B-3

Hi All,
I know we've discussed B-3 sounds before, but my one question is simply, What board and settings comes the closest. I want it to play in the church and in the studio. I've checked out the used / reconditioned ones. They're a bit steep. Roland (viking is it ?). Any of the new gee whiz boards? It's amazing how all our new technology can't capture that pure sound...man...it's so distinctive and sweet....anyhow, not to belabor an old topic, just want your suggestions so I can shop. 3 or 4 good options are great. Thanks brian

If physical drawbars are not a neccessity, then get the software based B4, from Native Instruments. It's SOOOOOOOOOO close. It has every little character from the real "B", and fits inside your laptop or home pc. The drawbar settings are changeable in real time, it's just tough to do on the fly. You can assign presets, though.
As far as hardware goes:
The Roland VK7 has been repklaced with a VK8, so the older ones should drop in price about now. The newer one has drop-down key fronts, and NO cheezy orchestral voices this time.
I had the Hammond XK2, and loved it.
The modeled organs in the 9000pro from Yamaha were also topnotch.

hey B2!
try the module V5 + Speen of VOCE ' it sounds almost the same as B3 and the price is vdery good

Korg also have a portable model that sounds good

Dud

------------------
davidfle@hotmail.co.il

Thanks Uncle dave and Dud. Dud, I am not familiar with the equipment you just recommended. is that their names? who makes them? Brian

Native Instruments B4 (software)
Rolang VK7/8 (dedicated, drawbar keybaord)
Hammond/Suzuki XK2 (same)

Hi Everybody
I just "melt - at the - sound of the B3"
NOW that was an Organ that set the rock`n-roll and blues on fire Can any body help a Mac user with the B4 software, how exactly can I hook it up so that I can use the Drawbars on the 2000 with the B4 program. I know I need MIDI but is there any thing else that I should do to make it work? Feed-Back welcome, thanks,
jedi

I'm not sure if the drawbars send midi info on the 2000 or not. I doubt it.
All you really need to access that great sound is a midi interface. The settings and effects can all be edited and controlled by the pc keyboard. All you need to supply are the playing keys!

I have thry them all, but for me WERSI OX7 is the best.
Emulate the B3, H100, Wersi Helios and Wersi Spectra drawbar sound.
Also on board is a lesley with fabulous realism.
See specs on www.wersi.net

Greetings from Belgium

A friend of mine is a "Hammound Sound" addict and he's saving up for the latest Korg Dual Manual device having given the single-manual version (CX3) a good thrashing at a show. Theres a review of the CX3 at http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/jan01/articles/korgcx3.asp


I would suppose with something as organic and personal as a Hammond you'll have to audition to make a real choice.

The bad news is that it's **** expensive

[This message has been edited by MacAllcock (edited 03-21-2002).]

Thanks, for the help, The idea of sound cards is ok but I use an "iMac", and Dave you mentioned "all you need is the keyboard" with a midi interface send the "software" sounds to my 2000?
Ketron User are you talking about software or hardware? Thank every one for your input and help
jedi

I guess NI has a mac platform .... I never asked. Anyone know if the B4 works on a Mac?

http://messe.harmony-central.com/Musikmesse02/Content/Emagic/EVB3.html

Emagic Brings B3 Sound to Logic 5


March 14, 2002
Emagic's Component Modeling Technology not only faithfully captures the legendary Hammond sound, but improves upon it to offer an even larger spectrum of musical and creative possibilities. The EVB3 will be vailable as an optional software instrument for Logic 5.

The EVB3 is laid out like the original organ, with two keyboard manuals and a pedal board. Both keyboards provide instant access to different drawbar combinations via 24 preset buttons, available to each manual. The EVB3 offers an additional octave above and below the five octaves of the original, allowing screaming highs and really fat bass sounds.

Modelling the Sound

The electro magnetic sound generation and tube switches of the very best organs and Leslie speaker cabinets were analyzed during the development phase of the EVB3. Each tone wheel is synthesized by Component Modelling Technology. The complete set of drawbars available on the original is available to the EVB3. Subtle sonic characteristics such as cross-talk between tone wheels or enveloping can be precisely controlled. Other events such as the loudness robbing and tapering which typified the B3 can also be easily simulated.

