Corky’s VST Organ Tips and Tweaks Page 🎹

@Derek - CPU load looks a little lower than IK - time load is better - no glitching so far on my lower powered rig.

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Hmm - on my system, time load is higher than IK on some sounds, similar on others. Seems to depend on number of drawbars active(?).

Definitely sounds different from IK - a bit more “covered” and nasal, but not unpleasant; more “well-rounded” and “produced” than IK.
But I’m not a fan of the Vibrato and Chorus settings - especially the V-3 and C-3 setting are far too extreme for my taste…

TBH, I’m a bit on the fence on that one…

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I found that running a good tape sim and room sim (in addition to “normal” reverb) on B3X works wonders. For tape, either IK (cpu hog) or Softube (cpu friendly) sound great to me. For room I really, really like the Overloud Matrix IR freebie. Fantastic on guitar as well, imo. The freebie Melda convolver also has a couple of decent room IRs. For mixes, I’ll actually feed the room bus into the “normal” reverb bus since that mimics what happens recording an actual Leslie or guitar cab in a room.

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Nice!! I’ve been working on room IRs with all the B3 plugs for about 6 months. Getting very close to what I am looking for.

I am hearing the leakage much better with UAD B3. The mic placements actually make a big difference on the Leslie, unlike others.

First impression: nice sounding with not so high CPU footprint, TL is about 20% lower than the B-3X and GUI-independent.

Lack of options worries me. I love quick acceleration and slow deceleration Leslie speed, impossible to achieve.

Monolithic structure also is not good. “Organ → FX → Leslie” not possible.

Agree. I’m not a “scanner effects” fan, too.

We’ll see. There are 14 days to think.

It’s according to your particular taste, but very essential in several genres to get “that” sound.

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I know. I play rock, prog and some pop. So the scanner is not an essential feature. :slightly_smiling_face:

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So far on the Waterfall B3…the UA Connect gave me a problem to begin with, but made my way through it. Of course, the iLok was being its usual self.
I really like the overall sound of this. Just playing around with the presets and my own settings, I am getting more of a real feel than others. The organ itself has a lot of life in the tonewheels and the drawbars. There is something special about the Leslie too. The distortion seems to be very smooth as well.
I read where a few people were dissatisfied with the midi settings, but with Cantabile, that won’t be an issue. I had to be online for iLok and UA Connect, which is ok. I wonder if UA has occasional problems losing activation, which would surely happen at a gig.
There are less parameters than the other clones. There is only a 1974, 147 Leslie and a 1958 Hammond B3…I am spoiled from the multiple models of others. :grin:
I haven’t heard it through gigging speakers yet, but will find out tomorrow.
Basically, this clone is much more simple, sounds good, and has piqued my interest.

Corky

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Hi everyone.
I would like to give my small contribution on Waterfall B3.
I start by saying that I don’t like it for the price compared to the sound quality.
Looks like a bad copy of the B-3X to me.
The sonic difference with the B-3X is similar, but not equal: I’ve looked for equal settings between the two, but honestly the B-3X has no equal.
The GUI is spartan and the settings are reduced to the essentials.
The Leslie is minimal (147 only).
I also made some comparisons with B5, but here too there is no struggle.
As I said at the beginning the price is exaggerated, the B5 costs much less which I consider very little less, in terms of quality, than the B-3X.
Then, to activate it, it is cumbersome, simplicity to be a demo does not exist.
Maybe I was catastrophic, but mine is only a highly subjective judgment.
But I wouldn’t want this version to be just, as a demo, stripped down.
Then I might revise my thinking.

PS: One good thing, though, I did notice.
The positioning of the microphones positioned on the Leslie at the ends of the horns is very impressive, I dare say intoxicating!

Regards
Sergio

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I have not abandoned my ladies (VB3, Blue 3, B5, and B3X) as they all have a place in my world for sure. There is always room for a new contender, which is always a joy.
Unfortunately, I am such a Hammond whore, and keep my ladies ready to expose their special skills at will :sunglasses:

Corky the Pimp

image

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… here, we go heavy … a true protector …

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Hi Torsten,

Your post is timely. I decided to solely use Waterfall at a blues jam. It was an adjustment; I’ve been using B-3X with good results. Out of the box it worked with the controller settings I have for drawbars, volume and drive. I used the touch screen to turn perc and chorus/vibrato on/off. Agree the Vibrato and Chorus are more prominent than B-3X, I wasn’t really sure if that was good or bad. It worked for a bunch of Allman Brothers songs. I didn’t use them but find the presets interesting. It was funny hearing the Leslie between songs, I was close to my pair of Eon 10’s, not sure anyone else noticed. It did add a little something to the experience :grinning:

EDIT - I forgot to mention that it does have some weird CPU spikes but overall it was kind to my i3-4010U powered 2 in 1.

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Hi Corky,

Looking forward to your thoughts after trying Waterfall live. There is something about it, if someone plays in an Allman Brothers tribute band I would recommend it ahead of the others.

Doug

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Will let you know in a couple of hours.

Hi Sergio,

They’re selling on sale it for $99 USD which is what it’s list price should be.

Because of AIR products I use regularly I’m on the software iLok bandwagon and feel comfortable with it. Maybe it’s just a matter of time before it lets me down. I always have a non iLok instrument ready to roll if something happens.

We’re all noticing that it has some very attractive features, agree on the Leslie mic positioning.

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My B5 is on iLok,no problem. The UAD Connect worries me though.

Yes for sure. Working with it earlier, and the upper octaves are not drown out by the lower octaves. That has been a problem in the other clones. It really stands out, but I will see soon.

Left hand bass sounded good in a room with drums and two guitars going. In VB3 II I have to check the option to play bass pedals for lowest 22 notes on keyboard.

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Good morning to all of you.
I did some more tests with Waterfall, trying to keep the parameters uniform for comparisons with B-3X, B5, VB3 and Blue3 (I still have 13 days of testing…).
The frequency response seems to me to be quite good in the upper midrange, while it is shallow in the lower frequencies.
There is a more nasal sound compared to the other vst’s, which actually sounds pleasant to me.
I noticed a more pronounced percussion than the other vst’s.
I performed A whiter shade of pale with all the vst’s, the best turned out to be with B-3X, followed by B5. Waterfall is okay, but it is unimpressive compared to the others. It is as incisive for aggressive sounds a la Jon Lord just to make a point: here it is the best (again in my opinion!!)
It produces some new timbre that perhaps fits with styles compared to others, and that is good!
In this Song there is also as mentioned yesterday a positive note, given by the Leslie with the microphones on either side of the horns.
I tried playing Waterfall with B-3X together: combined, the two vst’s, they produce a sound a particular, perhaps enveloping, but I think this is due to the two Leslies at the same time: it is nice, there seems to be a slight chorus effect.
Obviously these considerations are personal, certainly not from professionals such as most of you.
One thing I can say, hammonds have always been a great passion of mine and so I like it when there is a new entry.
Sergio

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It’s like I am a Minimoog whore. Sometimes the Arturia Mini is the best for a sound, then it’s the Synapse Audio “Legend”, then its the Softube Model 72 (probably my favourite) or the Cherry Audio MiniVerse. I also like the GForce Minimonsta, but can’t read the darn GUI anymore on a HO DPI screen (wish they would listen)! And yesterday I was gasing on the UAD Mini. Is that one too many?
Or are they all wonderful facsimiles of the particular Mini they were modelled on?

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It will NEVER be too many :laughing:

We are all addicted! :confounded:

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