Organ Drawbars Mystery Revealed.....

I watched it 3x and I have to say I learned a few things for sure.

Good video. Using drawbars is like using colors in a painting.
I've never been able to get a LH Bass sound I like without using a non drawbar voice. 16' & 8' just isn't bassey enough for me. Just this morning watched a Tony Maonace video with him playing a Hammond SK2 thru a portable Leslie.. The bass was great and I'm assuming he was just using the drawbars ? I know on the Jimmy Smith albums there was a direct line taken off the organ pre-amp so bass could be added at the recording board.

Still love the BK9 and the organ sounds are great but I miss the layout of a real Hammond and being able to get to the controls quickly. I may have to pick up a clone. Should of kept my Hammond XK3 or Roland VK7.

Thanks Donny, I did too

Wow good video find Donny, Hammond still holds as the king. As a kid I remember helping my dad lug a B-3 to various playing jobs. Not fun, but still good memories.

Donny, Good find and there is nothing like the B-3 sold mine that was pretty beat up to help buy a grand piano. I never did the B justice since my work had always been on piano. It was fun though.

I watched a 4th time and thought to myself maybe getting back to organ basics is the way to go?

So long as you remember you have to play an organ, (For true satisfaction) as styles (Except drums) just get in the way.

Bill

Peter Hayward is from Leicester UK and I remember him arriving on the club circuit as a concert organist in about 1962.In those days the concert organist (sometimes with a drummer)had to accompany
the contracted singers for the night and would only see the music
probably 15 minutes beforehand.Most of the Leicester clubs had concert model Hammonds with Leslies and wow could Peter play them.

Funny how Tony still sticks to Hammond and Joey D changes brands all the time. Endorsement money must be good if you can get it.

Moved mine too many times to count. And on 1 nighters too. But always covered and on Roll or Karis so it was in great shape when I let it go to a church. Oh how i wish we had some of the great keyboards out now back then. And PA equipment.

Let me start a discussion. I think the only reason to use a real Hammond is looks on stage. I would use one of the new clone wheels, maybe in a portable dummy B cabinet. Thoughts ???

As much as I love the B3, I, also have mixed memories due to it's bulk and weight, saying nothing of a 122R leslie. I think it insane to do it again when there are so many clones that come pretty close. Yes, I know there is nothing like the real thing(to you). Now, it comes down to a compromise. I am as picky as the next guy, but what I listen to first is the Leslie effect. My old Roland BK-9 and present Hammond SK1 do it very well. If I attach my Ventilator, it is even better, but not by much. My Nord was good in that department also. To me, it is the interaction of the drum and horns ramping up at different speeds.

Aside from the leslie effect, there are the waterfall keys and overall action of the keybed. I would have to settle for somewhat less in that area, as the real B3 takes it, but at what cost, keeping in mind that the overwhelming percent of the audience wouldn't know the difference.

"AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING, BA-BY". If schlephing (sp) it around and maintenance is not in the picture, for me it's a no-brainer. I've had four different 'clonewheels', all with dual manuals and drawbars, and none even come close as far as the experience of playing a well maintained B3/C3 w/122. Sound-wise, some come very close. If I were gigging today and had to do my own moving and transporting, it would definitely be a clonewheel, most likely a Legend or Legend Live (or maybe an XK5 if I could afford it). I currently play a KeyB MkIII and can't see enough of a difference between it and the new Legend to justify an upgrade. Although I have a Leslie 3300, I play it through powered 15" EV monitors. The built in Sim would fool most people and I get more power and better sound dispersion with the monitors. Just my opinion though. YMMV.

chas

I didn't see Bernie's post before I posted. Looks like we feel pretty much the same way.

chas

In one word playing the real thing is GUTS plain and simple that's what a real Hammond gives you, ..... Ok so back to OP drawbars, ... and how to learn how to use them correctly, ...
Certainly an art in itself to get the right sound and when & how to use them which many don't...

You can learn a lot watching Gospel players. They use everything on the organ to the max. Chorus, Leslie Fast/Sow, Drawbars and Dynamics. A lot play "reverse" with LH on Upper and RH on lower.
I love that stuff and would wish I could play as expressive as they do.

Still no verse (remember my first post to this forum/).

A 10 year old video, but quite the Hammond studio setup.