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Electro Harmonix KEY9

Description

The Essentials to Know About the Electro-Harmonix Key9 Pedal

  • 9 electric piano presets to instantly transform your guitar into a vintage keyboard, no MIDI pickup needed.
  • Perfect for iconic parts like "Riders on the Storm" or grooves in the style of "What'd I Say," with an organic and playable feel.
  • Fine mix control between guitar signal (dry) and effect signal (keys), ideal for retaining attack and definition.
  • Pedalboard ready : pedal format, immediate settings, and an approach designed for both live and studio use.

In the lineage of the B9 and C9: the "vintage keyboards" spirit for guitar

Designed to complement the trilogy started by the B9 and C9, the Key9 focuses on a cult territory: electric pianos that shaped funk, rock, soul, and pop. The idea is not to "sound like a synth," but to capture the character of iconic instruments, with their grain, attack, and that sensation of notes that "sing" in the mix.

The result: a guitar effects pedal that immediately opens up richer arrangements, from cinematic intros to punchy rhythms, while remaining simple to control with your foot.

For whom, which styles, and in what situations?

The Key9 is aimed at guitarists and bassists (depending on your setup and playing style) who want to add keyboard color without changing instruments. It suits both intermediate and advanced musicians: no complex programming, you pick a preset and adjust a few settings to fit the song.

It shines particularly in funk (chicken-scratch rhythms and grooves), rock (ambiences and hooks), blues (warmth and dynamics), and pop (textures and doubling). In the studio, it helps thicken a chorus or create an electric piano ostinato; live, it fills the space when there's no keyboardist or enables original transitions between songs.

Features and controls: a true "keyboard" under your fingers

The Key9 offers 9 presets inspired by legendary electric pianos, selectable via a dedicated selector. The ergonomics are designed to keep the "instrument" feel: you play, the pedal does the rest, and you control the amount of keyboard like on an amp.

Main controls allow balancing the effect level and the direct signal level, handy for preserving your guitar identity (attack, grain, intention) while adding the "keys" layer. Depending on the sounds, additional controls shape the response and tone, allowing you to go from a soft, round piano to a sharper, more present, or more "percussive" timbre in the mix.

Finally, the connectivity offers a very musical approach: you can output in classic mono, or separate the direct and effect signals to send them to two different chains (for example guitar to amp, keys to DI or mixer) for a wide, clean, and clear stage sound.

The sound

The Key9 favors a vintage sound, with a nice sense of texture and a response that remains playable on guitar: the effect follows your phrasing, reacts to rhythmic placement, and allows you to get very "keyboard-like" chords and riffs without losing finger expressiveness. Depending on the preset, you can go from a warm and mellow sound (ideal for pads and intros) to a more incisive register for syncopated grooves that need to cut through the mix.

Technical Specifications

Processing and presets

  • Guitar effects pedal of the electric piano simulator type
  • 9 presets selectable by foot/switch
  • Ability to blend direct and effect signals

Controls

  • Level controls for dry (guitar) and keys (effect) signals
  • Additional controls dedicated to shaping tone and/or response depending on the preset
  • Preset selector

Connectivity

  • Instrument input in 6.35mm Jack format
  • Main output in 6.35mm Jack format
  • Separate outputs to route dry and keys to two distinct chains (depending on your routing)
  • Expression pedal input (depending on configuration) to control a parameter in real time

Pedalboard integration

  • Robust pedal format, designed for live use
  • Suitable for chains with guitar amp, DI, and mixer, or stereo/split configuration

Included accessories

  • Power supply included (depending on configuration)
  • Documentation

Power consumption

  • Required power supply: 9V DC (center negative)
  • Consumption: up to 200 mA
Brand reference number: KEY9

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Posted on 07/09/2021
By CUNAT ANDRE
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