[HAM] Hammond + midi

[Brynjulf Blix]

Interesting.

I have come to the opposite conclusion: I want a MIDIed Hammond console for 
3 reasons:

1: To occupy less space on stage
2: To avoid having a MIDI keyboard in an awkward playing position (at an 
angle or too elevated for a seated position)
3: To be able to play other sounds along with the Hammond (pretty obvious, 
but anyway).

Lots of things have happened since the 90s. Rhodes and Clav sounds are IMO 
better than the real stuff - both touch- and soundwise - to play from my 
Roland A-50, Dell laptop w/Kontakt sampler + Scarbee samples. And yes, I 
have owned and played both species from the early 70's.

The same goes for all the classic synths - the Arturia series virtual synths 
are so close that it's pure pleasure.

The only keyboard instruments that still can't really be replaced are the 
grand piano and the Hammond. I have a Steinway O, and the resonance and 
sympathetic vibrations plus the way it co-resonates with the room just can't 
be enulated. Yet. And then it would require a surround system and several 
microphones. The *sound* of a Hammond console can be 99,5% close with a 
proper virtual version, but *not* the feel and total experience. The New B3 
comes close, but it just does not smell right, like the price...

I have bought a B3 with Keyboard Specialites MIDI installed in the lower 
manual, and have a project under development with and old A1 case+generator 
with later tapered keyboards+scanner+perc in the works. It will have optical 
MIDI sensors on both manuals, frome QRS/MIDI9.

Combining a 122 Leslie with a clean JBL stereo system and a Showman 
blackface w/2x12" JBLs gives me all I need th get the right mix of boom, 
grunt, grit and shine.

Best,

Blix


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Leigh" <steve at sl-prokeys.com>
To: <hammond at zeni.net>
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 8:29 PM
Subject: [HAM] Hammond + midi


>
> At one time (~1996) I seriously considered adding midi to my favorite
> B3.  A lot of research went into this, and ultimately, I came to some
> decisions.

[snip]

> Personally, I'm glad I decided against midi in the Hammond.  I feel
> that the external synthesizers, entirely self contained, and with a
> rather elaborate PA system, provided sounds which were very, VERY
> close to what I wanted.
>
> There's the story of how and why midi was never installed in any of
> my (then 11) Hammonds.
>