I love nothing more than seeing young people take an interest in such classic old school stuff like the B-3. Was a time the B-3 had to be a part of any band I'd be asked to join.
Can you even have a Hammond without a Leslie? I guess but it would be only having a left hand 😂. Like pretty much everyone (except Hammond apparently, haha) I love that spinning beast waking up and falling back to sleep as it's being played 🥰. One of the coolest sounds ever
Good job young man. There have been grand attempts at duplicating the B3 sound but none have come close. Yamaha, Moog, you name any of them, they have tried but only a B3 can sound like a B3. Back in the 60s and 70s, we only dreamed of owning one. To play one was a once in a lifetime event.
I grew up taking lessons on a B3. I didn't know what a big deal it was as I was just a kid. I had an Allen organ from the 1930's at home. It was far less complicated to play and I still have it today. I paid for time to practice on a Wurlitzer that had a rhythm section and more options, and once a week I took lessons on the piano and the Hammond B3. I picked up a few things I didn't know in this video. I was trying to emulate the great Barton organ at the Chicago Stadium. I would love to see more video like this. I love reading the comments. Love the Hammond in this: th-cam.com/video/kntzQiaFzOQ/w-d-xo.html
That looks like a fantastic clean example of a B3! I live in the UK where they are becoming very rare and you don't often see clean examples like this.
A real joy to listen to you explain the Hammond B3 controls. I am impressed as well of your understanding of how the tone wheels generate the sound. A very unique and clever use of the properties of electro magnetism and motion. There is nothing like that sound!!!
Magic and Majestic sounding instrument. Steve Winwood, Felix Cavaliere, Steppenwolf, Gregg Rolie on Santana's Soul Sacrifice. They sounded great because they had a great instrument. Thank you, James, for taking the time and effort to explain the operational functionality of this beautiful sounding instrument.
Fun fact about the Leslie: It actually has two rotors, one big one and a small one, the small one is the one you notice most, and it does the treble, but the bass rotor is the one that really makes it good in my opinion. Due to its larger size, it's heavier, and because of that, it takes longer to spool up and slow down (as you can hear when the James demonstrates the Leslie). This is aprt of what makes the Leslie sound much more organic and special than any other type of Tremolo or Vibrato.
Excellent introduction to the Hammond, James! You covered it well, and I was impressed that you actually knew about the Telharmonium, which (as you mentioned) preceded amplifiers. It had huge tone-wheels to produce high energy levels to send down phone lines to drive speakers (again, without amplifiers!) to people/businesses who subscribed to the service. One thing you did skip over was the volume/swell/expression pedal. It's important to the technique, since the keyboard is not touch sensitive. And it isn't just volume - it changes the tone as well. As you pull it back to reduce the volume, it boosts the bass and treble (like a "loudness" control on some receivers), so it sounds 'full' at lower volumes, not 'whimpy'. And conversely, cuts the bass/treble a bit as you go louder, which keeps you from getting too strident (and probably over-driving the amp/speakers) as you push it. Watch a Hammond player, and they will be pumping that pedal to accent notes/lines/rhythms. OK, one other 'note' on the percussion, and playing technique. Since it is only triggered when you hit a note after releasing all the other notes, it can be used as a sort of touch sensitivity. Play legato, and you get no added percussion accent - then let up and strike a chord, and all the notes of that chord get a percussive hit. If you watch/listen to a Hammond player, you will see them use this to great effect. Kind of turns a limitation into a feature, which all good musicians do with whatever they play. Great video, as always!
Thank you for this video. Short true story: I live a few blocks from the building where Hammond used to make organs in Chicago's Hermosa/Avondale area. One day--long before I started learning about Hammonds or Leslies--I found a Leslie speaker in the alley behind the old Hammond place. It was probably ruined. I looked at it for quite some time, determined that I had no idea what it was, and left it in the alley. Only later did I realize my mistake. I'll never be able to buy one of these for myself, but I sure appreciate the tour.
Here's a Fun Fact for you all: Hammond didn't always make the organs they were famous for, they actually started out making clocks, yes that's right Hammond originally made Clocks, and I actually own 2 of their clocks that I had electrically restored myself, they were originally called Hammond Clock Company, but then when Laurens Hammond perfected the tone generator design that was originally used in the 1880s he decided to mainly concentrate on organs and dropped the clock making business and when he did that he renamed his Company the Hammond Instrument Company, that was around 1933. The Hammond Instrument Company Actually used their famous Drawbar technology long after they introduced the solid state organ chassis in the 1960s, exept that by that time the Drawbars were solid state and not electromechanically controlled like they were in the tube era. Hammond Instrument Company went out of Business after encountering financial difficulties in the late 1980s.
Very cool! I have always loved the sound of the Hammond B3 with the Leslie speaker. The control bars are not as complicated as I thought they would be. Always loved the sound of Booker T and the sound of it in Steppen Wolf songs. So dam cool.
I recently inherited a Hammond C3 from a friend who passed away. As far as I can tell is the same as a B3 but without the leslie cabinet. Instead it has a speaker cabinet. I am looking forward to becoming proficient on it and great appreciate your video.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, and I will do my best to help you in any way I can. If you find a Leslie you might like to include it with your system as they are loved by many.
The Leslie speaker was always a separate component. The Leslie, plus the Hammond organs percussion tabs, were what gave this combination the Hammond organ it's infamous sound. Also you can jiggle the power switch off when soloing. The metal tones wheels will begin to slow down, and the Hammonds pitch will begin to 'flutter down'. 'Sugarloaf' a rock group from the 60's, did a 6 minute version of 'Green Eyed Lady' with perhaps the greatest Hammond organ solo ever recorded. The keyboard does the flicking AC power switch on/off, so the pitch of the solo goes up and down in pitch.. truly a bizarre sound. Changing the Leslie speed of the Leslie while playing, is like 'crack' for the ears. One of the most fascinating sounds, until the synthesizers came along years later. Good job James.. Nice to see a young person, taking a deep interesting, in a great instrument. I owned three Hammond organs over the years.. I used an L-100 with a Leslie, to play in rock bands in 60's.. The L-100 was a spinet sound, not as complete as a B-3, A100, or C3..
