Old No7

Like many here (or so I've read), after graduating from college, getting married and starting a family and "real" career, I got away from -- yes, perhaps "too far away from" (in hindsight...) -- live music and performing with rock bands until the last few years when I picked it up again and invested in newer -- and much lighter! -- equipment. Sure, I occasionally jammed with friends or other musicians, but nothing like what I did the other night. Having the desire to "get back out there again", I linked up with a local non-profit "School of Rock" type program and joined an adult rock band with two others, a guitarist and a drummer. We didn't have a bass player or vocalist sign up, so our instructor played bass for us (you can see him in the shadows of one image), and by default I sang lead vocals -- and I have not sung much over the last 40+ years either! (And it showed on week 1, but I sure did a lot of vocal exercises and singing over the last 9 weeks.) For only playing together as a band that many times (9), our band "Perfect Strangers" closed out the school's annual fundraising concert and we were treated to a professional stage, sound system and lighting. Neither of the other 2 band members had ever played such a venue before, or even with a formal band (other than informal jams); and it's been 4 decades plus for me since my UMass days, so this event and the school-of-rock program turned out to be the perfect way to get back into it -- and now I WANT MORE. 😊 Anyway, my Hammond SK Pro 73 sounded awesome and easily handled a wide variety of voices, such as: Churchy Hammond for Bach's "Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor" intro that I connected to Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers" intro with a heavily-overdriven Hammond tone -- as that seemed to be a great way to introduce the band's name (video clip below). From there we morphed into Collective Soul's "Gel" and a guitar & synth patch combination did the soft intro, plus I played overdriven Hammond chords while the guitarist did his solo. Sounds for ELP's "Lucky Man" included strings (as background on verses & choruses 2-4) along with a soft Hammond tone on verses & choruses 3 & 4, plus an organ solo we put in after the 3rd verse/chorus to lengthen the song, and man oh man -- the synthesizer on the SK Pro did a really great job emulating Keith's Moog synth solo! I put it into "unison" mode and dialed in 6 voices, with a slight detune and some delay & reverb, adjusted the ASDR and filters by ear, and then added in some ring modulation as the synth solo ended. Wowza! Then it was a Vox Continental organ tone used for The Doors "Light My Fire", followed by Hammond organ (88886) on verse/chorus plus an overdriven version of that drawbar setting for the main riff to finish our set with Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" (video clip below for that too, my organ solo at the end). At the end of the gig, I got a lot of questions and great feedback on the SK Pro and I think I might have helped to sell a board or two, as the younger kids and parents there couldn't believe all the sounds that I had coaxed out of it. Plus, I think I rocked it too. 😉 For sure, the Hammond did much better than my vocal chords did -- but it was all for a good cause, we had fun, the band did great considering all factors, and the audience enjoyed the show. I think the best part -- besides being up on stage and turning my Hammond into "The Beast" (as they used to call Jon Lord's organ for his intro to "PS") -- is that my wife & kids, and other friends and family all got to see "this 'ol man rock" just like he used to tell stories about. And now I want to DO MORE!!! The "beast" has been unleashed!!! Cheers! Old No7 PS Intro.mp4

Nope, you're not the only one -- the image looks suspect to me too. But man -- I DO NOT MISS THOSE DAYS of moving the Leslie and Hammond and preamp and pedals and other heavy boards. Old No7

Sorry that this isn't a direct answer to your question, but see if these two supplemental Yamaha resources are of any help for you: * MODX Essential Knowledge Guide * MODX6 Supplemental Manual I'll try to attach them as PDF files below, as they might help on many other topics too! (I'd found these online, from Yamaha's "MODX download or resource" site I believe.) Old No7 MODX Essential Knowledge Guide.pdf MODX6 Supplemental Manual.pdf

Thanks for posting that, I've saved a copy for future reference. Very interesting... As I know of a half dozen work colleagues from Canada who have flown themselves and/or family members down to U.S. hospitals, paying out-of-pocket for surgery or specialists they "could not get" (or get "soon enough") up in Canada. And a friend from the UK also tells me "Yes, this issue I have is covered and I'm on the list to have it fixed, but I'll probably be long dead from something else before they call me!" So I guess every system has its exceptions, limitations and failures... Old No7

Well then, it's time for the "Laser Harp"! Old No7

Wow, great sounds -- and compositions & playing too! I especially liked the piano and effects in "C7 Hardly Padded". I don't own a YC, but can feel the GAS coming on after watching these!! Old No7

Wow, thanks for the "public service announcement" by sharing your story. Maybe you just saved one or more of us.... Bless you in your continued journey through recovery -- and life! Old No7

Yes! YES! Check out how he shakes his right hand and trills the fingers while "off the keyboard" before he launches into that high-speed riff. I've done something similar, especially before playing a piece like Foreplay or Hoedown. Old No7

I'd play Toccata & Fugue In D Minor or the Phantom Of The Opera Fanfare whenever I'd gain access to a pipe organ -- never thought of doing that one though... That was neat. And I'll have to break out my Converse sneakers for my upcoming gig... Old No7

