Rhodes Music offers the V-Pan ($39.95 value) modulation plugin for FREE until January 31st, 2024.
V-Pan is a plugin that adds instant depth and dimension, and it’s modeled straight from the Rhodes MK8 Vari-Pan circuit.
The Rhodes MK8 is still relatively new, but the classic Rhodes vibrato stereo panning effect was introduced on the suitcase piano in the 1970s.
Over the years, many developers have tried to recreate the iconic sound of a Rhodes piano, and luckily for us, that endeavor has produced many awesome freebies like Electric Keys by Fracture Sounds.
But, if anyone is going to recreate a specific element of the latest hardware model in plugin form, who better than the manufacturer to do it?
The Rhodes Music team brings together a diverse group of experienced individuals with Loopmasters founder Matt Pelling at the helm. Rhodes Music even drafted the famed industrial designer Axel Hartmann to ensure the MK8 was a modern Rhodes without forgetting its history.
The V-Pan plugin matches the hardware Vari-Pan circuit with the flexibility of a continuously variable waveform. In addition, the plugin also offers Slew and Smooth controls for further waveshaping.
Wrapping up the adjustable controls are the deep Depth (depth of the pan LFO) and Rate (speed of the pan LFO) knobs right in the center of the interface.
When making adjustments, a handy display at the top right corner shows the value of the appropriate parameter.
The Rate knob ranges from super-slow up to audio rates for ring mod-like effects. Another handy visual feedback feature is the set of left/right panning LEDs right above the Rate knob. V-Pan supports BPM sync.
Of course, despite coming straight from the Rhodes MK8, V-Pan isn’t just a way to achieve an authentic Rhodes sound; it’s a versatile effect for many uses.
The panning effect is a perfect tool to add excitement to any instrument, whether it’s an electric piano, synth, guitar, or even vocals.
V-Pan usually costs £29.95, so it’s best to grab it while it’s free!
The Rhodes piano has a long history, from the mind of piano teacher Harold Rhodes to the Fender days to the MK8.
I was excited to try the Rhodes MK8 when it was released a couple of years ago, and I really liked the keyboard action, albeit different.
I’m stepping away from the plugin slightly, but curious to know what any of you think of the Rhodes MK8; any thoughts? Any favorite Rhodes models/years? Don’t care and want me to stop asking questions?
WARNING: Please note that the software has a large download size of around 500 MB. However, our readers have reported that the installation takes up approximately 4 GB of hard drive space. Additionally, the software requires the Gorilla Manager, seemingly for activation purposes. For further information, please refer to the comments section below.
Download: The Rhodes V-Pan (FREE for a limited time – regular price $29.95)
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43 Comments
annie
onanybody figure out a workaround for not having gorilla manager?
Shane Sanders
onAfter attempting to register the plugin using the native way and the Gorilla way (both unsuccessful), I just uninstalled Gorilla and suddenly the plugin worked.
Michal Ochedowski
onDownload size is 456 MB for Windows users. During installation apart from the actual plugin in VST2 and VST3 format, software named Gorilla Manager will also be installed. As a third software CodeMeter Runtime will also be installed.
Just a fair warning to anyone with very limited space on the C drive. I had above 5 GB prior to installation. Somehow it shrank to 850 MB after the installation. Not sure exactly how this happened, but made me uninstall the software.
I will check it though on a later date, when I free up some space on my computer.
Lesha
onOuch
Numanoid
onThanks for the warning, I doubt I will be installing this then it is quite a “one trick pony” plugin anyhow
Completing the checkout, and trying to download I only get “Gateway time-out” so no plugin for me yet anyhow
Lucas
onDamn. 4GB is nuts, especially if that’s Windows only. But then, most these hubs, managers, and central install interfaces are trash programs, and not just as far as space is concerned, with many of them using PC resources unnecessarily, bogging things down, be it instantiation time or actual performance. Plus, a lot of the garbage that’s installed with these central installers end up littered all over your PC too, and if you decide to uninstall them, even using something like RevoUninstaller, they still leave jetsom about. I can usually root out all the crap with UltraSearch, but I shouldn’t have to. The Plugin Alliance manager is about the only tolerable one, with a clean uninstall and, thankfully, isn’t actually *required, the latter being its best feature. XD
Angelo
onThanks for the warning! I was being asked to pay for this plugin and can’t be bothered to figure it out now. It’s not like I don’t already have more modulation plugins than I need.
Olaf Tryggvasson
on4 gigs for an auto-panner/vibrato sounds a bit much. thanks for the heads up!
Tomislav Zlatic
onThank you for those details Michal, I will mention it in the article.
Michal Ochedowski
onGlad I could help :)
Mike
onIn my case it was more like 1.3-1.4 GB thankfully. Still a lot for a plugin like this.