2 people to listen to : Jimmy Smith, who popularized the B3 from a gospel organ to a jazz instrument ( from there it went to Rock), and Keith Emerson of Emerson Lake & Palmer fame - the epitome of B3 rock.
I really appreciate your research and delivery of this information. It was very informative and shows the genius of Mr. Hammond. He was impressive indeed. I owned a B3 when I was on the road I had Eric VanValtere build me a polyphonic synthesizer built into the lower manual. It was pretty cool in the 1970’s.
It's astonishing the quantity of information that so young a person has on matters concerning music and instruments and the apparently easy way that James shares that knowledge with experts and lay people alike. Only pity that he reduces almost all adjectives to one word for all uses: "cool"! Apart from that small detail, you are a joy for an old music lover like myself: Keep up the excellent work!
@@jkrause365 LOL! I used to engage a few of the bar patrons. That plus attachable rollers. I remember on a few occasions my somewhat inebriated helpers wobbly movements and praying it would actually end up in the trucks.
Never mind the word “cool”. He really shows his passion about the instrument, and that’s what it’s all about! It’s true that it’s just about the basics. But I’m sure it clarifies a lot for those people who always have been wondering wher the magic of the Hammond is coming from
Back in the 60's I owned the B-1 and played in a rock band. It was too big to haul around so I bought a Hammond F-100. It was probably the only Hammond organ that didn't sound like a Hammond. Sadly, I had to get rid of it when I got married because our 1 bedroom apartment wouldn't accommodate its size. Now that I'm retired and still long for that Hammond sound, I think I will invest in the SK1 to supplement the sound on my Korg i2. Thanks for the video, it brought back memories of my early organ days..
So many things I've wanted to know about this fantastic instrument, skillfully and comprehensively demoed in just 12 minutes. Thank you for making this great video. It's the best all-round presentation of Hammond that I've yet encountered on TH-cam.
Back in the 70s I was one of a few people that could rebuild the vibrato scanner about two hours if I remember, I could play it but loved working on them.
Thank you for this excellent video. As a fan of the Hammond B3 sound I now have an understanding of how it works. I also admire the condition your B3 - it looks like it has just left the Hammond factory!
I am glad you have enjoyed my videos. I will soon start working on my studio videos in addition to the standard videos I have been doing. I think the studio videos will be very informative, and fun as well.
Very nice, James. I was the congregational pianist at age 12 and at 15 organist on the B3, a more theatre look, not open between pedal board and the rest of the instrument. We had a couple of ladies who played but did not employ the pedals. Dad was a bass lover and I grew up with big woofers before woofers were cool. It has been many years since those early times. This trip down Memory Lane was nice. Thank you.
The second brown drawbar is a 5 1/3. The drawbars relate to the length of the pipes in a pipe organ, 16', 8', 5 1/3', 4' etc. The larger the number the lower the pitch. The A-100 models are exactly the same organ as the B-3 except with built in speakers.
I met a new friend when I was in the 8th grade and his family had a B3 and I absolutely fell in love with it. They had the Leslie also. Loved you video, very informative being as I knew absolutely nothing about it except for trying different tone bars. Did not know which controlled what. LOL
Excellent video - just the right amount of material for people who don't know much about Hammonds. I own an all original 1968 Hammond B3 with the 122 Leslie Speaker. It was Jimmy Greenspoon's opening to the song "Chest Fever" that appears on Three Dog Night's live album, 'Captured Live at the Forum' that convinced me to learn how to play and eventually buy my own Hammond.
Well done. James, please make another Hammond B3 video, this time play some Jon Lord and make sure you explain some of the drawbars, chords and motifs he uses!:-)
I thoroughly enjoyed this tutorial, thank you. Such a knowledgeable guy, I have learned so much from him / you (if you read this) I needed to learn this right now, as I’ve been talking to some church elders who will grant me access to their C3 if I can get it going. I am working on building a 1980’s SID chip based MIDI synth with multiple keyboards in this style using Commodore 64’s that are slightly modified. The electronics, I have a good handle on, but the software and SID Chip limitations are beginning to elude me, and the prices are going through the roof as I collect them. They are also very power hungry. All SID a chip donations are welcome.
Great video! I used to play organ in two local churches, and I remember oh so well the rigmarole of the start and run switches on one of the organs. The other was also gorgeous - a beautiful Belgian made pipe organ.
Very nice video. There was also a Model BV (nice extra bass notes in the lower manual) and a Model G (for 'government', it went in U.S. military installations). Most of the G's were pristine, never having been on a rock and roll tour or had beverages spilled into them.
I had one of these back in the early 70's. I was a teeager in a rock and roll band. I loved it more than my girlfriend. That sound . . . no other keyboard came close.
A lot of the songs we attribute to a Hammond B3 model are actually played on a C3, C2, A-100, M-100, M3, L-100, etc. These models can usually be had for less than a B3.
Gospel purists I know swear that Hammond B-3 is the best thing since sliced bread and that the Leslie speaker is high religion. Thank you James for this revealing video.
Randomly came here to learn more abut the B3. But I see you've got an SV-1 in the background. I've got one myself. I love the thing. It does the Fender sound perfectly, but it has that beautiful action to the keys.
You and James have a great looking B3 and Leslie. James will also have a lot of enjoyment when you get it in the studio and experimenting with the best microphone positioning on the Leslie speaker. There are many variations including using multiple microphones. Only one of the upper horns is voiced. The other is blocked and is used as a counter balance. I had to experiment with this by drilling out the blockage of the muted horn. When I did, it reminded me of some of the sound effects used on the old space movies of the early days of TV.
nice video, thanks. Al Kooper, when he sneaked into the recording sessions for Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", was grateful that the Hammond was already turned on and ready to go because he had no idea how to make this happen.