It's interesting to see that the piece's title is also "how it's to be played" (top left of the sheet). I would not have guessed that, as the only Felix I knew growing up was a cartoon cat... I wish I'd studied more classical pieces in my early years (organ lessons on a Lowrey, with no piano at the house), but I'm enjoying those that I play on piano now. I was more of a Hammond & synth rocker way back then -- and still now -- but find the finger strength and fingering of classical piano pieces helps me on all keyboards and genres. I learned that rather late in life -- but am glad I did. Old No7

Just curious if anyone in VT or New England has seen this Chopped M3 over the years? I'd chopped it back in my UMass days and finally sold it off in 2005 or so to a player from Vermont. I've always wondered if it's still out there playing well somewhere... Old No7 (See the "Jack" sticker on the Leslie? We always played out with a 5th of Jack on the M3, snugged between the Mini Moog and Crumar string machine.) (Never spilt a drop -- as I love the Hammond and Jack too much!)

Sounds like a Mojo 61 would be a lighter and possibly better option. I'm loving my SK Pro-73 for the Leslie sim, extra voices and layering -- and even the synth does a very reasonable job of emulating the Lucky Man synth solo (with ring modulation added at the end) -- but I often miss that easily-accessible chicken-head overdrive knob of the Mojo. Old No7

Here are some old pictures of my Chopped M3 from 1980-82. I recall getting the large plugs soldered correctly (and well) was a major pain in the a**, and when you added the Leslie -- it still was a load to move in/out. I never thought of separating the boards from the tonewheels though; and I don't think I knew of any that had been done that way back then. I do recall that we got it working OK but it had a 60 cycle hum -- so I needed the services of a Hammond Tech to add a doohickey (capacitor?) somewhere to account for the extra cable lengths involved; at least that's what I recall him saying. He also made sure that I wouldn't get "Shocked!" by the aluminum trim and he added some type of ground or insulator (maybe both). Good luck if you go that route. Old No7

Thanks for posting those again Jerry; it's a wonderful tribute to the maestro -- "Yet, we keep moving on..." Old No7

OK, I missed the point, but I nailed the one I hit! I'm actually thinking of adding a 25-key analog synth to my stack -- so I'll have to remember this crazy idea... Or maybe mount it on a swinging boom... Old No7

"Ooh, what a Lucky Man he was!" But just like the man in Greg Lake's lyrics, we find out in the last verse (and in his too), well... I guess he wasn't so lucky. I've always respected his keyboarding skills; yet as I've gotten older and spent much more time learning many of his compositions and the fingering involved, I am now very impressed with his "stamina and focus" to maintain that high level of proficiency for a full concert. I can do a fairly decent job on Hoedown, but to do that one and many others of his all really well and all in one sitting... That, my friends, is very impressive. Old No7

Here's a crazy thought... Put it on a 2nd elevated tier that has round tubes (the width of the 61-key board) for the 25-key board to slide on..... <-- Slide left = synth bass! ............................................--> Slide right = synth leads! That way, you get the best of both worlds. I'll bet $30 to $50 of parts and hardware and a healthy does of ingenuity could whip that right up. Old No7

Gee, per your avatar & footer... You look damn good for 70! 😉 I'm 63, if I play in one of those places -- they'll be hearing "Top Hits of the 70s & 80s" and not Gershwin for sure. Old No7

My first thought and most helpful suggestion is to -- "Change the set list!" Put some keys-heavy songs into the mix and the FUN will return. Old No7

Interesting you say that... I recall that Rick Wakeman commented on that too, saying how important it was for him to NOT play keyboards all the time in Yes's songs. And the semi-pro bass player at the School of Rock nearby always says to "Play all the rests!" to add to the dynamics and/or tension of the song. Old No7

Arriving late to this posting... Same for me as well, and in a couple I've changed some chords to make it more interesting or dynamic. Or maybe my musicality has evolved? My approach is very similar to Bill's -- only I use a Tascam DP-24SD pre-loaded on a "new song" -- oh, and keyboards. While there'a variety of approaches in the postings above, I find more success not limiting myself to just one. When it happens, it happens. Old No7

Good idea -- I do the same; and if there's extra room (1/2" or less needed), I also add a piece of stiff cardboard (inside, but on the "outside" sides of top and bottom) which could help absorb any hits, bumps or punctures. Old No7

Huh ? ? ? I play keyboards -- not guitar -- she went home alright, "on my arm" as a tattoo!!! Old No7

I'm not sure if this image has been posted here before, but I don't recall seeing it. Add in a set of Mojo bass pedals, plus and a 2nd or 3rd board above -- with more knobs or sliders to fiddle with than any piano has -- and with each extra board having their own volume or sustain pedals, and Voila' -- my daily dose of "prevention of Alzheimer's" is in full effect. Old No7

No, not correct -- as the WiFi editor of the Mojo lets you customize the Hammond to your liking... A, B or C model, model year, crosstalk, leakage, even setting up custom tonewheel sets, Leslie 145 or 147 or other, and a whole bunch more settings too. The speakers they're played through and EQ settings will also impact the sound. Old No7