Electro Harmonix KEY9

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

Effects	Synthesizer	Type	sector
Format	Pedal	Use	electric guitar
Number of tracks	9	Color	Black

Required power supply

9V DC (center negative)

Consumption

up to 200 mA