electro-harmonix KEY9 Electric Piano Machine User Manual

: June 6, 2024
: electro-harmonix

Table of Contents

GETTING STARTED
PRESET DESCRIPTIONS
NOTES AND SPECIFICATIONS
TIPS ON GETTING OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE FROM THE KEY9
WARRANTY INFORMATION
FCC COMPLIANCE
Documents / Resources

electro-harmonix KEY9 Electric Piano Machine

Congratulations on purchasing the Electro-Harmonix KEY9 Electric Piano Machine. The KEY9 transforms the tone of a guitar and/or keyboard into a convincing electric piano emulation, including several variations of the classic Rhodes® and Wurlitzer® sounds. The KEY9 also features lively recreations of vibes, mallets, an organ, and even steel drums! Based on the popular EHX B9 and C9 pedals, the KEY9 swerves into electroacoustic territory via knobs that control DRY and KEY volume, as well as preset-specific features that are adjusted with the CTRL 1 and CTRL 2 knobs.

WARNING: Your KEY9 comes equipped with an Electro-Harmonix 9.6DC-200BI power supply (same as used by Boss® & Ibanez®: 9.6 Volts DC 200mA). The KEY9 requires 100mA at 9VDC with a center negative plug. Using the wrong adapter or a plug with the wrong polarity may damage your KEY9 and void the warranty.

GETTING STARTED

Connect the supplied power adapter to the 9V power jack. Plug your instrument into the INPUT jack; connect your amp to the KEYS OUTPUT jack. Set the DRY knob to minimum and all the other top row knobs to about mid position. Select the preset named DYNAMO and step on the footswitch to turn on the LED. Play your instrument and adjust controls to your liking.

DRY VOLUME KNOB
Sets the output volume of the untreated instrument signal at the KEYS OUTPUT jack.

KEYS VOLUME KNOB
Controls the overall volume of the selected KEYS preset.

CTRL 1 & CTRL 2 KNOBS
See the preset descriptions on the next page for details.

DRY OUTPUT JACK
The DRY OUTPUT jack outputs the signal present at the INPUT jack through a buffer circuit. The dry signal is outputted regardless if the KEY9 is in Effect or Bypass mode.

KEYS OUTPUT JACK
The KEYS OUTPUT jack sends the mix set by the DRY and KEYS VOLUME controls.

BYPASS FOOTSWITCH
Press the BYPASS footswitch to toggle the KEYS OUTPUT jack between buffered Bypass and Effect mode. The status LED lights when in Effect mode.

PRESET DESCRIPTIONS

DYNAMO An evocation of the “Dyno My” modified Fender Rhodes® electric pianos of the 1970s and 1980s. CTRL 1 adds bass to the lower strings of your guitar. CTRL 2 adjusts the “tine” or high-end overtones.
WURLI  Electro-Harmonix pays homage to the classic sound of the Wurlitzer® electric piano. CTRL 1 adjusts tremolo depth. CTRL 2 sets tremolo speed.
SUITCASE  This preset pays tribute to the sound of a Fender Rhodes® electric piano routed through a phase shifter. CTRL 1 adds a bass octave and adjusts the “tine” or high-end overtones. CTRL 2 sets the phase shifter speed.
MALLETS  Here we have the sound of a wood marimba. CTRL 1 adjusts chorus depth. CTRL 2 sets chorus speed.
EIGHTY EIGHT This preset emulates a Fender Rhodes® 88 electric piano with built-in tremolo. CTRL 1 adjusts tremolo depth. CTRL 2 sets tremolo speed.
TRI-GLORIOUS  EHX’s take on the lush sound of a Dytronics/Dyno My CS-5 Tri Stereo Chorus. CTRL 1 adjusts chorus depth. CTRL 2 sets chorus speed.
VIBES Here we capture the sound of a metal vibraphone with motorized tremolo. CTRL 1 adjusts the high pitch attack. CTRL 2 sets tremolo speed.
ORGAN This preset offers a highly touch-responsive percussive organ. CTRL 1 adjusts the high frequencies (treble). CTRL 2 sets the rotating speaker speed.
STEEL DRUMS A “bang on” recreation of the distinctive metallic sound of a steel drum. CTRL 1 adjusts chorus depth. CTRL 2 sets chorus speed.

