Hohner Pianet T Classic Analog Electric Piano 1977 Demo - Electro Mechanical Keyboard

Steve Christie aka Dirty Jen Canary demos the 1977 Hohner Pianet T
Pianet is DI’d straight into Eela broadcast desk, and narration picked up by an AKG C414
Filmed and Edited by Louisa Revolta
Recorded and Mixed by Steve Christie at Vintage Keys Studio
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[@stillphil]

“A Wurli on the left hand, a Rhodes on your right” These used to be a sleeper keyboard here on the East coast that could be had for a few hundred dollars And many people didn’t want. It’s so ridiculously portable and gorgeous sounding, I can’t afford one but they are lovey at any price.

[@4estral]

I love the sound of the Pianet and have so much appreciation for it's simplicity. You've got a treasure.

[@dennisristow2102]

Picked one up a few years back and I love it. With a little combo amp and an effects pedal or two, the sound is so sweet. So easy to throw in the back seat and take it out for a jam. The mellow sound with a small amount of overdrive crunch really stands out. I get so many raised eyebrows when I play it from people wondering what it is. They love the sound and are amazed that it comes form that compact case. Most people think I'm walking in with a guitar when I start to set up. :)

[@poldidak]

Back in the early 80s I wanted to add a second bass keyboard to supplement my Rhodes besides my Korg MS20. Somehow I got the idea to get a Pianet, which has that nice soft pluck, similar to the action of a finger plucking a string, and running it through an Ibanez AF9 auto-wah filter pedal with the lo-pass cutoff rolled off and no envelope amount applied. It made a sweet electric bass sound to complement my MS20 upright bass patch. Ah, the good old pre-sampling DIY days!

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Fabulous I bet that sounded beautiful

[@spotlight-kyd]

Pianoteq has quite good simulations of the Pianet N and T and the Electra Piano. With all the parameters the software offers for tweaking, these models are quite versatile. You can dial in as much mechanical noses as you want. Also, you can have vibrato, tremolo, sustain and, of course, effects like chorus, phaser, overdrive etc. Still I would also like to have an original instrument sometime, but they've become quite expensive, even though they're not very rare here in Germany.

[@FrantzesElzaurdia]

Pianoteq is a godsend! Best pianos I've tried, and e-pianos are on par with Keyscape I would say. Keyscape just adds better effects imo that makes some patches sound better to my preferences :)

[@gasolineandwine]

I'm currently using this same Pianet model as the bass in a song, with a bit of the amp drive and stereo output, sounds absolutely lovely. The subtle mechanical noises add a bit of charm that a synth or electric bass wouldn't have.

[@noelwalterso2]

I used to have an ancient wooden cased pianet. It had a similar key and Reed mechanism but instead of individual pick up coils there was a metal bar running the whole length of the keyboard close to the ends of the vibrating reeds. The reeds and bar acted like a big capacitor. When the reeds vibrated it fluctuated the frequency of a hf oscillator and the rest of the circuit was basically an FM radio receiver. On a good day it would pick up morse code and nearby taxi radios. Eventually something inside caught fire while we were playing and fused the electric at the venue.

[@Meddled]

I love the sound of the earlier Pianets on Third-era Soft Machine recordings.

[@revtonynewnham]

Yiyu're right about early/mid '60's for the earlier version. I remember (vaguely) seeing & playing one in a music shop during that period.I think Keep up the god work.

[@aadbehage6095]

p.s. Thanks Louisa, for holding a "steady cam "

[@RetroPlus]

I'd love to play one of these, the sound is really beautiful. Like a rhodes but even simpler and so much easier to carry around.

[@aftertheendtimes]

Sounds amazing! never heard of the Pianet?! Thanks dear Steve for shareing this 😍❤

[@aadbehage6095]

I had one of those in my urly days, but by god, they still are quite heavy, nowadays i`dd rather prefer a cup of............. Have a nice day !!!

[@g7eit]

About 1980, Klaus Wonderlich played “Till” on the album “dream concerto”. The intro sounds just like that instrument. A great organist, never forgotten. Great vid Steve.

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

He used Hohner instruments for this album.

[@jesusbencomo3495]

What a lovely keyboard Steve, that Pianet has a beautiful sound. It sounds in fact like a Fender or a Wurlitzer, and disconected from the Amplifier it reminds the softness of the Celesta !!

[@stevefaure415]

You're on another level. Lovely sounding instrument, too.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Many thanks!

[@alexkalman]

Thank you for information!

[@JoeM1314]

Just got one thanks to this lovely video. Thank you.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Great to hear!

