From nw@jump.net Tue Jan 02 19:46:56 2001
Subject:RE: [Voce] Leslie comments: Spin II versus Rotoshere versus VK-7

One cautionary note about recording a Rotosphere:

I use a Rotosphere with my V3. I like it, and I get a lot of good comments
about my sound from other players.

I normally use the mono signal (both sides mixed together equally). You
lose some of the effect this way, but for me simplicity (fewer things to go
wrong at the gig in mono than in stereo) wins out.

When our band went into the studio, we recorded the Rotosphere in stereo
(i.e., two separate tracks). During mixdown the producer took just one of
the tracks by itself and panned it into the LR position he wanted. The
result sounded more like a farfisa than a hammond/leslie.

"What the hell happened to your sound?" was what my bandmates wanted to know
when they heard that first rough mix.

Basically, if you take just one side of the stereo Rotosphere signal, the
effect is comically (IMHO) exaggerated. So watch out for this... make sure
you either take the mono signal, or that you use both sides of the stereo
signal. The idea of partially mixing together the stereo signals to get an
in-between effect is intriguing; I am going to try that one next chance I
get.

My one other comment about it is, being a tube device, it creates audible
hiss. I want total silence when I'm not playing anything (so I can continue
to badger the guitar players about how noisy *their* amps are). I ended up
adding a noise gate to my rack to compensate for this. YMMV.

- neil