You dont need to hold the start switch after you switch to run it loads the speed up and makes it longer trying to start i worked on these for over 30 yrs so hold start if room temp to count of 8 to 10 then switch on run let go of start your good these do need to be oiled occasionally since they are mechanical with special oil do not use 3 in one oil use Hammond oil
Thank you for your very detailed "tour" of the Sound of the '60's ...I worked in a recording studio...and we had a B3 with Leslie...I'm a guitarist but would fool around on the B3 when I had free time and the Boss was away...even helped a buddy do some harmonic sounds for a demo..enjoyed it very much I miss being able to sit and pretend I was playing along with Bob Dylan on Like a Rolling Stone...
Thank you for this clear informative video. Never seen such a good and simple video like this. I've never touched or seen a real Hammond B3 but listened to them _a lot_ . I knew roughly how they must be operated "for real", but now I feel like I really know how they work. :)
You don’t have to hold the switches that long after the run motor reaches speed. Did you mention the synchronous motor speed is set by 60Hz? So it’s always in tune. (Except when you take your Hammond to Europe where they’re running at 50Hz. 🙁)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! I watched the video carefully and you taught me a lot and I am grateful. I'm a fan of Hammond's sound, but I've never been close to one. A hug from Punta Arenas, Chile, in the extreme south of the world. I subscribed! ¡The best video 2018 I've seen, interesting and practical, well explained.
Thanks you for this very informative video! I started playing the organ in November of 2018. I don’t own one of these but my church and I hope to be the player of it one day !!!
Thanks for the tour! It's one of the fantastickest (!) sounding instruments ever and it's great to see a bit on how it works. I had the opportunity to see the great Jimmy Smith many years (30 or so) ago at the old Casino venue in Denver. Jimmy was great, of course, as is that Hammond sound - but wow, was that the weirdest show ever! The musicians must've had some great weed backstage! 😁 Thanks for posting!, You are a very sharp young man! Very interesting and informative! 😁
I'm with 'Everyone ' that prefers the Leslie sound. Many iconic instruments shine when used outside of their original intent: Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster. God created man in His image and likeness. We create/innovate.
I thank you VERY MUCH for your crash course on the Hammond B3 organ. I have run into a few organs that had this peculiar start system. You explained it better than other sites that I researched this through. Yep, I know all about attack, decay, sustain, and release (ADSR). Thank you for this video! From John Nozum A fellow organist
Super informative. You should of tossed in a little Barbara Dennerlein or Booker T. My Mom was a church organist...and I was able to play the large pipe organ a little after her practice. Your B3 brings back many pleasant memories. Thanks for making the video.
Another Church Organist Son Here!!... it was that Leslie's huge 15" speaker and all those pedals with that huge bottom that made me take up playing bass at 13...im 60 and still thumpin my 4 string:) .. all the times id watch her start up those organs (Travis AFB had 3).. i knew what the start and run switches, and the Leslie speaker did, but Man is there SOO much more!!! EXCELLENT tutorial!.. i learned : there is no "keyclick" setting....only a a variety of "percussion" settings to get that ever so familiar sound the likes of Rod Argent, and other Rock B-3 players have gotten over the years. Yes, the B-3 is highly prized in the rocknroll world, jazz too Thanks again for the lesson :)
I just picked up a Leslie speaker up a couple days ago. Mine is type or model 147 which looks almost identical as yours, also without any type of reverb. And from the outside is absolutely identical. And I believe the specs are the same. The bass/woofer is the same size and I think identical brands. The magnet is shaped different so perhaps it’s the years made are different. Mine needs some work but I can hardly wait.
Great video, always wanted to know how those work and you did it with all detail in 12 minutes, most guys on here would turn this into a 2 hrs boring, painful video. Thank you !
James thanks again for the video post. I am not a musician but I own a 1950's Hammond B3 with a Leslie 21H. Long story why I own one but thanks nonetheless for explaining what all those keys, buttons and draws are for. It needs a cleaning and a tune up soon so I needed to know the basics before committing to any expenses going forward. There is nothing like the sound of a B3 in the hands of an expert! Earl Van Dyke for an example. I look forward to learning more on some of your other videos.
this is a great informative video. I wish I had seen it many years ago. as I had an older Hammond organ. but did not know how to play it. I was a younger student of lowrey organs. and am afast learner. also you are an awesome teacher.
Richard, Thank you for following my channel. I have some videos coming up that I am very proud of both with the Hammond, and also a great many other subjects music related.
I'm not a musician, but I love kewl musical instruments! and that is sooo crazy cool! And such versatility! I had no idea thats how they worked! I love it! I always wondered about that classic percussion sound.
Thank you for doing this video. I have always wanted to know how the B3 worked. When I was younger, I played organ in several bands, but was never able to afford a Hammond B3. I did make my own leslie speaker though. But the B3 was always out of range. You brought it to me. Thanks.
Dude, that was freaking awesome. I've visited a number of black churches over the years and had wondered how all that worked. Just got a puny Thomas 125 that used to belong to my in-laws as my wife has been wanting it for years. She wouldn't know how to handle a B3 and I really don't have a lot of musical talent otherwise I'd be on the hunt for one. Still fun to watch.
Wow! That was so informative. Beautiful sound. Always loved the B3. I reckon you can initially blame the legend that is Jon Lord. Lol! RIP Mister Lord... \m/
Really good video. I wish you talked a bit more about the fantastic Leslie speakers. They do more than just "sound like that"! And there's a lot of cool science stuff behind it, mostly involving the almighty Doppler effect. But overall, really good Hammond review!
Fantastic video. Always wanted to know how the Hammond worked, especially the draw bars to make different sounds. The extra bonus was how to start the organ up - that is like starting a jet turbine engine! Gonna have a look at your other clip on the Leslie.
