Lester K for the Win!

[EscapeRocks]

My Lester K pedal arrived last night.

For my money, and how I use organ in my gig, this is perfect.

 

First, if I had a heavy organ-centric gig, I'd have an SKI or some other dedicated clonewheel.

I don't.

 

In my 1 hour of testing last night I like my results. Hopefully I'll have some audio samples to share later.

 

I started with using the new Lester K with my Roland FA08.

 

In a studio set, one of the parts uses the "AllStarB3SRX" from the Expansion Pack 2.

 

I have this routed to the Sub Out.

 

I have a TRS breakout "Y" to get left and right.

 

I went to Lester K L and R In, the Lester K L+R out to my XR12 mixer.

 

In the Tone Edit, I zeroed out the little bit of SLOW Rotary speed from the effects menu for this tone.

 

(I control this Studio Set Part from my MOXF6)

 

I then started playing, first with Lester K in bypass mode.

 

I got the basic factory tone.

 

I then engaged the Lester K and adjusted the Slow speed, then did the same with the Fast speed.

 

After having fun with that, I then worked on the Balance, and finally the Drive.

 

 

WOW!!

 

I have never had an organ from my Romplers sound so good (again, for my band gig setting).

 

Good stuff.

 

I really like what I am able to achieve for $170, and it really enhances the organ sound I am getting.

 

Yes, I realize it will not match if I had a true Hammond or dedicated clone, as I said up top. For those of us who may play some organ sounds as part of the gig, this is a winner.

 

As an aside, I also learned there are a lot of hidden gems in the Roland Expansion packs for the FA, especially if you take the time to tweak them to your liking.

 

 

 

[tucktronix]

Bought mine around a few months ago.. absolutely love it!!

 

Here's a sample clip from a gig.. used with a Korg CX3..

 

Organ solo at 59:24

 

Klonk!

[Mighty Ferguson]

To your comments about using the Lester K with a rompler instead of a modeled clonewheel, I'm utterly convinced at this point that a good Leslie sim is a lot more important than the clonewheel sim.

[George88]

David, are you saying that you don't bypass the Leslie Sim in the Roland? Things tend, in my experience, to get too phasey for me. Unless I'm misunderstanding, would you report back with the internal sim bypassed in the FA?

[Joe P]

Hmmm, interesting way to use the Sub Out. You can use a Leslie sim without disturbing the your other tones' panning etc. and no worrying about bypass.

 

I gotta try this with my MiniVent!

[EscapeRocks]

David, are you saying that you don't bypass the Leslie Sim in the Roland? Things tend, in my experience, to get too phasey for me. Unless I'm misunderstanding, would you report back with the internal sim bypassed in the FA?

 

I do now. I just zeroed it's setting in case I wanted them back after my test.

 

I should have been more clear. That EFX (Rotary 1) is now off on the Roland, and any sim is coming from Lester.

[EscapeRocks]

Hmmm, interesting way to use the Sub Out. You can use a Leslie sim without disturbing the your other tones' panning etc. and no worrying about bypass.

 

I gotta try this with my MiniVent!

 

Yeah, I finally got my music room set up again in my apartment, and have been able to spend good time with my boards undisturbed to try different things and dig in.

 

Use of the Sub Out on various Studio Sets of the FA08 is one of those things I've been exploring.

 

As you said, it's cool being able to use Lester with out worrying about bypass.

[EscapeRocks]

To your comments about using the Lester K with a rompler instead of a modeled clonewheel, I'm utterly convinced at this point that a good Leslie sim is a lot more important than the clonewheel sim.

 

I still add the caveat that this is in a full rock band setting, and non organ-centric work. In my case it does the job.

[George88]

I'm glad you got a good thing going. I have used my Vent with the FA and its quite an improvement. Thanks for the update.

[ElmerJFudd]

Solid RBI for EH!

They hit a pretty good sounding Leslie sim in a sturdy stomp box at just the right price. Sometimes that's all you need to do to bring a run home.

 

 

[Tom Williams]

Curse you all -- now I am GASsing to replace my perfectly satisfactory RT-20.

[ABECK]

I use my VentII with my FA-08 all the time. It is a great solution for single board gigs. Using the sub out is key. I created a studio set that comprises several different programs, which are basically just different drawbar settings.

[George88]

A studio set with different drawbar settings is a great idea! Thanks for that.

[EscapeRocks]

Just an FYI about the FA08 Sub Out...

 

While the sub out's volume can't be controlled by the volume knob, the part's volume being sent thru it can be controlled by an expression pedal.

 

In my case, I simply go into part view and turn off "VO" for anything but the organ part in the Studio Set I'm using.

Or if controlling the organ part from my MOXF, I simply use the FC7 connected to it to send CC#64 to the organ part on the FA08. (MOXF6 in Master Mode, Zone SW ON, etc..etc..)

 

Anyhow, back to Lester: I've been playing with it a lot more, and it really is enhancing the organ tones, and how I will now use them on the songs I need the sound.

 

[KeyMoe]

David congratulations on the purchase!!!!!!! Sounds awesome!!!! I am a long time vent user, but looking forward to hearing the Lester live.

[U.Honey]

I'm currently using Roland VK-8M for organ. However, I got an idea of getting a Lester K, ditching the VK-8M and using Yamaha Moxf through Lester K for Hammond sounds. I wonder how the Motif&Lester combo would compare to the VK-8M sound-wise? I know I'd lose the drawbars that way but I could probably live with that.

[lightbg]

Welcome to the fold! The Lester K doesn't do badly with a dedicated clone, either:

 

[video:youtube]

 

Enjoy.

 

Jake

[EscapeRocks]

To your comments about using the Lester K with a rompler instead of a modeled clonewheel, I'm utterly convinced at this point that a good Leslie sim is a lot more important than the clonewheel sim.

 

I had some fun over the weekend with more experimentation while setting up various different organ tone sin my FA08.

 

I took the very very basic GM organ in the FA08, turned off any assigned effects, then ran it thru Lester K. It's not even the same instrument (I mean that in a good way).

Again, it's not the real thing, and won't fool purists, or me, in a organ dominant gig.

 

With careful use and pre-work, Lester K has literally changed the way I am using my boards as far as organ tones go.

 

As was mention in a post earlier by someone, I am now creating a stage setting that contains different organ tones and the individual parts. Drawbar settings, percussion settings, leakage, etc... all designed to work with Lester K.

 

I have my Lester K primarily setup like this:

 

Volume 100%

Drive @15-25%

Slow and Fast Rotor speeds at fact default, which they say emulates stock Leslie speeds.

Balance just barely leaning towards high over low to not muddy the mix in the band setting.

 

This is working VERY well with the FA08 tones.

 

On the FA08, I take a stock basic ToneWheel organ, change the drawbars to my desired settings, then manipulate the rest of the parameters.

 

No matter what I design on the FA08 I make sure it sounds "right" with Lester K.

 

Amazing, to me, how this $170 pedal has inspired my organ playing in ways that only the real thing or a competent clone could do. (I can't justify, at this time, the cost of a good clonewheel).

 

I will try to get some audio recordings doing some comparisons of my FA08 organ sounds without and with Lester K.

 

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/escaperocks1/IMG_4612_zpsjyn0fmib.jpg

 

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/escaperocks1/FullSizeRender_zpsv2zbv0y7.jpg

 

 

 

 

[Joe P]

David,

 

I would love to hear how this sounds. I've created an organ tone on my FA08 for use with my MiniVent with limited success. I'm gonna work on it some more in the coming weeks. I just feel like there is a lot of potential in there that can be unlocked when tweaked for use with a good outboard sim.

 

Regards,

Joe