B9 organ pedal

[Joseph Napolitano]

I played a Dylan Tribute this past weekend . Keyboard player bailed. So ,I finally used the Electro Harmonix B9 organ pedal with pedal steel. We were all pleasantly surprised with how well it went . Yes, it has it limits. No fast picking because of clipping , but for sustained chords ( Like a Rolling Stone,Positively) , it worked well. Now, people want me to look for an electric piano pedal , Fender Rhodes-ish . Does such a thing exist ? Before I start buying stuff , any recommendations / I'm not looking for a steady diet of this ,but I'm getting feedback that folks might cut the keyboard player ( instead of steel!) when budgets are tight ,if I keep this stuff in my bag of tricks.( I posted this in pedal steel, but I understand it might be better in Electronics. Wasn't sure).

[J D Sauser]

I got that too, as well as the K9. I find the K9 more useful, although they are both surprising but also quickly "wearing" on the ear.
And then, one has to learn to play like an organ... without the left hand they have.

It's a rather expensive piece of equipment for the use one will give it... but it's certainly "fun".


... J-D.

[Joseph Napolitano]

Only used it on two songs that night. That was all that was needed.

[Joseph Napolitano]

So J D .
Does the Key 9 sound like a piano ? Kinda?sorta ? Thanks.

[J D Sauser]

So J D .
Does the Key 9 sound like a piano ? Kinda?sorta ? Thanks.

Rather like some very funky Fender Rhodes .

The cool thing I like about it is, that rather than just adding stuff to ones tone, it “steals” the signal and sends it’s signal out based on pitch. This makes that the rather muddy bass strings off a C6th still ring clear even at the 24th fret, where they’d otherwise sound like wet cardboard.


… JD.

[Donny Hinson]

I played a Dylan Tribute this past weekend . Keyboard player bailed. So ,I finally used the Electro Harmonix B9 organ pedal with pedal steel. We were all pleasantly surprised with how well it went . Yes, it has it limits. No fast picking because of clipping , but for sustained chords ( Like a Rolling Stone,Positively) , it worked…

I have one, and use it occasionally. It tracks fast stuff very well, so maybe yours is defective, or maybe you’re feeding it to much gain. (Are you using a powered volume pedal or an overdrive; even the YouTube videos show it doing pretty fast stuff?). I find that that the “Bell Organ” setting can sound kinda like a Rhodes if you adjust the tone and pick in the low register.

Most of the players who use an organ effect ruin the effect with wrong technique - too much bending notes, (pedals and lever use), glisses, and an improper attack. If you play typical steel moves, it will never sound exactly like an organ, or a Rhodes. And for just chords, the MXR Phase 100 does a really good job faking an organ, but again, the playing technique has to be right.

[Mike Bacciarini]

No suggestions for a “piano” FX, but I use a B9 and get killer B3 sounds. Constantly getting compliments on how much it sounds like an organ. However, the B9 is just one element in getting to sound like the real deal. I also use a modified wah pedal after the B9 to emulate the draw bars. You must realize that these EHX pedals use compression to create keyboard-like sustain, so a volume pedal in front of the FX frustrates the desired results. My FX chain is actually two separate chains fed simultaneously by the psg. One is for the typical psg applications with the volume pedal (one half of a stereo 25k VP) in the middle of this chain. The second chain is for the dedicated “B3” thing with the other half of the VP placed after the organ “voice” (psg + B9 + wah). From there it goes into a Neo Vent II with a half moon on the steel controlling the speed, and then a touch of reverb. An A/B switch selects which chain goes to the amp. As already mentioned, you must play more like a keyboard player (more percussive, no bending/sliding, appropriate changing of “Leslie” speed).
Any single one of these FX will not provide a convincing “B3” sound in my opinion. But it’s all great fun to experiment and we each have our own vision to pursue.

[Erv Niehaus]

Mike,
That's quite a setup.
Erv