Hammond B3

[tj]

I know that Rolie played the Hammond B3 organ in Santana and Journey. Is he still playing it now? If so, do they still make vaccuum tubes for those things? Also, couldn't you get an almost identical sound out of a synthesizer?

[CatEyes]

I really love the B3

I am by no means a musician or a keyboard player, however I don't think a synthesizer could really do justice to the tremolo of built-in Leslies.

Cat

[squirt1]

Boston plays a newer keyboard. It sounded like a B-3. It is in a vid on YouTube. I assume Tom wants the best. It must have been thousands. Maybe he invented it and added it to his 52 patents !

[stevew2]

I play keys and have a {okay sound} on my Yamaha Motief.I even have a pedal to simulate a leisle swith to make the speaker on fast. But... there is nothing like a B3,and a big ass leslie Like Gregg plays.That fucker could make it talk.They still make vacume tubes,and any damn thing you need for a leslie. The main about the Hammond was the tremole on slow while the Leslie was on slow at the same time. Check out Steve Winwood stuff.That fucker could make that chessy organ talk.Gregg was a master of the Hammond

[larryfromnextdoor]

i jammed the other day with a guy that had a leslie.. i know nothing about them.. but it sounded fantastic!! his grill was busted,,watched those horns spinning around in the case.. really cool stuff..

[stevew2]

Any good organ sound only came out of a Leslie. back in the day. Santana had one at Woodstock via Gregg Rolie. The Doors never used one,thats why it sounded clean but circus like after awile. Deep Purple, and Boston used the shit out of Leslie Organ speakers, so did the Dead, Allman brothers etc.If you ever heard "Whiter Shade of Pale", that is the best display of a Hammond B3 with a Leslie. Or a solo ,Green Onions,or Time is Tight ,with Booker T and The MGs.I sold mine 7 years ago,It broke my heart, but i had to make room for a baby grand piano. Get online and they are selling used ones for big bucks.i miss the shit out of mine.i can still see that horn spinning around.I used the bottom section to hide my booze,that was the most usefull advantage of having my Leslie!!lol

[larryfromnextdoor]

.I used the bottom section to hide my booze,that was the most usefull advantage of having my Leslie!!lol

thats a lot of weight for such little pleasure...

[stevew2]

It was alot of pleasure ,damn i miss that fucker now.Listen to Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton,you can hear that leslie spinning around, That organ makes that song

[larryfromnextdoor]

It was alot of pleasure ,damn i miss that fucker now.Listen to Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton,you can hear that leslie spinning around, That organ makes that song

i never noticed that! all i hear is the guitar.. what about inagodadivida? is that a leslie ?

[stevew2]

No, he used the same keys as The Doors.It would have been better ,but that was a classic sound at the time.The B3 and leslies really came out from the black churches.

[stevew2]

Listen to Hold your Head Up by Argent, or Give Me Some Lovin by Spencer Davis Group:Steve Winwood} That organ cranks

[larryfromnextdoor]

No, he used the same keys as The Doors.It would have been better ,but that was a classic sound at the time.The B3 and leslies really came out from the black churches.

wow.. this is good stuff to know... that sound seems to be dead with the new music scene .. can you imagine watching leno and a new band of youngsters with guitar solos and organ solos and sound? that would be great!!! old school rock and blues... unbeatable..

[stevew2]

That would be cool..I havent seen Lettermean in years , but Paul Shaffer always used a Hammond with a leslie.He would play some cheesy fill sometimes. if you listen close, you will hear alot of that organ sound even in new music{other than rap,that doesent even count}

[CatEyes]

I play keys and have a {okay sound} on my Yamaha Motief.I even have a pedal to simulate a leisle swith to make the speaker on fast. But... there is nothing like a B3,and a big ass leslie Like Gregg plays.That fucker could make it talk.They still make vacume tubes,and any damn thing you need for a leslie. The main about the Hammond was the tremole on slow while the Leslie was on slow at the same time. Check out Steve Winwood stuff.That fucker could make that chessy organ talk.Gregg was a master of the Hammond

"Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"

[CatEyes]

Listen to Hold your Head Up by Argent, or Give Me Some Lovin by Spencer Davis Group:Steve Winwood} That organ cranks

I may faint !!! Throw in Gary Brooker from Procul Harum (imagine a B3/built-in Leslies AND Robin Trower on guitar)

The keys used by the Doors and others just sounded so tinny to me - we called it the "Farfisa Whine" - it's like the difference between the sound of a pc keyboard and a mac keyboard ---- i love Macs but the keyboards sound like they are from "Toys R Us"

Leslies added a depth that reached the soul.

Cat

[stevew2]

Whiter Shade of Pale is the ultimate B3 organ song

[CatEyes]

Whiter Shade of Pale is the ultimate B3 organ song

**head bowed - hand over heart**

**s-i-g-h-**

No one does this stuff today .........

It is not just the sound alone that I miss so much about the music, it is the challange of the brain and the touch on the soul.

**passes bong**

[NealIsGod]

Whiter Shade of Pale is the ultimate B3 organ song

**head bowed - hand over heart**

**s-i-g-h-**

No one does this stuff today .........

It is not just the sound alone that I miss so much about the music, it is the challange of the brain and the touch on the soul.

**passes bong**

**takes bong from Cat**

True dat, Cat. Now put on side 1 of Dark Side.

[CatEyes]

Whiter Shade of Pale is the ultimate B3 organ song

**head bowed - hand over heart**

**s-i-g-h-**

No one does this stuff today .........

It is not just the sound alone that I miss so much about the music, it is the challange of the brain and the touch on the soul.

**passes bong**

**takes bong from Cat**

True dat, Cat. Now put on side 1 of Dark Side.

