Members VinceDoomReaper Posted September 26, 2009 Members Share Posted September 26, 2009 I have recently become interested in the Vox Continental through Ray Manzarek of The Doors. I have discovered that they are hard to find and quite expensive, so I was wondering if anyone could recommend an alternative? Plus could anyone recomnend music made with the Continental(or alternative). Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 26, 2009 Members Share Posted September 26, 2009 Ray's organs are pretty well documented. He used a Vox Continental on the first 2 Doors albums, and switched to a Gibson G101 after that, because it was more reliable. Some Doors studio cuts have Hammond on them. Lots of New Wave stuff had combo organs on it, but that was playing mostly pads. If you are looking for more lead organ type stuff like Ray's, dig up some old Iron Butterfly. The full 17 minute version of In-a-Gadda-da-Vida has Continental all over it. For all things Combo organ related, visit the Combo Organ Heaven website: http://combo-organ.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MickeyKeys Posted September 26, 2009 Members Share Posted September 26, 2009 I have recently become interested in the Vox Continental through Ray Manzarek of The Doors. I have discovered that they are hard to find and quite expensive, so I was wondering if anyone could recommend an alternative? Plus could anyone recomnend music made with the Continental(or alternative). Thanks. As for Continental flavored music ... to the Iron Butterfly suggestion. House Of The Rising Sun by The Animals comes to mind, and 96 Tears by ? and the Mysterians. As for alternatives . . . you just might already have one and not know it, many modern synths and DPs will have a respectable Vox emulation under the name "60's Organ" or something similar. The ones on my Juno-Stage and RD700SX are pretty dang good (the Doors tribute band I auditioned for was convinced). And Roland also has a patch named "Continental" on their SRX-07 Vintage Keys card that's even better than the one they load onto their keyboards. The Yamaha Motif has a kickass one which I think is called "60's Keys". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcpro Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Roland SRX-07 and SRJV80-08 expansion boards have a wide variety of Vox and Farfisa waveforms (same waves in both). Most are not in any factory patch but they're easy to use - just initialze a patch and call up the waves. All the common Vox sounds are there and of course you can mix for even more if you want. I've played Continentals before and there's really not that much tonal variety to one - even though you've got four foot stop and two tone drawbars to fool around with. It's possible to more or less cover the sound of one with sampled waves much more accurately than you can a B3. All the early Animals hits prominently featured the Vox Continental. Actually it's sound was all over the place in the mid-sixties but then quickly made an exit with the exception of a few acts like the Doors and Iron Butterfly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen Klaus Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 I have discovered that they are hard to find and quite expensive, so I was wondering if anyone could recommend an alternative? Clavia includes a Vox model in many of their products. Currently, you can find it in the C1, C2, Electro 3, and Stage EX. Native Instruments also included three Continental models in the recently-discontinued B4 II software. The models, in theory, give you the same sorts of sonic control as the original item. Exactly how true that may or may not be, I have no idea. Ears more qualified than my own have praised Clavia's Vox emulation, so there you go, I suppose. Otherwise, you're looking at samples. Most romplers and workstations should have at least one or two Vox patches. Korg's upcoming SV1 also includes a Vox patch in its bag of goodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roy Brooks Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 Yamaha YC-20 might do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ramkeys Posted September 27, 2009 Members Share Posted September 27, 2009 I like "Double Shot of my Baby's Love. Monkees/Archies/Boyce & Hart Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NickD101 Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 +1 on the Roland expansion cards mentioned above - great sounds for non-Hammond organs plus other good stuff. Wasn't it used by Springsteen's band fairly recently for organ sounds? I'm sure I read an interview somewhere but sorry can't find the link... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Franz Schiller Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I too love combo organs. With all due respect, most Roland style romplers will leave you cold. I spent a lot of time, and mis spent a lot of money going down that avenue. If you can, try a couple of less expensive combo organs; Doric, Ekosonic, and the aforementioned Yamaha YC-10 and YC-20 turn up fairly often...also the GEM Model P, methinks. Some Farfisas will probably satisfy that itch...but just SOME like the MiniCompact, and Compact. Other Farfisas emulated Hammond styles (the VIPs). A few things that people don't tell you about combos: they're very heavy, and can be very expensive to have fixed. I suggest looking into the Nord models, that's what I did...they sound quite good and you have control over "tabs" and "drawbars", which romplers don't. They're also reliable and very light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 a rare Doric played thru a Leslie. According to mate_stubb, they were crap though. To be fair, a Leslie is guaranteed to make anything sound much better. I hated my Doric because all of the G keys would suddenly quit working at once. A smart smack on the lid would fix them until the next episode. Compared to the Doric, the Farfisa Combo Compact and Gibson G101 that I graduated