From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Tue Feb 8 06:16:57 2000
Subject:RE: Leslie sim
All,
My $.02, since I've gone around on this a lot ...
The use of a Leslie simulator is a VERY subjective topic. Everybody
agrees that the top of the list is a REAL Leslie, preferably with tubes.
The ranking of #'s 2 through infinity, however, is a subject of much
debate.
I have personally owned and used -- in rough chronological order:
1. a Univox Roto-Vibe (the original, Robin Trower box, also
called the Uni-Vibe -- I got mine from the Lafayette
Radio catalog);
2. a Maestro Phase Shifter (the one with 3 rocker switches);
3. an MXR Flanger;
4. a Yamaha SPX-90;
5. an Alesis Quadraverb in 'Lezlie' mode;
6. a Digitech RPM-1.
I have also used the internal simulator on my V3 and my (long gone) Elka
X-50. I've heard the Motion Sound PRO-3, and the simulators on the
Roland VK-7 and Hammond XK-2. All of them get some part of the way to
Leslie Nirvana, some more than others. None of them are perfect copies,
but several have strong points:
- The SPX-90 has the bite and Doppler down well, and is very
convincing at both fast and slow speeds, but needs two
separate patches to get it right, and so cannot do
gradual speed changes.
- The SPIN is pretty good at all around tone and growl, and
does the speedup/slowdown thing well, but it's missing
that 1-3K wail. Try grabbing the keys and glissing up to
high C; you'll see what I mean.
- The RPM-1 is pretty close, but the effect needs a bit more
intensity to fool an old-timer. It's also a little light
on the upper octave scream.
- The PRO-3/3T is pretty close, and imparts the right room
ambience, but the timbre of the horn is different from a
Leslie horn, and it comes off a little harsh for my ears.
(At high volumes in the upper octave, a Leslie may make
you cover your ears, but it will NEVER make you wince.)
Today, I still use a Leslie -- albeit, updated with MIDI control, SSR
switching, and a lot more power. BTW, the "growl" that everybody talks
about is not just from the tube amp: The combination of treble driver,
crossover, and horn has a lot to do with it. I played a stripped-down
147 in the late 70's using a Kustom 150 -- probably one of the cleanest
instrument amps ever made -- and it still growled a fair bit.
Best regards,
-BW
--
Bruce Wahler
Electrical/Computer engineer
Keyboard player
Voce Support Group moderator
bruce@ashbysolutions.com
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-----Original Message-----
From: k2mojo@groovedaddies.com [mailto:k2mojo@groovedaddies.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2000 2:19 AM
To: VoceSupportGroup@onelist.com
Subject: [Voce] Leslie sim
From: k2mojo@groovedaddies.com
I play live with a Kurzweil K2000 using excellent samples off a CD-ROM
called "Pocket B3" from Sweetwater Sound. I run this "Hammond" through
a Korg Toneworks G4 Leslie Simulator. First of all, I own a real Leslie
147, so I know what the ultimate sonic goal is. I also own (or have
owned) a Voce SPIN (original 1/2 rack unit), a H&K Roto, and the Korg
G4. I felt the Roto was very clean, which made it great for recording.
However, I didn't feel the rotary effect was pronounced enough and even
with the tube pre-amp stage, I didn't think it broke the sound up enough
(read: No Growl). I personally think it works better for guitar; it
seems to be a lot more popular with guitarists than keyboardists.
My SPIN was originally the first simulator that I felt did a good job of
accurate speed changes and I've hung on to it because it has some MIDI
capabilities the other sims don't have, which is handy for sequencing.
I believe the SPIN II is the same guts in a stomp box and without the
MIDI (Voce calls this "improved"!).
Finally, I really, really like my Korg G4. It has a lot more
flexibility and sounds about as accurate as a box can probably get.
There is a lot of complexity in the actual "phase shift/dopler", and
even though it's fully digital, the "overdrive" is fairly decent. You
can adjust the virtual mic placement and cabinet emulation, in addition
to the usual Fast/Slow/Brake/Upper&Lower Speed control on most of the
others. It's built like a stomp box, but I've permanently rack mounted
mine and run an external footswitch out the back for F/S. I get a lot
of other players coming up to find out "where's the Leslie?'. Korg
doesn't make 'em anymore, but if you're lucky you can find one on eBay.
For simplicity's sake, I prefer to run a line out to the main P.A. and
therefore need to use an 'inline' Leslie sim. I A/B'd a buddy's MS
Pro-3T with the Korg G4, and even though the Pro3T sounds a little
better, a Pro3T would be a lot more hassle (for me) and I can't yet
afford a MS R3-147 rack unit (but soon!) Anyway, here's my 2%.
Ed Fliege
k2mojo@groovedaddies.com
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