Split from: Official Hammond B-3X Wish List!

[Ryan_IK]

This will be the official thread for Hammond B-3X feature requests. Please post any feature requests here moving forward. All older posts will be compiled here. This will help make sure all posts are laid out in an organized thread keeping your voices is heard.

Before posting, make sure to check that your idea/request is not posted already.

[looney]

Hi IK Multimedia,

(repost from other thread - to add to wishlist)

I am loving your new Hammond B3x plugin. It sounds so authentic!

Question - Since I am playing multiple keyboards, and need a way to sustain chords on B3x while my 2 hands are busy playing other parts -- How can I get B3x to respect midi sustain (CC 64)? Most other B3 modeling VSTi support this.

I realize organs do not typically have sustains (unless you consider the knives Keith Emerson used to wield), but this is something I use frequently.

Thanks IK, and Well Done on your modeling!

Regards,
Kevin L

[Spherical3]

+1 for support for a sustain pedal. Not a feature of a real B3, I know, but eminently useful in the context of a plugin.

I'd also like to request an option to be able to disable the bottom octave preset-changing keys, to avoid accidental sound changes when playing on keyboards that don't have differently-coloured keys.

Neil

[matthewwood]

I bought the B-3X instrument today, and can confirm that the quality of the modelling is excellent - probably the most expressive virtual Hammond I have played.

However...

The showstopper for me is the lack of MIDI control over the various interface elements. There is no CC control over the effect levels, so it is not possible to increase or decrease the amount of distortion, for example; there is only a CC value for turning the effects on/off. That makes it pretty much unusable for me in a live setting.

So, my feature request is a more comprehensive set of MIDI CC bindings for effect parameters. In fact, I would suggest that everything in the GUI should be controllable via MIDI, so the instrument can be run 'headless'.

[torsten.ecke]

So, my feature request is a more comprehensive set of MIDI CC bindings for effect parameters. In fact, I would suggest that everything in the GUI should be controllable via MIDI, so the instrument can be run 'headless'.

Not sure what VST host you are using - or are you using the standalone version? Practically all parameters of B-3X are controllable via VST automation, so any host that allows you to control plugin parameters via MIDI should do the trick.

I personally use Cantabile - it allows you to create simple "bindings", mapping MIDI CCs from your input devices to internal parameters of your plugins. Setting up a binding that controls amp gain via a MIDI CC is done in seconds - just tried it; it works perfectly.

So give Cantabile a try for running the instrument for live use - it's a great VST host!

Cheers,

Torsten

P.S.: sorry for the off-topic - I know this is not a feature request. These will come right away

[torsten.ecke]

+1 for support for a sustain pedal. Not a feature of a real B3, I know, but eminently useful in the context of a plugin.

I'd also like to request an option to be able to disable the bottom octave preset-changing keys, to avoid accidental sound changes when playing on keyboards that don't have differently-coloured keys.

Neil

+1 on both of Neil's requests.

Plus another one on the bottom octave: could we have the option to write-protect all preset keys except Bb and B - like in a real-life Hammond? I'd love the option to easily return to a defined drawbar setting - without incorporating any changes I make during live play?

This is how I would like it to work (maybe make this behavior optional via settings):
- Preset keys B and Bb automatically save all changes I make with the drawbars - feels like the real thing
- all other preset keys set the drawbars to their stored values when selected. After that, I can still make changes to the drawbars (unlike on a real Hammond). But these changes only get "saved" to the preset keys when I hit an explicit "save" button; otherwise the drawbars will be reset to the saved values when I hit that preset key again (even while it is currently selected).

Last feature request - again on presets: I'd like to have the option to have percussion behave like on a real Hammond: it is only active on preset key B. This makes it easy to e.g. set the B preset to a Jimmy Smith 888000000 with percussion, then Bb to full-out. When selecting full-out, percussion is automatically turned off, going back to B, I have my percussion back. That's how the original is wired if I recall correctly...

Cheers,

Torsten

[matthewwood]

Thank you, Torsten, for pointing me in the right direction. I user Reaper, and have just spent a bit of time relearning how to access the MIDI CC list for plugins. You are right - it looks as though I will be able to do what I want; the full parameter list for B-X3 is pretty comprehensive.

I was confused by the B-X3 settings GUI which only shows a limited number of control / effect parameters.

Never heard of Cantible, but I'll go and take a look now.

Thanks again,

Matthew

So, my feature request is a more comprehensive set of MIDI CC bindings for effect parameters. In fact, I would suggest that everything in the GUI should be controllable via MIDI, so the instrument can be run 'headless'.

Not sure what VST host you are using - or are you using the standalone version? Practically all parameters of B-3X are controllable via VST automation, so any host that allows you to control plugin parameters via MIDI should do the trick.

I personally use Cantabile - it allows you to create simple "bindings", mapping MIDI CCs from your input devices to internal parameters of your plugins. Setting up a binding that controls amp gain via a MIDI CC is done in seconds - just tried it; it works perfectly.

So give Cantabile a try for running the instrument for live use - it's a great VST host!

Cheers,

Torsten

P.S.: sorry for the off-topic - I know this is not a feature request. These will come right away

[leee1102]

I'd like to see more presets, or at least a better variety of some well known sounding Hammond organs, ie. Santana, Boston, Allman Brothers, etc.

[dlgebert]

There should be a big stadium home run organ, because this plugin is amazing.

Seriously, this is another great release in a series home runs that IKM has hit in the last few years. MODO Drum, Syntronik, Brian May Amplitube, AXE I/O... you guys are draining my bank account...

+1 on having a Boston preset. Good examples would be "Smokin'" and "Foreplay/Long Time" from the first album.

Dave

[hectoe]

+1 More presets!!!!!!!

[julianb]

Sounds wonderful, loving it.... though....
On my half decent PC it takes quite a time to redraw the interface when changing tracks in Studio One with the interface open. (Instruments work a little bit differently in S1 as they all open in the same window.)
Compared to MODO bass it's quite CPU heavy.
The meter claims its about 40% as apposed to 04% for MODO Bass and 15% for Blue3.
I think that's on just 1 core. (Intel I7 16gb ram)
Can the CPU usage be reduced in an update?
Regardless it's rather impressive!

[dlgebert]

when changing tracks in Studio One with the interface open

I'm using Studio One 4.5 on an iMac and haven't noticed that issue. I'll check the Activity Monitor next time I have it open in Studio One.

Dave

[julianb]

Cheers Dave
Just stuck it on a mac Mini I7 2.6mhz 16gb
The performance meter settles at about half of that of the PC.
It says 20% for B-3X and one instance of Kontakt.
In activity monitor it says about 6.5% which I take to be of the overall CPU.

On the more powerful PC the CPU takes quite a hit as I switch from Kontakt to B-3X, (power usage in task manager reads "very high" and CPU usage doubles while it takes about 5 seconds to change track), while switching from B-3X to Kontakt hardly effects anything.
I guess the secret is to stick a bit of tape over the performance meter and just forget about it!
Hope they can tweek this in an update.
I'll see how it goes in a bigger project tomorrow.

[ZeroZero1]

Crashes here when I select Asio - on fast PC.

[t.weindl]

I would like the option to control the Leslie speed via Controller 64 (Sustain Pedal) like it is with TRacks Leslie.
In TRacks Leslie you press the Sustain Pedal and the speed goes up.
You press again and the speed goes down.
In Hammond you have to press and hold down for the fast speed and as soon as you release the sustain pedal, the speed goes down.
This is not very playable.