Rocky Mount Instruments
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronic musical instruments |
| Predecessor | Allen Organ Company |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Defunct | 1982 |
| Headquarters | Rocky Mount , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Electronic pianos, harpsichords, organs, digital synthesizers |
| Parent | Allen Organ Company |
Rocky Mount Instruments (RMI), a division of the Allen Organ Company located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, was active from 1966 until 1982. Founded to develop portable electronic musical instruments, RMI specialized in producing electronic pianos, harpsichords, and organs that relied on oscillators rather than traditional mechanical components.
The company's initial notable release was the Rock-Si-Chord, designed to emulate harpsichord sounds. Its most acclaimed product, however, was the RMI Electra-piano, which gained popularity among musicians such as Steve Winwood, Genesis' Tony Banks, and Yes' Rick Wakeman. Subsequently, RMI ventured into digital synthesizers with models including the Keyboard Computer and RMI Harmonic Synthesizer, instruments favored by artists like Jean Michel Jarre. Despite these advancements, rising competition from newer digital synthesizers in the early 1980s ultimately led to RMI ceasing operations. Presently, digital sample libraries of RMI instruments continue to be accessible for contemporary keyboard systems.
Early models
RMI’s origins date back to 1959 when Allen began incorporating transistor technology into its organ designs. A specialized branch was formed to explore portable electronic keyboards, resulting in a patent application filed in 1963 concerning keyboard construction. While most design work occurred at Allen’s headquarters in Pennsylvania, manufacturing took place in Rocky Mount, North Carolina—hence the subsidiary’s name. Initial production operated out of a repurposed tobacco warehouse before relocating to a facility employing approximately 100 workers.
The company’s first offerings in early 1967 were combo organs: the Explorer, priced at $845, which featured individual oscillators per key along with a "flying hammer" mechanism that created a strumming effect; and the Lark, a three-octave organ that shared oscillators among notes, restricting the ability to play adjacent keys simultaneously. Another product was the "Band Organ," an electric calliope imitation produced between 1968 and 1969.
RMI introduced its first electric piano as the "Model 100 Rock-Si-Chord" in 1967, retailing for $695 and offering string and lute tones. The subsequent "Model 100A" expanded sound options to include harpsichord, cembalo, lute, and two guitar voices. The premium "Model 200 Rock-Si-Chord," priced at $995, added a further 4' voice requiring additional tone generators per key. Allen executive Tom Emerick noted that harpsichord sounds were easier to develop than piano tones, influencing the order of product releases. The Rock-Si-Chord series was discontinued by 1968.
With limited exposure to rock and pop markets—given Allen's traditional focus on church and theater organs—RMI’s marketing campaigns aimed at younger consumers using contemporary slang and featuring a mascot named "Gopher Baroque."
Electra-pianos
In 1967, RMI introduced the 300 Series Electra-piano, which employed one oscillator per key utilizing stable LC oscillators to produce sound. The audio signal passed through filters designed to shape a piano-like envelope. This model also included an "organ mode" for sustained tones and an "accenter" feature providing percussion effects.
The initial models—the 300A (1967) and 300B (1969)—offered 61 keys each, while the later 368 (1972) added seven additional keys and became the best-selling variant. The 368X (1974) replaced the earlier plywood casing with molded plastic. A limited edition touch-sensitive model called the 68D was based on the 368X design.
The Model 400 console version targeted both home users and clubs by incorporating built-in speakers. The 400A (1970) shared internal components with the 300B but included a 50-watt amplifier; its successor, the 468 (1972), mirrored the features of the 368.
The 600 series combined sounds from both Electra-piano and Rock-Si-Chord instruments, beginning with the 600A in 1968. This series featured dual oscillators per key along with separate filter banks. The updated 600B (1970) improved voicing capabilities and added a pedalboard equipped with volume and sustain pedals. Models 668 and 668X corresponded to the earlier 368 and 368X respectively; weighing , the high-end 668X cost $2,095 and represented the final analog Electra-piano released into the early ’80s.
Electra-pianos used standard audio jack outputs compatible with typical guitar or keyboard amplifiers; however, RMI also offered dedicated amplifiers such as the single-speaker model 140 and dual-speaker version 140A. An optional high-frequency enhancement accessory—informally known as the "Hi-Scream Cone"—was available to boost treble response.
Approximately ten thousand units of RMI Electra-pianos were sold during their production run. Although less prevalent than Rhodes or Wurlitzer models, RMI instruments retain value today through digital emulations; their sampled sounds are incorporated into keyboards like the Nord Stage series and Roland JV-series sound modules programmed by Nick Magnus.
Other products
In 1974, RMI unveiled the Keyboard Computer, an evolution of the digital Allen Computer Organ, promoted as the pioneering portable digital musical instrument. Retailing at $4,495, it featured transposition capabilities, pitch bending, and voice upgrades through punch cards that enabled users to save personalized sound patches. Although marketed as a synthesizer, its foundation rested on organ technology and it did not possess comprehensive synthesizer functionalities. The enhanced Keyboard Computer II was released in 1977 for $4,750, boasting an improved user interface, expanded voice options, and greater patch memory.
The year 1975 saw RMI's introduction of its sole genuine synthesizer, the $2,995 RMI Harmonic Synthesizer, recognized as one of the earliest commercial digital synthesizers—arriving nearly ten years before the Yamaha DX7. Equipped with 48 keys, it incorporated two digital harmonic generators each offering sixteen sets, alongside features such as a voltage-controlled filter, octave shifting, pitch bend, portamento, and controls for amplitude and frequency modulation. Despite its innovative design, sales were limited and production ceased in 1976 after manufacturing between 150 and 250 units.
In 1979, RMI launched the DK-20 Digital Keyboard to succeed analog Electra-pianos. This model came with 68 keys and retained a similar casing style to prior versions. It included effects like adjustable decay, phaser modulation, and filtering options. Production of the DK-20 continued up until 1982.
By the early 1980s, RMI experienced a downturn attributed to elevated instrument costs and stiff competition from polyphonic synthesizers such as the Prophet 5 and Oberheim OB-X. Consequently, the company ended manufacturing operations in 1982.
Notable users
The Rock-Si-Chord found favor with several renowned artists including the Beach Boys, the Lovin' Spoonful, Quasi, Sun Ra, and Garth Hudson from The Band. The Electra-piano became a staple among rock musicians like Jon Lord of Deep Purple, Todd Rundgren, Frank Zappa, Rick Wakeman (Yes), Tony Banks (Genesis), Ron Mael (Sparks), Nicky Hopkins, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John. Steve Winwood delivered an Electra-piano solo on "Empty Pages," while Dr. John employed an RMI on "Right Place, Wrong Time."
Jon Lord customized an RMI internally to replicate a Hammond organ for live performances. Tony Banks appreciated the RMI as a stage piano substitute despite its drawbacks such as absence of touch sensitivity and fewer keys compared to a grand piano; he utilized effects pedals to broaden its sonic range before ultimately switching to a Yamaha CP-70.
The Keyboard Computer was featured on Isaac Hayes' Chocolate Chip album (1975) and utilized by artists like Wakeman, Garth Hudson, Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues, and Robert John Godfrey from The Enid. Jean Michel Jarre incorporated it alongside the Harmonic Synthesizer on his Oxygène release (1976). More recently, Aphex Twin acknowledged use of this instrument on his album Syro (2014).