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Leslie for nord and OB6 live?


Plasma Face

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So i'm looking for the ideal gigging setup for my keyboard rig. I'll be using a nord electro and a dave smith OB6. The best option I've found so far is using a guitar amp with the electro sounds. Rhodes/Wurli/Clav is a an instant success with guitar amps and sounds/feels great. The organ can be cool through the guitar amp, but would be nice to have an actual leslie instead of leslie simulator as well as the full spectrum of sound not just a very midrange frequency. Don't need a leslie sim pedal as the main goal is to have an amp that works and feels good both with the nord and the OB6, but a leslie seems to be the best option because it has the full frequency response I would want, mojo of sound/feel, and gives me the option to use an actual leslie rotating for my organ patch with the on board leslie sim turned off.

 

The OB6 is trickier. I've tried it through the house PA / monitor as well as keyboard amps and that always feels cold and lifeless to me. Also if I"m through the PA / monitor, I tend to have less control of my on stage volume even if I"m vocal throughout the gig to the sound engineer (sometimes it is nice to have your own amp up there so you can do all tweaks on the fly to where you can here it well etc...) I've also had some good luck with the Roland Jazz chorus amp because it is vibe of a guitar amp but with more frequency response.

 

What seems to be the most effective and best option would be to run both the nord and the OB6 through a leslie (some sort of portable leslie in the motion sound family). This way I get an actual leslie to use with the organ sound on the nord, I get full frequency response from the OB6 with great vibe (similar feeling playing rhodes through a guitar amp vs. playing it through a roland amp) and still get a semi mid range or guitar amp feel for the rhodes/clav/wurli sounds.

 

In theory this all makes sense but are there better options or are there some things about this setup that I'm assuming work and would sound good but would not be the case in reality?

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Organ wants a leslie or leslie sim.

Rhodes and clav wants a tube guitar amp.

Acoustic piano and synth wants a full range flat response monitor.

 

The eternal dilemma is how to juggle all this...

 

Generally people commit to the FRFS system and get guitar amp sound via amp sim pedals (or sims in the Nord in your case.

 

If you weren't playing acoustic piano at all you might choose a guitar amp for the Nord. But I can't imagine an OB will sound great thru it. It won't handle bass for starters.

Moe

---

 

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Powered PA speaker, run flat, is the way to go. Dial in your sounds on the instrument(s), including all sims, EQs, and effects.

 

Also, easier to hook up to a Vent than multiple amps.

Nord + Vent = FanfukkingTastic.

 

Hammond B-2, Leslie 122, Hammond Sk1 73, Korg BX3 2001, Leslie 900, Motion Sound Pro 3, Polytone Taurus Elite, Roland RD300 old one, Roland VK7, Fender Rhodes Mark V with Roland JC90
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This is pretty old school by today's standards, but Motion Sound was making a few amps (and appear back in business) where had both a rotary and a standard amp built into the same enclosure. Way back in the late '90s I had been using a Pro3T and then a KBR-M, which were different Motion Sound products that worked well for me at the time. The KBR-3D provides both rotary and stationary keyboard channels.

 

http://www.msamps.com/kbr-3d

 

Following what others have said, I would probably still recommend something like a QSC K10/12 is a great powered solution, maybe use a Vent with the Nord. I have gotten away from amps altogether now that I have a custom molded IEM rig (have been using for past 6-7 years. For pick up gigs where I can't use IEMs, I take a K10. My Nord goes through a Vent all the time.

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I'd rather use a guitar amp than guitar amp sim through PA speaker kind of situation. I'll check out those older motion sound as that is more up my ally.

 

Do you think the Motion Sound 145 or Leslie 3300 could be a dream setup? Or would the OB6 not sound right through it? I'm sure the nord minus the piano sounds would sound great through the leslie with the rotor turned off and organ would be killing on it too.

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Do you think the Motion Sound 145 or Leslie 3300 could be a dream setup?

 

No. Those aren't even particularly good sounding leslies.