Nice job, James. Quite informative for those who have never played a B3. From age 16 I played one in church for several years (and later a Yamaha electronic stage organ emulation). NOTHING compares to an actual B3 with the Leslie. BUT... all the comments about the weight are certainly true - not the best portable organ for gigging. Oh, many modern electronic simulations (including software-based) are remarkably realistic (and very usable and practical)... but nothing beats the sound--and the FEEL--of the real thing. But I would never want to haul one around. Your videos are great overall. In this one you mentioned the drawbars as "fundamental, sub-fundamental," etc. Perhaps even demonstrate what that means: draw the first white drawbar ("fundamental" / 8' pitch in pipe organ-speak), add the octave above with your finger, then draw the second drawbar out (which adds the octave above [4' pitch in pipe organs]. Add an octave above that (2'), and then the final white drawbar (1'). Those in between are mutations (10ths, 17th, etc); those below are sub-octaves and mutations. The beauty of the Hammond system was nearly infinite combinations of how to use those combinations to create sonic colors and shades. I love the sound and feel of a Hammond! That being said, it never did compete with--or sound like--a true pipe organ. ;-) No. Harmonic Interval Footage Color 1 Sub-Fundamental Sub-Octave 16' Brown 2 Sub-Third Sub-Third 5 1/3' Brown 3 Fundamental Unison 8' White 4 2nd Harmonic Octave 4' White 5 3rd Harmonic Twelfth 2 2/3' Black 6 4th Harmonic Fifteenth 2' White 7 5th Harmonic Seventeenth 1 3/5' Black 8 6th Harmonic Nineteenth 1 1/3' Black 9 8th Harmonic Twenty-Second 1' White
Very informative! I finally found my dream keyboard (B3) a year ago. I noticed at the beginning of the video a KORG SV1. I just bought one a couple months ago and just love it! Putting it on top of the Hammond with some straddlers! :)
I play a B3 clone in a band, and was aware of a lot of this info, but I still learned even more from you today. Thanks for sharing. Will watch your other videos now 🎹😁🎹
thank you for the great video and thanks for the memories (1970's).. I am not a keyboard player but was in a successful band that had a great keyboardist ... after we set up p.a. equipmment , guitar amps, my drums, etc we turned our attention to a B3 with two leslies.. after that we had to muster up the energy to play a 4-5 hour gig.. it was well worth the effort... there is no finer sound the a be playing through a leslie.. a whiter shade of pale never sounded better !! cheers !!
If you want another fun fact, Donald Leslie hated Hammond organs (the speaker was also compatible with other organs as well), despite demonstrating them for the creator of the organ, which refused to market it. Another thing was that Leslie never advertised the speaker, its marketing was all result of organist Bob Mitchell using it when he became the organist for the MBS radio.
Excellent lecture. Quite educational. I have played besides B3 players a fair amount (blues/R&B) but never knew the details of the setup. Very cool. Must be an electro-mechanical nightmare but what a joy. Thanks
Great video, very informative. I'm a keyboardist and play a number of keyboards with B3/Leslie simulations, but I was clueless about how to operate a real Hammond B3. I have a studio session tomorrow and may be asked to play an actual B3. This video will definitely help me avoid making a fool of myself. Thank you! :)
I use to play one of these back in the late 60s. It use to be used by the Young Rascals at the Barge disco in Westhampton NY. We had to move it a couple of times, what a job. I think it weigh about 400 pounds but it had a nice sound to it.
I love nothing more than seeing young people take an interest in such classic old school stuff like the B-3. Was a time the B-3 had to be a part of any band I'd be asked to join.
One of the most incredible instruments ever produced.The leslie speaker is the icing on the cake.👍👍
Can you even have a Hammond without a Leslie? I guess but it would be only having a left hand 😂. Like pretty much everyone (except Hammond apparently, haha) I love that spinning beast waking up and falling back to sleep as it's being played 🥰. One of the coolest sounds ever
@@pieceworkstudios Most Hammonds were not sold with Leslies. Hammond discouraged their dealers for even carrying them.
I found one in a Salvation Army store with a Leslie for 400 bucks, after a few oilings she came to life, amazing instrument
It's a shame these are no longer made. It's amazing how many rock musicians still have one of these in their arsenal.
Good job young man. There have been grand attempts at duplicating the B3 sound but none have come close. Yamaha, Moog, you name any of them, they have tried but only a B3 can sound like a B3. Back in the 60s and 70s, we only dreamed of owning one. To play one was a once in a lifetime event.
Nord Electro?
Well, those who could bought L100 models, which are not quite B3 sounding, but get close.
@@Nohandles23 nord is my favorite as well, but not as many options
I grew up taking lessons on a B3. I didn't know what a big deal it was as I was just a kid. I had an Allen organ from the 1930's at home. It was far less complicated to play and I still have it today. I paid for time to practice on a Wurlitzer that had a rhythm section and more options, and once a week I took lessons on the piano and the Hammond B3. I picked up a few things I didn't know in this video. I was trying to emulate the great Barton organ at the Chicago Stadium. I would love to see more video like this. I love reading the comments.
Love the Hammond in this: th-cam.com/video/kntzQiaFzOQ/w-d-xo.html
*ah yes, the b3 sounds like b3*
That's one seriously mint condition B3. Beautiful.
I want one, even know I already have one (well an A100). But the B3 is just sexy as hell. .
@@SluffAdlin yeah but I love the A100 as well. Those are beautys in their own right 👍
young James knowing the worth of old legends like the B3 is becoming a legend himself! kudos to him: he's a keeper!
That looks like a fantastic clean example of a B3! I live in the UK where they are becoming very rare and you don't often see clean examples like this.
Hard to find here as well. We looked for years.
A real joy to listen to you explain the Hammond B3 controls. I am impressed as well of your understanding of how the tone wheels generate the sound. A very unique and clever use of the properties of electro magnetism and motion. There is nothing like that sound!!!
