nadroj

A couple of band mates and I have been doing a little bit of session work in a studio we rehearse and record at. Usually just to put basic tracks down for amateur singer/songwriters without a band of their own. It’s a nice side gig that pays okay for what it is. We got offered a job to record some 80s covers for a chap we’d recorded some originals with before. I’d never met him, but he seemed switched on. The night before recording we met with the guy to run through structures and make sure he was happy before we went to record without him the next day. We’d done our homework and all went well. Towards the end of the rehearsal he turned to me and said “so obviously I want those orchestral parts in; I’ll do a guitar solo over those once you’ve recorded them.” I was a bit taken aback. The songs were keys heavy anyways without the orchestral parts. I’d learnt the main keys parts plus the extra motifs and runs, but hadn’t orchestrated it all - these were 80s/90s ballads, with French Horns, oboes, trumpets, trombones, orchestrated string sections, etc - far more than your usual brass patch or string part you’d play in a live setting. What had been communicated to us was that he wanted us to do the tracks, and then “put our own spin on them”. That didn’t end up happening - turns out he wanted us to do the tracks almost identical to the originals, with an extra drum track or two added in. Anyways, we recorded the next day and all went well. Three tracks, with keys and several overdubbed parts - but not the orchestral stuff. I said I’d add them in later using software at home if the producer wanted and he said fine, but then he said that if if the client really wants the brass parts as they are he should hire in a brass section - those parts shouldn’t be on me. The next day I sent a couple of extra overdubs I’d been asked to do, then when I asked about all of the orchestral parts the producer said “I have everything I need - don’t worry about the rest. Great job.” It’s thus far worked out fine, but the drummer joked “I’ll be pissed if he holds off payment because he can’t hear an oboe”. I don’t think he will - the producer is good at seeing us get paid, and is very much on our side as the buffer between us and the client. I’m used to being expected to cover subsidised orchestral parts in a covers band, but am now not sure what’s expected of me in a studio setting. Is that stuff usually on the keyboard player? Again, this is a nice novelty gig for us that we’re getting better at - I’m still learning the ins and outs of working as a hired gun in a studio setting. I think communication is key here. Next time should I just ask well in advance “I noticed there are some orchestral parts in your demo/source track - what do you want done with them?”

As of March my ska/reggae/funk band are out almost every week until the end of the year, and I want to try something different for my solos this time around. I’ve been on a bit of a reggae kick recently and have been enjoying the melodic wah clav work in some of Marley’s songs - particularly some of the more melodic solos. Want to incorporate some of that in our set if and when I get thrown a solo. Switch it up from the usual organ. Thankfully the SKX actually has some pretty nice wah clav patches in it, with decent edit-ability. Needing inspiration though - can anyone suggest some good wah clav solos/tunes where wah clav plays a prominent role? Doesn’t have to be reggae! Note: NOT whammy clav please, as I can’t pitch bend on the SKX 😅

If Korg updated their organs, maybe them. Otherwise Yamaha or Nord. But since I can’t do cool, stylish jazz fusion wankery videos it probably wouldn’t be Nord since that’s all that they seem to promote with their endorsers. If they did, though: - Stage 4 (76) - Stage 4 (SW73) - Wave 2 If Yamaha: -YC 61 OR 73 - Montage M6 - An Upright of some kind. I’d have to do a month of research/playtesting to decide.

Bright Grand (small) from the Nord sample library when I used the Nord. Cut through better (while also sounding fuller)!than any other “good” piano I’ve had. Nowadays: the standard piano in the Hammond SKX. Not detailed but cuts through as well as the above Nord. I use detailed pianos for recording, but for cutting over 3 brass and electric instruments the simplest, brightest works the best.