The gradual aging of components colored the sound of the B3, and the EVB3 allows each musician to freely recreate these types of artifacts, via control over parameters such as key click variations. The rotor cabinet simulation allows the choice of different cabinet types and horn combinations, via a simple mouse click. The virtual microphone for the horn can be freely placed at any distance or angle.

The EVB3 is not limited by any particular musical genre: when played at an intense level, with velocity-sensitive percussion, it makes an ideal jazz and rock organ. Friends of electric sounds will enthusiastically tweak the pitch waveform. Hawaiian fans will love the smart release mode.

Sound Modulation Facilities

A central element of the sound modulation facilities is a 3-band EQ, based on Logic's Fat EQ, and optimized for use with an organ. The EVB3 also offers a distortion, with tone warp, for realistic tube distortion effects. An even funkier sound can be attained through the use of the newly developed wah effect. The wah effect can be controlled via any MIDI controller. Even the peak can easily controlled via foot controller. It is also possible to determine the order of the effects in the signal path -- leading to especially interesting combined distortion and wah effects.

The Leslie effect plug-in

The authentic sound of the legendary Leslie cabinets is also available as separate plug-in for all owners of the EVB3. This allows Logic 5 audio tracks to be run through scanner vibrato, tube overdrive and rotating speaker effect combinations, in any order.

Price and availability

The EVB3 will be available in the 2nd quarter of 2002 with a recommended retail price in Germany of 219,- Euro.

For more information, visit their web site at www.emagic.de.

Hi Ketron User,
Wersi , yes very good as well and very $$$$ I was looking at there web-site and was drooollllling over that White consoule job with the two 61 key manuales plus the 49 key Synth wowow to that for sure But it`s still not a B3 theres just something about an old B3 with the warm sound of tubes and a Lesley speaker going "full-tilt boogey" ah the sound. I`m sure there are very faithful reproductions but I`m old fashion, I just would like to find one thats affordable!! They cost$$$$ as well and they don`t even have MIDI hahaha
take care,have a great day!
jedi

jedi,
Ketron User is talking about the Wersi OX7 'Organ Expander' (or Blue Chip Music-is the same ) which can be used with any MIDI source -PC ,keyboard etc ,and features Realtime Drawbars.The price starts from 860 Euros including VAT in Europe.The 'white console thing' is the best Organ available today with a technology years ahead from the competition.Of cource it has MIDI (he he)..

B4 will work with MAC, 250 MHz or higher. I also liked the Blue Chip QX7 organ module.Uncle Dave liked it too , but had a problem with sustain if I recall correctly..The King is still the B4 software organ..Fran

Hi cosel,
Thanks for the tip on the module I`ll take a peek, but I think right now I`ll stick with software. BTW they have a B4 demo which I downloaded haven`t had a chance to try it yet though
BTW _Welcome to our corner of the web!
jedi

Hi Fran,
So are U a Mac fan? I was able to download a demo ver. of B4 haven`t tried it yet. Thanks for the tip BTW this is my first time hooking-up midi to a Mac, I down loaded "Pro-Tools Free" and I tried that with no luck what so ever I have a UX-16 Yamaha USB midi interface and I installed OMS and then the midi driver that work "ok" but when I installed Pro Tools I was completly lost - I mean I didn`t even know what button to push!!!!
The last time I hooked up a midi set-up was a few years back using a PC with a roland interface and cakewalk and that worked fine. I know I`m doing something wrong but can`t figure it out very,very If you have any thoughts and the time to add anything,many thanks. Anyway thanks for the reply, and have a great day O-BTW if you are a Mac fan have you heard, they raised the price on all new G4 iMac`s that was going to be my next computer (still will) but they should go down not up! (in$)

Hi Fran , me agian is that B4 software playable through a keyboard? Thanks
jedi

The B4 software is ONLY for a computer, and Fran is a pc user. Never had a Mac.
BTW - that ProTools demo is probably the lite version (garbage) and is nothing, compared to the pro version. I would never even consider it against the hard disk systems today. Go to the top, or don't go there.