Magic and Majestic sounding instrument. Steve Winwood, Felix Cavaliere, Steppenwolf, Gregg Rolie on Santana's Soul Sacrifice. They sounded great because they had a great instrument. Thank you, James, for taking the time and effort to explain the operational functionality of this beautiful sounding instrument.
never had anyone explain Hammond like you great job
Fun fact about the Leslie: It actually has two rotors, one big one and a small one, the small one is the one you notice most, and it does the treble, but the bass rotor is the one that really makes it good in my opinion. Due to its larger size, it's heavier, and because of that, it takes longer to spool up and slow down (as you can hear when the James demonstrates the Leslie).
This is aprt of what makes the Leslie sound much more organic and special than any other type of Tremolo or Vibrato.
I’m getting a hammond tomorrow, and I’m so excited
Excellent introduction to the Hammond, James! You covered it well, and I was impressed that you actually knew about the Telharmonium, which (as you mentioned) preceded amplifiers. It had huge tone-wheels to produce high energy levels to send down phone lines to drive speakers (again, without amplifiers!) to people/businesses who subscribed to the service. One thing you did skip over was the volume/swell/expression pedal. It's important to the technique, since the keyboard is not touch sensitive. And it isn't just volume - it changes the tone as well. As you pull it back to reduce the volume, it boosts the bass and treble (like a "loudness" control on some receivers), so it sounds 'full' at lower volumes, not 'whimpy'. And conversely, cuts the bass/treble a bit as you go louder, which keeps you from getting too strident (and probably over-driving the amp/speakers) as you push it. Watch a Hammond player, and they will be pumping that pedal to accent notes/lines/rhythms.
OK, one other 'note' on the percussion, and playing technique. Since it is only triggered when you hit a note after releasing all the other notes, it can be used as a sort of touch sensitivity. Play legato, and you get no added percussion accent - then let up and strike a chord, and all the notes of that chord get a percussive hit. If you watch/listen to a Hammond player, you will see them use this to great effect. Kind of turns a limitation into a feature, which all good musicians do with whatever they play. Great video, as always!
This was literally THE BEST Video I’ve ever seen in regards to the Hammond B3 and Leslie Speaker 🔊
Wow, so starting the Hammond is like Spooling up and lighting a Jet turbine engine except you don't have worry about a hot start. Cool!
Yes it sounds like a jet powering up.
Probably the most important instrument in rock music. Excellent video.
Thank you for this video. Short true story: I live a few blocks from the building where Hammond used to make organs in Chicago's Hermosa/Avondale area. One day--long before I started learning about Hammonds or Leslies--I found a Leslie speaker in the alley behind the old Hammond place. It was probably ruined. I looked at it for quite some time, determined that I had no idea what it was, and left it in the alley.
Only later did I realize my mistake.
I'll never be able to buy one of these for myself, but I sure appreciate the tour.
Here's a Fun Fact for you all: Hammond didn't always make the organs they were famous for, they actually started out making clocks, yes that's right Hammond originally made Clocks, and I actually own 2 of their clocks that I had electrically restored myself, they were originally called Hammond Clock Company, but then when Laurens Hammond perfected the tone generator design that was originally used in the 1880s he decided to mainly concentrate on organs and dropped the clock making business and when he did that he renamed his Company the Hammond Instrument Company, that was around 1933.
The Hammond Instrument Company Actually used their famous Drawbar technology long after they introduced the solid state organ chassis in the 1960s, exept that by that time the Drawbars were solid state and not electromechanically controlled like they were in the tube era.
Hammond Instrument Company went out of Business after encountering financial difficulties in the late 1980s.
Very cool! I have always loved the sound of the Hammond B3 with the Leslie speaker. The control bars are not as complicated as I thought they would be. Always loved the sound of Booker T and the sound of it in Steppen Wolf songs. So dam cool.
This is one of the best and most comprehensive videos on the grand ol' Hammond Organ! Thank you.
This video is so informative. Thank you. I've always loved the sound of the Hammond B3.
Thank you so much. You have really demystified the iconic B3. You explained it so well for us organ and keyboard newbie to understand.
I recently inherited a Hammond C3 from a friend who passed away. As far as I can tell is the same as a B3 but without the leslie cabinet. Instead it has a speaker cabinet. I am looking forward to becoming proficient on it and great appreciate your video.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, and I will do my best to help you in any way I can. If you find a Leslie you might like to include it with your system as they are loved by many.
The Leslie speaker was always a separate component. The Leslie, plus the Hammond organs percussion tabs, were what gave this combination the Hammond organ it's infamous sound. Also you can jiggle the power switch off when soloing. The metal tones wheels will begin to slow down, and the Hammonds pitch will begin to 'flutter down'. 'Sugarloaf' a rock group from the 60's, did a 6 minute version of 'Green Eyed Lady' with perhaps the greatest Hammond organ solo ever recorded. The keyboard does the flicking AC power switch on/off, so the pitch of the solo goes up and down in pitch.. truly a bizarre sound. Changing the Leslie speed of the Leslie while playing, is like 'crack' for the ears. One of the most fascinating sounds, until the synthesizers came along years later. Good job James.. Nice to see a young person, taking a deep interesting, in a great instrument. I owned three Hammond organs over the years.. I used an L-100 with a Leslie, to play in rock bands in 60's.. The L-100 was a spinet sound, not as complete as a B-3, A100, or C3..
2 people to listen to : Jimmy Smith, who popularized the B3 from a gospel organ to a jazz instrument ( from there it went to Rock), and Keith Emerson of Emerson Lake & Palmer fame - the epitome of B3 rock.
wow, you know your way around a Hammond. I subscribed. I bought an A-100 w/ a 145 and I learn something new every time I play it.
Thank you for the sub.
I really appreciate your research and delivery of this information. It was very informative and shows the genius of Mr. Hammond. He was impressive indeed. I owned a B3 when I was on the road I had Eric VanValtere build me a polyphonic synthesizer built into the lower manual. It was pretty cool in the 1970’s.