[@Thallishman]

I love the Pianet😍. Some may think lesser of this instrument because it not as expresive as an true electric piano like the Rhodes and wurlitzer.(You always see wording like the "Poor man Rhodes" "Poor man Wurlitzer" at the classifieds) However i think the size and its timbre is more intimate and charming to me :). Availability and pricing is not bad either, they pop up on the classified often for anything from 400 to 800 euros depending on state(at least for the T model, N model has higher asking price often)☺

[@StevenMorris]

Lovely video! I got a Hohner Clavinet/Pianet Duo which I believe is quite similar to the T (?). Funnily enough the manual says the Pianet isn't touch sensitive, when in fact it is just as you say! Your info regarding the reeds/'suction things' is quite useful info. I have a few dull/dead notes so I'll have to go through and give it another cleaning in hopes of making it a more useful instrument. As it is, I often prefer it in a mix to a Rhodes. The clavinet half was unfortunately DOA... hope to repair it within the year.

[@gin-sonic]

Very informative, thank you!!

[@VintageKeysStudio]

You are so welcome!

[@RingoStarr39]

You're right about I Am the Walrus. That was a Pianet N put through flanging and possibly ADT when they did the reduction mix to give it that chorus-y sound. The earlier songs up until Getting Better used a Pianet C from what I've been able to gather.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Super knowledge thank you!

[@RingoStarr39]

@@VintageKeysStudio Did I ever tell you about my Beatles multitrack document? You'd love it since it's filled with all that information.

[@testohtoby]

My dream has always been a 200a but this comes as a close 2nd place. So quirky and good sounding 🥰🥰🥰

[@joeymyopic]

those old woodies were the shit!! i see old videos of chicago transit authority and steely dan using them live back in the day, and all the local bands had them on top of their farfisas or voxs

[@justindodsworth8893]

Definitely a pianet on Walrus! I've had a few of these over the years, and always really underrated them and sold them for 50 quid!! I used to look down on it as the poor relation of the wurly or the rhodes, but it has its own special charm, and now of course I wish I'd held on to it.

[@erickleefeld4883]

Interesting design principle. The keys don’t strike the metal reeds (like on a Rhodes, or an acoustic piano’s strings). Instead, the weight of the mechanism pushes the metal reeds down, and then when you press a key it RELEASES the weight on the reeds, so they snap back and vibrate from no longer being under compression.

[@johnsonmonsen]

Fresh presentation! So, according the look inside it would fit to call the Pianet T a sucker for the sound; which is a funny thing. Thanks for sharing :-)!

[@merkleymerkley]

Cool video. You have a natural talent & charm.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thank you! 😊

[@dessiplaer]

I like the sound of this instrument so much so that I downloaded a sample instrument from Piano book called Little Black Piano. It is a Descent Sampler instrument that pretty good. Thanks for the video.

[@spotlight-kyd]

I like the version from pianobook user Ritvars better, even though it has only one velocity layer, it has more top end. The "Little Black EP" is too mellow in my opinion.

[@dessiplaer]

@@spotlight-kyd I''ll check it out. Thanks for the info.

[@timothypnolan]

You are a delight!

[@sonijam]

A handsome video.

[@KenSlager]

It looks like a fairly easy instrument to make. I am surprised someone isn’t remaking them.

[@blackllama4602]

I had one 20 years ago. Had it had a sustain pedal option, it would have taken over the e piano market.

[@deanevangelista6359]

The Wurlitzer sounded similar, and struck the reeds rather than using sticky pads. They came with sustain pedals. Some clever folks in recent times have used sustain effects pedals.

[@nickmastro6870]

Pianet M with the built in modulation effects is super interesting

[@t55a2]

John Cale hair perfect accompaniment to this fine item

[@keyhoarder]

Never heard before of the Dulcitone, i have to check.

[@jumhig]

Thanks for the tip about using a fibreglass pen on the reeds, my Pianet T has some pretty tarnished / corroded reeds. It's fun to play, has a great sound. The lack of sustain pedal doesn't bother me.

[@ivanmay7890]

Robert Lamm of Chicago also used a Hohner Pianet. It is perhaps more well known for being used on the intro of the Chicago song Feeling Stronger Every Day.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Love Chicago :)

[@Doommaster1994]

According to Wikipedia, that was a Rhodes, not a Pianet.

[@monzajunior7337]

Rhodes in this fantastic version - they can sound very similar in a mix though kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6jQpXVnjdOAj7ssi=wIRa0Du71gRg2hDQ@@Doommaster1994

[@miket.220]

Definitely used one live in the early days, set on top of his Hammond. Not sure if he recorded with it.

[@rodneyjweltham150]

oh yes, "pigs in space" I had one of these keyboards for while and I believe it was the earlier ones with the leather bit - couldn't keep the thing running

[@keiranbradley3238]

I think one of these is used on the great Sensational Alex Harvey Band track "Sirroco" from the album "S.A.H.B stories". Dig it.

