EasyStart
CX-3 Modeled Combo Organ Main Features
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Tone Wheel Organ modeling system that perfectly
reproduces a tone wheel organ’s sound-producing
mechanism
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Innovative EX mode for additional harmonics and
percussion harmonics (allows both sets of drawbars to
be linked)
Modeled parameters include leakage, key click (on and
off), vintage and clean tone wheel simulations,
adjustable overtones, proper foldback characteristics
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Fully polyphonic (for upper/lower, or dual manual
performance)
Use a 2nd MIDI keyboard for full-range access to lower
manual settings
MIDI controller capabilities, including 2nd channel
transmission for each zone including velocity transmission.
Every knob/switch/drawbar sends MIDI controller
messages for accurate sequencing possibilities
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Two sets of nine drawbars easily assignable to upper or
lower sound
Classic percussion settings with proper polyphonically-
triggered-yet monophonic performance
3 types of preamp/amp simulation with natural dynamic
overdrive
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Large 16-character LCD display
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Detailed rotary speaker simulation
Classic Vibrato/Chorus settings
3 controller pedal inputs, MIDI In/Out/Thru
Natural wood case for a timeless appearance
Weighs only 38 lbs.
128 Programs (64 regular/64 EX mode) with many
signature artist settings
CX-3 Version 2 information on last page of this guide!
EasyStart CONTENTS
Making connections
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Playing the demo songs
Selecting Programs, “Signature” Presets
CX-3 Preamp types, A word on Expression/Overdrive
Understanding the Drawbar Select switches
Understanding the Rotary switches
Editing the Drawbar settings of a Program
Splitting the keyboard, Changing Split Point, Changing the Octave
Writing a Program
Restoring Factory Preload data
Using another keyboard as the ‘Lower Manual’
Overview of Edit Mode Groups
Brief Explanation of Extended Drawbar Mode
CX3 EasyStart
The CX-3 features two types of preamp sounds…
Type 1 models the classic tonewheel organ through a rotary speaker. Type 2 models the classic British Rock sound of a tonewheel
organ run through both a rotary speaker and a tube guitar amplifier. For a couple examples of the Type 2 sound, try Presets A7 –
DS Balls!, B7 – Turkish, C7 - SmokeInJapan, G7 – BC RockSolo, or F3 – Gimme Some.
A word on Expression / Overdrive…
Notice, as you play through some of the Programs and work the OXP-1 pedal that Expression and Overdrive coincide: the sound
gets grittier as it gets louder! If you don’t have an OXP-1 pedal connected, the EXPRESSION/OVERDRIVE knob duplicates this
function. Just be sure to check the setting of this knob – if it is up all the way, your Presets may sound “dirtier” than desired.
Conversely, if the knob is set too low, you won’t be getting the extra “drive” that many sounds require.
Understanding the Drawbar Select switches: Control of two separate tone generators
History:
The classic B-3 has an octave of reverse-colored keys to the left of each of its two manuals. Pressing one of
these keys selects a Preset; except Bb, which engages Drawbar set #1, and B, which engages Drawbar set #2.
The lowest C cleared any selected keys/presets.
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The key in the UPPER row determines the status of the Upper tone generator; the key in the LOWER row determines the
status of the Lower tone generator. Each tone generator is independently switched to one of three choices: Preset,
Drawbar Set #1, or Drawbar Set #2.
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Note that the physical layout mimics the real B3 – the preset is to the left and the live drawbar selects are to the right!
This makes the CX-3 immediately comfortable to the experienced B3 player!
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In EX Mode, the LOWER Drawbar Select keys are dark: in Extended Drawbar Mode, both of the tone generators are
used for additional harmonics and percussion, and the two sets of drawbars are working in tandem. Version 2 adds a
three-drawbar tone source for the lower sound, controlled from within the Edit Mode only.
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In either mode you can freely switch between the Preset and live drawbars: your basic tonality (tonewheel type, key click,
preamp, EQ, percussion, rotary speaker and reverb settings) remain the same, so you can easily interact with the two
sets of drawbars and return to the preset as desired.
Understanding the Rotary switches
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It is helpful (but not necessary) to connect a PS-2 footswitch to ASSIGNABLE PEDAL/SW 1’s jack.
1. Select Program A-1 Organized Ä play and hold a chord on the CX-3, and then step on the footswitch once, or press the
ROTARY FASTkey – you’ll hear the Rotary effect gradually accelerate. Hit the FAST key again to bring the Roatary
speaker back to a slow spin.
2. To completely stop the rotation of the Roatary speaker, press the STOP key. To return it to “spinning”, press either the
SLOW or FAST keys for the desired result.
3. It ‘s been common for jazz organists to switch between a stopped setting and a fast setting. To do this on the CX-3, you
simply toggle the FAST key on and off. With Presets that “come up” stopped, this means that you first hit the FAST key to
speed up the Rotary speaker effect, and then hit the FAST key again when you want to return to a stopped state.
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Pre-Version 2 CX-3’s toggle FAST and STOP keys to switch between and stopped and fast setting.
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CX3 EasyStart
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The Rotary Stop function can be assigned to a second PS-2 footswitch on a per-Program basis, for hands-free Rotary
control!