It's astonishing the quantity of information that so young a person has on matters concerning music and instruments and the apparently easy way that James shares that knowledge with experts and lay people alike. Only pity that he reduces almost all adjectives to one word for all uses: "cool"! Apart from that small detail, you are a joy for an old music lover like myself: Keep up the excellent work!
I think it is groovy that he uses the work Cool, a lot. Rock on bro!
Any player who’s gigged with with a B-3 (and C-3) with a LESLIE knows this is basic stuff
@@petergeorgemusic Any player who's gigged with a B3 and a leslie probably has a bad back nowadays.
@@jkrause365 LOL! I used to engage a few of the bar patrons. That plus attachable rollers. I remember on a few occasions my somewhat inebriated helpers wobbly movements and praying it would actually end up in the trucks.
Never mind the word “cool”. He really shows his passion about the instrument, and that’s what it’s all about! It’s true that it’s just about the basics. But I’m sure it clarifies a lot for those people who always have been wondering wher the magic of the Hammond is coming from
Back in the 60's I owned the B-1 and played in a rock band. It was too big to haul around so I bought a Hammond F-100. It was probably the only Hammond organ that didn't sound like a Hammond. Sadly, I had to get rid of it when I got married because our 1 bedroom apartment wouldn't accommodate its size. Now that I'm retired and still long for that Hammond sound, I think I will invest in the SK1 to supplement the sound on my Korg i2. Thanks for the video, it brought back memories of my early organ days..
So many things I've wanted to know about this fantastic instrument, skillfully and comprehensively demoed in just 12 minutes. Thank you for making this great video. It's the best all-round presentation of Hammond that I've yet encountered on TH-cam.
Back in the 70s I was one of a few people that could rebuild the vibrato scanner about two hours if I remember, I could play it but loved working on them.
You really should do a video on this, as it’s becoming a lost art.
Thank you for this excellent video. As a fan of the Hammond B3 sound I now have an understanding of how it works. I also admire the condition your B3 - it looks like it has just left the Hammond factory!
It honestly is the nicest Hammond I have ever seen. The first two owners were saving it for me!
Your videos are fantastic. I've learned more in the past few days from you than I've learned all year from all the other nonsense. Great job!
I am glad you have enjoyed my videos. I will soon start working on my studio videos in addition to the standard videos I have been doing. I think the studio videos will be very informative, and fun as well.
Very nice, James. I was the congregational pianist at age 12 and at 15 organist on the B3, a more theatre look, not open between pedal board and the rest of the instrument. We had a couple of ladies who played but did not employ the pedals. Dad was a bass lover and I grew up with big woofers before woofers were cool. It has been many years since those early times. This trip down Memory Lane was nice. Thank you.
James...you help make understanding very easy to do. Thanks for all your
great info COOL !
The second brown drawbar is a 5 1/3. The drawbars relate to the length of the pipes in a pipe organ, 16', 8', 5 1/3', 4' etc. The larger the number the lower the pitch. The A-100 models are exactly the same organ as the B-3 except with built in speakers.
There is a great debate over the A-100 vs B3.
People who own a A-100 will say that, but few others.
A great video, James! Thank you for breaking down how this instrument works.
I hope one day to find one of these old units as well.
I met a new friend when I was in the 8th grade and his family had a B3 and I absolutely fell in love with it. They had the Leslie also. Loved you video, very informative being as I knew absolutely nothing about it except for trying different tone bars. Did not know which controlled what. LOL
Excellent video - just the right amount of material for people who don't know much about Hammonds. I own an all original 1968 Hammond B3 with the 122 Leslie Speaker. It was Jimmy Greenspoon's opening to the song "Chest Fever" that appears on Three Dog Night's live album, 'Captured Live at the Forum' that convinced me to learn how to play and eventually buy my own Hammond.
My mother used to be a Hammond organ dealer in Ghent ( Belguim) in th 70s. I loved to play on the B3.
Amazing Instrument, Amazing Guy, Amazing Video!! Keep the good quality coming!!
Well done. James, please make another Hammond B3 video, this time play some Jon Lord and make sure you explain some of the drawbars, chords and motifs he uses!:-)
I thoroughly enjoyed this tutorial, thank you. Such a knowledgeable guy, I have learned so much from him / you (if you read this)
I needed to learn this right now, as I’ve been talking to some church elders who will grant me access to their C3 if I can get it going.
I am working on building a 1980’s SID chip based MIDI synth with multiple keyboards in this style using Commodore 64’s that are slightly modified. The electronics, I have a good handle on, but the software and SID Chip limitations are beginning to elude me, and the prices are going through the roof as I collect them. They are also very power hungry.
All SID a chip donations are welcome.
Great video! I used to play organ in two local churches, and I remember oh so well the rigmarole of the start and run switches on one of the organs. The other was also gorgeous - a beautiful Belgian made pipe organ.
I'm guessing that the pipe organ, has an elaborate startup sequence too.
Do you remember the Brand name of the pipe organ?? ...
Very nice video.
There was also a Model BV (nice extra bass notes in the lower manual) and a Model G (for 'government', it went in U.S. military installations). Most of the G's were pristine, never having been on a rock and roll tour or had beverages spilled into them.
You explain things well. Great content.
I had one of these back in the early 70's. I was a teeager in a rock and roll band. I loved it more than my girlfriend. That sound . . . no other keyboard came close.
A lot of the songs we attribute to a Hammond B3 model are actually played on a C3, C2, A-100, M-100, M3, L-100, etc. These models can usually be had for less than a B3.
I can't thank you enough for sharing this. 😊
Your understanding of the Hammond is wonderful......it's great to see young folks like yourself....passing along that knowledge to others......Thanks
Excellent demo! Thank you!
Gospel purists I know swear that Hammond B-3 is the best thing since sliced bread and that the Leslie speaker is high religion. Thank you James for this revealing video.
Very well presented and very informative. Such a beautiful instrument. Thank you
Thank you as well, a pleasure to play.
