[linux-audio-user] Hammond organ?

[tim hall]

Last Friday 18 March 2005 12:25, Randy Kramer was like:
> Sorry, I know I'm replying to the wrong post, and I might even be in the
> wrong thread--somebody posted about possibly not being able to achieve the
> desired sound (for the Hammond organ) without ~"heated elements moving
> massive amounts of air" (or something similar.

That was probably me.

> I'm curious (and trying to do a boundary check)--has that person (or anyone
> else) heard a satisfactory reproduction of the desired sound on any CD?
>  (If so, it would seem to me the desired sound can be achieved digitally,
> it's just ;-) a matter of finding the right waveform(s).)

One of the problems with the hammond is that you would need a separate sample 
for each key, to get the proper vibrato of each tone-wheel and a good leslie 
is hard to fake. I'm not saying it's utterly impossible, but it would take a 
sample bank as finely engineered as the original instrument. And no, I've 
never heard the hammond transfered to CD without losing some of its power, 
although the tone of a real instrument generally does shine through.

I love digital for editing and general cleanness etc. But I think there are 
certain analogue sounds that need tape, valves (tubes), strings, skins 
ambient spaces and human interference to get just right. The beauty of a 
digital system is that you only need to insert the analogue where it is 
needed and it's easier to cut down on unwanted noise. I do understand the 
desire to have a B3 on your laptop and if one existed I would almost 
certainly use it myself. You could always route it though a valve compressor 
just to warm it up. :-) In terms of useability, Horgand and ZynAddSubFX 
already have some nice organ patches, which does me fine for now.

Anyway, this really is just my uneducated opinion.

cheers,

tim hall
http://glastonburymusic.org.uk