Editing the Drawbar settings of a Program: “Live” drawbars in Drawbar Preset mode
1. Press the [EDIT] key, then press key #2. The Display reads “UPPER” and shows a graph of the programmed drawbar
levels. The display is now in an interactive state: move the Upper drawbars, and the Display reflects the change Ä press
the right cursor key [>] and the Display now reads “LOWER”: Now you can freely edit the Lower drawbars in the same
manner.
2. To edit a Preset it is likely that you will want to first get the drawbars set exactly like the Preset. Just pay attention to the
display, and move each of the nine drawbars until they catch up with the original settings in the display. Then you can
make changes with the physical drawbars, accurately represeting what was stored.
Tip: Edit Mode remembers the Edit page you ‘parked’ on the last time you used it. When you select another Program and
press the EDIT key, the display returns you to Group 2, the Drawbar Edit page.
Splitting the keyboard, Changing Split Point, Changing the Octave
1. Select Program A-3 Felix’s Da Kat. To split the keyboard, press the SPLIT key (it will light).
2. To change the Split Point, press the EDIT key, then press key #7. The display says “Split Point:” Press the [-] key once
to change the Split Point from C4 to B3.
3. To change the octave of the lower manual sound (below the split), press the [>] CURSOR key twice, so that the display
reads “Split Lower Octave: ” Ä press the [+] key twice to raise the lower area of the keyboard two octaves.
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These edits will not be retained unless they are written to the Program.
Writing a Program
1. Press the WRITE/ENTER key. The display reads ”WRITE “. Note the speaker icon: when it is next to the left
Bank/Program#, it allows you to hear the edited Program in the buffer.
2. Press the [>] CURSOR key once, and the speaker icon moves to the right Bank/Program #. This allows you to audition
the destination Program before you destructively write over it. Use the [+] or [-] keys if you wish to find another
destination.
3. Press the WRITE/ENTER key twice to execute the Write operation.
Restoring Factory Preload data
1. Hold down keys #2 and #7 while turning on the power (power switch located on the back of the CX-3).
2. The display will prompt “Load Factory Data?” Ä press the WRITE/ENTER key to complete the operation.
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CX3 EasyStart
Using another keyboard as the ‘Lower Manual’
…Taking advantage of the two independent tone generators:
1. Using a short MIDI cable, connect the MIDI Out of any MIDI keyboard/controller to the MIDI In of the CX-3 and set its
MIDI channel to Ch. 2.
2. The parameter for the MIDI Channel of the CX-3’s Lower tone generator defaults to Ch 2, but it can be set to any
channel: Press GLOBAL, then press key #4, and CURSOR [>] four times until the display reads “MIDI Lower Rx ch:”.
3. If you call up a Program that has an active Split (SPLIT Key is lit), press the SPLIT Key once to turn it off. You now have
a dual-manual tonewheel organ, with each manual having its own fully-polyphonic (61-note) tone generator.set of
drawbars!
Overview of the Edit Mode Groups
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Group 5
Group 6
LEVELS
DRAWBARS
PERC
Output, tone wheel type, overtone level, leakage noise level, key on and key off click levels
Settings of the drawbar levels (some different parameters in EX Mode)
Percussion level, soft perc. Offset, normal perc, attenuation, perc fast decay, perc slow offset
Amp Type, Amp Gain, Tone: treble, middle and bass
AMP
REVERB
ROTARY
Reverb type, time, mix level, and routing (before and after the Rotary effect)
Horn/Rotor balance, Horn and Rotor fast and slow speeds, Horn and Rotor Down, Up and Stop
transitions, miking characteristics
Group 7
Group 8
SPLIT PT/PEDAL
NAME
Split Point, Split Octaves, Pedal assignments (different parameters in EX Mode)
Rename the Program
Brief Explanation of Extended Drawbar Mode
…The CX-3 is the only organ to extend the harmonic possibilities of the tone wheel organ tradition!
Drawbar set #1 is governing the levels of the standard nine harmonics of a traditional tonewheel organ, while Drawbar set #2
controls the extended harmonics of EX Mode. This included four additional tone generator harmonics, and four additional
percussion tone harmonics.
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The first four drawbars of set #2 add additional, higher harmonics to the basic tone-generating system. There are four
Presets for these extended harmonics. These tables can be found in GLOBAL mode, Page 8 > scroll right.
EX Drawbar #5, [2 2/3] controls the level of the entire traditional percussion section when it is ON.
EX Drawbars #6 and 7 provide 16’ and 5 1/3’ percussion harmonics; and EX Drawbars #8 and 9 provide a percussion
harmonic of the pitches assigned to EX Drawbars #1 and 2.
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CX-3 Version 2 Features
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Rebalanced drawbars for better performance across the full key range (Drawbar Level Curve=“Mellow”). Original setting (“Bright”) is
available for those that like the extra “scream” in the upper octaves.
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Noise parameter added to recreate the standing-state noise of an old, beat-up organ when desired.
Improved Vibrato/Chorus emulation as well as Rotary Speaker algorithm improvements
Speaker simulator bypass in the Preamp for a whole new world of tonalities.
Added a 4th Reverb algorithm (Dark)
Added a three-drawbar sound source for the lower manual in EX mode, allowing for split-keyboard settings.
Pedal assignments can now be set to momentary or alternating and Wheel Brake “return” setting has been sped-up to better-emulate
the classic effect.
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Selectable key triggering (Shallow and Deep) to allow tailored response of the keyboard based on a player’s style
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