Can you be really good at the organ and piano at the same

[jazzdoc52]

time?

I occasionally have to do a solo gig where they want some fairly uptempo jazz (as opposed to background cocktail/standard piano music), and I havent gotten into the backing track deal, so it is easier for me on these gigs to play organ, use the left hand for the bass line, and a simple drum machine.( I just did a gig today on my new nord stage 2 76, and it went really well). But after I have been practicing this way for a couple of weeks,as opposed to playing with my regular jazz band and comping, I find it hard to go back to piano, especially trying to improvise with the right and comp with the left. The more i think about it, I seem to play with more smoothness and the improv solos go more effortlessly when i am playing organ and playing a crawl bass with the left hand. My question for the group is, do most of yall think that you can be REALLY good at both organ AND piano? or do you find yourself gravitating more to one or the other, and why?

[steadyb]

Ask Billy Preston.

[Dana.]

Benmont

[eric]

Outkaster

[Joe Muscara]

Billy Payne

 

Chuck Leavell

 

Eddie Harsch

 

Adam MacDougall

 

[kanker.]

Our own Benjie Porecki is a badass on both piano and organ, plays both like he's dedicated to either exclusively.

 

Red Young, who Keyboard mag covered as an organist, is equally ridiculous on piano.

 

It can be done, but you have to want it, and take the time to focus on the different techniques needed for each.

[mate stubb]

David Sancious

 

Brian Auger

 

But can I? Completely different question. I started on piano but organ has been my first love since I played my first combo organ at 14.

[David Loving]

Tommy Young http://www.tommyyoung.net/

 

Red Young http://www.thehighball.com/uncategorized/black-red-black-jazz-up-our-wednesdays/ (I didn't see Kanker already named Red Young}

 

Both also killer pianists

[Steve Nathan]

Can you be really good at the organ and piano at the same

Of course you can. I know plenty of players who excel on both.

Reese Wynans and Matt Rollings come to mind. (Even I've managed to make a few bucks playing both )

I also know several who really only shine on one or the other. But it's got little to do with actions or styles. It's really little more than a headspace issue, tapping different areas of the brain, or alternate synapses. The moment you know what you'll be playing, you throw a switch (figuratively) and access the part of the brain that stores that skill set. Then you'll be ready (for whichever) before your ass hits the bench.

[Jazzwee]

I was surprised at Joey Defrancesco's piano chops when he played the music in a movie. So it is apparent he worked on both.

 

[David Loving]

Larry Golding

[Bobadohshe]

Larry Gol- shoot, Daviel beat me to it!

[MAJUSCULE]

Got some badasses right here on KC who do it.

[Bridog6996]

Keith Emerson anyone?

 

Not to mention the original badass, Franz Liszt. Sometimes people forget he was also one of Europe's premier organists in his time, in addition to being regarded as one of the most skilled pianists who ever lived. Of course, it was strictly pipe organ in those days.

 

I used to do the organ trio thing quite a bit, not so much anymore, but I personally never found it affected my piano playing.

[Josh Paxton]

Not to mention the original badass, Franz Liszt.

 

I hear there was a guy who predated him, who was reported to be no slouch on both organ and harpsichord. Johann, or something close to that...

[mcgoo]

kanker

[Mark Zeger]

Gary Versace

[dazzjazz]

He's amazing on organ - yet to hear him on piano.

Gary Versace

[Cygnus64]

Not to mention the original badass, Franz Liszt.

 

I hear there was a guy who predated him, who was reported to be no slouch on both organ and harpsichord. Johann, or something close to that...

 

There was a guy who pre-dated Johann as well. His name was Dieterich Buxtehude. Kicked Ass on Organ and Harpsichord. A widely-known legend is that young Bach walked 250 miles to see Buxtehude play. The Proclaimers wrote a song about it, they just lied about the miles.

[Mark Zeger]

He's amazing on organ - yet to hear him on piano.

Gary Versace

Check out Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts "The Scenic Route". Versace plays accordion on it, too. Love it. The band's new release has strong reviews. I'll get it soon.

[Flexby]

Bobby Floyd

 

Bobby Floyd- The Man I love (piano)

 

Bobby FLoyd The Organist

[Bobadohshe]

Joe Bagg

[ProfD]

All things are possible between giftedness, talent, hard work, luck or some combination thereof.

 

IMO, the nature of the gig and style/genre of music has some bearing on how 'good' a muso plays both piano and organ.

[Musicale]

Mr. Winwood

[iLaw]

Jazzdoc,

 

I think it's been pretty well established that there are lots of players who play piano and organ very well. But your initial concern is still a valid one. And it's not just comping and soloing as you've mentioned. The differences between the two keyboard actions mess with your most basic motor responses. Pianists and organists often complain about this when simply going back and forth between different models of the same instrument.

 

I liked Steve Nathan's answer; your brain needs to be able to immediately switch gears when you switch instruments. I would think the best way to develop that ability is by going back and forth between the instruments on a daily basis, not every couple of weeks.

 

Larry.

 

[cnegrad]

Left hand bass? I thought real men only use foot pedals.

[Outkaster]

This is a tough one. Only because they are two different animals. Sitting at a console Hammond is intimidating if you are not used to it and almost is an art in itself using drawbars, rocker switchers, feathering the expression pedal, or even using bass pedals.

 

I know a good Hammond organ player, I mean really good who is just so so on piano. I just think the dexterity is different because the actions on each instrument are different. It's always easier to go from piano to organ because you have the strength in your fingers which helps already. Organ to piano is different also because of using the sustain pedal, organ you let the instrument help you sustain the notes. Using a sustain pedal on a piano is kind of an art also.

 

You do get freaks of nature like Billy Preston and Chester Thompson that just excel on either organ or piano. I really believe the best soul or rock bands have one of each. I think people's personality kind of determines which instrument they gravitate towards.

[ManInTheBox]

Chester Thompson with Santana comes to mind.

[CEB]

Locally I woke up one day and had a decent reputation as a Hammond organ guy. I don't know when it happened.

 

I always thought I was a much better piano player. Still do.

 

What helped me a few afternoon sessions with an old mentor of mine named Darel Decounter who showed me the ropes, taught me some good tricks and how to approach the Hammond.

 

If you can find a good organ grinder and pay him to teach you 2-4 lessons it should shorten the beegeebees out of learning curve. It did me. I went from really sucking to fooling a lot of people in about 3 weeks. But I was like 20 years old and didn't have CRS disease.

 

[tucktronix]

Bruce Katz