Paul Harrison

When KeyboardPartner introduced version 3.6 of HX3, they advised that an update from version 3.5 to 3.6 "makes little sense" because "3.6 offers no sound advantage" but "is just a result of the fact that we were forced to switch to other FPGA chips" because of supply problems.

This refers to the "foldback" technique used in the vintage Hammond console organs. To produce all the tones required for every note on the keyboards and pedalboard on a Hammond organ using every drawbar from 16' to 1' would require a tone generator with 109 tonewheels; however, for practical reasons (size/weight/cost), a smaller number of tonewheels was used in later models (91 in the B3), and special "foldback" wiring was used for the lowest and highest drawbars at the low and high ends of the keyboards, to substitute ("fold back") the missing tones from a higher or lower octave. At the bass end, this means that when you play the lowest two octaves on the keyboards, the 8' drawbar tone goes all the way down, but the 16' drawbar tone (which normally sounds an octave lower) is wired to repeat ("fold back") the tones from the second octave when you play the bottom octave, because the tone generator does not have the tonewheels that would be required to produce the next octave down. In fact, the tone generator in later models (such as the B3) does have tonewheels for the next octave down, as needed for the pedalboard, but in these models the tonewheels used for the pedals are shaped to produce a "complex" waveform that is brighter than the "pure" waveform produced by the tonewheels used for the keyboards; hence the use of foldback with the 16' drawbar at the low end of the keyboard to limit the pure tones to the keyboards, and the complex tones to the pedals. However, as Lee Michaels notes, older models such as the A did not have foldback there (because their tone generators used the same tonewheel shape, and thus produced the same "pure" waveform, for all notes), and consequently on these models when you play the lowest two octaves on the keyboards, the 16' drawbar tone goes down an octave lower than on later models such as the B3. As you note, the "30s" organ sample on the Viscount Legend has no foldback on the 16' drawbar, with a "pure" waveform all the way down (because it is based on the BC, with the earlier tone generator). The HX3 engine (as used in MAG organs) also has a "16' Drawbar Foldback Mode" option whereby this behaviour can be enabled or disabled, but with a "complex" waveform for the lowest octave (because it is based on the B3, with the later tone generator).

The usual drawbar setting for this song is 68 8600 000 with percussion On, Soft, Slow, Second; vibrato off; Leslie slow. I've played this many times, and the percussion makes a subtle but significant difference. Note that the Hammond organ's "touch response" percussion only triggers on detached notes, and when you play in a legato way as Matthew Fisher mostly does in this song, the percussion doesn't sound on every note but does add a punch to the beginning of phrases and other detached notes; for example, on the very first note of the organ solo at the start of the song. Fisher played a Hammond M100 on the original 1967 recording. In this case, he plays fairly legato throughout, and the percussion is not very prominent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA Here's a live performance from 2004 with him playing it on a Hammond B3. He still plays the organ solo (at the start and between the verses) mostly legato, but he plays the backing part (behind the vocal during the verses) more detached, and the percussion is more prominent here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQyFixb54JU Note also that the second harmonic (often favoured by British players; e.g., Brian Auger's 88 8330 000 with percussion On, Soft, Fast, Second; vibrato C3; Leslie stop) doesn't jump out as much as the third harmonic does (e.g., as in the classic Jimmy Smith jazz setting 88 8000 000 with percussion On, Soft, Fast or Slow, Third; vibrato C3; Leslie stop). BTW the full title is "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and is usually abbreviated "AWSOP".

MAG offer standard or light springs as an option. I opted for light springs on my MAG C2, and it feels fine. (Back in the day I owned a new Hammond B3, and since then I have owned a Hammond XK3c and XK1c, and a Legend Solo. They all felt fine to me, and I soon got used to them all.)

Here's producer Jay Graydon describing how the recording was done: One thing that is easy for the listener to forget when hearing the group sing is that while they make what they do seem easy, the songs are often difficult. Their talent makes it look easy – an example is “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square,” which was arranged by Gene Puerling and won the “Best Vocal Arrangement” Grammy in 1981. Jay says, “One of the most difficult things to do is to get four people to sing in tune with no pitch reference. This song posed such a problem. What we ended up doing was to have the Transfer sing down the song without “punching in” for a “guide track” and without worrying about finite pitch problems as to just have a good feeling guide. They could barely hear this track in the earphones when doing the performances to different tracks and it was used mostly for “phrase starts” and when to take a breath as well as a slight pitch reference. I would then have them sing the song all the way down about 20 times on different tracks and I would keep notes on each line with a grade scale of 1 to 10. 9 and 10 scores are keeper lines. After the 20 performances, I looked at my notes and had the group repair trouble spots by punching in and out on many tracks. After about 8 hours, I had all the necessary elements to ‘combine’ all the performances to one master track. This process took about another 8 hours to ‘bounce’ as to achieve a seamless master track without any noticable ‘punches.’ A day later, the group started the process again for ‘the double.’ This time, they heard the combine much louder in the earphones as to tune up to it. 20 tracks again under the conditions mentioned above. The next day, a few solo vocals were added. The Transfer work very hard to achieve good pitch and feel. This method of ‘no pitch guide’ is rare.” Jay also added “If you try to play piano or whatever along with the track, the pitch center will drift, but very pleasantly,” in what he refers to as “ear candy land.” https://manhattantransfer.net/discography/mecca-for-moderns/ Here's a live performance:

Here's a classic a cappella recording where you can hear "on-the-fly" microtonal adjustments to make the harmony "spot on".

- Larry Goldings (organ) with Peter Bernstein (guitar) and Bill Stewart (drums) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8A0V60teBI - Larry Goldings (organ) with John Scofield (guitar) and Greg Hutchinson (drums) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-CNMqLc1g4 - Dan Hemmer (organ) with Michael Blicher (sax, flute) and Steve Gadd (drums) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89L9-HJFG2I

Dudley Moore is one of my favourites. He is sometimes lyrical, sometimes funky, but always inventive, and he really swings but with a relaxed feel echoing his hero Erroll Garner. This album, recorded in 1971 while his trio were on a tour of Australia, during which I saw them in concert and met him backstage, is one of my favourites.

The Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation (founded by Manji Suzuki in 1953) isn't connected to the Suzuki Motor Corporation (founded by Michio Suzuki in 1909) ... same name, different company.

Larry Goldings on time Maceo Parker with Larry Goldings - Maceo Parker (alto), Pee Wee Ellis (tenor), Fred Wesley (trombone), Allan Jaffe (guitar), Larry Goldings (organ), Bill Stewart (drums)

"Take Five" was written by saxophonist Paul Desmond when he was with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and first appeared on their 1959 album "Time Out". The lyrics that Al Jarreau sings to this tune were written by Dave Brubeck's wife, Iola, and were first recorded by Carmen McRae in 1962. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNWsr6N72yQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP9-iqsSyHo&list=PLcvZ5KmI-bv5w0Vt4UHLCH91whMTGEiaZ