With the Custom Keys Challenge submissions now closed, Rhodes invited all ten finalists to share how the Rhodes sound has impacted their musical background, their approach to composition, and what winning the contest would mean to them.
As the competition enters its final stages, it’s important to recognise the astonishing quality of all entries. It was evident how much care, time and attention went into each soundtrack, and for that, our heartfelt thanks go out to the talented Rhodes community for making the Custom Keys Challenge such a great success.
Meet Rhodes Custom Keys Challenge Finalist, Gavin Russell-Rockliff.
Gavin is a Melbourne-based musician and composer with a lifelong passion for the keys. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of influences – from the smooth mastery of Bob James to the modern energy of Cory Henry and the minimalism of Nils Frahm- his playing is all about feel and texture. Much of Gavin’s musical identity was shaped in church bands across South Africa and Australia. Playing in these environments with exceptional musicians taught him the key skill of listening to and following other musicians in real time. While his SoundCloud is currently a collection of raw, ‘in-progress’ ideas, he’s excited to finally begin polishing those tracks and sharing his finished vision with the world.
Watch Gavin’s Custom Keys finalist track:
What does the Rhodes sound mean to you?
Gavin: For me, the Rhodes sound is just pure fun to play. Also, it covers such a wide range of styles and is really versatile. It’s so comfortable sitting back in the mix, but the second you add some velocity and drive, it jumps to the front. A friend once told me a Rhodes should be played like a lead guitar, with a bit of crunch and drive, and I think he was right.
My introduction to the sound started when a friend put on a Fourplay album. I was floored by what Bob James could do; his approach to voicings and those signature turns on tracks like ‘Angela’ and ‘Westchester Lady’ really shaped how I think about the keys. You can just hear the joy in his playing, and that’s what I try to recreate when playing.
How did you approach your composition for the Custom Keys Challenge?
Gavin: I had so much fun putting this piece together. My approach was centered on a few simple ideas.
First, I wanted to hit the key visual cues. I made sure to add musical emphasis under the writing elements – like the initial ‘Rhodes Custom’ reveal and a small hook when ‘Where Legacy meets Innovation’ pops up. It felt important to make the audio and visuals feel like they were related.
One of the visual cues that jumped out for me was around the 0:45 mark, the way the video flashes shouted out for a DJ-style gated effect. After a night of fiddling with Logic automation, I was able to bring it to life to add that stuttered, high-energy feel.
Lastly, I wanted to ground everything in a progression that felt a bit retro and 70s-inspired, while still showing how the Rhodes sits in a composition context. I cycled through a bunch of ideas, but eventually, the simple melody combined with a descending bass line and a fun 7th chord just felt right.
What Rhodes sounds did you use in your composition, and how did you find this process?
Gavin:I used the Rhodes V8 Pro VST for all the Rhodes sounds. My goal was to lean on the presets as much as possible to show off what the plugin can do right out of the box.
I loved this part of the process because the library is so deep. It’s clear the team worked with some incredible artists to build these, and it was easy to navigate and find exactly what I needed for each section. I ended up using seven different presets across the 90-second clip to show the instrument’s range:
Chick’s Delight – For a clean patch to finish on and a small tip of the hat to an inspiring person and musician.
Bouncy Ball – How could I not start with something which highlighted the Vari-Pan effect!
MK8 Factory Default Setup – Yip, even the default patch sounds so true to the original, it had to feature upfront as well.
Phaser Suitcase – For some movement and emphasis.
Throaty Dist – When I needed that ‘lead guitar’ bite we talked about.
JD73 – The Duke! 2 & SmoothCase – For those silky, foundational parts.
What would winning mean to you and your musical journey?
Gavin: Honestly, just making the top 10 is a huge win for me.
I’m not a professional musician, and like a lot of people, my creative process usually involves a lot of ‘work-in-progress’ files – my SoundCloud is full of ideas that are about 40% finished!
Being selected for this list is a welcome validation that these ideas resonate with other people. Winning wouldn’t just be an honour; it would be the spark I need to start taking those ideas to completion and collaborating with others to bring them to life. Including some with killer Rhodes parts, of course.
If you were to win a Rhodes MK8, how would you use it?
Gavin: It would immediately become the centrepiece of my home studio. Since that space doubles as my home office, the MK8 would be within arm’s reach whenever inspiration hits or whenever I just need a quick ‘pick-me-up’ session after work!
How would you design your own MK8? Would you go for a Custom Shop model, and if so, which?
Gavin: I would go custom all the way. Getting an instrument built by the masters of electric pianos is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m leaning toward the Glacial design!
Find out more about Gavin and his music:
https://soundcloud.com/gavinrr/a-moody-jam
https://www.instagram.com/gavinrr
If you would like to vote for Gavin’s soundtrack, follow the link below, and ‘like’ his video:
https://youtu.be/ME16LEH-D9o
