The Hammond B3

January 26, 2008 8:19 PM

"There are literally millions of tone qualities and endless shades of dynamic level available on the Hammond organ."

Previously.
Also.
And.
Wait!
There's more!

posted by Floydd (20 comments total)

I could go on...
and on...
posted by Floydd at 8:29 PM on January 26, 2008 [1 favorite]

But who was this Hammond fellow?
posted by TwelveTwo at 8:35 PM on January 26, 2008

and I almost forgot: the Leslie Speaker.

On preview, The Laurens Hammond Story.
posted by Floydd at 8:37 PM on January 26, 2008

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTMXtJvFV6E
posted by martinrebas at 8:49 PM on January 26, 2008

Fine post! Love the B3 demonstration clip from Ezra Buford (the "and on..." link) but I wish he'd shown us a lot more about the drawbars and how they change the sounds. There's also this, though, from the same Ezra: some churchified organ artistry that shows a lot of drawbar action.

While we're at it, let's pay Booker T a little visit! And hey, there he is again! (great shots of Al Jackson, Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn in that 2nd link.)

Psst! Hey Floydd! Add the musicalinstrument tag and join the legions of us here at MeFi who use it!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:55 PM on January 26, 2008

Thanks, flapjax, I've added the tag. I've never been part of a legion before.
I still feel like I buried the damned lede, even though I found the Ezra Buford clip after I'd posted.
posted by Floydd at 9:14 PM on January 26, 2008

Oops. Here's that 2nd Booker T link.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:14 PM on January 26, 2008

This brought back memories. My grandmother had a Hammon (not sure if it was the B3). I used to "play" it as a kid. It's what got me interested in the piano.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 9:28 PM on January 26, 2008

Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond ironically did not play a Hammond.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:49 PM on January 26, 2008

We've actually got a T-500 that a friend gave us that I need to clean the connectors on this spring (the Leslie is a little loud when it rotates and doesn't have the horns, but it's still pretty damn cool) sitting in the garage. I'm also planning on pulling the Rhythm III machine at some point, but that can wait a bit.
posted by sleepy pete at 10:07 PM on January 26, 2008

Here's a little Barbara Dennerlein.
posted by Wolof at 10:59 PM on January 26, 2008

There is nothing better than a Hammond Organism. Except perhaps beating a wanky Jazz bassist to death with the hardcase top of one.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 2:32 AM on January 27, 2008

Except perhaps beating a wanky Jazz bassist to death with the hardcase top of one.

I see the usual emotional tone deafness prevails. Good for you.
posted by Wolof at 3:19 AM on January 27, 2008

Hammond also designed the synchronous (Telechron) clock, which, if you have one in your home (there might be one in your electric range, and I haveone in my HQ-180AC receiver), is probably the most accurate timekeeper you will ever own. This is because it bases its motion on the AC waveform, which must be regulated super-accurately so different power companies on the grid don't fight each other's power. Cycles are counted so carefully, in fact, that in a group of a few dozen in one area, the cycle count might be accurate to a few parts per BILLION over a 24 hour period (though within that period it might fluctuate slightly). Once, I thought quartz was an amazing timekeeper, but when I learned this, I was truly amazed. Suddenly, I have great respect for that little clock in my oven. (Other clocks that count cycles such as some digitals also benefit from the AC waveform.)
posted by SteelyDuran at 4:28 AM on January 27, 2008 [1 favorite]

Four Hammond B3s playing The Cat, including Paul Shaffer, Doug Riley, Joey DeFrancesco and my man Dr. Lonnie Smith.

And a bonus taste of Dr. Lonnie Smith, the hardest working turban wearer in show biz.
posted by jhiggy at 6:43 AM on January 27, 2008

With all the respect to the R&B organ players, here's another take on it that really truly righteously ROCKS.
posted by Ber at 8:59 AM on January 27, 2008

On the one hand, the B3 + Leslie costs several thousand bucks and weighs several hundred pounds, and could be so easily replaced, and then some, by any modern keyboard.

On the other hand the B3 + Leslie is just so bad-ass!!
posted by LordSludge at 11:46 AM on January 27, 2008

If you were a keyboard player in the early Seventies in a rock and soul band, you either played a Fender Rhodes or a B3. They were both heavy suckers (you kids on my lawn have no idea, with your little programmable thingamajiggies), but the B3 was the true heavyweight, of course. I wimped out with a Fender Rhodes 73 (or 76?)
posted by kozad at 12:11 PM on January 27, 2008

I really love the sound of a B3. When I was a kid I always wanted one.
posted by mike3k at 12:37 PM on January 27, 2008

Neat post. All I have to add is that I really like this song, which as far as I can tell uses a Hammond of some sort.
posted by Drexen at 8:58 AM on January 28, 2008