From ccmacdon@rogers.com Mon Oct 28 20:45:16 2013
Subject:Re: Question about Roland VR-09 & Hammond SK1
You mentioned one very important difference between the VR-09 and the SK1 that I don't think has been mentioned here yet and it's something that I completely forgot about.. it's an advantage that the SK1 has and that is the separate output for organ and non-organ sounds.. I believe it requires an adapter that plugs into the leslie connector, but this is something that the SK1 can do that the VR-09 cannot. The VR-09 has no ability to pan sounds left or right and no ability to separate organ and non organ sounds.. So chalk one up for the SK1.
You only need this feature IF you plan on processing the organ sound differently from other sounds (put it through an external leslie sim for example). However I think Gene has a ventilator, so this may be an important feature for him.
There is no question that we all value different things.. The things that I get from my VR-09 that I didn't get from the SK1, were great synth sounds, a joystick, more sounds that I prefer, including nice warm realistic strings, and the ability to split and layer two non-organ sounds.. I needed these features for my band, and I love the fact that I could get the features in a keyboard that lonely cost me $999 (and I'm pissed that you got yours for under $500 ;-) I'm thrilled with my VR-09. On the other hand, I have a mojo, so when I want waterfall keys and a higher quality sound I drag out the mojo.. If I didn't have the mojo, I might feel differently about the SK1.
If we all agreed on everything it would be a very boring world!
Regards,
Craig MacDonald
________________________________
From: "den121961@yahoo.com"
To: CloneWheel@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 11:20:45 PM
Subject: RE: Re: [CWSG] RE: Question about Roland VR-09 & Hammond SK1
Craig, it's funny but telling. Whenever an unknown clone stood out to me that I really liked listening to a band live I'd always ask what it was, or go up and check. It always ended up being a CX3. Yet I knew a lot of guys that would foam at the mouth when you brought them up they hated them so much. And whenever I heard nords, there's just something about them I don't like, and it stands out to me. I can easily listen to a nord played by someone else (and have bought CD's of them), but I would never get one. It comes down to the fact that we all like our organs differently, and whatever the perfect organ is in our mind, we're going to try and get that out of anything we sit at. The one that does it best (if we are tweakers) or the one that has the closest factory preset if we're not a tweaker will be the one we end up liking.
As far as the other things go, you've made it obvious you need a pitch bend, as well as some specific layering things. Synth is also important to you. There were some specifics I needed when I was shopping (the VR wasn't out or visible anyway yet). The SK did what I needed it to do the best, and yes there were shortcomings. Seperate outs for organ and extra sounds were a biggie. Wurly was important but not as important. I'd say the SK's wurly was the biggest hit I took. Synth and strings weren't even a consideration, I just never use them. Give me a clav, wurly or rhodes and a great organ that sounds like I like it to sound with controls where I can get to them in a hurry, and I'm happy.
As you know, I just picked up a VR for a steal (under 5 bills). I'm using it as a backup (meaning it sits in the car all lonely) for the blues and R&B stuff. However, it goes out for the polka duo gig because those features that were so important for my main gigs aren't important for that. The VR has features that actually work better for the polka thing. Since I'm using both I have been in a good position to really get to know them, and compare. I like them both, they're both different, but both do a good organ, to my ear they're both a bunch of steps forward from the CX I used to use (and yes, I did a three way comparison through the vent), and if I found either of them in backline at a gig I had to do I'd have a good night.
Somehow we all end up taking sides for our specific clone on this forum and feeling we have to attack the others. Not sure why this is, I have a feeling it's because we as musicians have such a deep connection with our instruments. You have ford vs chevy guys, you have Fender vs Marshal guys, so I guess we ain't alone. But as an owner of both of these, they're both great keys, and when I take one out over the other it isn't because the other one is junk, it's merely because the one does more of what I need it to do in that particular case than the other one. I think if we applied that to each other we'd realize we all need different things and when we pick one it doesn't mean the other one is junkier.
But hey, what can you expect from a bunch of guys obsessed with their organs!