Randomly came here to learn more abut the B3. But I see you've got an SV-1 in the background. I've got one myself. I love the thing. It does the Fender sound perfectly, but it has that beautiful action to the keys.
There's nothing like the Fender Rhodes. I wish I had $$$$ to get my hands on a 1973 Rhodes Mk1.
Thanks for this. Very good.
One thing you missed was a demonstration of the Jimmy Smith walking bass technique, usually on the lower manual.
You and James have a great looking B3 and Leslie. James will also have a lot of enjoyment when you get it in the studio and experimenting with the best microphone positioning on the Leslie speaker. There are many variations including using multiple microphones. Only one of the upper horns is voiced. The other is blocked and is used as a counter balance. I had to experiment with this by drilling out the blockage of the muted horn. When I did, it reminded me of some of the sound effects used on the old space movies of the early days of TV.
nice video, thanks. Al Kooper, when he sneaked into the recording sessions for Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", was grateful that the Hammond was already turned on and ready to go because he had no idea how to make this happen.
Thank you for the video. You look competent and passionate about music. Bravo.
You dont need to hold the start switch after you switch to run it loads the speed up and makes it longer trying to start i worked on these for over 30 yrs so hold start if room temp to count of 8 to 10 then switch on run let go of start your good these do need to be oiled occasionally since they are mechanical with special oil do not use 3 in one oil use Hammond oil
Thank you for your very detailed "tour" of the Sound of the '60's ...I worked in a recording studio...and we had a B3 with Leslie...I'm a guitarist but would fool around on the B3 when I had free time and the Boss was away...even helped a buddy do some harmonic sounds for a demo..enjoyed it very much I miss being able to sit and pretend I was playing along with Bob Dylan on Like a Rolling Stone...
Thank you for this clear informative video. Never seen such a good and simple video like this. I've never touched or seen a real Hammond B3 but listened to them _a lot_ . I knew roughly how they must be operated "for real", but now I feel like I really know how they work. :)
You don’t have to hold the switches that long after the run motor reaches speed.
Did you mention the synchronous motor speed is set by 60Hz? So it’s always in tune. (Except when you take your Hammond to Europe where they’re running at 50Hz. 🙁)
Not in this day and age. Solar grid feeds wreak havoc on the instantaneous value of the grid frequency.
@@godfreypoon5148 is this because of PWM rather than Sine wave AC?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! I watched the video carefully and you taught me a lot and I am grateful. I'm a fan of Hammond's sound, but I've never been close to one. A hug from Punta Arenas, Chile, in the extreme south of the world. I subscribed! ¡The best video 2018 I've seen, interesting and practical, well explained.
Thanks you for this very informative video! I started playing the organ in November of 2018. I don’t own one of these but my church and I hope to be the player of it one day !!!
Thanks for the tour! It's one of the fantastickest (!) sounding instruments ever and it's great to see a bit on how it works. I had the opportunity to see the great Jimmy Smith many years (30 or so) ago at the old Casino venue in Denver. Jimmy was great, of course, as is that Hammond sound - but wow, was that the weirdest show ever! The musicians must've had some great weed backstage! 😁
Thanks for posting!, You are a very sharp young man! Very interesting and informative! 😁
I'm with 'Everyone ' that prefers the Leslie sound. Many iconic instruments shine when used outside of their original intent: Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster. God created man in His image and likeness. We create/innovate.
My Uncle bought two in is lifetime. The best. And he could play well. Church organ music mostly.
I thank you VERY MUCH for your crash course on the Hammond B3 organ. I have run into a few organs that had this peculiar start system. You explained it better than other sites that I researched this through. Yep, I know all about attack, decay, sustain, and release (ADSR). Thank you for this video!
From John Nozum
A fellow organist
Super informative. You should of tossed in a little Barbara Dennerlein or Booker T. My Mom was a church organist...and I was able to play the large pipe organ a little after her practice. Your B3 brings back many pleasant memories.
Thanks for making the video.
Another Church Organist Son Here!!... it was that Leslie's huge 15" speaker and all those pedals with that huge bottom that made me take up playing bass at 13...im 60 and still thumpin my 4 string:) .. all the times id watch her start up those organs (Travis AFB had 3).. i knew what the start and run switches, and the Leslie speaker did, but Man is there SOO much more!!!
EXCELLENT tutorial!.. i learned : there is no "keyclick" setting....only a a variety of "percussion" settings to get that ever so familiar sound the likes of Rod Argent, and other Rock B-3 players have gotten over the years. Yes, the B-3 is highly prized in the rocknroll world, jazz too
Thanks again for the lesson :)
I just picked up a Leslie speaker up a couple days ago. Mine is type or model 147 which looks almost identical as yours, also without any type of reverb. And from the outside is absolutely identical. And I believe the specs are the same. The bass/woofer is the same size and I think identical brands. The magnet is shaped different so perhaps it’s the years made are different.
Mine needs some work but I can hardly wait.
Awesome! That was really informative! Will definitely enhance my perception of the next organ performance I'll hear. Thanks!
Thanks! Very informative, few people have explained all the features that you did. :)
Great video, always wanted to know how those work and you did it with all detail in 12 minutes, most guys on here would turn this into a 2 hrs boring, painful video. Thank you !
James thanks again for the video post. I am not a musician but I own a 1950's Hammond B3 with a Leslie 21H. Long story why I own one but thanks nonetheless for explaining what all those keys, buttons and draws are for. It needs a cleaning and a tune up soon so I needed to know the basics before committing to any expenses going forward. There is nothing like the sound of a B3 in the hands of an expert! Earl Van Dyke for an example. I look forward to learning more on some of your other videos.
Outstanding tutorial! Thank you.
Great instruction. I always wondered if all the sliders impacted every key. You helped to clarify many of my questions about the B3.
Glad I could help.
