clavinet
An electromechanical keyboard instrument with a funky, percussive tone.
In Depth
The Hohner Clavinet produces sound when rubber-tipped hammers strike metal strings, which are then amplified by a magnetic pickup — similar to an electric guitar. The result is a bright, percussive, twangy tone that became synonymous with 1970s funk and soul music.
Stevie Wonder's Superstition features the most famous Clavinet riff in music history — a driving, syncopated pattern that defined the instrument's role in popular music. The Clavinet was also used extensively by Herbie Hancock, Billy Preston, and Led Zeppelin. Though production ceased in the 1980s, its sound remains influential and is widely emulated by digital keyboards and plugins.
Stevie Wonder's Superstition Clavinet riff was originally written for Jeff Beck, but Stevie liked it so much he kept it for himself — Beck had to settle for a different track.