I learn something new every day - NS3 and the drawbar section

[Jeffmac]

I've been doing a lot of rehearsals with my original touring band for a big reunion show in a few weeks...plus others later this year. I play LOTS of organ with this band, given that it is ska/reggae/pop and I just landed upon a feature of my NS3 Compact that I had not ever used as far as I remember.

We do a lot of songs where I need to very quickly switch between a hollow organ tone such as 808000005 and then 888543444 or similar...basically different organ tones for intros/verse and then chorus/bridge. I have always achieved this easily on the NS3 using the Preset 1 and Preset 2 toggle, so I can save two settings there in my programs. I will also tweak the live drawbars along the way.

I have a couple of songs where I'm really wishing for a third organ preset, which could be solved by saving another program...or...wait for it...simply using the Live drawbar button! I very rarely used this...so now I have developed some muscle memory around setting up my Live drawbars for one tone, then I also have two others within the Preset 1/2 toggle.

It's pretty basic functionality, yet I hadn't been using it and now I'm kind of addicted to it! Back in the day when I was gigging a long time with a Hammond XB-2, which could do presets though worked better for me with the drawbars always live, I was accustomed to simply moving the drawbars around through each song...which is more of an organ player move. Now I'm dialing in the various ways to access my various drawbar settings in a quick fashion between the preset button and the live drawbars. It's a lot of fun!

[Slide]

I also use the morph functionality to have two different drawbar settings in one preset. I'm just not that decided if MW or CP is the better controller for that.

[Joelpr75]

I also use the morph functionality to have two different drawbar settings in one preset. I'm just not that decided if MW or CP is the better controller for that.

I use the control pedal for certain drawbar changes...for example I have an organ program that is named American Girl, as I originally built it for covering Tom Petty's song. It has a more mellow starting point during the verse, something like 828442222 or close to that. When I sweep the pedal, it morphs to 888855443 to make it a more "rock organ" sound during the chorus. I use this program for several other songs with similar organ tones.

I've always thought of the second drawbar as the "rock" drawbar and moving this one in and out provides a lot of sonic differentiation.

[analogika]

I also use the morph functionality to have two different drawbar settings in one preset. I'm just not that decided if MW or CP is the better controller for that.

You have two control pedals?

My left foot is firmly patched to the sustain/rotary toggle pedal, and the right is on the swell pedal.

I have no idea how I'd handle an additional control pedal, especially while playing the organ - I already need both feet!

[FZiegler]

With my pedals, I'm running into issues - mainly because of the BT pedal to move the sheets on my tablet (which is on my left as much as both control pedals - which makes at least 3 pedals to control with the left foot). I'm not that much of an organ player, so swell pedal and half moon switch are deco most of the time (needed for 5 out of 60 songs). Anyway, I prefer the control pedal over mod wheel for any morph that is needed during playing.

I guess, this may not be a perfect setting yet. Something to get sorted out when summer is over.

[Bjosko]

It can get messy with all those pedals, and to remember what doing what. My right foot are on the expression pedal for organ most of the time, so my left foot are doing the tap dance. Below are a test setup I done in one of my bands at rehearsal, I wanted to try if the Legend could replace my Nord. Well, it couldn’t.
I love the instant control access on the Nord, and needed the samples, and didn’t want to include a computer or IPad in my setup.
So I ended up with my old setup, NS3 at bottom, and a Mojo61 on top.

Not pictured, but my pedal setup for this rig are from left to right :
Sustain pedal for leslie speed (and sustain if I am occasionally using an e piano patch) on the Mojo.
Control pedal for the morph, and also expression pedal for the organ sound on my NS.
Sustain pedal for my NS.
Expression pedal for my Mojo.

And then I have a KeyLargo mixer behind me for FOH/Monitor.
I miss the old days with the Hammond/Leslie and just the NS on top. Less cables, fast setup, except the hauling in and out, sometimes with stairs or higher stages without proper steps.

[Schorsch]

Continuing to be off-topic

My setup includes both an expression pedal (left) for controlling levels of piano and synth sounds as well as blending sounds I and our, an organ swell pedal (right) just for B3 sounds and a sustain pedal for playing piano (not visible here, it’s right to the organ swell pedal). Bit of practice needed to get used to it but it’s recommended to keep the same kind of pedal assignments for all programs

IMG_0427.jpeg (832.94 KiB) Viewed 1923 times

[LeftyBass68]

Drawbar pulls and pushes smooth with AT morphing.Adjust your velocity to your needs.Single hand to accomplish both tasks.
That plus two presets on program and Mod Wheel two more supplies five presets on the fly.Same amount as the C2D per manual.
That aftertouch rail useful for organ although unconventional dynamics of non weighted key performance.

[LeftyBass68]

It can get messy with all those pedals, and to remember what doing what. My right foot are on the expression pedal for organ most of the time, so my left foot are doing the tap dance. Below are a test setup I done in one of my bands at rehearsal, I wanted to try if the Legend could replace my Nord. Well, it couldn’t.
I love the instant control access on the Nord, and needed the samples, and didn’t want to include a computer or IPad in my setup.
So I ended up with my old setup, NS3 at bottom, and a Mojo61 on top.

Not pictured, but my pedal setup for this rig are from left to right :
Sustain pedal for leslie speed (and sustain if I am occasionally using an e piano patch) on the Mojo.
Control pedal for the morph, and also expression pedal for the organ sound on my NS.
Sustain pedal for my NS.
Expression pedal for my Mojo.

And then I have a KeyLargo mixer behind me for FOH/Monitor.
I miss the old days with the Hammond/Leslie and just the NS on top. Less cables, fast setup, except the hauling in and out, sometimes with stairs or higher stages without proper steps.

Messy cables the audience sees in not recommended.Security knowing my looms and runs all return safely to the pedalboard to be carefully plugged back in next time.One three channel XLR/AC loom to my bass and top speakers.Mogami 29 quadstar to and from Key Largo.
Hubbel plugs on 10 gauge AC break out box 15 feet.No shite allowed.
If and when a second keyboard is in use the 5 and 6 and 7 and 8 channels of the snake are already there to use.Tidy.
First impressions of a clean tidy rig are available only once. Good work,you're almost all the way there just tidy up what WE see and every
stage manager and paying customer will applaud you!

[Joelpr75]

Hey Eric! I’d love to hear what you’ve got for American Girl! That one is on my imminent list for my next rehearsal and would be interested in incorporating a good tone here!

Regards,
Joel

I also use the morph functionality to have two different drawbar settings in one preset. I'm just not that decided if MW or CP is the better controller for that.

I use the control pedal for certain drawbar changes...for example I have an organ program that is named American Girl, as I originally built it for covering Tom Petty's song. It has a more mellow starting point during the verse, something like 828442222 or close to that. When I sweep the pedal, it morphs to 888855443 to make it a more "rock organ" sound during the chorus. I use this program for several other songs with similar organ tones.

I've always thought of the second drawbar as the "rock" drawbar and moving this one in and out provides a lot of sonic differentiation.