which brands have the best B3 sound?

[Laura]

I went to a bunch of outdoor concerts this summer, classic rock and Dead musicians were playing that Hammond B3. It blew me away!!!!

But I guess those Hammonds are about $2,000??

I have a Yamaha MM6 and an Alesis Micron. They're great but nothing is as cool as that Hammond. I wonder which brand of keyboards has the best B3 emulator? Just in case I ever decide to look for a used keybd in craigslist...

 

[b3maniac]

Laura,
The Hammond B3 is definately a classic sound, and it would be hard to find one these days for that amount of money. I carried a B3 around for may years, and finally
it just got to be too much to deal wiht. They probably weigh between 300 and 400 pounds so mioving then is a chore.
I used a Korg CX3 for a long time after my B3, and with a real leslie it sounds excellent. These days I use an old Dell laptop to host a software instrument called Native INstruments B4 ll, and it is as close to a real B3 as I have found. I especially like that the laptop weighs only about eight pounds!
B3

 

[Laura]

I used a Korg CX3 for a long time after my B3, and with a real leslie it sounds excellent.

What exactly is a Leslie, is it a kind of Amp?

These days I use an old Dell laptop to host a software instrument called Native INstruments B4 ll, and it is as close to a real B3 as I have found. I especially like that the laptop weighs only about eight pounds!
B3

I have Reason Propellerhead, I haven't even explored all the sounds in that. I wonder if there is a Hammond kind of sound.

The other thought is... isn't it kind of pain to bring a laptop to a jam/gig?

 

[Mourndark]

What exactly is a Leslie, is it a kind of Amp?

Yes, a very specific one designed for the Hammond organ. One of its main features is a rotating speaker horn, which gives the "wobbly" Doppler-shift effect which is so key to the Hammond sound.

I have Reason Propellerhead, I haven't even explored all the sounds in that. I wonder if there is a Hammond kind of sound.

I think there may be a plugin for it. It depends how good a sound you are prepared to work for. I agree that NI B4 is the best sounding replica out there, but there are some fairly good quality ROM-plers (such as the M6) out there that sound fine to the untrained ear (sorry, B3!). In terms of changing the sound on the fly, they are normally limited to rotor speed only - no drawbar changing. Have a play with some of the organ sounds on your MM6.

The other thought is... isn't it kind of pain to bring a laptop to a jam/gig?

It depends - many people absolutely swear by them, and with some of the VSTi s about today, I can see why. I personally am not a fan, but that's probably because on the few occasions I have used one, it's gone very badly wrong...

 

[b3maniac]

I agree that NI B4 is the best sounding replica out there, but there are some fairly good quality ROM-plers (such as the M6) out there that sound fine to the untrained ear (sorry, B3!).

There's no need to say "sorry", as you're absolutely correct about the ROMpler's. I've used different keys and software (such as the CX3, Emulator IV, S80, and laptop ) myself. All of them are a compromise
to the old days of carrying around the B3.
I personally prefer hardware over the laptop, (for reliability), but the NI B4
sound is the better sound out of all my available options. And, the laptop
only weighs about 8 pounds! lol
But, if it crashes, I'd just grab a Hammond patch on my S80 and keep on gigging.
B3