Vintage Synth Explorer

Native Instruments • B4

The Native Instruments B4 is a software plug-in that emulates the look and sounds of the classic Hammond B3 tonewheel organ and rotating speaker. With an authentic looking B3 complete with drawbars, dual manuals (keyboards) and a pedal keyboard, the plug-in is very visual and intuitive to use. It even features a nifty rear-view for tweaking more adjustment parameters, kind of like the real thing! Unlike the old B3's however, the new plug-in adds flexibility in sound generation and seamless integration into the studio that the original never had.. and at a fraction of the cost.

The B4 can create all the classic B3 type sounds with stunning clarity and detail while emulating the effects of rotating speakers, tube circuitry and other electro-mechanical functions that made the B3 a legend. The sounds are physically modeled and Native Instruments has included such B3 nuances as harmonic foldback, drawbar crosstalk and loudness robbing for an authentic recreation.

The B4 plug-in should be part of any VST set-up. Sure it could be used to make church music or take you out to the ball game. But it is also capable of sounds used by such legendary artists as Pink Floyd to Herbie Hancock to Air to Portishead. For use on Macintosh or Windows, by itself or as a plug-in with any VST 2.0, Audio Units, or RTAS compatible music apps. Demo sounds and Plug-In demos and updates are available at Native Instruments and their B4 Page.

NEWS: The new DXi B4 update is now available and can be downloaded. It adds full DXi support to the B4 Organ and allows the perfect integration into Cakewalk's digital multitrack recording system Sonar. You can now use the B4 as a Sonar plug-in and benefit from all DXi features, such as seamless control and automation via MIDI track, routing to audio tracks and auxiliary sends, and much more.

Available as of November, 2001 comes the NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Studio Collection Pro Tools Edition. This is a bundle of RTAS plug-ins for Pro Tools which include the B4, Pro-52 vintage synth, and Battery drum sampler. For $999 (list) these synths and sampler can be used seamlessly within Pro Tools (TDM/LE/Free).

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JBlongz

Posted 64 days ago

This is the best organ plugin ever made. There is no way an NNXT can be as dynamic as this. Any real organ player knows the the features offered in expert mode are highly usable and offer quality and realism that no other plugin can offer. I've tired many, including Logic Pro's organ...This is the best instrument emulation that I've ever come across. However it seems to have been discontinued as its no longer listed on the NI website. Perhaps its been integrated into Kontakt 4

Nick Esposito

Posted 223 days ago

Probably one of the closest things to a real Hammond ever. The Hammond company itself has released something they call the "New B-3" which is actually a reissue!
Wonder how much it costs?

lf0

Posted 421 days ago

B4 ii is better then this (because enables variable rotary) but still it really only does one sound and variables upon that sound....which is in essence what it is supposed to do, but for me is a bit of waste of money.
I had a jam last week ant used this, then the NN-XT from Reason and to be honest there wasn't much difference, it was just by memory not sound that I recall using both.
My advice use the NN-XT fro rhodes, b3, and grand piano, it can carry them off well enough for now.

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