ES2 Wheelrocker setting in MainStage

This ordinary organ patch doesn’t hold any deep, high-end sound design secrets—it is just a combination of three oscillators with mixed wave levels. You’ll probably find a different combination that more closely matches your vision of what an organ sounds like. Check out the Digiwaves.

Focus your attention on the modwheel response—hold a chord, and bring the wheel in by moving it slowly upward until you reach the top (maximum). The intention behind the programming of this mod wheel modulation is to simulate an accelerating Leslie rotor speaker.

The modulation routings do the following:

Modulation routing 1 assigns envelope 2 to Filter 1—the only one used for this patch—and produces a little organ key click with the envelope. The filter is opened slightly (with Keyboard as via) when you play in the higher keyboard range, with the maximum value.
Modulation routings 2 and 3 bring in LFO 1 vibrato, and both oscillators are modulated out of phase.
Modulation routing 4 does not need to be adjusted, but you are free to do so. It has been set up to use ENV1 to “push” the wavetable. Adjust ENV1 Decay to make the sound more pipe organ-like. Adjust ENV1 Attack to sweep through the wavetable.
Modulation routing 5 reduces the overall volume according to personal taste, but the organ level shouldn’t increase too drastically when all modulations are moved to their respective maximums.
Modulation routings 6 and 7 detune oscillators 2 and 3 against each other, within symmetrical values—to avoid the sound getting out of tune overall. Again, both work out of phase with modulation routings 2 and 3; oscillator 1 remains at a stable pitch.
Modulation routing 8 brings in LFO 1 as a modulator for panorama movement—this patch changes from mono to stereo. If you prefer a full stereo sound with a slowly rotating Leslie in its idle position, just set an amount equal to the chosen minimum value, thereby achieving a permanent, slow rotation. Another modification you may wish to try is a higher value, resulting in more extreme channel separation.
Modulation routing 9 speeds up LFO 2 modulation frequency.
Modulation routing 10: A little cutoff was added to Filter 1, increasing the intensity of the big twirl.

Feel free to find your own values. While doing so, keep in mind the fact that there are two modulation pairs that should only be changed symmetrically—modulation routings 2 and 3 work as a pair, as do modulation routings 6 and 7. If you change Pitch 2 maximum to a lower minus value, remember to set Pitch 3 maximum value to the same positive amount—the same rule applies for modulation routing pair 6 and 7.

You can also use LFO 2 to increase the pitch diffusion against LFO 1 pitch and pan movements. Just exchange it for LFO 1 on modulation routings 2 and 3. Note that there is no modulation source for the Leslie acceleration, so you need to use it in a static way by fading it in. Alternatively, you need to sacrifice one of the other modulations in favor of a second twirl.

For another stereo modification of the static sound, you can use the patch in Unison mode with a slight detune—make sure to adjust the Analog parameter for this.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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