Hi Uncle Dave
You lost me! (but thats not hard,hahaha)
What do you mean "Hard Disk systems"?

jedi

It appears I've lost control over my own thread..man...I hate it when that happens... so, any other takers? I have the B4 software, the VK-7, VK-8, XK-2 hammond, and the 9000 pro....Any other keyboards for live use you'd recommend? Thanks B2

[This message has been edited by B2 (edited 03-22-2002).]

Jedi,
I should have said Hard WARE systems, like the Roland VS line or the Korg D16, D12, that stuff. All in one boxes that record, master, burn .... all that.

Brian,
I have both the Tonewheel B4 software (by Native Instruments) and a Roland VA7, together with a Roland XV 3080 and a couple of samplers (Akai S2800 and Ensoniq ASR10); in the past I have also owned a Suzuki Hammond XK2 and a lot of older synths (Roland, Korg and Yamaha), so I think that I can speak out of personal experience. While I agree that the software option (B4) is the one which comes closest to the real thing, I have to say that it's a bit awkward for a live situation (if you want to modify the drawbars settings you have to use a mouse or another similar device and that takes time). In this kind of situation the hardware solution is much more practical; from my experience I can say that the VA7 has a lot of great sounds sampled from actual Hammond organs, with and without Leslie, percussion, distortion and so on and satisfies all my present needs for Hammond sounds, from Jimmy Smith to Procol Harum.
I remember that a few years ago Keyboard Magazine compared side by side all those Hammond "clones" and the conclusion was that the best ones were the Suzuki Hammond XK2 and the Roland VK7, with a slight edge for the latter.
Regards,
Andrea

Hi B3 fans!
if is it of interest i can give you my experience with the Wersi Abacus keyboard:
There is a basic XG sound module with 'standard-fixed' sounds ,including organs.
The OX7 is an optional item (which i have installed) and it can produce Hammond B3/H100 and Wersi Organ sounds ,using the 9/7 RealTime Drawbars,complete with KeyClick,Leslie emulation,Scanner Vibrato etc.it The OX7 is based on a Motorola DSP chip,the current software version is 7.6 and it is also user programmable.
On the next level,there are the OAS sounds which use more DSPs and can be loaded with any AKAI compatible sounds ,lots of sampled organs among them.But the beuty of the system is that -as it is based on a Windows PC-any Windows sound generator can be used in real time.I have tried NIB4 and works.I can 'play' the B4 drawbars using the Colour Touch Screen.It is possible to layer all different sound sources on the various keyboard zones.
The new version OAS4 that just came out ,gives full support to Gigasampler,with the possibility of reacalling the Gigasampler sounds using the front panel buttons.I will give you my impressions when i install this.
Have in mind that all sound processing ,including effects and equalizer, is done digitally (32bit) and the 24bit D/A converter is at the output.How it sounds? Maybe I have to post some sounds so you can listen and give your feedback.

Dreamer and cosel,

Thanks for the input. After reading this thread and playing with the PSR 2000, I'm opting for the VK-7/XK2 route. I like to have actual knobs and be able to touch and feel stuff. However, I want to try the B4 software for studio use. Sounds like everyone rates that pretty high. Thanks again Brian

While I agree that the software option (B4) is the one which comes closest to the real thing, I have to say that it's a bit awkward for a live situation (if you want to modify the drawbars settings you have to use a mouse or another similar device and that takes time).
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Just to point out that the B4 does respond to MIDI control and that allows me to push REGISTRATION MEMORY buttons on my PSR-740 and change the B4 condition. No need to touch the mouse. Of course, you have to have previously determine the paramters you want for that discrete way of operating the B4.

Brian,
If you have a free hand to make the adjustments with - there is NO substitute for having real drawbars. It adds all the difference in the performance, to be able to make miniscule changes in real time. It's an art all unto itself, and one that is so much fun. Once you have a drawbar organ, it will be tough to go backwards, so good luck. I'm a little jelous. I've had a few over the years, but I just can't devote my left hand to the control of the drawbars. I settle for presets, and deal with it that way. I have a few sounds right next to each other that sound like I'm making drawbar adjustments....sort of. Like Marvin said:
"Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby"