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These were poduced in quite low numbers and dont pop up that often anymore. I have never owned a hammond but feel this little mod to be the closest thing sonically. No sampling here. Real analog circuitry. Real warmth and heaps of charicter. Excellent working order. Cosmetically great with just a couple of small dings to one side pannel and a small one on top. I didnt even notace untill i came to photograph it. Comes complete with the original power supply. And a decent flight case.
OVERVIEW
The Oberheim OB3 Drawbar Organ Expander is designed to add the classic “Drawbar Organ” sound to any MIDI keyboard or MIDI setup. The compact design allows “Hands-On” control of the OB3, an important part of an authentic organ performance. A host of foot controls can be connected to the OB3, offering great versatility in performance. Six presets, faithful to the originals, provide the most popular organ sounds at the touch of a button, or may be selected via MIDI.
Three Vibratos and two different Key Percussion effects further enhance these Presets and the manual Drawbar setting. The Rotary Sound functions recreate the effect of rotating speaker systems that were often used in conjunction with the Drawbar Organ and that have become part of the classic sound. For further realism, Key Click and Overdrive features are also included in the OB3.
SET-UP
Connect the MIDI OUT from your current MIDI keyboard or MIDI system to the MIDI IN of the OB3 using a standard MIDI Cable. The OB3 always powers up in the “OMNI” MIDI Mode, so it is not necessary to select a MIDI Channel at this time. Hook the OB3 to an audio amplifier using the “Output” jack on the rear panel. Finally, plug the A.C. cord of the OB3 into an appropriate outlet, and turn the OB3 “ON”. Begin with the Volume and the Overdrive turned all the way down. Select Preset #6 (the maximum sound) and while playing the OB3, slowly increase the volume to a comfortable level. The MIDI button LED will flash to indicate MIDI information is being received.
DRAWBARS AND PRESETS
DRAWBARS
The drawbars on an electronic organ are designed to represent various pipe lengths on a traditional organ. For this reason, the drawbars are labeled in footages; 16′, 5 1/3′, 8′, 4′, 2 2/3′, 2′, 1 3/5′, and 1′. The 8′ drawbar is called the Principal or Fundamental; the note played is the note sounded. The drawbar arrangement is laid along the overtone series of harmonics. The two Brown drawbars represent the undertones. The White drawbars are the octave overtones. The Black drawbars sound the non-octave overtone; fifths, thirds, etc…
The larger the pipe length, the lower the sound is pitched. By combining different drawbars in various amounts, different organ “Registrations” are created. Pulling each drawbar out and exposing more of the 1-8 numbers on top increases the volume of that drawbar’s sound. As electronic organs became more popular in the world of rock and blues, many performers took to moving the drawbars in and out as they played. It is this type of real-time, hands-on control that Oberheim provides in the OB-3.
PRESETS
Six Presets (I-IV) provide instant access to the most popular drawbar combinations, or Registrations. The digrams along the left side of the following page show the approximate drawbar settings of the Presets. The Drawbars do not affect the sound of the Presets. The Presets can be selected manually, by touching the associated button, or the Presets may be selected via MIDI.
PERCUSSION
Unlike a piano, an organ is not touch sensitive. In order to vary the sound by keyboard technique, the organist relies on Key Percussion. Key Percussion adds a quick, percussive strike to the attack of a note. This Percussion adds a quick, percussive strike to the attack of a note. This Percussion is only heard when a note or chord is played individually. That is, if a note is played while other notes are already being held, the Percussion effect is not heard. Likewise, if a melody note is played in a legato style, the Percussion effect is not heard. All fingers must come off the keyboard, and the Percussion effect will be heard on the note or chord that follows. This is a powerful performance feature that allows the organist to articulate notes differently, or accentuate certain chords, strictly by keyboard technique.
4′, 2 2/3′
Selecting one of these buttons will set the pitch for the Percussion effect. The 4′, or Second Harmonic, will set the pitch of the Percussion effect one octave higher than the fundamental note being played. The 2 2/3′ stop, or Third Harmonic, will pitch the Percussion effect one octave plus a fifth above the original note.
SOFT/LOUD
The Soft/Loud switch controls the volume of the Percussion effect in relation to the overall volume. When the LED is illuminated, the Percussion effect will be loudest. With the LED off, the Percussion effect is softest.
SLOW/FAST
The Decay of the Percussion effect can be either slow or Fast. With the LED On, the decay will be Fast, the Percussion effect being more abrupt. For a softer effect, touch the Slow/Fast switch again so the LED is off.
KEY CLICK
The Key Click adds a different Key Percussion effect. In this case the Percussion is not set to a certain pitch, it is more of a “tic” noise. In actuality, this effect is recreating the sound of dirty contacts arcing on the original Drawbar organs. This “click” quickly became part of the signature of the Drawbar Organ sund. Key Click adds a touch of authenticity that helps the OB3 create an organ sound that is convincing and faithful to the original.
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Category: Musical Instruments:Keyboards and Pianos:Organs
Location: Falmouth