Hi, everyone.
This might be a less technical topic, given the latest posts here on the forum, and I’m definitely feeling a bit nostalgic as I post a somewhat lighthearted topic about certain styles that have had a profound impact on my musical journey. I like ’70s music because…
When I first heard “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum, it took my breath away. I was still just a kid taking my first steps in music. I remember I’d only just started playing with some friends back then—in fact, I was the worst of the bunch; I had a toy keyboard, the kind you give to kids…
Then, little by little, I managed to convince my parents to buy me my first keyboard—a simple but electronic one—which allowed me to feel on par with my friends and start playing together!
“A Whiter Shade of Pale,” in my opinion, marked a historic turning point, successfully blending classical music and soft rock. Many musicians later adopted this approach to interpreting this kind of music, which has the power to stir emotions and awaken consciences! At least, that’s how I interpreted it deep down, on an inner level!
I’ve always tried to reproduce A Whiter as best I could. Some music stores had the Hammond B3, and whenever I could, I’d try my hand at mimicking A Whiter—it was fabulous! But it was out of reach for me, too, given the high cost of both the instrument and the Leslie speaker!
That was until VSTs were “invented”—and that’s when everything changed for me! I went in search of software that could make the best use of these VSTs, until I discovered Cantabile: thanks, @Brad!!!
To make a long story short, I started looking for the best sound reproduction of “A Whiter.” I learned how to use Cantabile to get as close as possible to the sounds set up by Gary Brooker (and also by Matthew Fisher). Obviously, what you hear isn’t just the B3 and the Leslie—you have to keep in mind that there’s a recording studio involved!! This is where the magic happens—the final touch that creates the sound we ultimately hear!
So, this is where I focused my efforts: I imagined myself in that recording studio to reproduce that sound, which consists not only of the Hammond B3 (or even an A100) and the Leslie, but also of effects like EQ, flanger, chorus, reverb, and so on.
I’ve tried it and I’m still trying; sometimes I succeed, sometimes not so much, but I always give it a shot. This led to an idea I’d like to propose here in the forum. I’d love for everyone to try creating their own song featuring a VST organ of their choice. My favorite is the B-3X, though the various VB3, Blue3, Waterfall, B5v3, etc., are also excellent options. The effects I’ve set up on the output are reverb (Cathedral or Big Room), a slight EQ (to better manage my amplification), and a subtle flanger that gives me a sound which, together with the Leslie set to “Slow,” seems to float through the air.
For reverb, I used the Sanford VST; for EQ, the Overtone GEQ VST; and for the flanger, the old but still reliable Sonitus FX Modulator. The B-3X drawbars are set to 876500000 for Upper and 000402001.
What do you think? I hope you enjoy this post and find it useful.
Sergio