PRESET TEMPLATES
Please see the enclosed setting sheet for suggestions on how to set the knobs for each preset. A blank user settings page is also included. Photocopy the blank user setting page to keep a record of your preferred sounds. Or, download a PDF of blank settings at http://www.ehx.com/assets/instructions/key9-presets-outlines.pdf.

NOTES AND SPECIFICATIONS

Buffered bypass
Input impedance: 1M
Output impedance (for both output jacks): 500
Current draw: 100mA

Rhodes is a registered trademark of Joseph Brandstetter. Wurlitzer is a registered trademark of Gibson/Baldwin.

TIPS ON GETTING OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE FROM THE KEY9

The KEY9 is generally best used as the first pedal in an effects chain. Place modulation, delay, and reverb effects after the KEY9. The unit will not perform well if placed in the effects loop of a guitar amp.
The KEY9 typically works best using the bridge pickup of a guitar, although some presets do sound good on the neck pickup. If a guitar’s pickup has a weak output, performance can be improved by putting a clean boost or a compressor in front of the KEY9. Avoid placing a distortion or overdrive in front of the KEY9. Placing distortion or overdrive in front of the KEY9 will muddy up the input signal and cause the tracking to be unstable. If overdrive or distortion is desired it’s best to place it after the KEY9.
Some guitar amplifiers have an uneven, peaky frequency response that may cause some sounds to be over accentuated. Use a compressor in front of or after the KEY9 to help smooth out this “peakiness.”
The KEY9 upper frequency range is limited for sounds such as Vibes or Mallets. This limitation is due to nature of the actual sounds of these percussive-oriented instruments, where harmonics decrease as the note is played increasingly higher. On guitar, the usable range for these sounds goes up to the 15th fret of the high-E string. The harmonics of the attacks are just too high above that and all that is left is the sound’s attack. As a point of reference, think about the top notes on a piano, where just about all you can hear is the attack in the form of hammer noise.
The KEY9 typically tracks great and will follow whatever you play, but sloppy guitar playing will sound like a sloppy electric piano player. The KEY9 will bend notes as you bend them on the guitar. However, electric pianos do not bend, so for a more authentic sound avoid or limit bending.

WARRANTY INFORMATION

Please register online at http://www.ehx.com/product-registration or complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 10 days of purchase. Electro-Harmonix will repair or replace, at its discretion, a product that fails to operate due to defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from date of purchase. This applies only to original purchasers who have bought their product from an authorized ElectroHarmonix retailer. Repaired or replaced units will then be warranted for the unexpired portion of the original warranty term.

If you should need to return your unit for service within the warranty period, please contact the appropriate office listed below. Customers outside the regions listed below, please contact EHX Customer Service for information on warranty repairs at info@ehx.com or +1-718-937-8300. USA and Canadian customers: please obtain a Return Authorization Number (RA#) from EHX Customer Service before returning your product. Include with your returned unit: a written description of the problem as well as your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and RA#; and a copy of your receipt clearly showing the purchase date.

United States & Canada
EHX CUSTOMER SERVICE ELECTRO-HARMONIX c/o NEW SENSOR CORP. 47-50 33RD STREET LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101
Tel: 718-937-8300
Email: info@ehx.com

Europe
JOHN WILLIAMS ELECTRO-HARMONIX UK 13 CWMDONKIN TERRACE SWANSEA SA2 0RQ UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 179 247 3258
Email: electroharmonixuk@virginmedia.com

This warranty gives a purchaser specific legal rights. A purchaser may have even greater rights depending upon the laws of the jurisdiction within which the product was purchased.

To hear demos on all EHX pedals visit us on the web at www.ehx.com Email us at info@ehx.com

FCC COMPLIANCE

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

Modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment under FCC rules.