For me, given an free choice it has to be a proper, valves and rattles (and if possible put the blower in a soundproof room) pipe organ. If only I could play the bass pedals properly.... I suppose a B3 wouldn't be too bad but around my parts I've never met one in a church!

On the other hand, a large number of the more recent hymns are clearly written for piano, and even though I think I'm not bad on the organ for a pianist I'll still switch to a piano if possible.

And if none of this is around my PSR3000 does a perfectly good job. Admittedly I don't bother with styles, I just play it as a piano or organ as necessary.

And if the guitarist (rock / acoustic / bass) or drummer turn up, there is always a place to be found; if they've made the effort to come along then I should make the effort to use their talents.

In the end, just do your best with whatever is available. You will always be appreciated because no matter what sort of mess you make of a tune (and I have) it is still far better than no tune at all.


[This message has been edited by MacAllcock (edited 09-19-2007).]

Around here, most country churches and virtually all churches attended primarily by African Americans have B-3's (sometimes the small ones have M 100's) and tube leslies...usually 122's.

And they sound fantastic.

A good friend, Roy Carter, makes his living traveling to churches in the area maintaining Hammonds. He works 6 days a week. Sometimes, when I look at his repair bills on my old M, B's and C, I think I'm supporting him and his family myself!


R.

Russ, when you say "B3", I'm assuming that you're using the term generically, as most churches opted for the C3 (same organ, different cabinet). I had one and let me tell you, that baby was even heavier than a "B". Throw in two 122's, a bench, and a pedalboard, and you could get a hernia just looking at it. Most of us cut down the full back so our (fake) pedal work could be seen .

chas

chas

At Jesus times, or maybe even way before that, God's people used many different instruments.

The Bible has a lot of mentions of various musical instruments such as tambourine (or something like it), harplike instruments, and probably many other different instruments that I missed. You will find it a lot of them in David's Psalms in the old testament. And David was called by God as a man after His own heart. David was a special man to God and many of his worship songs are forever enshrined in the Bible. David was probably in today's times would have played a lot of the contemporary worship styles since he uses so many music instruments.

Now I am not kidding on this: when we worship, we can actually witnessed angels around us. All of us at our small groups were baffled by this recent phenomena. We could capture it on photos using many different cameras and at different locations where we have our worship. And I was using my PSR3000 believe it or not. I used many upbeat styles and ballads. So, the angels and the Man upstairs seem to enjoy our worship very much. And lo and behold, we heard this phenomena happening at other churches as reported on Charisma, a popular Christian magazine.

Chas, actually, I know the difference well, and most of the ones in copuntry churches here are B's, not C's. I have both.


Don't know why. I'm sure it's a regional thing, since the C was the church version for most people.


R.

Russ, any of those churches leave their doors unlocked?

chas

I see that I 'mispoke' regarding the Yamaha PSR S900. I was confusing it with the older PSR models. After playing it at a Guitar Center store yesterday I learned that the PSR S900 is a brand new offering from Yamaha that has an upgraded sound generator, employing mega-voice technology. The sounds coming from the 'back up band' section of this keyboard are very realistic. So you guys are right, this would be an excellence choice. But it's still a little more than I had planned to spend.

I see that the PSR S700 is more in my price range. Unfortunately, I couldn't compare features because the Guitar Center stores don't carry the 'little brothers' in this series.

I also checked out a Korg PA50 which also produces an excellent sound, even more to my liking (a bit more depth to my ears), but I liked the variety of styles that Yamaha has loaded into the PSR S900 better. It actually has four "worship styles" to choose from in the rhythm and blues style section. What more could you ask? (Well, how about a separate praise and worship style section!)

Anyway, thanks for your most helpful input Ian and Diki!



[This message has been edited by polarshift (edited 09-20-2007).]

The S700 has mega voice styles, and also has the organ drawbars as in the S900.

Polyphony is less at 96(as opposed 128 on the S900), there are less styles(205) and the screen is not color.

If you want 128 poly, you could also look for a second hand PSR-3000, which also has worship styles, organ drawbars and the mega voices. It also has a color screen.

Hope this helps.

Ian

Chas, i think I have figured out why there are a lot of B's, instead of C's in this area. For generations, there was one family that basically produced all the superior jazz and gospel keyboard musicians. It is the Maphson family, and every one of the members can outplay the best in the area. Superior jazz players go to audition and get the back-up position. Most churches also have a Rhodes or grand and a full complement of bass, horns, choir, guitar, etc. The matriarch is an 80 year old 80 lb lady who really "cooks" on a B...can outplay me with one hand and one boney little leg! Every person is the caliber of a Jimmy Smith. I think that one family made the choice to use B's instead of C's.

I think it's a topical issue, sort of like the church in St. Louis, where robert Randolph (man, he can cook and is a decent person) learned pedal steel from a number of older, extremely competent lap and pedal steel players. Steel is the instrument of choice in that church, but not any others that I know of.

I have a "cherry" C which was purchased by a Methodist church where a member donated a Rogers. The C and accompanyting tone cabinet and Leslie has less than 6 months use, and has been moved only once. It doesn't have a mark on it.

In country churches in Kentucky, old Hammonds rule!


R.

Wasn't the 'B' a little less expensive than the 'C'?

That might have factored into it a bit, plus the 'B' gives the organist a bit better sight-line to make eye contact with other musicians and the congregation, whereas the 'C' was more for the traditional 'turn your back to the congregation' church organist, I think...