Emu B3
64 Voice Tone Wheel Organ (2000)

Rackmount expander based on proteus 1000 series mainly aimed at Hammond organs emulation like Model B3, C3 and A100 with different Leslie settings.

The B3 is fully loaded with samples from original hammonds from the golden era.

RACKMOUNT 1 unit. The front panel features a LCD display, 9 buttons + 4 knobs for real-time parameter controls (they do transmit Midi CC#)

Back panel terminal connectors:
- Midi interface
- main out

Front panel terminal connectors:
- headphones.

SOUND Coldfire-based processor manages 64 digital voices polyphony.
a basic patch is composed by 4 tones PCM samples with independent parameters:
- chorus mode stacks twice the same waveforms
- sample start offset and delay
- 5 solo modes
- volume
- pitch tuning
- panning
- keyboard zone.

WAVETABLE many PCM are directly sampled from the authentic Hammond B3 with different Leslie and valves saturation or amplifications combinations.
ROM: PCM are divided in 2 categories:
1- pre-calculated digital harmonics
2- samples from most famous drawbars combinations (numbers), a lot of presets are ready to go and need no changes: the box is already loaded with the top vintage from many historical hits!

 

 

EXPANSION B3 can be expanded with the other ROMS, some are standard in other EMU machines:

ROM NAME Can be found on:     Pure Phatt MoPhatt / MK6 / MP-7 Protean Px7 Techno Synth Yard Orbit 3 Beat Garden Orbit 3 Orchestral Session 1-2 Virtuoso 2000 World Expedition Planet Earth Sounds of the ZR Ensoniq Halo X-Lead Xtreme Lead1 / XL7 / XK6 Vintage vintage pro / keyboard vintage keys Composer proteus 1000 / 2000 / 2500 / PK-6 Audity audity 2000 Siedlaczek Orchestra Not included in any machines Protozoa Not included in any machines Holy Grail Not included in any machines Ensoniq Project Not included in any machines

 

UPGRADE optional TURBO board add some upgrades:
- doubles polyphony
- 2 extra SIMM slots
- twice Midi channels
- a second Midi set
- digital spdif out
- 4 extra analog outs.
TECH: this upgrade brings the 1000 series to full 2000 series power - it is also possible to fit the B3 SIMM directly to a 2000 model for extra features.

 

FILTER there are 50 models of Z-plane filters simplified from the previous module EMU Morpheus. First types are the classic ones including lowpass, highpass and bandpass and more sophisticated ones like swept octave EQ, phasers, flangers, vocal formant filters. Filters are classified in 9 categories:

LPF Low-pass filter PHA Phaser HPF High-pass filter FLG Flanger BPF Band-pass filter VOW Vowel/ formant EQ+ EQ boost EQ- EQ cut SFX Special Effect

 

ENVELOPE 3 EGs:
EG1: amplitude (1 for each layer)
EG2: filter (1 for each layer)
EG3: AUX assignable.
EG share same structure and characteristics: 6 segments + 6 times.

 

LFO up to 2 interchangeable delayed modulators (0.08 Hz to 18.14 Hz) both can be assigned to and open matrix structure (see modulation processor) that manages various sources and modulation destinations. Typical destinations are: pitch, amplitude or filter.
The modulators can be key-synched and features 17 waveforms:

random triangle sine saw square 33 / 25 / 16 / 12 % pulse width hemi quaver

pat octaves pat 5th pat sus 4th pat neener sine 1,2 sine 1,3,5 sine and noise

MODULATION PROCESSOR like a modular, the B3 handles 24 routings or virtual patchcords that connect a modulation source to a destination. The modulator polarity can be also changed (value relation that can be set to positive or negative).
A list of the matrix elements would be too long and complex, here's a schematic simplification:

 

Sources:	Destinations:
note key velocity bender modulation wheel Midi CC# footswitch EG1 -2 -3 LFO1 - 2 noise (pink/white) random time dividers mathematical - logic functions	key sustain pitch glide start wave offset filter cutoff / resonance pan amplitude EG1 ADSR EG2 ADSR EG3 ADSR LFO1-2 frequencies mathematical - logic functions

MULTITIMBRAL the global mode manages 16 parts with individual settings:
- Midi channel
- analog out
- stereo panning.
- volume
- transpose
- split (link).

EFFECT a 24 bit DSP manages 2 editable main FX groups:
- DSP1: 44 reverb and echo algorithms including hall, room, plate and delay
- DSP2: 32 modulation algorithms like chorus, flanger, phaser and vibrato
Full list HERE

SYNC the internal masterclock from 25 to 300 BPM controls the LFO frequency or can be clocked to MIDI source.

MEMORY:
- 512 RAM patches
- 384 ROM patches on the B3 SIMM
- 12 ROM microtuning
- 12 RAM microtuning.
Created sounds can be only saved to Midi Sysex dump.

 

HAMMOND B3 VST PLUGIN / SAMPLED VERSION there are some free and commercial samples set for:

	name	price	link	demo
	AZR3	VST free
	master Hammond B3	VST commercial
	NUBIPLUS	VST free
	Lightbag	VST free
	VL122	VST FREE
	UVI retro organs	VST commercial
	vintage organs (replaced the famous B4)	VST commercial
	LinPlug Organ 3	VST commercial

AUDIO DEMO

demo1 demo2 demo3

 

 

Soundcloud B3

 

VIDEO CLIP SELECTION

Organ Module	Riffs Part 1