This is a great video. Also, you make being a complete nerd seem pretty cool. Power to you.
this is a great informative video. I wish I had seen it many years ago. as I had an older Hammond organ. but did not know how to play it. I was a younger student of lowrey organs. and am afast learner. also you are an awesome teacher.
Richard,
Thank you for following my channel. I have some videos coming up that I am very proud of both with the Hammond, and also a great many other subjects music related.
thanks I will be watching them. I have to sit and wread the manual for my lowrey legend. so I can be a better organist.
I'm not a musician, but I love kewl musical instruments! and that is sooo crazy cool! And such versatility! I had no idea thats how they worked! I love it! I always wondered about that classic percussion sound.
Informative, concise, easy to watch. Subscribed!
Thank you.
Thank you for doing this video. I have always wanted to know how the B3 worked. When I was younger, I played organ in several bands, but was never able to afford a Hammond B3. I did make my own leslie speaker though. But the B3 was always out of range. You brought it to me. Thanks.
Thanks for posting. I think the Hammonf B3 is the greatest instrument ever invented. I always wondered how it operates?
Dude, that was freaking awesome. I've visited a number of black churches over the years and had wondered how all that worked. Just got a puny Thomas 125 that used to belong to my in-laws as my wife has been wanting it for years. She wouldn't know how to handle a B3 and I really don't have a lot of musical talent otherwise I'd be on the hunt for one. Still fun to watch.
Wow! That was so informative. Beautiful sound. Always loved the B3. I reckon you can initially blame the legend that is Jon Lord. Lol! RIP Mister Lord... \m/
Really good video. I wish you talked a bit more about the fantastic Leslie speakers. They do more than just "sound like that"! And there's a lot of cool science stuff behind it, mostly involving the almighty Doppler effect. But overall, really good Hammond review!
Ml
Bryan A there’s another vid which is all about the Leslie cabs 👍
Fantastic video. Always wanted to know how the Hammond worked, especially the draw bars to make different sounds. The extra bonus was how to start the organ up - that is like starting a jet turbine engine! Gonna have a look at your other clip on the Leslie.
Thanks for the run through man, that's great. Just bought a B2 for the studio. I'm taking it to get it repaired and can't wait to record it!
Nice job, James. Quite informative for those who have never played a B3. From age 16 I played one in church for several years (and later a Yamaha electronic stage organ emulation). NOTHING compares to an actual B3 with the Leslie. BUT... all the comments about the weight are certainly true - not the best portable organ for gigging. Oh, many modern electronic simulations (including software-based) are remarkably realistic (and very usable and practical)... but nothing beats the sound--and the FEEL--of the real thing. But I would never want to haul one around.
Your videos are great overall. In this one you mentioned the drawbars as "fundamental, sub-fundamental," etc. Perhaps even demonstrate what that means: draw the first white drawbar ("fundamental" / 8' pitch in pipe organ-speak), add the octave above with your finger, then draw the second drawbar out (which adds the octave above [4' pitch in pipe organs]. Add an octave above that (2'), and then the final white drawbar (1'). Those in between are mutations (10ths, 17th, etc); those below are sub-octaves and mutations. The beauty of the Hammond system was nearly infinite combinations of how to use those combinations to create sonic colors and shades. I love the sound and feel of a Hammond!
That being said, it never did compete with--or sound like--a true pipe organ. ;-)
No. Harmonic Interval Footage Color
1 Sub-Fundamental Sub-Octave 16' Brown
2 Sub-Third Sub-Third 5 1/3' Brown
3 Fundamental Unison 8' White
4 2nd Harmonic Octave 4' White
5 3rd Harmonic Twelfth 2 2/3' Black
6 4th Harmonic Fifteenth 2' White
7 5th Harmonic Seventeenth 1 3/5' Black
8 6th Harmonic Nineteenth 1 1/3' Black
9 8th Harmonic Twenty-Second 1' White
Beautiful Hammond! The Lady sounds great!
Great tour of the B3. Thanks!
Very informative! I finally found my dream keyboard (B3) a year ago. I noticed at the beginning of the video a KORG SV1. I just bought one a couple months ago and just love it! Putting it on top of the Hammond with some straddlers! :)
I have a Korg SV1, too! It's an awesome keyboard, I'll be doing a comparison between it and a Kawai MP11 soon, stay tuned for that!
I play a B3 clone in a band, and was aware of a lot of this info, but I still learned even more from you today. Thanks for sharing. Will watch your other videos now 🎹😁🎹
thank you for the great video and thanks for the memories (1970's).. I am not a keyboard player but was in a successful band that had a great keyboardist ... after we set up p.a. equipmment , guitar amps, my drums, etc we turned our attention to a B3 with two leslies.. after that we had to muster up the energy to play a 4-5 hour gig.. it was well worth the effort... there is no finer sound the a be playing through a leslie.. a whiter shade of pale never sounded better !! cheers !!
If you want another fun fact, Donald Leslie hated Hammond organs (the speaker was also compatible with other organs as well), despite demonstrating them for the creator of the organ, which refused to market it. Another thing was that Leslie never advertised the speaker, its marketing was all result of organist Bob Mitchell using it when he became the organist for the MBS radio.
Thank you for giving the history. Very informative.
Excellent lecture. Quite educational.
I have played besides B3 players a fair amount (blues/R&B) but never knew the details of the setup. Very cool. Must be an electro-mechanical nightmare but what a joy. Thanks
Great video, very informative. I'm a keyboardist and play a number of keyboards with B3/Leslie simulations, but I was clueless about how to operate a real Hammond B3. I have a studio session tomorrow and may be asked to play an actual B3. This video will definitely help me avoid making a fool of myself. Thank you! :)
I use to play one of these back in the late 60s. It use to be used by the Young Rascals at the Barge disco in Westhampton NY. We had to move it a couple of times, what a job. I think it weigh about 400 pounds but it had a nice sound to it.
Awesome! So awesome. I say this your best tips video ever! Wow that a jewel of an instrument!
Very kind of you to say!
Thanks for this post! Grateful for TH-cam!