I've never managed to get a good sound from the Guitar Rig rotator, but then again I've never really persisted with it. Maybe I'll try again tonight.

dmbaer
Any thoughts on how good the rotator effect in NI Guitar Rig is compared to dedicated plug-ins like MRotator?  Any opinions?

I have a song that I used the B3 from Dim Pro into the GR Rotary FX. With automation I was able to get it to do what I wanted. You can listen to the song here:
 
https://soundcloud.com/gremsongs/given-the-world
 
The sound isn't dominate, just in the back ground. But you can still hear it. Especially at the end of the song.

stevec

Jeff Evans
Actually I have got another question. Would anyone know what the best hardware Leslie simulator is. (Pedal style not an actual rotating speaker system as such) I have a friend who has a B3 and he is going to restore it but he has no Leslie cabinet.  He has a terrific stereo PA though and was wondering what the best thing would be to put between the B3 and the PA might be.  And no I am not going to give him my Leslie either!

I can't say which is best since I've only ever used one, and it wasn't even mine, but I liked what I've heard from this: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RT20?adpos=1o4&creative=55282323841&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CIjxsLKKnsECFTQQ7Aodlw4Abg
 

 
Jeff I went into Guitar Center to spend a $15 gift certificate. I saw that new Boss Feedback pedal and wanted to try it. So I got a guitar and they hooked it up for me. It was in the rack thing that has all the pedals in it. So all you had to do was turn them off and on. The sales rep told me to try this, and he turned on the RT20. I ordered one on the spot because the only one they had was the one on the display.
 
It works very well. It has a knob for the speed up, max speed, slow speed, level and distortion. I don't use the distortion much. Overall I love this pedal. I only have used ot for my guitar, so that's all I can talk about. But for that Guitar-through-Leslie sound, it's a winner!!

I don't care for the Amplitube or Guitar Rig rotaries for use on organ sounds.
 
I had Mvintagerotary for a while but it distorted in a bad and unintended way at some settings until a recent update. Its working fine now. I think its the best of what I have. I ususlly put B4II or Vintage Organs in DI mode and route them through either Mvintagerotary or XILS labs LX122. Both are better IMHO than the Kontakt or B4II rotary effects.
 
LX122 is a bit lacking if you want to distort the sound but is very good on clean sounds and there is more room size and mic position control. If I could have only one it would be the Melda product.
 
 

MVintageRotary nails the dirty sounds, but isn't as satisfying on clean settings. A few years ago I used it on a Deep Purple cover, a collab with some other forum members (I only did the organ): http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8515950 
 
For the full Leslie palette you'd need to augment MVR with something like the Xils product, which, although I've never actually tried it, seems pretty popular. The main complaint I've heard is that it doesn't do dirty well.
 
EDIT: Sorry, I was wrong about the cover. That was done in 2009, before MVintageRotary was released. So never mind about the example. I got confused because some time later I re-did the part using MVR and had it posted on SoundCloud when Melda's plugin came out. But it's not what you hear on that recording. That's the built-in Leslie sim in the Hammond XK-1.

I've heard enough real Leslies to think that hoping to emulate the sound on a recording is wishful thinking.
 
Heck, the question about a real Leslie effect that someone asked about upstairs, on Baby Come Back, was met with with many opinions that it wasn't a Leslie at all, that it couldn't be a Leslie, and I doubt that is a Leslie. You can't win...
 
...so it's probably more useful to go for an *effect* that suits the tune and give up on hoping to find that real Leslie sound coming out of a sound reproduction system because it only exists out where the air molecules are dancing, swirling, and twirling.
 
 
 
 edit spelling and grammar

mike_mccue
I've heard enough real Leslies to think that hoping to emulate the sound on a recording is wishful thinking.
 

Spot on, Mike. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has ever truly replicated the Leslie effect, neither electronically nor digitally.
 
However, I would also offer two other points about authenticity.
 
First, nobody has ever truly captured the Leslie effect in a recording, either. Even the best, most iconic Leslie effects we've heard on records don't sound the same as they would live. As soon as a microphone (or two, or three) enters the picture, you get something different. Still nice, but different. It is, after all, a purely acoustical effect.
 
Second, I would not hesitate to use a good sim even if I had a real unit in the room, because miking Leslies is a pain. You need some distance to capture the Doppler effect and room interaction, and to avoid having mechanical noises and whooshing air dominate the track. That means putting the Leslie in another room or re-amping, which deprives the performer of interacting with the Leslie, as it is an instrument in itself. And no matter where you place the mikes and how you angle them, you can't change your mind later. Not to mention the need for a bright, reverberant space to record in, a luxury few of us have.
 
So authentic or not, digital emulations are fine with me. I've spent a great many hours listening to Leslies whoosh behind me and I love 'em. I've also spent a fair amount of time hefting them up stairs and into vans. And repairing them. And chasing dancers away from them. And drummers who want to set their beer on them. Like an ex-lover, I miss them and I don't miss them.

Jeff Evans
Actually I have got another question. Would anyone know what the best hardware Leslie simulator is. (Pedal style not an actual rotating speaker system as such) I have a friend who has a B3 and he is going to restore it but he has no Leslie cabinet.  He has a terrific stereo PA though and was wondering what the best thing would be to put between the B3 and the PA might be.  And no I am not going to give him my Leslie either!

For me it comes down to the Hughes and Kettner Rotosphere - note that there are some feature differences between the Mk I and Mk II - and the Option 5 pedals. They used to make one that emulated both drivers, now they make one that emulates a Vibratone, both are awesome. Note that I have not tried every single Leslie emulator pedal, but I have tried a lot of them. Also note that when I care enough I drag out the real deal.

This http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Ventilator2
is the best I've heard.  Is it worth $500? No.  Is it cool as hell and awesome sounding?  Yes.

Another option in this space is the Plug & Mix Ls Rotator.  The whole bundle has been going for 49 bucks recently (something like a buck-twenty per plug-in - an amazingly good deal IMO) and if I'm not mistaken, individual plugs in the bundle could be had for 10 bucks apiece.  That sale may be over now - I'm not following it because I already own the bundle.  I couldn't tell you if this or any rotary effect was realistic - I have zero experience with the real thing.  However, I do totally love the Plug & Mix effect.  It sounds great and the distortion is righteous.  In fact, the only thing I'm displeased about is the fact that I can't turn off the rotary and just take advantage of the distortion.
 
Assuming it's still available for 10 bucks as a standalone purchase, I'd recommend checking that out before buying the more expensive Melda product.  No doubt, Melda probably has more bells and whistles, but maybe not everybody is looking for that sort of thing.