Bob Leggitt has released Classic-H and Skanksta, two free virtual organ instruments for Windows.
The Classic-H provides the essence of an old tonewheel organ within the VST environment. This VSTi captures the distinctive personality of a classic Hammond/Leslie combination, as well as simulating twin manual operation across a single MIDI keyboard, using a variable key-split function.
Thirty extremely cool presets provide a jumping-off point for almost every type of music, from the ‘Full Throb’ of old time soul to the screaming distortion of Deep Purple-type rock. It does gobble CPU, but it has the sounds, and it doesn’t cost a penny.
The Skanksta is a ska-orientated VST organ, designed to produce a light and bright sound which will fit in well with quite a number of quirky and/or rhythmic music styles.
It’s essentially a Vox Continental II with animation provided by a rotary speaker rather than a vibrato unit, and selectable key-splitting to simulate two manuals across a single MIDI keyboard. The key-splitting is particularly important for reggae-derived styles, where the left hand part will typically contrast sharply in tone with the right hand.
Classic-H and Skanksta are available to download as freeware VST instrument plugins for Windows.
More information: Classic-H / FreeST Skanksta
Martinic has updated its Combo Model V and Combo Model F virtual combo organ instruments for Windows and Mac.
Changes in Combo Model V v1.1.1
- Automatically show settings window after loading plug-in.
- Fixed foldback on high C.
- Fixed recording duplicate notes in Mixcraft.
- Fixed loading project/patch with bass volume of 0.0dB as -0.0dB.
Changes in Combo Model F v1.0.1
- Automatically show settings window after loading plug-in.
- Added 32 factory presets.
- Fixed recording duplicate notes in Mixcraft.
Both plug-ins are available as freeware for Windows and Mac (VST/AU).
More information: Martinic
Cinematique Instruments has announced the release of Sapphire 60, an organ sample library for Native Instruments Kontakt.
The source of the SAPPHIRE 60 organ is the Hohner Symphonic 30N combo – a small organ, which was famous for its mean and unique sound mostly used in sixties beat music. But even a decade later famous bands such as Led Zeppelin used the organ during its 1972/73 UK tour. It is a four octave mobile organ with 8 registers: two of the 16″, four of the 8″ and two of the 4″ octaves – each of them switchable. Besides that you have switches for vibrato and brilliance. Instead of transistors it uses glass tubes.
A review from the sixties says: ” The build quality is top notch […] it can shock the living piss out of you if you’re used to working with solid state circuitry.
Our SAPPHIRE 60 is – typically for Cinematique Instruments – very versatile and suited for loads of music genres such as british rock, reggae, ska, pop and even scoremusic.
We recorded all of the eight registers in steps of 3 semitones. In contrast to the original organ concept which allows only to switch the register on or off each register can now be mixed in separately via faders. Besides that we provide two different kinds of vibrato, a rotary speaker fx, a distortion and a cabinet simulation. You get a button to control the amount of delay and reverb. Furthermore you get buttons to save (and reload) the whole setting of the organ. To get quick access to the abilities of the SAPPHIRE 60 we provide some presets which cover a wide range of sounds – sounds for nearly every taste.
Sapphire 60 is available to purchase for 19 EUR.
More information: Cinematique Instruments / Sapphire 60
Bob Leggitt has released the GutterSnipe, a free organ instrument in the FreeST plug-in series.
The GutterSnipe is the fifth virtual organ in the FreeST range. It has a new tone engine and voicing, specifically geared towards rougher, heavier sounds. The new design includes analogue waveform stereotyping, an unusual ten-drawbar tone system, powerful overdrive, built-in reverb, and dynamic crushing for that ‘speaker cracking under the strain’ feel. A newly tailored version of the Real Rotor speaker simulator is also built in.
The GutterSnipe allows more aggressive sounds than previous FreeST organs, due to its guitar amp-style pre-gain structure. But before I get into that I need to mention the DI/Cab button, because it’s more than a simple Rotary on/off switch – it’s a complete mode change.
GutterSnipe for Windows (VST) is available as freeware.
More information: Planet Botch
Martinic has released version 1.0 of Combo Model F, a free virtual combo organ instrument for Windows and Mac.
Combo Model F is a virtual combo organ, modelled after a well-known combo organ from the 1960s: the Farfisa Mini Compact.
Combo Model F features
- 4-octave C-to-C keyboard.
- Harmonic range 6 polyphonic octaves.
- 4 footage tabs: 16′, 8′, 4′, 2⅔’.
- 3 treble voice tabs: Dolce, Principale, Strings.
- Multi-Tone Booster voice with All Booster tab.
- Knee lever control.
- Bass voice (grey keys).
- Vibrato unit with adjustable speed and depth.
- Volume pedal.
- Adjustable tuning per note.
- Fully modelled (no samples inside).
- Model includes oscillators, dividers, crosstalk, noise, filters, key contacts and key click.
- Velocity-sensitive key contact attack and release.
- Fully automatable.
Combo Model F for Windows and Mac (VST/AU) is available as freeware.
More information: Martinic / Combo Model F
Jiggery-Pokery has updated the Retro Organs ReFill for Reason 6.
Updated for Reason 6, the three defining organs of the pre-synth era: the B3, the Vox Continental and the Farfisa Combo Compact, in one exceptional ReFill for your Reason racks. With default organs, effects and template patches from all three organ ReFills gathered conveniently into single folders in the ReFill root, this could be all the organy goodness you’ll ever need!
Changes in Retro Organs v1.5
- L6 FX Junkied Organs – Organ Combis with Line6s’ authentic rotary speaker models (Leslie 122 and Fender Vibratone). You will need Pod Farm FX Junkie pack installed in order to use these patches. For B3 organs we have the Line 6 Horn+Rotor with a tube-amp, Farfisa organs have Fender Deluxe Head and Vibratone, while the Vox Continental organs have a Vox AC-30 Head with Fender Vibratone.
- Tremorizer Rotary FX Patches – A suite of fourteen insert effect Combinators featuring dual Pulveriser Horn and Rotor effects, from more traditional Leslie emulators to bizarre-legato key-triggered speed changes, tape-effected and gated rotors.
- Binson Echorec II effect – In addition to the old Binson Echorec effect, a new four-head version using The Echo.
- New patches galore!
- B3, Farfisa and Vox Experimental folders have new Combis featuring R6 effects devices, several with built-in effects from the Tremorizer suite, for more modern twists.
- Brand new PDF User Guide for Retro Organs.
Retro Organs 1.5 is available to purchase for £39.95 GBP.
More information: Jiggery-Pokery / Retro Organs
