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Chapter 15 Vintage B3 397
Vintage B3 Scanner Vibrato and Chorus
Vintage B3 emulates the Scanner Vibrato of the original B3. Few organ players use the Scanner
Vibrato, preferring to work with a Leslie in isolation. Others, like B3 virtuoso Brian Auger, prefer
the integrated organ vibrato over the Leslie. Compare the chorus and vibrato eects with the
sound of the rotor cabinet simulation to see which you prefer.
The Scanner Vibrato is based on an analog delay line, consisting of several lowpass lters. The
delay line is scanned by a multipole capacitor that has a rotating pickup. It is a unique eect that
cannot be simulated with low frequency oscillators (LFOs). The vibrato of the organ itself should
not be confused with the Leslie eect, which is based on rotating speaker horns. Vintage B3
simulates both.
The (Scanner Vibrato) Chorus eect is derived from mixing the vibrato signal with the original,
statically pitched signal. The organ’s chorus sounds dierent from modern chorus eects.
Important: Scanner Vibrato and Chorus controls are spread across two windows. Click Main in
the control bar, then click the Control button at the lower right to view the On and O switches
and to choose the vibrato or chorus type. Click the Options button in the control bar to use the
Rate and Depth controls in the Options window.
Scanner Vibrato and Chorus parameters
•
Upper and Lower switches (Main window): Switch the scanner vibrato on or o, independently,
for the upper and lower manuals. The treble portion of the organ is boosted slightly when
any vibrato setting is used. Because the B3 mixes the bass register (pedal) signal with the
lower manual signal, the pedal register is also aected by the lower manual’s scanner vibrato
settings.
•
Type knob (Main window): Choose from three Vibrato positions (V1, V2, and V3) or three Chorus
positions (C1, C2, and C3). In the Vibrato positions, only the delay line signal is heard, and
like the Hammond B3, Vintage B3 vibrato types have dierent intensities. The three Chorus
positions (C1, C2, and C3) mix the signal of the delay line with the original signal.
•
Rate knob (Options window): Rotate to set the vibrato or chorus speed.
•
Depth knob (Options window): Rotate to mix the dry signal with the vibrato signal. This
parameter is active only when one of the chorus settings is engaged (C1, C2, or C3).