Home  Organ Drawbar Settings How To Use Hammond Organ Drawbars
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How To Use Hammond Organ Drawbars |
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How To Use Hammond Organ Drawbars
Once you know how to turn on the Hammond organ, the next step is getting sound of it.
At the left side of each manual (keyboard) are the setting keys.
They are easily identified as the colors are reversed. The first
key (C) is the cancel key. When depressed, any other setting keys
that are depressed will be released. The next nine keys (Db to A)
are presets. These are drawbar combinations that are hardwired in
the back of the organ. Think of these as the different sounds
available on a keyboard. There are different names for each of
the presets, but we won't cover them at this time. The last two
(Bb and B) are the ones you'll use primarily.
There are five groupings of drawbars. The first one is activated
when the Bb setting key is depressed on the upper manual. The
second one is actived when the B setting key is depressed on the
upper manual. The next set (the smallest set with only two
drawbars) controls the pedal and requires to setting key to be
depressed. The second to last set is actived when the Bb
setting key is depressed on the lower manual. And the last set is
actived when the B setting is depressed on the lower manual.
Before we move on, it is important that you understand the
background of the drawbars. Some organs have numbers on the
drawbars. What's this? Great question! The Hammond
Organ was invented for the purpose of being an inexpensive replacement
for pipe organs. The concept is that each drawbar represents a
pipe on the pipe organ. Different length of pipes create
different pitches. A longer pipe creates a deeper pitch and a
shorter pipe creates a higher pitch. The numbers on the Hammond organ drawbars represent the length of the pipe in feet.
Ok, let's go! Let's start with the B setting key depressed for
the lower manual.
Remember, this activates the last set of drawbars. Start by
pulling
out the first white key (8'). Play middle C on the organ.
This drawbar is called the fundamental. This is because each note
played is its true pitch. This will make sense as we move on.
Now pull out just the first drawbar (16'). This is the deepest
pitch. It actually represents the pitch an octave below the
actual note that you're playing. Now pull out the 16' and the
8'. When you play a key, you are actually playing two notes - the
original note and the note an octave below! Now you can start to
understand why the organ has such a large sound.
Now pull out just the second white drawbar (4'). This represents
the note an octave above the actual note that you are playing.
Now pull out just the third white drawbar (2'). This represents
the note two octaves above the actual note that you are playing.
Now pull out just the last white drawbar (1'). This represents
the note three octaves above the actual note that you are playing.
Let's review before we move on. Pull out the 16', 8', 4', 2' and
1' drawbars and play middle C. You are now playing five
notes. C below middle C, middle C, and the three C's above middle
C.
Now it gets a little more interesting. What I haven't mentioned
so far is why these drawbars were selected. The choice of
drawbars represents a natural series of notes called the overtone
series. All pitches made by instruments utilize some combination
of the overtone series to create their unique sound. Brass
instruments tend to use many overtones, while stringed instruments tend
to use fewer. The more overtones used, the edgier the sound.
Continuing on...pull out the second drawbar (5-1/3'). I never
understood whey they chose to put this drawbar here instead of after
the 8'. My confusion comes from the fact that this pitch is
actually a fifth above middle C, meaning that it actually fits between
the 8' and 4'. Oh well. It is what it is!
Next is the first black drawbar (2-2/3'). This is a fifth above the 4'.
The second drawbar (1-3/5') is a third above the 2' and the last black
drawbar (1-1/3') is a fifth above the 2'. Pulling out the 2',
1-3/5' and 1-1/3' drawbars actually creates a Major chord in root
position.
Check out the Hammond Organ Drawbar Settings page for ideas on mixing the Hammond organ drawbars.
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