For me it’s a given that I’m not going to hear myself or even have a good playing experience at festival gigs. Unless it’s a big festival with monitors out the ears and a dedicated monitor tech at the side of the stage, that is. Those gigs are less sucky. With festival gigs we just put on a smile, get on stage and embrace the chaos. It is what it is. Can’t hear yourself? Cool, neither can anyone else. Hands freezing? Hah, me too. Crowd too far away/dead/can’t hear? Not my problem. Pain in the arse load in? Standard. (Unless you land one of those festivals where they give you a bus from the trailer to the stage 😄). Sound man grumpy and unsympathetic? I would be too. He’s had a way worse day than me. I’ll cut him whatever slack he needs. There’s no room for divas or even basic standards at festival/street party gigs in my experience. That’s part of what makes them fun. Waiting around 4 hours sucks. $50 sucks. But both of those things are part and parcel of festival gigs. Those things are both part of the experience. Setting up and tearing down your gear twice isn’t unusual. Nor is leaving it backstage for 4 hours if you have the luxury of doing that. I’ve done huge events where I had to soundcheck in the morning, drive home and then come back 12 hours later to play. That was a big enough gig for it to warrant the extra time, but I would hate to do it somewhere too far to drive home. Anyways, your band mates didn’t sound like they were the nicest or most sympathetic bunch. At the same time though, part of me thinks you should have just sucked up the setting up - especially if it was a single board rig. Not that that warrants your bandmate saying that about your gear (try telling a guitarist you don’t care about HIS gear…). The thing that would have thrown me is the 4 hour wait and the crappy pay, and I can understand your frustrations there. Given that info beforehand, I would point blank refuse the gig - unless it was big enough for them to give me booze and a bus!

Semi-weighted is my favourite for live work (particularly waterfall) though I'll practice on both weighted and semi-weighted at home. There are some tunes I play live where I'd love a weighted board, but it's not worth the extra schelp for me just now. If my hammond dies I'd be looking at a weighted/semi-weighted live setup. I grew up playing a mini-piano that essentially had semi-weighted keys. First time I touched a real grand piano with real, heavy weighted keys I almost shit myself. I struggled doing piano exams on them at college. I can play nice notes, but I struggle to get nuance out of a real piano. So I'm in this weird place where I'm not really a pianist, and also not an organist, but not a synth player either.

I’ve got a good Dracula GIF lined up but it will only make sense if people know my original avatar…

My thread was first (posted literally seconds after the page went live) and had copied excerpts from the official page, as well as an embedded YouTube video. It was as good as you like. But then someone went and Behringered my thread. Now I can’t afford to feed my kids. Thanks, everyone. As the old saying goes: “Nadroj - everything else is just a clone.” Anyways, my Nord Stage 4 thread is still going strong. And the other ones.

OP’s gonna realise none of this matters anyways when he’s thrown on a tiny stage with a band so loud that anything not 888888888 doesn’t cut through.

The pianos are little different to the small “bright grand” I had in my Nord Electro. The only time it’s noticeable is when I’m playing solo exposed piano, but chances are if you’re buying a dual manual clonewheel you aren’t doing much of that. For a band context, the SKX (not pro) piano does the job imo. But again I’m not exactly playing subtle piano parts. I’ve actually recorded a couple of ballads with it and it was…ok. The intended listeners didn’t notice it was a clonewheel piano!

I’ve been saying this for a while. The consensus seems to be the market is too small/potential consumers too niche. I ultimately went with the SKX and it’s been great for me. 3 part organ and ROMpler.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we started seeing more modular keyboards like the Viscount Legend 70s. Pick your size, pick your keybed, pick which modules you want, pick which specs you want and have it shipped to you. Kinda like when you have a car or PC built for you based on specs. It would be a manufacturing nightmare of course…

I’m not in the market for this, but it sounds like they’ve fixed everything that made me not like the MODX: - the editing interface looks much improved. - their best pianos are finally one part. The sheer number of multi-part single tones made editing simple things like effects and filters such a damn chore. - an actual synth engine! - the rotary speaker. I’m encouraged to see they’ve actually made it their flagship - the best CP/YC pianos and rotary effects are included. If you buy the most expensive flagship you SHOULD get the best sounds imo.

