.
Let’s take a journey through the four iconic instruments that shaped generations of music — and discover how to bring them into your DAW with today’s best virtual tools.
The Fender Rhodes: silky, soulful, essential
Invented by Harold Rhodes and popularized in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the Fender Rhodes has a mellow, bell-like tone that became the voice of jazz fusion, soul, and R&B.
LABS Electric Piano
A warm, atmospheric take on electric piano tones from Spitfire Audio.
https://labs.spitfireaudio.com/packs/electric-piano
NoiseAsh Sweetcase EP
A polished Rhodes-style plugin with controls for tone and effects.
https://noiseash.com/sweetcase-vintage-electric-piano/
Golden Piano – Agus Hardiman
A free piano VST and AU that captures the nostalgic, iconic tones of the late ’80s and early ’90s. Smooth, bright, and perfect for retro pop, R&B, or cinematic flashbacks.
https://agushardiman.tv/golden-piano-vst-free-piano-vst-with-the-sound-of-80s-90s-the-golden-era-of-music/
Mr. Ray 73
Classic ‘70s electric piano sound with adjustable dynamics and FX.
https://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=27
Keyzone Classic
ncludes a solid sampled Rhodes along with other vintage keys.
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/2848/
DSK RhodeZ
Six Rhodes variations, with chorus, reverb and filter control.
https://www.dskmusic.com/dsk-rhodez/
4Front R-Piano
Lightweight plugin with a clean, bell-like Rhodes tone.
http://www.yohng.com/software/rpiano.html
MDA ePiano
Simple interface, great tone, and very low CPU usage.
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/272
DSK Elektrik Keys
Multi-layer instrument with electric piano, FM and hybrid sounds.
https://www.dskmusic.com/dsk-elektrik-keys/
Giulioz RdPiano
Free emulation of Roland MKS and Rhodes-style digital EPs.
https://synthanatomy.com/2025/01/giulioz-rdpiano-free-plugin-emulates-vintage-roland-and-rhodes-mks-digital-pianos.html
Scarbee Mark I
A premium Rhodes sampled to perfection by Thomas Skarbye.
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/keys/scarbee-mark-i/
Addictive Keys – Mark One
A beautiful Fender Rhodes Mk I sampled by XLN Audio.
https://www.xlnaudio.com/products/addictive_keys/instrument/mark_one
The Wurlitzer: bark, bite, and attitude
Sharper and more percussive than the Rhodes, the Wurly offers grit and presence. Perfect for soul, rock and lo-fi textures.
Wursy
A modern, expressive free Wurlitzer plugin by Sampleson.
https://sampleson.com/wursy.html
Electric 200 Piano by Waves
A detailed and crunchy Wurly emulation with amp and effects.
https://www.waves.com/plugins/electric-200-piano
Lounge Lizard EP-4
Physical modeling plugin with excellent Wurlitzer presets.
https://www.applied-acoustics.com/lounge-lizard-ep-4/
The DX7 Electric Piano: the digital revolution
The Yamaha DX7’s iconic “E.PIANO 1” preset became the sound of ’80s and ’90s pop and R&B.
Dexed
The most accurate and stable free DX7 emulator available.
https://asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
DX7 V by Arturia
Faithful emulation of the Yamaha DX7 with extra features.
https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/dx7-v/overview
FM8 by Native Instruments
Advanced FM synthesis plugin inspired by the DX7 legacy.
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/fm8/
The RD-1000 and MKS-20: digital warmth for timeless ballads
Used by legends like Lucio Dalla, Elton John and Zucchero, the RD-1000 and its rackmount sibling MKS-20 offered a unique digital piano tone with incredible musicality — clean yet expressive, soft but full.
Giulioz RdPiano
A beautiful free emulation of RD-1000 and MKS-20 tones.
https://synthanatomy.com/2025/01/giulioz-rdpiano-free-plugin-emulates-vintage-roland-and-rhodes-mks-digital-pianos.html
Digital Synsations Vol.1 by UVI
Commercial library featuring RD/MKS-style tones with high detail.
https://www.uvi.net/en/vintage-synth/digital-synsations.html
A unified space for electric keys: ONE Instrument®
Load, preview, layer and play all your favorite virtual electric pianos — from Rhodes to DX to RD — in a single creative interface. Whether you’re crafting lo-fi beats, composing soundtracks or layering textures in a DAW, ONE Instrument® gives you an organized and fluid environment to work in.
https://infinity.audio/one-instrument