Best sounding modern B-3 emulator

[mmvrs09]

Of all of the hardware drawbar organs out now, which do you think sounds the best and most like the B3?? Would you recomend the Korg BX-3 or something else?

[Over The Edge]

Korg BX-3, CX-3.

They're great!



FL
www.franklucas.net

[Spacehog]

Not a true drawbar organ, but the sounds on the E-MU B-3 module are fantastic, very realistic, and with a bit of programming you can assign wheels etc to give you an almost drawbar like effect of crossfading between patches. I don't anticipate ever needing to find another B-3 sound than the 300 or so I've got in my E-MU :)

Martin

[Quili]

I haven´t tried all emulators out there, but I find the B4 from Native Instruments to have a great sound. They have really managed to get almost all details from the B3 into the interface and it looks really cool on screen as well... I guess it´s hard to incorporate into a live situation, but for recording it is perfect!

[JackJens]

B4 by Native Instruments......
CX-3........

[Lyngs]

I would go for the XK-2. It has the waterfall keys like a B3. And the sound is outstanding. :D

U.

[Drusillus]

I've heard many say that the new Korg CX3 is the best sounding "clonewheel", but one drawback is that it doesn't have a Leslie connector. It's got two sets of drawbars which seems very nice. I've played the Roland VK8 and I thought it was great too, but it's only got one set, but it DOES have a Leslie connector, if that's important to you...

Even though I'm a Roland lover personally I think I'd lean towards the Korg CX3.

[Over The Edge]

You know,


Kurz's KB3 is pretty authentic sounding too. Needs more balls though!


FL
www.franklucas.net

[Tigerfolly]

Of all of the hardware drawbar organs out now, which do you think sounds the best and most like the B3?? Would you recomend the Korg BX-3 or something else?

Since you asked for hardware, the Native Instruments B4 doesn't really qualify, but in my opinion it really is the best sounding out of everything out there.

Hardware wise, the Korg BX3/CX3 is the best sounding, with the best features (in my opinion, of course). The Hammond XK-2 and the Roland VK7/VK77/VK8 come in second and third.

Another option however, if you just want a good tone and not an actual drawbar style organ is the EMU Vintage B3 module. There's some really nice sounds in it, and a really good Leslie simulation.

I guess the real question is, what do you intend to use it for? If you want something for studio use, check into Native Instruments B4, and for the actual drawbar action, check out Evolution's UC33 controller (http://www.evolution.co.uk), which comes with presets and a little plastic overlay for use with NI's B4. If you want something more for live use, then you're going to want something that's going to have a nice midrange cut to it, and not be too muddy.. again, the CX3 is probably best in this department as well. Plus, two sets of drawbars that you can switch between or combine really come in handy.

Only go for the BX3 if you -really- need the dual manual capability. It's BIG, and it's HEAVY.. not a lot of fun to move if you're using it for live use.

[Tusker]

I agree. First the B4, then the Korg, then the Electro for me.

I've tried to like the Roland offerings but they seem too polite.

Jerry

[maJ estY]

I don't even know how the original sounds like :P

[Over The Edge]

Jerry,

What do you like as far as the Nord Electro's organ simulation/control features?

Just curious.



FL
www.franklucas.net

[Tusker]

Jerry,

What do you like as far as the Nord Electro's organ simulation/control features?

Just curious.



FL
www.franklucas.net



Frank, the button drawbar thing stinks. It's slow and unintuitive. And the clean B3's sound a little digital. But I can live with that, and I only use drawbars for extreme effects anyway.

The leslie is adequate, but the overdrive unit rocks. It's hands-down the B3 I would choose for rocking B3 sounds. The key click is not so pretty on subtle sounds, but really if I need a clicky B3, I could get it on a rompler. Mostly, where romplers fail you is in the scream department and that's where the electro shines. In the real B the amplitude of each note is reduced when you add polyphony. So there is a big sweet spot between smoky and roaring. On most keyboards, it's very hard to get the efx to not clip too much or too little. On the electro, it's nicely graduated, very musical with a big sweet spot you can travel through in live performance. Try it and see.

I'm also impressed by the clav and rhodes/whirly patches which are extremely meaty and tasty. The wah effect is prety cool too. I'm not a purist, I use leslie effects on analog pads and I do pitch bending on B3 solos. (Why not? :) ) But apart from the realism issues I mentioned, this thing is very musical. \m/

Frank, have you tried it out? What were your impressions?

Jerry

[Over The Edge]

Jerry,

I've only really focused on the clav, elec. pno. and wurli. sounds and never really listened to the organ. The aforementioned I find to be authentic. Really amazing! I'll make sure to check out the B3 emulations next time.

When I saw Planet X last year, I noticed that Derek had one but only used it for elec. piano sounds.



FL
www.franklucas.net

[Tusker]

Hmmh what's Derek using for B3's?

The Korg is actually a better B3 emulator for clean sounds IMO. Wakeman carried a Korg with him on the most recent Yes tour, but played the stock Triton patch most of the time. :?

Let me know your impressions Frank. Don't forget to crank the overdrive.

Jerry

[Tigerfolly]

Hmmh what's Derek using for B3's?

The Korg is actually a better B3 emulator for clean sounds IMO. Wakeman carried a Korg with him on the most recent Yes tour, but played the stock Triton patch most of the time. :?

Let me know your impressions Frank. Don't forget to crank the overdrive.

Jerry

In the studio, he has a B3. He used a CX3 with Dream Theater and Planet X. With Billy Idol, I don't think he's using any B3 patches, but if he needed to, he could use the Electro or the Triton in his rig.

EDIT: Actually, in that Planet X VCD that was on bittorrent, it's not a CX3, but an actual B3. I doubt he was touring with his B3, but he could've rented one locally.

[Over The Edge]

Derek uses his CX-3 for his organ sounds. Both the CX and BX
sound great and have that characteristic ballsy sound.


FL
www.franklucas.net

[mmvrs09]

Hammond came out with a new B3....a portable version. That's the best B3. And, its got a price tag of $15k.

Better start saving now loll.

[keys76]

During the "Once in a lifetime"-tour Derek played a VK7.

Jeroen