[@djjerome]

It sounds like a cross between a Wurli and Rhodes. Very nice tone🎶

[@darwinsaye]

The Beatles used a different model of Pianet, the Pianet N. They use a different mechanism and different kind of pickups and sound very different. Where one might compare the T to a Rhodes bell-like tone, the N that the Beatles used sounds very similar to a Wurlitzer, with more of a growl and bark to the sound.

[@jameslarge434]

i want one also i think a vox continental video would be splendid

[@georgeparkins777]

That Christine McVie sound... obviously I'd rather have a Rhodes practically speaking but something about the pianet still makes me want one. I'll just have to live with digital stage pianos though lol

[@silvertongues2]

I always think of the Zombies with the Pianet…. I had a T but also an earlier C that I couldn’t get working, it had a broken coil as it had some weird radio circuit in it. Shame really.

[@mariekesmit5960]

Can we talk about the part where he brushes off the (human?) hair off the pianet?😂

[@monzajunior7337]

“You like me too much” is an acoustic piano I think, however John’s Pianet clearly visible and audible on “The Night Before” in the Help film.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Oh yes of course!

[@miket.220]

Christine McVie and Robert Lamm both used one live.

[@KeyGuy88]

This honer was near the ocean for some time, as there are visible salts? Barnicles? etc encrusted to its innards.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Yes, it was purchased from a Bottlenosed Whale

[@peterking2794]

Brilliant video, as always. I'm completely non-musical, but love the demos and looks insides of your various instruments. Wonderful stuff! What happens to the sound if the little red rubbery things are moved further along the arms to play the reeds in a different place? Cheers!

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thanks very much! From what I can remember, the sound isn’t so loud on shorter length, but gets louder on longer - but I could be wrong

[@onemoremisfit]

The reeds look like they are finished in gun blue, which isn't very rust resistant and needs to be kept wiped with oil, which would probably work against the sucking action of the rubber pads once the oil picked up some dust. I can see there is rust forming on some of those reeds, and if that rust scale grew to the pad contact area that would kill the sucking action too. It would seem that care of the reeds is important. If they got too rusty you'd have to remove the rust and refinish them somehow. I'd be looking at a light application of an automotive grade urethane, applied by fine spray very lightly so as not to affect the tone with the coating. Experimentation would be in order. Of course you could simply clean the rust by rubbing them with steel wool but that would only be a temporary fix because the rust would return before long.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thanks very much for all the useful information! :)

[@kevingavigan7883]

This instrument was used extensively by The Beatles on such songs as "The Night Before", "You Like Me Too Much", "Tell Me What You See", "Getting Better", and "I Am The Walrus". Furthermore, it was also used for the keyboard solo on "Revolution", played by Nicky Hopkins. The Hohner Pianet piano is such an underrated instrument!

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thanks for the info!

[@adeeponionbrah]

Lovely soft attack sound. (Did I say that right?)

[@dannuttle9005]

Ring ring. "Hello?" "Yes, do you have Muppets in a Pianet?" "No." "Then you'd better let them--wait, what?" >Click

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Hahaha

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

Like the Wurlitzer electric piano or the East German Claviset

[@AdenThie]

Brother! you need to do a video on an Elepian!!

[@AdenThie]

Also sweet haircut

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Cheers - if and when one materialises we will definitely! You never know around here…

[@stevec.1802]

This pianet sounds a bit like one of keyboards played by John Costa on Mr Rogers tv show in America.

[@spotlight-kyd]

Sadly Ernst Zacharias passed away in 2020. His contribution to the sound of rock and pop music, though probably not his foremost intention, is quite enormous. BTW, epic fail on the pronunciation of "Zacharias", LOL, but I admit, that's a tough one. You can listen to a sample on the German wiktionary page for the name.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Haha I am hoping to start up my very own pronunciation advice service ;)

[@donnythompson9233]

Enjoyed your video! I’ve both subscribed and “liked”. 👍😊 Question… I’m trying to identify the EP used on the intro of the song “Fool If You Think It’s Over”, recorded and released by Chris Rea in 1978… The intro EP on that song “sorta” sounds like a Rhodes, but to my ears, not “quite” a Rhodes… Watching your video, and listening to the Hohner Pianet, it sounds (to me) to be much closer to the intro EP on that song than a “typical” Rhodes, with its more recognizable “chimey” sound… Just curious to hear what you (or anyone else here) thinks. Thanks! 😊🙏

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thanks! I reckon the Chris rea piano sound is actually a synth - maybe a Yamaha CS80?

