18 | NORD STAGE 3 USER MANUAL OS V1.X
SELECTING AN ORGAN MODEL
Use the ORGAN MODEL selector button to select your preferred Organ
model. The Pipe1 and Pipe2 settings are indicated by the upper and
lower LED pairs being lit respectively.
THE B3 MODEL
The B3 model is based on a digital model of the classic electro-mechan-
ical tonewheel organ. This simulation utilizes innovative and advanced
methods to capture every nuance of the original sound. Here are some
examples:
• An extremely accurate digital model of the original chorus and vibrato
scanner.
• Modeling of the individual random contact bounces for each
harmonic.
• Modeling of the unique frequency characteristics of the built-in
pre-amplifier, which forms the “body” of the sound.
• Simulation of the energy robbing on the tone wheels that results in the
typical “compressed” sound.
• Authentic tuning of the tonewheels according to the original design.
• Extremely fast keyboard response.
• Full polyphony.
B3 DRAWBARS
The harmonic intervals for the tonewheel organ are printed on the panel
below the drawbars.
For basic drawbar operation, please refer to “Drawbars and Buttons”
on the previous page. Each drawbar represents a partial with a fixed
harmonic interval in relationship with the played note.
The illustration below shows the pitch interval among the nine drawbars
when the key of C3 is played. Note that the SUB3 drawbar actually is a
5th above the fundamental harmonic. However, in most situations it is
perceived as sounding below the basic harmonic.
VIBRATO & CHORUS
The original vibrato and chorus scanner in a tonewheel organ consists
of a modulated delay line in combination with a rotating scanner. For the
Vibrato effect, phase shift is applied to the signal. For the Chorus effect,
the phase-modulated signal is added to the original signal.
Three different types of choruses (C1 - C3) and three different types of
vibratos (V1 - V3) are available. Select one of these types by pressing
the Vibrato/Chorus selector button. The effect can be activated/deacti-
vated for both panels individually by pressing the Vibrato/Chorus button
for the Panel A and Panel B “manuals”.
PERCUSSION
Press the PERCUSSION ON button to add an extra attack to the B3
sound by having a single envelope generator controlling either the 2nd
or 3rd harmonic.
The envelope “opens up” for a short moment in the beginning of the
sound when you press the key(s). The percussion is a single-triggered
non-legato effect. By “single-triggered” we mean that the percussion
is only present when you hit the keys when no other note is sounding.
In other words, if you play a note or a chord and then add more notes
without releasing the previously pressed keys, there will be no percus-
sion effect in the new notes. You have to release all keys to be able to
play new notes with the percussion effect.
The VOLUME SOFT button toggles between Normal and Soft percussion
level. The DECAY FAST button toggles between Slow and Fast decay
times.
The HARMONIC THIRD button toggles between using the 2nd or 3rd
partial as the source for the percussion effect.
M The Percussion effect is only available for the B3 organ model.
KEY CLICK CONTROL
The key click produced by the random contact bounces is an impor-
tant audio artifact in the original B3 instrument. This quickly became a
desirable effect amongst musicians. The click level can be adjusted in
the Sound menu, read more about this on page 53.
Do not forget to try out the three tonewheel modes that are also
available in the Sound menu. These will dramatically change the
sound of the B3 model from a squeaky clean unit to a battered, old
workhorse.
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