The B4 Organ II is a discontinued commercial, proprietary software synthesizer

Software synthesizer

A software synthesizer, also known as a softsynth is a computer program or plug-in for digital audio generation. Computer software which can create sounds or music is not new, but advances in processing speed are allowing softsynths to accomplish the same tasks that previously required dedicated...

 made by Native Instruments

Native Instruments

Native Instruments is a technology company that develops software and hardware for music production and DJing. The company has originally been identified mostly with software instruments, but has also expanded to various other music equipment segments in recent years.Current products of Native...

. The software runs as a stand-alone executable, or as a VST

Virtual Studio Technology

Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...

, DXi, or RTAS

Real Time AudioSuite

Real-Time AudioSuite is a format of audio plug-in developed by Digidesign, currently Avid Technology for their Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered systems, although they can be run on Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools TDM systems. RTAS plug-ins use the processing power of the host computer rather than...

 plugin in a Digital audio workstation

Digital audio workstation

A digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI...

. The software is an example of a "Clonewheel organ

Clonewheel organ

"Clonewheel organ" is a jargon term used to refer to an electronic musical instrument that emulates the sound of the electromechanical tonewheel-based organs formerly manufactured by Hammond. The first generation of clonewheel organs used synthesizer voices, which were not able to accurately...

", an attempt at recreating the sound of an Hammond organ

Electromechanical organ

Electromechanical organ can mean:* A pipe organ with electro-pneumatic action* An electric organ such as the Hammond organ which uses electromechanical tone generators...

 using software synthesis.

Overview

The synthesizer is an emulator

Emulator

In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...

 of the Hammond B3 organ

Electronic organ

An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....

, also including emulators of the Vox continental

Combo organ

A combo organ is an electronic organ of the frequency divider type, generally produced between the early 1960s and the late 1970s. The combo organ concept, at least in the context of mass-production, is thought to have been born from the accordion, probably in Italy, as the brainchild of necessity...

, Farfisa organ, and Harmonium

Harmonium

A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...

. The software allows fully customisable MIDI controls. The virtual instrument features a Leslie speaker

Leslie speaker

The Leslie speaker is a specially constructed amplifier/loudspeaker used to create special audio effects using the Doppler effect. Named after its inventor, Donald Leslie, it is particularly associated with the Hammond organ but is used with a variety of instruments as well as vocals. The...

 simulation (with variable settings for rotor speed, acceleration, etc.) on the Hammond model presets.

Features

B4 II includes extensive options allowing the user to shape the sound of the instrument. Full organ drawbars for the upper, lower, and pedal manuals are available. Amplifier and cabinet simulation allow the user to further tweak the sound, recreating famous jazz and rock organs. Percussion, key click, drive, and vibrato are among the other features emulated.