Hammond Organ Technique

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danmusician
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Hammond Organ Technique

Post by danmusician »

Loving the new organ patches. Here's my question:

Do you know of any YouTube videos on electric organ technique that you recommend? Playing technique as well as chord voicings would be great.

As a piano player, I've never done well on the electric organ. I suspect that a lot of it has to do with chord voicing. I'd be happy with the simplist of help.

Thanks!
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KevinH
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Post by KevinH »

http://www.youtube.com/user/keithapplet ... ery=Lesson

This guy has a lot of lesson videos on playing jazz and rock organ. You might find them useful.
SanderXpander
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Post by SanderXpander »

Something really basic that you can apply to much of what you play is to try glueing your chords together with your fingers, also while playing lines - hold a chord with thumb and index finger and play a line on top with your three remaining fingers. Keeping unbroken "pad" can really help you sound convincing, assuming the piece doesn't require very percussive comping. This is simple but something we're not used to in piano playing, especially not in pop/rock/jazz cause the sustain pedal usually helps us out.

Using an expression pedal the same way you would use velocity to play a line or groove will also do a lot for your realism. And don't forget to play with the drawbars! ;)
Fading some highs in and out at logical transition points in the song also adds a lot.

Hope there's anything new in that for you.
danmusician
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Post by danmusician »

KevinH wrote:http://www.youtube.com/user/keithapplet ... ery=Lesson

This guy has a lot of lesson videos on playing jazz and rock organ. You might find them useful.
Thanks, I'll check that out!
Kronos 2 88, Kronos Classic 73, PX-5S, Kronos 2 61, Roli Seaboard Rise 49
danmusician
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Post by danmusician »

SanderXpander wrote:Something really basic that you can apply to much of what you play is to try glueing your chords together with your fingers, also while playing lines - hold a chord with thumb and index finger and play a line on top with your three remaining fingers. Keeping unbroken "pad" can really help you sound convincing, assuming the piece doesn't require very percussive comping. This is simple but something we're not used to in piano playing, especially not in pop/rock/jazz cause the sustain pedal usually helps us out.

Using an expression pedal the same way you would use velocity to play a line or groove will also do a lot for your realism. And don't forget to play with the drawbars! ;)
Fading some highs in and out at logical transition points in the song also adds a lot.

Hope there's anything new in that for you.
That is helpful, thanks. I'm always trying to grab big chords like on the piano. I will definitely try 2 note pad with melody.
Kronos 2 88, Kronos Classic 73, PX-5S, Kronos 2 61, Roli Seaboard Rise 49
Zeroesque
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Post by Zeroesque »

I agree about not grabbing huge chords. Two or three notes usually does it. Also, I think it was Jimmy Smith who used to say that he could tell a piano guy was on the B3 because it was too legato.
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SanderXpander
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Post by SanderXpander »

I would think it would be the opposite, because we don't really learn to connect our chords by finger technique alone anymore we get lazy from having a sustain pedal. But I'd need the context of the remark. And of course playing slow gospel padding is different from quick groove jazz comping.
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Post by Zeroesque »

Totally...but considering his signature sound and taking much of the spotlight time in his trios, I think he was referring to getting the percussion to come out on many notes in melodies and solos. I wish I could remember the exact context, but I can't find the interview (it was 20 years ago).
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karmathanever
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Post by karmathanever »

Hey Dan

This is a great topic as I am also trying hard to sound like a "Hammond" player.
I play in a blues band currently and 80% of our music needs that "Hammond".
Kronos (especially since this recent update) is mind-blowing with its CX-3

Sent you a PM

Pete :D
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jurason
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Milt Buckner Organ Sound

Post by jurason »

hello all,

when I think Jazz Organ Mlt Buckner comes to mind. I love his organ sound.
The specific sound I am refering too is on a reccord: Milt Buckner with Buddy Tate - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwz4eqxFzvk
start at 1.07 how do I find this sound in the kronos - OR what preset would one start with..

Milt has many more sounds I love. Great player and very well worth to check out-. Piano too.

Cheers
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arne v
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Post by arne v »

thnx for the link Kevin, it saved me the trouble of earching throught youtube :)
Im a piano guy, but i love the new organ sounds and want to know how to play an organ :)
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Post by jeremykeys »

Another thing is remember to adjust the Leslie speed. I have my damper pedal set so I can just tap it and it changes the speed. Doing volume swells and speeding up the Leslie at the same time can be a great effect.
If music is the food of love, play on and play loud!
Gear: Kronos 73, Wavestation EX, Polysix, King Korg, Monotron and Monotron Duo, Minikorg, Moog Grandmother, my very old MiniKorg, 4 acoustic and 9 electric guitars, 1 Ibanez 5 string bass, a Steel guitar, a bunch of microphones, 2 pairs of studio monitors and other very cool toys, 1 wife and 4 cats and a lava lamp!
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Post by genehart »

Check out the organ lessons here
http://www.gospelskillz.com/gospel-organ-lessons/
especially by Trina Washington
Last edited by genehart on Fri Nov 22, 2013 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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djcactus
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Post by djcactus »

I learned keys on a wurlitzer organ, personally, i think the technique is all in the feel of the keys. Its much easier to slide up and down on some organ/synth action. If you got a non-weighted keyboard lying around give it a try, I always had trouble with organ sounds on heavy keys, unless I was trying to play phantom of they opera.
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jerrythek
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Post by jerrythek »

There are a lot of good instructional courses, both on YouTube and via DVD.

Here's an amazing jazz organist who has a series:

http://www.b3monaco.com/

Go to the Instructional key preset...

Jerry
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