Session Organ EKX

Product Description

The tonewheel organ, the rotary speaker and a full session organist, all in one expansion for EZkeys 2. The sound is built from recordings of all 91 tonewheels combined with advanced modeling of the instrument's classic traits, and it ships with mix-ready presets and around 600 MIDI performances. Note that this is an expansion: EZkeys 2 is required and is not included.

Few instruments have left a mark on music history like the electric tonewheel organ. From gospel, jazz and blues to funk, prog and rock, that swirling, breathing sound is instantly recognisable even to players who have never sat down at an organ. This EKX makes that sound available without owning, moving or maintaining the real thing.

The sound, down to the details

A pristine, well-maintained organ was tracked for this library, with all 91 spinning tonewheels sampled. Those recordings are merged with advanced modeling of the organ's tone and its classic behaviour: key clicks, percussion, vibrato and chorus. In practice, that means the attack and the small irregularities survive, and that is where much of the character lives.

The rotary speaker

An organ sound is not finished without the three-dimensional swirl of a rotary cabinet. A classic Leslie 122 has been recreated using more than 60 unique impulse responses each for the baffle and the horn, captured with two microphones on the baffle and seven on the horn. Slow, Brake and Fast are controlled directly in the interface, and each full signal chain preset offers up to four microphone options.

Drawbars, presets and control

Two 61-note, five-octave manuals, a 25-note bass pedal console and three sets of user-controllable drawbars give you the same workflow as the real instrument. Ten factory drawbar presets each for the upper and lower manual get you to familiar territory fast, and two adjustable drawbar keys let you store your own. Go deeper and you can shape dynamics, key clicks, percussion and the Scanner Vibrato effect, with MIDI automation available for every drawbar and control.

An organist on call

Roughly 600 individually performed MIDI files are included, organised as song part building blocks and covering pop, rock, soul, gospel, jazz and blues. There is also a section of basic ostinatos and arpeggios written for organ, plus riffs and fills. Drop audio or MIDI into the Bandmate and EZkeys 2 will list organ parts that fit your track, then edit freely in the Grid Editor until the part sits right. The MIDI is unique to this expansion.

Playability on stage and in the studio

It runs as a plug-in or as a standalone application together with EZkeys 2. Split range mode lets you play several organ parts across one keyboard range, the sustain pedal can control rotary speed, and you can save your own default loading state so everything is where you left it. For players gigging with a single controller, that is the difference between fiddling and simply playing.

A good choice if you write songs and want believable organ without booking a session player, or if you perform live and need an organ sound that holds up all night. If you are after piano, strings or synth sounds, other EKX titles will serve you better – this one does a single job, thoroughly.

Hammond and Leslie are trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with Toontrack.

Video

Our Tips

• Drop a rough mix or a MIDI track into the Bandmate and let EZkeys 2 suggest organ parts – the fastest route from idea to finished part.
• Assign the sustain pedal to rotary speed so you can switch between slow and fast mid-performance.
• Only one keyboard? Split range mode gives you upper and lower manual on the same key range.
• Check that you are running EZkeys 2.0.4 or later before installing.

Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need EZkeys 2 to use this?

Yes. This is a sound expansion and requires a working installation of EZkeys 2.0.4 or above. The program itself is not included.

Is the MIDI the same as in other EZkeys packs?

No. The MIDI included here is unique to this expansion and is not related to any existing or upcoming EZkeys MIDI pack.

Can I use it live?

Yes. It runs as a plug-in or standalone with EZkeys 2, and split range mode along with sustain pedal control of rotary speed are built for real-time playing.

How much space does it need?

65 MB of free disk space, plus another 65 MB during download. At least 4 GB RAM is required, 8 GB or more recommended.