Tine

This is now universally accepted as the term that refers to the stiff wire rod, which together with an asymmetrical tuning fork, forms the basis for the distinctive sound of the Rhodes Electric Piano, sometimes referred to as a “tine piano.” The piano’s keyboard causes a hammer to strike the tines and the resultant sound, which also relies on a counterbalancing resonating tone bar, is amplified through the use of an electromagnetic pickup, with one pickup per tine. Countless Rhodes emulations are generically called “tine pianos” by programmers, provided that the overall sound is similar in both overall sound and harmonic content to the real thing.