Hi!
I’m trying to make the transition from hardware keyboards to VSTs. I play a lot of Hammond B3 and therefore a necessity is slides. About half the time though, I get stuck notes. It’s a staple of B3 playing so it’s kind of a deal breaker.
Does anyone have any advice or experience with this?
Thanks in advance!
Bryan
I do this all the time, as do many others — you haven’t provided enough information about your environment to be able to do any diagnosing though.
See for example, this
You’re right, apologies.
I’m using an M Audio Oxygen 61 connected by USB to a pretty high spec Windows 11 PC (16 gigs, SSD, i7 latest generation). I’m playing the Kontakt 7 Vintage Organ Hammond. I’m also using a MOTU M4 for an audio interface.
I’m in a Santana band and there’s a lot of soloing and fast playing sections. Initially I thought that disqualifies software synths but I’ve been told I’m being old fashioned and that Kontakt / Gig Performer can keep up.
If I’ve left anything out, let me know. Is it possible that the controller isn’t send now off fast enough?
Thanks again for any assistance!
I have no stuck note difficulty playing Kontakt Vintage Organ patches using MOTU interfaces (828 Mk3, 828es, UltraLite Mk3) or the built-in on my Roland RD-88.For the controller I’m currently using an Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, but never had a problem using a Novation Supernova II as an organ controller.
This come probably from your keyboard controller and more precisely from its USB connection.
Could you try again with a (or another) high quality USB cable ?
Could you try with a good quality powered USB hub like this one:
You could also try to connect the keyboard via 5 pin midi and check if that helps.
Indeed, first thing to try, I just checked that the MOTU M4 has DIN 5 MIDI. 
We don’t discriminate 
Kontakt is great and t should easily keep up without even breathing hard. That said, if you are doing a lot of Hammond, you may want to look into one of the plugins that is specialized for hammond organ emulation just so you have way more control than you will get from Kontakt.
Okay, a few good things to try.
I’m stuck using USB for the M Audio, they weren’t kind enough to give me a din jack. I’ll switch around using a regular keyboard and use the MIDI jack to see if the problem persists.
I think I’m going to get the IK media B-3x (I think that’s the name) for Hammond. I like a faster Leslie than the Kontakt - it chugs too much.
I think I might have that Anker (or AN Anker) powered hub. Great idea.
I do very much appreciate the ideas folks. I think this software route has a lot of advantages if I can get the controllers, uh, under control 
You should also try the Blue3 organ plugin… it’s a modelled plugin, so it’s very small and fast when it comes to loading times. B-3X is sample based and thus needs more memory and loading time.
B-3X is a modelled VSTi, not sample based.
Indeed, you’re right!
Somehow I was quite sure that it was sample based, but it actually is modelled.
Maybe because it really needs quite a long loading time and more than a moment to open the GUI. But it sounds very good though.
Universal Audio Waterfall B3 Organ is on sale here: Universal Audio Waterfall B3 Organ | AudioDeluxe
But you need iLok.
A lot of IK Multimedia’s VST instruments are sample based and does tend to make you expect all of them are.
I will be trying all of these things. I’m still optimistic - which is not in my nature
I think the most likely problem is that your PC isn’t supplying enough power over USB for the keyboard and M4 together.
A good powered hub should solve the problem, but you could also try different USB ports on your PC. Some ports may be able to deliver more power than others. Cable quality also matters.
You could try having the M4 and the Oxygen plugged into different USB banks. In PCs the USB ports are generally configured electrically in pairs, with each pair electrically connected through the same chip.
If you have a PC with front ports and rear ports, you could try connecting the M4 through the back and Oxygen through the front, or something like that. Often the rear ports on modern PC motherboards will have different color codings. You might have red ports, blue ports, yellow ports, and black ports. Any combination of those. Put them on different color ports if you have that kind of motherboard.
If you have red ports those will generally supply the most power of the traditional rectangular USB ports. USB-C ports will also generally support more power than other types,
Anker powered hub arrives today. I swapped to a different, powered keyboard and no sticking keys when I did my worst Gregg Rollie impression. This experiment might work!
I have been wanting to try this for stage use because even with the lighter keyboards, my back and crew aren’t loving the weight of my rig in their cases. I’m also hoping that I can do a bit more layering and splitting for things like a horn section without losing polyphony. That remains to be seen. I might try resampling things that are on the same velocity curve but that’s off topic.
Very excited for this Gig Performer thing to give me more options. Thanks guys!
Bryan
Make sure Chester Thomson impressions work too😜
Okay. I tried the powered hub. I still get a stuck note if I get aggressive (which some songs call for like Santana: Soul Sacrifice).
Then I found I have a DOREmidi midi host that converts USB to MIDI DIN. Ahhhh!! Still get a stuck note every so often. The other M Audio keyboard I’m using (through DIN) doesn’t stick no matter how I abuse it.
I’m almost ready to call it quits with this particular controller. Hashtag sad.
Any other thoughts or suggestions for a better controller good for organ playing? (Insert your own “playing with your organ joke here”. I’m too classy.