He isn’t my cup of tea - not melodic enough for my tastes. However he’s an excellent performer, musician and a modern champion of the Hammond, and I’ll be the first in line to buy tickets if he ever comes up my way.

This 100%. In my current band a dual manual clone is probably my best option. In future if I’m ever in a more generalised band, I’ll want good organ regardless (definitely something a step up from a workstation organ), but probably won’t want to take a redundant clonewheel. In such a case, something small and light like the M-Solo would never leave my rig, regardless of what was below it.

My team are gonna go do a midnight raid on the dfcas thread later tonight. You’re welcome to join!

Well this came out of nowhere. Seems to be designed as a dedicated 2nd tier board. From the website: - Smallest and Lightest Genuine Hammond EVER! - Classic B-3 Tone•Classic B-3 Feel -Virtual Multi-Contact Keyboard -Authentic Digital LESLIE™ -Chorus-Vibrato and Percussion -3 Vintage Combo Organ Models -Twin-Oscillator Polyphonic Synth -70’s-Style String Ensemble -Pitch-Bend/Effects Button -Programmable Patch Memory Buttons -Available in Black and Burgundy Doesn’t look like it has waterfall keys. https://hammondorganco.com/msolo?fbclid=IwAR1g4FEc_mYnRweshT7NDTxD4Z8W0WCzNLNh-f-jkwqeiNbRzOpRukFhxpQ

YC rotary I think. If it’s 8 sliders instead of 9 my hopes aren’t that high that they’ve made organ a focus.

Got me a nice new XL backpack to carry my cables, pedals and gig clothes. Also ordered myself a new stand - best bang for buck I could find, and reviews seem good. First time trying a tabletop stand. Will report back…

FYI, Fosters is brewed in Manchester, UK where it is owned by Heineken, and in the US it is brewed in Texas. The Australian thing is marketing gibberish, as it’s about as Australian as my left foot.

"Love Story" was a fun song when I was younger. I stopped listening until "Shake it Off" came out, which again, I thought was fun. Then I heard "Style" on the radio while coming back from a playing a gig and bought "1989" as soon as I got home. I was a fan by the end of the album. When she surprised released "Folklore" and then "Evermore" they went on constant rotation in our house. I think my wife played Evermore for like 4 months straight. Someone said earlier that she's probably the best we could ever ask for in terms of a 2023 Pop Artist, and I'm inclined to agree. If every artist treated their crew like she did the whole industry would be better off for it.

2 tracks that make me cringe the least from our first album 😁 Some more upbeat ones on there too, but I like these.

The more I think about it the more I like it - there are a tonne of weighted bottom boards that do synth well (or at least rudimentary), but not organ. There are so few organ boards (especially with waterfall actions) that have pitch/mod wheels, and so few boards with pitch mod wheels that do organ well. An organ only top board with good midi capability AND pitch/mod wheels means it’ll sit nicely above almost anything modern that does bread and butter+ basic synth stuff and, with a bit of setup, could give you a rig that covers all of your bases.

For years (years) I spent so much time gassing after new boards. Didn’t matter if my rig had enough firepower to invade China, I was always coveting something else. It’s been six months now since I bought my SKX and I haven’t had the slightest urge to look at anything else. My time is just spent…playing music, and gear is a non-issue. I don’t even click on links for new boards now. I’ve literally not felt like this since I started buying my own gear. Anyone else ever get like this? How long did it last? I’m a millennial and also Scottish, so I get suspicious every time I feel a whiff of happiness, contentment or satisfaction.

Genuine question: aside from MIDI uses (and emulating the power-off trick), can anyone who’d be using this organ only board give me a reason why they’d use the pitch/mod wheels? If mod is assignable that makes sense, but wondering if anyone would actually use the pitch bend in an organ setting? I could genuinely see myself using it on organ when playing live, but I’m weird. For some folks pitch bending a rhodes is a sin, let alone organ. Not complaining - I love that it has them and wish more boards where it doesn’t “make sense” would add them!