to were Cadillacs. And the Farfisa Professional (that was my last combo organ before moving to Hammond) was a Lamborghini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NickD101 Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I suggest looking into the Nord models, that's what I did...they sound quite good and you have control over "tabs" and "drawbars", which romplers don't. They're also reliable and very light. Can you get any decent combo organ sounds out of an Electro 2? Or is it only really Electro 3 / C1 that'll do the trick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Franz Schiller Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Can you get any decent combo organ sounds out of an Electro 2? Or is it only really Electro 3 / C1 that'll do the trick? Meh, not really. You have to use the E3, C1, C2, or Stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Franz Schiller Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 And the Farfisa Professional (that was my last combo organ before moving to Hammond) was a Lamborghini. I have a Professional. While I quite like it, it doesn't excel at the reedy sound of something like a Vox or earlier Farfisa. It can sort of pull it off with all the "sharp" footages on, though. It sounds closer to an analog Hammond of the X5 sort, methinks. Despite the fact that mine had a lot of issues with noise leakage and key triggers, it really feels more sturdy and robust than my Minicompact. It also has a much hotter signal. Finally, the Professional has one of the coolest built in stands EVER. There's a video on the Youtube somewhere of a dude in the Van Der Graff Generator playing one an its angled backward. Let me tell you, this rules for ergonomic playing. I only wish I could attach it to my XK3c. However, I've only used the Professional at a few shows because its so god damn heavy, that after I carried it into the venue, my wrists would be in serious pain, and impede my awesome shredding abilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MartinHines Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 I would look at the soon-to-arrive Korg SV1 (Stage Vintage Piano), which come in a 73 and 88 key version:http://www.korg.com/Product.aspx?pd=562 Here is a link to the "Vox Combo" sound: http://www.korg.com/mediaplayer.aspx?md=3858&pd=562 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members memphis Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 Meh, not really. You have to use the E3, C1, C2, or Stage. I agree you can't get an authentic 'combo' sound, but you can get cheesy sixties combo-ish sounds from the E2. Just turn off the leslie sim and experiment with the vibrato settings, drawbars, and overdrive. For an example go listen to Queenie in Trouble on the first link of my sig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members able Posted September 28, 2009 Members Share Posted September 28, 2009 You might also look for a Wurlitzer 7300. Great little combo organ for doors and animals stuff. Has a nifty stand as well if you can find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wildpaws Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 I used a Lowrey T1 back in the day, it worked much better for me after I had a tech wire in a 1/4" out so I could plug in to amps other than the T1 amp/speaker. I've not heard many Vox or similar emulations on various synths, but then again I haven't been looking for them either.Clyde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mate_stubb Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 The Electro can do a credible job to the untrained ear: turn down or off the key click, turn off the leslie sim (bypass it, don't just stop the rotor), use mostly white drawbars, and use V1-V3 instead of C1-C3. Boost the treble as desired. The Stage has a pretty nice Vox model. It sounds good in a lot of situations - I like mine with analog style echo and a slow phaser for some trippy stuff. The Stage's Farfisa is less successful IMO. It has the correct stops but lacks the all important iconic treble boost circuit from the Combo Compact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 Lotsa software out there, both free & cheap. Now that NI B4 is discontinued, VB3 by GSi seems to be the new darling. You might also look for a Wurlitzer 7300... Those used to be the best kept secret in affordable combo organs, but not anymore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tspit74 Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 My favorite combo organ is the Farfisa Duo Compact. Red or gray. Hopefully, I'll find a working specimen for a deal someday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Real MC Posted September 29, 2009 Members Share Posted September 29, 2009 You might also look for a Wurlitzer 7300. Great little combo organ for doors and animals stuff. Has a nifty stand as well if you can find one. I missed out on one of those - including the stand - about fifteen years ago. It was in the basement of a music store. Sadly that store and the keyboard are now gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members psychedelia67 Posted September 30, 2009 Members Share Posted September 30, 2009 To be honest if you want something that sounds close to the real thing, here are a few suggestions: ComboSister a VST from Nusofting is is pretty cool. It has drawbars, a sine/square button to shift between a more farfisa'ish sound and more Vox'ish sound. You've got loads of other options as well, vibrato for one. http://nusofting.liqihsynth.com/combosister.html The other alternative is ElektricKeys from Motu. This one is samplebased, but has a lot of different drawbar settings. Not only this, but it's got samples for the farfisa combo organ and two different vox organs (english and italian).http://www.motu.com/products/software/electrickeys I own both of these, and love them! Psych Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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