Sampleson has proven itself to be a bit of a specialist at emulating electric pianos in software, already having plugin versions of various Rhodes and Wurlitzer models in its locker. Now it’s teamed up with Plugin Boutique to release Stage 54, a reboot of a super-rare Rhodes that focused on just the middle register of the piano.
Designed with chord and melody playing in mind, the original 54-key piano was designed for those who wanted the best possible tone for these particular musical elements. This software version is powered by a spectral modelling engine, which is based on samples but generates its sounds in real-time.
What’s more, Stage54 uses infinite round-robin technology, meaning that there should be infinite variations when you play a note, even at the same velocity. There are built-in phaser, tremolo, reverb and drive effects, and the plugin weighs in at just 45MB.
Stage 54 is available now via Plugin Boutique. It runs on PC and Mac and is available now for the introductory price of $29/£24.
