I started to listen lots of organ music recently (Jimmy Smith and etc), I always admire the sound of Hammond Organ but for the first time of my life, sound of hammond organ feels more inspiring then guitar oriented music.
I am considering to buy a keyboard to learn to play organ. I cannot afford the real thing (finance and space vise) and I don't know if this will be a hobby just for a few days.
I never played any keys, I know some music theory but no muscle memory around keys. I need some help!
Options:
- Yamaha Reface YC: good sounds but super small - £300
- A cheap keyboard from facebook market place: full size ok-ish sound without drawbars - £100
- Something decent, second hand keyboard with draw bars - £800-1000 Pounds
My questions:
What do you think shall I get?
I play guitar for many years, do you think that I can learn playing organ quickly?
Thanks a lot!
Comments
As for playing them, some people play by ear, but learning to read music is considered a good idea . It takes time to develop the skill to play anything , it is knowledge and practise. On some Yamaha keyboards, you have jam tracks . You can play along with them , even if you can't actually play anything, I find it all good fun.
You don't need a leslie as most hammond clones will have their own. The more I played the hammond, the more I saw how the jazz greats didn't use a leslie. Instead, they used the Chorus setting inside the hammond, usually C2 or C3. And that is where the clones fight to compete for a good chorus setting.
In any case, try and pick up a Mojo. If you have another keyboard, you can use it as a midi source to power the lower keyboard. But I prefer having two sets of keys.
Take a listen to Jimmy McGriff and especially Charles Earland.
Be aware: hammonds, even clones, are big and not appreciated by the good wife. I was a little shocked when I saw how big mine was.... So I got a Fender Rhodes.
Start with a DAW plug-in instrument.
IMO, a lot of the interest in Hammond organ performances comes from real time manipulation of the drawbars and the acceleration, deceleration or occasional braking of the Leslie cabinet. Thus, it is desirable to have a remote MIDI keyboard controller with drawbars and assignable mode switches.
BTW, it used to be reasonably common practice to cut organs in to two parts for transport, the manuals and the base and then clip them together with toggle clamps once in place. Many an older Hammond has suffered this fate, not for the faint hearted this mod.
I have owned an electronic Hammond and it produced an amazing tone complete with real mechanical Leslie speaker which i found to have a charm all of its own.
I have since used Roland synths and Yamaha / General Music arrangers all of which can do a decent imitation of an Organ.
If you buy a cheap/free one and enjoy the experience you can always move on to the modern portable units, but there is a price to be paid for being able to move the thing. I have been very tempted by the Yamaha YC61 stage keyboard.
Thanks a lot for all the comments really helpful!
I think I will get something soon, share the experience here with the instrument.
I like the sound of organ btw! especially really big pipe organs that make the ground shake. I think I must have been one of the last few who enjoyed the Radio 2 program, 'The organist entertains' every Tuesday at 8pm! Sad old git that I am.
Anyway, have a go, you may be a natural!
Recommended listening - Brain Auger playing live - a Hammond genius!
I use a Ferrofish B4000 which is a specialised hammond module with a generic midi keyboard and foot pedals (volume and sustain pedal to control the leslie speed). That seemed more sensible than spending 2 grand plus on a Nord which everyone kept telling me to do.
In regards to your question it's pretty easy to play 'Hammond-istic' keys in a rock context using just a single manual and maybe a swell pedal. If you want to sound like Jimmy that's a full clonewheel setup plus a lifetime of study...