Last May I impulse-bought a Roland VK-1, which is a synthesizer designed to sound and be controlled like a tonewheel organ (such as a Hammond). Yesterday I finally started putting it to work on Fight Songs, along with a Pigtronix Rototron Leslie speaker simulator.
In a side-by-side comparison it won’t fool anyone into thinking it’s a real Hammond and Leslie. But it does sound good, even great in a track, and at something like 20% of the price and weight of the real thing I consider it a steal.
I’ve been attempting to channel my inner Steve Nieve (with moderate success, though you’ll be the judge of that). I’m not riding the drawbars live yet, but I’m dialing in a unique timbre for each track, switching Rototron speeds, and sliding up and down. Maybe too much sliding. (You’ll also be the judge of that. It’s very Nieve-y, though!)
I even took a little solo on “OTA” (that’s a working title; track 2) and might take another :gasp:
It’s going fast – three songs so far, in two days – I’m sure I’ll do one or two more this weekend, and might be wrapped up by next weekend. After this it’s really just down to my collaborators, mixing (already in good rough shape), and mastering. This has come together in a hurry since I set up vocal mics on Thanksgiving weekend. I’m hoping to have it out by the end of the year.