by bmcmahon » 01 Dec 2011, 22:31
I just got the Electro 3, my previous keyboard was/is the Alesis 6.1. The sound is light years ahead on the organs and being able to manipulate the sound with the pseudo drawbars is far better (because you and see and understand what your doing) than playing with sign-waves and a bunch of other parameters I'll never full understand. Since I never owned the original versions of the organs it is nice that they have a VOX setting but I totally agree most of this can be simulated on the Hammond once you know what existed on it the real thing and what did not. Speaking of which, Ray Manzarek tapes off only 49 keys on whatever he's playing to make sure he doesn't go beyond the register the orignal Vox had. I do like the handy transpose and swell on the Alesis and wish Nord had considered this. It is very noble to not transpose but even on pieces I have learned (Whiter Shade of Pale) in the correct key I may have to lower for the singer...unfortunate because I'll be damned if I'll re-learn THAT in another key. I cannot believe the Electro 3 insists on Global transposition, that means not only do I kill time changing transpose but I kill it putting it back. I believe the Electro 3 was built for people who play out, surprised they didn't address this unless the assumption is we couldn't possibly be hacks and own this instrument. Anyway, get the Electro 3 over the Electro 2, then it won't seem as backdated next year when the competition starts one-upping (as Nord apparently already has with itself per the HP).