Mike
onTo update my previous comment, according to Windows 10 Gorilla Manager was taking up 476 MB installed. The plugin VST files themselves (.dll and .vst3) are 163 MB in total. I uninstalled Gorilla Manager after activating and running the plugin successfully, and it still starts in activated mode, making it appear as though the manager program is useless after activation (unless there are periodic activation checks that will lock the plugin without it installed, but that has yet to be seen). I seem to still have up to 1 GB unaccounted for unfortunately. Wondering if it’s possible that this is simply taken up by plugin resource files installed in a different location from the VST install folders?
Mike
onAs a likely final update to my string of comments for now, I found 212 MB of files (189 of which belong to a single Gorilla Manager installer file) in the C:\ProgramData\Rhodes directory. I’ve searched the other Program Files directories (as well as their respective Common Files directories) where any associated files are likely to be found, and there’s nothing else that I can see. Hope this helps someone out there.
Java
onSadly I didn’t read this comment before. I uninstalled everything. That “codemeter runtime” even keeps running on the system! Closed and uninstalled everything related to it. The plugin may or may not be good, but won’t be trying anything from them anymore, really shady installing stuff without asking or telling me about it.
Rodolfo Borner
onActivation with the correct licence code in Macos (Ventura) does not work; a window opens telling that no software to open URL „gorillaengine://license/activate?showErrors=true&license=D4YYF-4CKYZ-HF4VV-FH9U5-F2PMW was found, that a software has to be looked for in the App Store or on the computer.
Marcelo Ribeiro Simões
on40 bucks on that link…
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt was a temporary issue on the developer’s website. The plugin is free again.
Lou
onThe site says the price is $40+ over here. What gives?
Tomislav Zlatic
onThe plugin is free again, it was a temporary issue.
Andriu
onit doesn’t show as free for me, actually it says that was $ 39.95 and now is $ 40.79…. makes no sense hahahaha
Lou
onThe site says the plug is $40+ over here. What gives?
Matt
onYes, its not free, looks like fake information here..
Gery Zenz
onFREE for a limited time!!
zmpfl
on” FREE until January 31st, 2024.”!!!
Gery Zenz
onapproximately! (haha)
James Nugent
onHey all, sorry there’s been a few issues with this one – I didn’t have any problems checking out for free earlier today, but I can see it’s charging now. It still says “Claim for FREE” on the homepage, so I guess there’s a mistake on the RM website, and hopefully the price returns to £0 soon for anyone who wants to download it.
Kieran
onThe demos make me feel nauseous and I don’t know why.. Can anybody explain this witchcraft?
JB
onyou are listening on earbuds :) its designed for speakers.
M.P.3.
onFree again now!
george
onyeah i wouldn’t install all that boat for such a simple plug in that most daws have anyway and you can automate very simply , you have the free pancake also , imagine developers your computer gets currupted and you have to reinstalll everything , how long does that take if it’s not easy and straightforward , im give it a miss
stefphan
onthanks!
Al
on2B Played Slimverb is free with coupon code Slimfree at checkout until Christmas
Choko
onNinja’d!
Choko
on2B SlimVerb free with coupon SLIMFREE until December 25th!
Darryl Lim
onGot it, thankyou! :)
Ants
onRhodes really messed up, arrogant from years of being “famous”.
They released a bloated and disappointing Rhodes instrument, with a terrible GUI and indeed large install.
They didn’t do their research well. I installed the demo, then wiped it off my PC within about ten minutes trying it.
This pan plugin is a miss for me. Not interested in adding bloatware. There are other free alternatives from MELDA Audio for example.
yambu
onI had no problems with the purchase or installation. However, I think it’s cheeky that you have to provide your phone number and when installing you have no choice/options as to what you actually install, apparently Gorilla Manager and CodeMeter are simply installed as well, what’s the point? Even that at once about 5 GB! Being used up for a pan effect can only be rated negatively. I haven’t tested the plugin itself yet, but the programmers haven’t even offered presets in this plugin. I would hardly spend any money on it.
JOP
onWhat for does a company need my telephone number in return of a simple ‘free’ plugin? Big fail…..
Coopmusic247
onRoomCreator is available for free for a limited time. It’s a foley sound Kontakt instrument, but I can definitely see it getting some use for music videos or to add atmosphere to a track. Does require the full version of Kontakt and I had to relink the samples, but actually a great instrument.
https://foleysoft.com/shop-2/instrument/roomtone-creator/
Tomislav Zlatic
onInteresting, thank you!
Darryl Lim
onWhoops, their site says “we do not do business in your country…”, ouch haha (from Malaysia).
JEP1928
onGeorestriction Kontakt instrument?
nah, I don’t liked it.
and besides the V-panner
you can recreate any automatic panner like rotary or emulation of it, voila, you have wurli/rhode type effect instead of getting that with hooks and shackles behind yourself, I mean with 2 bloatware (Codemeter and Gorilla)
L
onLooks like a V-Pa(i)n in the ass to install, with all the “collaterall damages” included… No thanks.