Original B4000 by Creamware

[eric]

Hi All,

It's been a while but now I have my Xite-1!
I've donated all my gear (complete studio actually) to my nephew and have reduced my DAW to an Xite-1, Alesis QS4, Creamware B4000 and Midex8. Oh, and my trusty Elka MK88! Running Cubase VST32 v5.1
My question is about the B4000 percussion setting. I know percussion only applies to the upper manual. It seems that the percussion only occurs on the first or only note played. if you don't play staccato the effect is lost.
Is this a limitation or is there a setting I'm missing?

Eric

[garyb]

it's the way that a REAL B3 organ works!

it's a feature.

[eric]

Hi Gary,

I guess I'll have to practice playing Staccato!


Eric

[garyb]

yeah, upper manual is usually for melody and lower manual for chords/rhythm, but of course there aren't any rules...

the reason that a B3(or any Hammond with percussion) works like that is that the upper drawbar is used to generate the percussion tone. this tone is monophonic0 it's based on a set harmonic of that one note.

[Bud Weiser]

It seems that the percussion only occurs on the first or only note played. if you don't play staccato the effect is lost.

It´s the result from triggering the percussion´s envelope monophonic (even or also while playing polyphonic).
The original Hammond percussion is polyphonic, but the trigger isn´t !

Grab some drawbars, switch on percussion (regardless which harmonic) and play ...
Now, push in all the drawbars you pulled before.
Play one note, you hear the percussion only ...
Release the key and play 2 notes simultaneously, you´ll hear 2 notes from the percussion sound only and you can repeat that using more notes.
Now play one note and hold that key,- play another note ... no sound from that 2nd key being played ...
That´s the monophonic trigger of the percussion envelope.

B4000 behaves the same, I didn´t recognize anything different.

Bud

[dawman]

I've got custom made drawbar controllers for the B4000 if you start getting deeper into old school Hammond style playing.
SpaceF and Sharc hooked me up.

If I had these in the 90s I could have been a contender...

[eric]

Thanks Guys.
I have heard some pieces by Greenslade and the late Keith Emerson (RIP) which sounded like poly percussion. I know Kieth used an L100 but from what I have read on the Hammond website they had similar percussion system. I'm pretty sure Dave Greenslade (Spyglass Guest track1) used a B-3 though.
It's still a great sounding ASB.
I will get used to it, it's just not what I expected. It means you really have to use a second manual or split keyboard for left hand.

Eric