Pad Sounds from the Organ Section

[Huflo]

Dear keyboard players,
I play with a Nord Stage 4 and often all my synth tracks are occupied, but I still need a pad sound. Does anyone have any tips on how to imitate pad sounds or even strings with the organ?

[Mighty Motif Max]

Strings are going to be pretty much impossible (unless you're going for a Solina-type synth string, in which case you may be able to get something from the Farfisa emulation in conjunction with some effects). However, you can get a decent pad with the B3 engine by setting up something like a 008800000 (aka just the 8' and 4'), Leslie on chorale/slow, and run that into a hall or cathedral reverb with the mix around 70%. I like to add some delay at a slow tempo (the Space model in particular works well for this), and then EQ to taste. Will it be some incredible brassy synth pad? Absolutely not. But it will do the job of a nice warm pad in the background just fine.

[maxpiano]

Strings are going to be pretty much impossible (unless you're going for a Solina-type synth string, in which case you may be able to get something from the Farfisa emulation in conjunction with some effects). However, you can get a decent pad with the B3 engine by setting up something like a 008800000 (aka just the 8' and 4'), Leslie on chorale/slow, and run that into a hall or cathedral reverb with the mix around 70%. I like to add some delay at a slow tempo (the Space model in particular works well for this), and then EQ to taste. Will it be some incredible brassy synth pad? Absolutely not. But it will do the job of a nice warm pad in the background just fine.

This and also adding some Chorus or Phaser could help to make it more "synth-like" + when using the Farfisa you can take advantage of the LP24 LowPass filter available in the AMP/SIM effects section, to shape and smooth out its "Strings" registers