My pleasure, Niggy

[CatEyes]

ok guys - I just had to do it

WSP from 1967 ..... so the video isn't the best - even so there is no denying the sound of the Leslies (and Robin Trower looks like he is 12 yrs old)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbWULu5_ ... ed&search=

A more contemporary version - again, the Leslies cannot be denied - and amazingly Brooker's voice still sounds the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fzvncn54Oo

the poster's comments about the clip:

Wonderful contemporary live performance, with great audio and camera work. This song really showcases the haunting and unmistakable sound of the extremely versatile Hammond B3 organ. Coupled with the Leslie speaker, it was the mainstay of many early rock groups. Not only could it be haunting, but it could blow the roof off too. See my posting of "Born To Be Wild", by Steppenwolf, for an example of the B3 blowin' the doors off.

The above-mention "Born to be Wild" - the Leslies drive it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8nEJ2BdJhM

and finally

WSP by Annie Lennox
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRL0rKkR ... ed&search=

I love Annie Lennox - love her vocal range, her phrasing, her choice of material -- so here she is doing one of my favorite songs in the Universe and yet it is missing something.

Can you guess?

Yep - the Hammond B3 with built-in Leslies

Thanks for this thread guys and allowing me to play ...... usually when I get excited about this stuff, most people just - and those are my friends

Cat

[stevew2]

I good wood when I heard that Leslie spinning on Born To Be Wild. Playing on them fuckers is almost like making love.By the way B3 s didnt have built in Leslies, The Leslie was a separte speacker cabinet,although some other Hammonds especially for home use, did have built in Leislies {sort of} Nothing like the real deal though

[CatEyes]

I good wood when I heard that Leslie spinning on Born To Be Wild. Playing on them fuckers is almost like making love.By the way B3 s didnt have built in Leslies, The Leslie was a separte speacker cabinet,although some other Hammonds especially for home use, did have built in Leislies {sort of} Nothing like the real deal though

some of my friends back in the days did have built in leslies ...... and they were not for home use ....... played many an arena



or were they built in bongs????? Sometimes it does get blurry

[Liquid_Drummer]

Can I get an amen for the Mellotron ! I love the B3's too and that Deep Purple distored sound like at the begining of their song Perfect Strangers just rolls my joint !

[stevew2]

And the live into to Lazy

[G.I.Jim]

I play keys and have a {okay sound} on my Yamaha Motief.I even have a pedal to simulate a leisle swith to make the speaker on fast. But... there is nothing like a B3,and a big ass leslie Like Gregg plays.That fucker could make it talk.They still make vacume tubes,and any damn thing you need for a leslie. The main about the Hammond was the tremole on slow while the Leslie was on slow at the same time. Check out Steve Winwood stuff.That fucker could make that chessy organ talk.Gregg was a master of the Hammond

Hey stevew2,

I hate to be anal here, but as a keyboardist I've got to correct you...It's spelled "Motif", not "Motief". I have 2, and they're my favorite boards, so I HAD to say something! As far as the Hammond sound goes, there are a few boards out there (Korg CX-3 to name one) that do a great job simulating the Hammond. To get the true effect though, you really would need to invest in a good leslie speaker. There's nothing "exactly" like the Hammond sound, but they're getting pretty damn close!

Jim

[ProgRocker53]

The Hammond B3 is my all-time favorite rock instrument, seriously.

Any good rock song with a warm organ, and ten bonus points to those with a solo, is automatically a favorite of mine.

Surprisingly a few newer rock bands are trying to bring back the organ.. Wolfmother being the first one I can think of right off.

[Rick]

The Hammond B3 is my all-time favorite rock instrument, seriously.

Any good rock song with a warm organ, and ten bonus points to those with a solo, is automatically a favorite of mine.

Surprisingly a few newer rock bands are trying to bring back the organ.. Wolfmother being the first one I can think of right off.

I don't understand why you never see brass in bands anymore. I thought the old Chicago was awesome. That brass section was so great. To me anyway.

[ProgRocker53]

I love some well-placed brass in a good song. Chicago's horn section is just legendary, aren't they the ones that perform horns on all of Toto's songs with brass?

[Rick]

I love some well-placed brass in a good song. Chicago's horn section is just legendary, aren't they the ones that perform horns on all of Toto's songs with brass?

Not sure, but I was just listening to Van Morrisons "Days Like This". That's exactly what I'm talking about. Those horns sound so good.

[stevew2]

I play keys and have a {okay sound} on my Yamaha Motief.I even have a pedal to simulate a leisle swith to make the speaker on fast. But... there is nothing like a B3,and a big ass leslie Like Gregg plays.That fucker could make it talk.They still make vacume tubes,and any damn thing you need for a leslie. The main about the Hammond was the tremole on slow while the Leslie was on slow at the same time. Check out Steve Winwood stuff.That fucker could make that chessy organ talk.Gregg was a master of the Hammond

Hey stevew2,

I hate to be anal here, but as a keyboardist I've got to correct you...It's spelled "Motif", not "Motief". I have 2, and they're my favorite boards, so I HAD to say something! As far as the Hammond sound goes, there are a few boards out there (Korg CX-3 to name one) that do a great job simulating the Hammond. To get the true effect though, you really would need to invest in a good leslie speaker. There's nothing "exactly" like the Hammond sound, but they're getting pretty damn close!

Jim

i know my spelling is fucked up,I had a leslie for 25 years,but it was to heavy to tote around with my Keyboards and my keyboard amp,Then I finally got my dream .A grand piano.The leslie had to go.I had to decide between an organ speaker,or a grand piano,i sold that fucker in 2 weeks,i miss it, but there aint nothing like my grand.