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, Attila Pascay.
Attila Pacsay is an award-winning Hungarian film and theatre composer, widely recognised for his work in contemporary film music. He gained international attention as the composer of Maestro (2005), the Academy Award–nominated animated short film, which received over fifty international festival awards.
Throughout his career, he has composed music for twelve feature films, as well as numerous animated films, short films, television and theatre productions. He has collaborated with some of Hungary’s most prominent directors, including Lajos Koltai, István Szabó and Ferenc Rófusz.
His music has been honoured with several prestigious international and national awards, including the Hollywood Music in Media Awards, the Music + Sound Awards (UK), and multiple Hungarian Film and Hungarian Motion Picture Awards. Pacsay’s musical style is characterised by a distinctive blend of acoustic and electronic elements, combining tonal writing with a versatile, genre-spanning approach.
Watch Attila’s Custom Keys finalist track:
What does the Rhodes sound mean to you?
Attila: To me, the Rhodes sound is a legend – an absolute icon. It’s synonymous with that classic American vibe, like the Ford Mustang. Growing up, American culture from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s had the biggest impact on me – not just music, but literature and film as well, though music above all. I was completely under its spell.
The influence of jazz-rock bands like Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire, and of jazz artists, especially Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, is something I still feel to this day. I get goosebumps on my arms just hearing their names.
How did you approach your composition for the Custom Keys Challenge?
Attila: When I was coming up with the idea, my main goal was to show a side of the Rhodes sound that goes beyond the usual jazz or funky piano approach – something completely different. That’s why the piece opens with a gradually evolving rhythmic permutation, which to me feels both lyrical and virtuosic.
Structurally, there are three key sync points in the video, each marking a new formal section. The first sync point is right at the halfway mark, where the previously slower imagery shifts into a fast- cut, more dynamic sequence. Musically, this is where I bring in rhythmic instruments and further develop the floating musical material from the opening section.
Before the second sync point, the editing rhythm settles down again – just like the music does – but only to set up an even more driving, high-energy finale. This part is intentionally meant to be surprising, and here I couldn’t resist the temptation of more traditional, classic-style Rhodes piano playing.The third sync point is the closing scene, where we see a still shot of the Rhodes model called American Classic. The music wraps up with a final arpeggio, using the lush Tiney Sparkle sound.
What Rhodes sounds did you use in your composition, and how did you find this process?
Attila: Luckily, the V8 and Anthology software come with a huge selection of really great presets. I’m using quite a wide range of sounds, and even in places where a part could easily be played with two hands, I often pull out an inner part and play it with a different tone. It’s really fascinating to experiment with which sounds work well together – how they blend, cancel each other out, or make each other more interesting.
Right from the start of the piece, there are actually three instruments playing what comes across as a single musical idea. Alongside V8 Crystal Clear, I’m using Going Incognito and the Anthology DrMix Chick’s Silver Temple sounds.
In the next section, the bass parts are handled by Anthology Heavy Drive Sparkle Spring and DrMix Lush Sauce, with Crystal Clear also in the mix.
In the third, funky section, I panned the three parts across the stereo field: the center is V8 Going Incognito, the left is Matt Cooper Mid Boost Vibes, and the right is On The Corner.The closing arpeggiated chord uses the Anthology Tiney Sparkle sound.
What would winning mean to you and your musical journey?
Attila: Winning would be an incredible joy, of course, but just as important would be knowing that my own voice, my musical language, really speaks to a lot of people. I mostly write film music, where you almost always have to switch styles depending on the director’s vision. Your personal voice naturally comes through even across very different styles, but film scoring is still an applied genre at heart – the music’s dramaturgy is shaped not by you, but by the story and the rhythm of the edit.
If I were to win, it would definitely encourage me to create more music completely free of any external influence.
If you were to win a Rhodes MK8, how would you use it?
Attila: It would obviously move right to the centre of my creative work – it’s an incredible instrument, the Rolls-Royce of electric pianos. I’m especially interested in exploring possibilities beyond traditional Rhodes playing, and I’d definitely experiment with those, just as I did in this competition.
How would you design your own MK8? Would you go for a Custom Shop model, and if so, which?
Attila: Choosing the actual instrument would be a real struggle, because I love every model in the Custom Series. Up until now, I thought I’d go for a smoke-transparent hood, but honestly, even that I’m no longer 100% sure about.
Find out more about Attila and his music:
https://www.facebook.com/attila.pacsay
https://attipacsay.bandcamp.com
https://attipacsay.bandcamp.com/album/shine-opening-night-of-ekf-2023
If you would like to vote for Attila’s soundtrack, follow the link below, and ‘like’ his video:
https://youtu.be/mwFe1rIzPjw?si=6U7YFdrLIyhO-Z6w