 

Or would the OB6 not sound right through it?

 

Bingo.

 

I'm sure the nord minus the piano sounds would sound great through the leslie with the rotor turned off and organ would be killing on it too.

 

Based on what? Have you tried rhodes and clav and wurli thru a leslie? It's a special effect and doesn't sound neutral at all, even on stop. I use clav thru a leslie occasionally and it sounds great, but not for all things clav. Rhodes and wurli never.

Moe

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Do you think the Motion Sound 145 or Leslie 3300 could be a dream setup? Or would the OB6 not sound right through it? I'm sure the nord minus the piano sounds would sound great through the leslie with the rotor turned off and organ would be killing on it too.

 

Leslie 3300 can be a really good sounding stage leslie once the stock tube is replaced with a decent NOS vintage tube. So are you planning on only playing one sound at a time? If that's the case it could work for you, but if you are banging EP chords and have the organ on tremelo this wouldn't work. Don't be sure about anything until you hear it.

:nopity:
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Totally weird because I have a Nord, OB-6 AND a Motion Sound KBR-3d.

 

I think the KBR-3D sounds better than any Leslie sim I've tried (in truth...haven't tried a vent, but it's better than yamaha's, Kurzweils, Hammonds own, or even the Nord)

 

I actually think the KBR3D's weakness is the other side of the amp, not the Organ channel.

 

The organ on this song is my Hammond XK3C through my MotionSound Amp. Nothing special on the organ (I was doing exactly what the songwriter wanted and he really wanted to keep it simple). I don't think it recorded bad at all.

 

[video:youtube]

You want me to start this song too slow or too fast?

 

Forte7, Nord Stage 3, XK3c, OB-6, Arturia Collection, Mainstage, MotionSound KBR3D. A bunch of MusicMan Guitars, Line6 stuff

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The Leslie 2101 has both rotary and straight channels. I use mine with either a QSC K12.2 bottom or my faithful Yorkville Blok100 bottom. The Yorkville is a little tired since since 1988 but still fills a room, and the K12.2 is just awesome.

 

Jake

1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP

 

"It needs a Hammond"

 

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OK...I've re-read the OP and it just doesn't make sense to me.

 

The OB-6 sounds best through a full range speaker like a PA speaker to me. I prefer to have more control of what I'm doing so I NEVER run straight to the PA, but I either run OB6->mixer->powered FR speaker->FOH or to Keyboard amp->FOH. I guess I could try it but I really don't know why I'd run the OB-6 through a leslie as anything but a one-time one-solo or gimick kinda thing.

 

I'm a guitar player too, I have several guitar amps sitting around the studio...I really don't want to plug my keyboards into ANY of them.

 

A Nord Electro + OB-6 is $4k plus in keyboards. You can get two quality powered speakers for less than $500 new (Alto's or something like that...even better if you're a sharp used buyer), yet we're talking about using guitar amps and direct to FOH with a floor monitor? Or worse yet...running the OB-6 through another >$1k Leslie speaker?

 

I like my Motion Sound Leslie better than a Leslie sim, but the Nord Leslie sim is pretty darn good for live use. If you're budget conscious at all, just stick with the Nord into FR speakers and then tap into FOH from there.

You want me to start this song too slow or too fast?

 

Forte7, Nord Stage 3, XK3c, OB-6, Arturia Collection, Mainstage, MotionSound KBR3D. A bunch of MusicMan Guitars, Line6 stuff

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I'm a guitar player too, I have several guitar amps sitting around the studio...I really don't want to plug my keyboards into ANY of them.

 

You got a Twin Reverb? Try it with Clavinet or Wurli.

 

Hell, I like that sound so much that I use the Twin Reverb amp model in my CP4 when faking those.

