Robert Messier

Robert has been working on some new styles for Ketron UK and he sent me a few quick MP3 demos by email, they are not official - just quick samples of the new styles.

I thought you might enjoy listening, there are three in total (over in the Ketron Forum) but here is one:

What are these Hammond voices being used? I can't hear the Leslie ramping up and down, just fades to fast or slow. Doesn't the Audya have a decent Leslie sim and a drawbar section?

glad you enjoyed it Diki

TWD,

Nice job Robert has done, now where did I put that Audya..


Regards

Tony

Hi Tony, your right - Robert did do a good job on the style. I liked his playing too...and the little indication of his sense of humour at the end

The new owner of your Audya has been in touch (not the dealer)- he is totally in love with it. It took a while to sort out by email (the hard drive content/ file checksums to sort out the little glitches and issues) but its working well now and he is completely awestruck so I guess its not heading back to you any time soon.

I have to say I was pretty surprised (and a bit sad) you moved yours on, but you did have it over two years which is longer than many people keep a totl arranger.

I really like this...the Audya sounds terrific, Robert's playing is always a treat, and, he did a fantastic job on the style...also AWSOP is a favorite tune of mine.

Regarding the Audya's excellent Hammond organ voices...if they are set up in a similar fashion to the organs in the Tyros4, there are quite a few preset sampled organs (SA) that change from fast/slow rotary by swapping samples (done on T4 with mod wheel), but also a seperate full drawbar section with several rotary speaker types (triggered by panel button or foot switch).

Only criticism I can make, is the drums are too loud in the mix, although, since Audya's great kits are an important feature, perhaps that is why they are so hot...if it was a style I made, the drum mix would be a tad lower, but that is just my personal preference.

Otherwise a terrific style and demo, and kudos to Robert.

Ian

Hi Ian, thanks for the comments, this style was my own personal bit of Self Indulgence and I am very happy its the first Robert has completed

You are 100% correct about the sample morphing and there are drawbars with a sim if required. However In this case its too good a sample not to use.

The Audya has physical sliders for Drums, Bass, Chords and left voice so you can adjust the balance in real time depending on your particular style of play. As this is a style demo its probably appropriate to hear the drums which are just such a cool vintage sound. But in real terms you will probably not have the slide all the way up.

Since owning an Audya I have definitely noticed the urge to have the drummer more in your face for a fat raw live sound. If you need a more polished and balanced performance though the sliders are there and can also be recorded into a preset. If thats not enough you can re-balance the style in full and resave it as a user style. I have a feeling the style will be balanced correctly however - Robert is a perfectionist.

Come on, Tonewheel... you are usually one of the people here most concerned with the accuracy of a Hammond sim. Why are you giving this a pass?

Nothing wrong with the playing, and the style was nice, but Whiter Shade deserves a better Hammond sim, surely..?

For an arranger I love the specialist samples on the Audya (its actually a KeyB). The problem with arrangers is that the R&D has to be spread across all the features. Hammond/Leslie combination is the most complex of all sounds to reproduce accurately and even Hammond had to throw in the towel and concentrate on what they do best and at the same time the other arranger manufacturers stopped active development on their Hammond sound and concentrated on the other features.

So your right, Whiter Shade Of Pale does deserve the best, unfortunately there is no arranger on the market that can give a real Hammond/Leslie combo so the samples used by Robert are a good compromise.

Fortunately there are always options which is why most of us have other gear and toys and we have a number of customers with KeyB Duos and Audya4 module which is an awesome setup. Robert could have used a KeyB module or run the organ sound through a vintage Leslie - but his demo's are for the Audya after all.

If you want the best Hammond organ emulator then there is no better than the GSI VB3 VST.

If you want the best Hammond organ emulation on an arranger, then nothing beats the Wersi Pegasus Wing, as it comes with the VB3 as standard as well as real drawbars. (And its on-board OAS drawbars aren’t bad either) It’s also cheaper than an Audya, Tyros 4 and Korg PA3x.

As to the demos, then the backing does sound great, and bodes well for the styles yet to come.

Keep on Rocking

Bill

Bill, I have the VB3 vst and you are right,,,it is great...but personally, I like the original Native Instruments B4...

I have the B4-2 set up on the MS, and this newer version works great with the control surface of the MS...

I use the original B4 and VB3 on my laptop...

Fran,


Now here's your chance, lets hear the dam thing for the first time Hammond a Go Go, Whiter Shade of Pale, I will send you the dots, you have no excuse now Fran you got the tools, do the job, lets hear the MS for once.

Bill,

What does this mean, are they free, what styles come with the Wing out the box, is there a link to here some, I will have to get Peter A to bring one and have a listen i think thats the only way i will hear one properly.

Tony

Hi Tony

I was referring to the Audya demo styles; the Wing was just about VB3.

There is a Wersi open day in the Holiday Inn, York on the 25th of this month, which may be within traveling distance of you.

Bill

Any VSTi demo will show what the MS is capable of sounding like. After all, it is essentially a computer in a keyboard case, so what the VSTi demo sounds like will be what the MS sounds like when running it. The problem about the MS was with its use AS AN ARRANGER, where the ENTIRE soundset is integral to whether it works well or not. Few of us have the skill-set to put one together that works as seamlessly as the best factory ones.

Personally, I still think to nail a Hammond performance, you also need waterfall, light action keys and a swell pedal with a decent throw. Part of the SOUND was the things you could do with that action. One of the things I am still in love with on my G70 is the rounded off keys. While not waterfall, there are no sharp edges to catch your hands on while you do palm smears and glisses.

I know exactly what you mean Diki I feel the same way when I drive my Ferrari, it doesn't have a sharp edge anywhere in the build... nothing like perfection and I don't know how Roland did it for the money, it must have been a loss leader... the Audya was Ferrari left overs and rejects. still they did get the sound spot on, can't knock that.

Tony, I think your Ferrari is as real as the drums on your T4

only kidding