Organ technique for piano players....

[elio]

Fam,

I'd like to understand better the techniques that are specific to the organ. I'm a half-decent piano player and I know my theory, I'm looking for resources (CD/DVD/website/etc) to help understand the differences between piano/keys and organ. Things like crawling, slurs, growls, etc - all those things that separate organ players from piano players trying to play the organ.

Can you help please?

[BimmerFan99]

When transitioning from piano to organ, you first need to learn how to pedal.  That is fundamental, especially in gospel.  If you are particular about learning how to pedal correctly, then you will appreciate it later.

After that, I learned everything from watching other organists and experimenting myself.  The Hammond B3/C3 organs are very well-built instruments can take a serious beating on the keys and pedals.  Getting the right growls, pops, whistles, etc. is all through trial and error.  Try sliding up and down the keys, tapping them very quickly and making good use of the expression (volume) pedal while doing such techniques.

A lot times, when I need growling bass, I use pedals and my left hand to play the bass line, but with the left hand, I slide up and down the lower keys a lot to get that deep growl.  When you hit several bassy keys on an 888800000 setting, you get growl.

[elio]

Thank you Bimmer, most helpful. I should've mentioned that I haven't got access to a real organ, just the samples on my Yamaha S30 and S90. The S30, in particular, has waterfall-y keys which you can slide on quite well, and both have 4 sliders that can work on as drawbars. I haven't got a pedalboard, but I do have a volume pedal. I'll hook it up and see what comes out.
Thanks again

[Muziqmann]

Also, play chords with both hands. 

[rjthakid]

Thank you Bimmer, most helpful. I should've mentioned that I haven't got access to a real organ, just the samples on my Yamaha S30 and S90. The S30, in particular, has waterfall-y keys which you can slide on quite well, and both have 4 sliders that can work on as drawbars. I haven't got a pedalboard, but I do have a volume pedal. I'll hook it up and see what comes out.
Thanks again

It's imperative that you practice on an organ.  The pedalboard and Leslie is what makes an Organ....an Organ.

[elio]

It's imperative that you practice on an organ.  The pedalboard and Leslie is what makes an Organ....an Organ.

I wish I had one  . I usually play piano/keys, but, at times, I need to learn organ parts for a song or two.
Now you've put the thought in my head though - eBay here I come....

[elio]

Ok, here's another question - LH intervals. I know what LH intervals sound good on a piano, and I know which ones sound good on a Rhodes. But when I'm using an organ sound, I have to be double careful as it seems that pretty much any interval other than octave/fifth and the occasional tritone will throw some harmonics that make it sound all eurgh!

Do I need to get used to it or is there a secret interval blacklist for the organ?
Is it a drawbar setting thing?

TIA

[rjthakid]

Ok, here's another question - LH intervals. I know what LH intervals sound good on a piano, and I know which ones sound good on a Rhodes. But when I'm using an organ sound, I have to be double careful as it seems that pretty much any interval other than octave/fifth and the occasional tritone will throw some harmonics that make it sound all eurgh!

Do I need to get used to it or is there a secret interval blacklist for the organ?
Is it a drawbar setting thing?

TIA

The technique is very different.  On the keys you have more freedom, in that you can play an octave for this chord, a fifth for the next chord, a fifth and b7 for the next chord, etc.

On the Organ, because I want that smooth sound, I can't do that because it sounds choppy.

I mainly play tritones with the OCCASIONAL octave, fifth, sixth, ditone, etc....but mainly tritones.

[BimmerFan99]

Tritones are excellent, but don't forget Minor 9ths also work great in the LH for comping...  I recently started honing in on this technique, and I can't believe I went this long on the organ without doing this.