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

The neat thing for me about the idea that the Pianet doesn’t have any sustaining system on it and is dependent strictly on the touch of your hand resonates for me because of a mistake I made when reading about the evolution of the group Genesis. If I’m not mistaken, those guys never had a Pianet model, but I made the mistake of thinking before Steve Hackett joined their lineup that Tony Banks was playing bass pedals with his feet and not using sustaining systems on his pianos so Michael Rutherford could play electric guitar. That’s not how it was, but the idea seemed kind of juicy to me. Some people depend a little bit to greatly on sustain pedals when they’re performing live, and they probably didn’t know what to do with a model like this one. Since I stopped trying to use sustain pedal for everything except when I am doing parts on my 88-note synthesizer at home, I imagine that I could play something like this Pianet.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

I think it makes you a stronger player if you can cope with the non-sustaining issue and compensate for it :) - it’s like a new instrument compared to a piano with sustain

[@Drforrester31]

You mentioned a couple tracks off Help!, which now makes me wonder if the Pianet is the same electric piano they use on Tell Me What You See. The little break with the piano into the drums after the chorus might be my favorite instrumental bit on the whole album

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Yes it was! They only had a Pianet throughout that album.

[@Doommaster1994]

It was also used in The Night Before. I actually did a cover of the song just because a Hohner Pianet sample is available for the Nord synthesizers.

[@JohnGoodman909]

damn i wish i never sold mine QQ

[@latorrefazionemusic]

Hi! Thanks for your video and explainatory description. It would be nice to hear the sound of the unamplified instrument: is it loud enough to be heard ecorded with a mic?

[@VintageKeysStudio]

We have just uploaded a short for you to demonstrate this.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

kzbin.infoL4RqCnttv0U?si=YaRNDLK_6G1hmzTh

[@latorrefazionemusic]

@@VintageKeysStudio Great!! Definitely less clear than rhodes hammer mechanism, but still recordable and usable after some editing 👍Thank you very much! 🙏

[@johnbishop5316]

Nice belch at 4.63. Pick the bones out of that?

[@crazypainter56]

Rod Argent used one in the Zombies

[@samirpetrocelli6583]

Buddy, nice video, but the rubber pices are there to make the reeds stop vibrating... The are no such thing as suction happening. Below each reed are hammers percuting them, when keys played

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thanks. Sorry, but there are no hammers. It js pure suction!

[@JAY61ish]

Nice hair cut young man.. Hohner gear was quality. i had a les paul style guitar in Germany in the army .. Alas never learned to play properly... Anyway.. Love;y sound from it.. Did Stevie Wonder use one on Sunshine of my life.. i wonder??

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Thank you! It was a mistake’ yes I wonder if Stevie did… I will listen again

[@keyhoarder]

another pros is the weight, about 20kg is not bad, one person can carry it, much less problematic than 70kg Rhodes. btw it sound way better than east germany Weltmeister Claviset.

[@verkehrsteilnehmer-berlin]

1:44 Airnst Sahahriahs

[@organfairy]

Why is there a pair of boots hanging from the ceiling?

[@VintageKeysStudio]

Because I can’t reach high enough to remove them

[@organfairy]

@@VintageKeysStudio It makes sense....

[@handmadeindustrial]

💇🏽‍♀️👍🏼

[@axs203]

I was a bit stupid to throw mine out in the rubbish in hindsight

[@nickmastro6870]

Love it,.... if only it had a sustain pedal, without one the functionality isn't too great

[@VintageKeysStudio]

You just have to play it more like an organ

[@nickmastro6870]

@@VintageKeysStudio The struggle is real. I recently played an open mic with an RMI Electra Piano without a sustain pedal (it worked alright as an EP, sadly my "organ mode" setting isn't working and I can't figure out what's wrong - I'd love to see a video about RMIs if you have any to show)

[@SuperShecky]

There was a company a few years ago that made, perhaps still makes, an electronic (digital) pedal that functions as a sustain pedal. Marvelous stuff, this modern technology.

[@michaellavender]

What chords are you playing around 0:30?

[@watchaddicts1213]

THE SONG: MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME 3 DOG

[@ageshero]

It would bug me if there’s no sustain pedal.

[@zxxzmjjjiik6986]

No more haircuts.

[@VintageKeysStudio]

At school I was constantly being shouted at: getyeraircut!

[@timothyverbist5795]

Dude, what happened to your long hair?

[@VintageKeysStudio]

I acted on impulse - possibly the wrong impulse… my neck is now freezing :s

[@geoffk777]

I had one of these in the early 80's. As a pianst, I hated it. The sound was Ok, and it was easy to transport. But the action was basically like a harpsichord--it resists until th pad gives way, than plays all at once. There's no real expression to it. And the lack of a sustain pedal means that complex piano music is hard or impossible to play. Did it work as a simple piano-style accompinament in a garage band? Yes. Was it fun or expressive to play and worth seeking out now? Absolutely not. It's nowhere near as expressive as a Rhodres or Wurlitzer, let alone a modern digital piano.

[@justsomeguy1074]

Better get your hair checked! 😂