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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I'm located in new york city and don't have a car. I have so much gear to take with me, ideal would be to find something that is very portable in terms of amps (for my band I play synth bass on a roland sh9, synth stuff on the ob6, and a nord electro). Clubs always have guitar amps I can use and a monitor FOH situation (so this is what i've relied on thus far but is never the same from place to place and I never have control over the synth or it feeling good through my monitors). I've been doing synth bass into bass amp (amazing every time so no need to change that and all the clubs have bass amps), nord electro into guitar amp (sounds great but organ sound can get a bit mid rangey and harsh, and half the time also putting the OB6 through the guitar amp or through FOH/monitor. I think the only equation I need to have consistent is my own smaller guitar amp so I can feel comfortable every gig with the nord situation, and figure out what will feel good with the OB6.

 

FOH/monitor is out of the question since it never feels good / gives me flexibility to tweak on stage like having your own amp up there. It seems counter productive though to bring my own PA to a club when they have monitors right there for me for that purpose. I hate the roland amps and there sound (they get the job done with synths but never don't have mojo / feel good playing through them). It seems like the closest middle ground would be a roland jazz chorus (even though it doesn't have the full frequency response) since the electro would probably sound great through it as well and that could cover both grounds? The only reason I was mentioning a leslie was more that it has a broader frequency response than a guitar amp and as an added bonus would give me rotating leslie option for organ sound ONLY (no need to have leslie going for any other sound on my setup). The nord leslie sim is solid enough that I don't need a real leslie live, just trying to see what would be my best options. Maybe use club guitar amp or have my own small but powerful guitar amp for nord, and then have my own amp situation for OB6 that is also small and powerful while also throwing it through PA so at least I have my own controlled monitoring situation for it, or ideal a speaker that feels great for the nord sounds and the OB6.

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I also remember my buddy's old peavey amp was the best sound with rhodes i've ever heard. He threw a little of the on board drive or he had a drive peal (not sure which but either way sounded amazing). I'm guessing still similar frequency response to guitar amp or same since it is considered a guitar amp? maybe a bass amp or no?
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OK, if you're playing Rhodes/wurli a lot I get it, a guitar amp may be just the ticket...but what about the rest of your rig?

 

I'm still trying to wrap my head around running the OB-6 through a Leslie. (I'm going to try it today in the studio just for fun!)

 

And a Leslie is anything BUT portable. You might go with a Pro-3, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.

 

I'll say it again, there's been some amazing progress in powered speakers in the last couple of years. They're lighter than guitar amplifiers and incredibly powerful. You can tweak your tones at home/studio to get them right and get the same sound on stage.

You want me to start this song too slow or too fast?

 

Forte7, Nord Stage 3, XK3c, OB-6, Arturia Collection, Mainstage, MotionSound KBR3D. A bunch of MusicMan Guitars, Line6 stuff

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Hmmm let me know how the OB6 sounds through the leslie but with the rotor turned off (if that's possible). I'd be curious to hear how different types of sound through it since in theory in my mind, it has a larger frequency response than guitar amps. I'm thinking any type of lead is going to be cool but the big pads is the grey area.

 

What kind of powered speaker do you recommend that is extremely portable but very loud?

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Hmmm let me know how the OB6 sounds through the leslie but with the rotor turned off (if that's possible). I'd be curious to hear how different types of sound through it since in theory in my mind, it has a larger frequency response than guitar amps. I'm thinking any type of lead is going to be cool but the big pads is the grey area.

 

What kind of powered speaker do you recommend that is extremely portable but very loud?

 

The new QSC K8.2 is my current go-to bang-for-buck recommendation for great keys sound in a small (~27 lb) package that is unquestionably CLEAR and LOUD. It doesn't color the sound, that's up to you. And, while it can't keep up with a bass amp, you'd be surprised.

 

The only thing better that I've found in this category are the RCF TT08-a units, but that's $$$.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Hammond B-2, Leslie 122, Hammond Sk1 73, Korg BX3 2001, Leslie 900, Motion Sound Pro 3, Polytone Taurus Elite, Roland RD300 old one, Roland VK7, Fender Rhodes Mark V with Roland JC90
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