All Things Midi Including Controllers

I actually looked at that one, and would have ordered it except for the $999 price tag. That’s a bit more than I’m willing to spend. I’m sure the Hammer 88 will do just fine. I can live without all the knobs, sliders, etc.

2 Likes

I like the Yamaha P-115 for this (now the P-125 which pre modern era they would take off $100 all the time). I think the P series for me is best value for the feel of the weighted keys. My only complaint is how much noise the key makes on a quick release. Highly personal preference though. I know plenty of other’s top choices that aren’t what I’d go for.

Ironically, I was liking your Arturia exactly because of the knobs and sliders. I wish they had put them on the left though. That would be where a Hammond B3 drawbar bank lives. When playing orchestral samples it can be nice to ride expression with the left hand on a control slider. I’ve also thought about putting that on an expression pedal, but it’s a whole ‘nother problem to map an expression pedal back into MIDI without buying a whole MIDI pedal board. I keep going in circles solving that one. I’m hoping one day the Plethora will encode the expression pedal into MIDI, but I think for now it only listens to MIDI.

2 Likes

Wait wait wait, stop the clock.
Do you mean there is/are something/things that i can add to my Yamaha P-45 and Abelton to enable me to essentially play a Hammond B3 without actually buying one? Leslie too?

2 Likes

You can have an interface between that. For example I got a Morningstar MC3 which converts my expression pedal into midi https://www.morningstarfx.com/. You just need to check if your exp pedal is compatible with the interface.

2 Likes

There’s tons of Hammond plugins for the sound. And rotating speaker effects for the Leslie effect regardless of if you’re playing a Hammond VSTi.

For the drawbars, you would need a MIDI controller.

Just checked and Analog Lab (which comes with Arturia Controllers) has eight hammond presets itself (usually from its Synclavier bank, etc).

1 Like

Oh crap.
A Hammond B3 has been a dream of mine for years, but I have no room for it nor do I see how one sneaks that in the house.

So MIDI-files, is there a controller that is JUST the sliders etc as I already have a keyboard and have no interest in buying / housing another? One that would get me the most features to play around with as Hammond B3? (I know I could do it all in software, but here is where I would really like the physical sliders, knobs, etc to simulate a B3.

2 Likes

oh dear…

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MojoDesktop--crumar-mojo-desktop-desktop-organ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organicpla

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/B4000--ferrofish-b4000-organ-module

Time for some research

For the record, I hate you all.
And not for nothing @PamPurrs - you started this whole thread.
I went 600 posts without caring dammit.

4 Likes

There’s even less expensive options that are great. Like this Akai:

Lots of plugins too, PluginBoutique is your friend for that. If you want to cut to the chase, Arturia makes one in V Collection that will be absolutely top notch:

2 Likes

So many toys, so little time.
Clear to me I need to get divorced, find a rediculously wealthy woman who wants little to do with me but is happy I am around so I can quit my job and play with more musical monkey business.

3 Likes

wow just demo’ed it that is amazing. assuming they have sales as well?

2 Likes

I love stimulating your GAS @John_E :crazy_face:

3 Likes

Seems we share a common goal :joy::rofl:

3 Likes

Yep! In fact they were recently on sale for half off. I think Black Friday will probably be the next sale.

3 Likes

There are lots. Depending on your playing style the weighted keys may be sluggish or not. I’m sure there are free ones out there that are plenty good. I like the sound of the Arturia one. Anything they have in an Analogue Lab preset is also available as raw instrument with all the knobs.

2 Likes

If I set this up I am 2/3 of the way to being The Peddlers, my fave Hammond B3 band ever.

I don’t think we have a position in the “what position do you play bass in” for this guy.

https://youtu.be/1vKrL_YVqSg

2 Likes

They’re very good actually. If I ever decide to play bass sitting down, I may consider doing it the way this bassist does it.

1 Like

This genuinely made me laugh out loud :wink:

3 Likes

:open_mouth:

Yep, this is the circle I go in. Around the same price is the FCB1010.

2 Likes