Riff Stapler Blues - Nord C1 Hammond B-3 Clonewheel Organ Clavia

[giulianovideo]

Great! Wonderful hands indipendence, great sound too o.O

[rounder2u]

Thanks giuliano!

This are the main registrations/settings for Riff Stapler Blues:

Swell 88 8000 000. No Chorus. Perc On, Soft, Fast, Third.

Leslie simulator Slow position.

Just the other day I uploaded another jazz blues 'Centilater Blues' also in the key of F, with a left hand bass line pattern along the same line of thought as this one, but alternative fingerings (a few notes octaved up). If you are interested you might wanna check it out.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Televersity]

fabulous

[rounder2u]

Thanks Televersity!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[mitsuhirato]

Amazing playing and good techniques! I wish I had enouhg money to buy C1 or C2. Are there any cheaper options to get closely the same hammond sound?

[rounder2u]

Hi mitsuhirato

Thanks!

I recommend you to go for a dual manual keyboard/organ, as many jazz organ techniques use both manuals (you can check out my 5 min version of 'The Cat' for a number of these techniques). Unfortunately, organs/keyboards with two manuals like the C1/C2 will be more expensive.

If you are willing to go for a single manual keyboard I think there are quite a few a bit cheaper with good B-3 sound out there. Some Clavia, some Hammond XK, probably more.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[TheNorthernSoulKing]

What would that sound like with a lesilie speaker hooked up to it? Sorry if I spelled that wrong

[rounder2u]

Hi NorthernSoulKing

Connected to an old all-tube Leslie 122 it would sound extremely close to a B-3/C-3 connected to a Leslie 122. The reason is that the Leslie plays a very big part of the 'Hammond B-3' sound.

With a Leslie 122 the bass would be a bit smoother (a mic'd 15" sub will sound smoother than this line in recording) and it would be possible to have the deep bass 'growl' (tube distortion).

How you mic a Leslie will also impact the sound a lot.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[TheNorthernSoulKing]

@rounder2u Thank you for your help

[rounder2u]

Hi awaken

Sometimes they are called 'pops'. I don't know any 'official' name for these 'thumps'. Now I do them the standard way with my fingertips.

There are a number of techniques that are associated mostly with jazz organ. In my full-length (5 min) version of 'The Cat' I use quite a number of different jazz organ techniques. e.g.

-playing over and under pedal tone

-chord slide from upper to lower manual

-pedal tone on upper with 'pops' on lower

-etc.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[bigdoublem1]

Nice chops, Rounder.



[rounder2u]

Thanks bigdoublem!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Joeant20]

reminds me of fire sale... XD

[rounder2u]

Hi Joeant20

Fire sale - The movie, or something dirt cheap or computer hacking? :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Joeant20]

@rounder2u fire sale as in black ops... anyways it sounds good

[rounder2u]

Thanks Joeant20!

I see, CoD Black Ops. I did only run the single player campaign.

But I have checked out that little tune and it's good :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[sglynn55]

Super, I'm trying to learn walking base. How about share the notes you are walking?

[rounder2u]

Thanks sglynn!

I hope and believe that my overhead camcorder view makes it not that difficult to see both the fingerings and notes of e.g. my left hand walking bass line. That is the reason why I use the overhead camcorder view.

I repeat the same walking bass line pattern every chorus in 'Riff Stapler Blues', except for during the intro.

I also play this left hand walking bass line pattern in slower tempo in my song 'Yellow Fall Blues'.

Keep swinging and walking the bass,

Rounder

[maty7976321]

Thanks for this great bassline!

[rounder2u]

Hi maty

Thanks!

Keep swinging & walking the bass,

Rounder

[bobg2111]

you make that look effortless..

most excellent

[rounder2u]

Thanks bobg!

There are sometimes three distinct phases I go through when going for something new. Those phases applied to this song.

1) Learning the left hand bass line.

2) Start playing something at all (e.g. just a simple riff) with the right hand without the ingrained left hand bass line pattern collapsing. The most 'tense' phase. The opposite to effortless.

3) Trying to play without too much effort/muscular tension. To play relaxed/effortless is the goal.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[loyalz73]

Most Impressive! The walking bass line makes this song. I play bari sax myself and could hear tons of improve to be played with it.

I raise my glass to you sir. Cheers

[rounder2u]

Hi loyalz

Thanks!

Good to hear that you like what you find in the walking bass line departement :-)

And you are right, the walking bass line is the foundation of the song.

Actually I started with only the bass line. When I could play the bass line independent from the right hand, I started to improvise over the bass line.

Finally I stapled together a few phrases that I liked on top and hit the recording button.

Keep swinging the sax,

Rounder

[YosarianCat22]

Cool Jewel Dude! I wasn't tapping my foot, I was bouncing my knew the whole time wagging my head with eyes closed, digg'in every lick. Best regards,

YosarianCat22

[rounder2u]

Hi YosarianCat

Thanks!

Good to hear that you enjoyed this riff collection, fastened by a stapler :-)

That was the image I got in my mind when playing this, hence the name of the song.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[eddieangusrhoads]

I really love your work and I would really like to learn this piece so is it possible to kind of do a how to video like the green onions video (very helpful it's how I learned the song) thank you -andrei

[rounder2u]

Hi andrei

Thanks! Good that you have use of my videos.

I'm sorry but I will not record a 'how to' video for 'Riff Stapler Blues'. If you are learning the song, here is how to start:

The left hand is the Boss!

Start by memorizing the left hand. Skip the 8 bar intro for now, but concentrate on the repeating 12 bar jazz blues walking bass line. It's always quarter notes and the same pattern every chorus. Play only the left hand until you can play it for 15 min in a row.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[rounder2u]

Hi andrei (cont.)

This means you will memorize a walking bass line pattern of 48 notes, as every chorus is 12 bars with 4 quarter notes in every bar, 12 x 4 = 48.

When you have this left hand pattern memorized and totally ingrained, so that you can play it (preferrably with closed eyes) during 15 min in a row, chorus after chorus, then you are ready for the next step:

Start adding the right hand figures (riffs & licks).

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[pianoguy6507]

are you grade 8?

[rounder2u]

Hi pianoguy

Grade 8 would indeed be nice :-) but the answer is no.

Actually no grade at all, as I'm totally autodidact at the keys and jazz organ.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[MVanthoor]

This piece is missing something. It's just 25 percent of what it could be. Let me think... Oh, yeah. I know.

It needs a sax, trombone, and a drummer.

Dude, if you're not already in a blues or jazz band, get it done soon and record some CD's.

[rounder2u]

Thanks MVanthoor!

Shouldn't the left hand bass add up a few percents also :-) Let's say to 34 percent. And then fill in with drums (33%) and a nice ES-175 jazz guitar (33%) to get up to 100%.

Trombone?

That would sure be quite a step away from usual jazz organ combos :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[MVanthoor]

@rounder2u "That would sure be quite a step away from usual jazz organ combos :-)"

Sorry. Watched a few reruns of Star Trek TNG Episodes with Will Riker (trying to) playing the trombone in a jazz band. Must have stuck somewhere in my mind back there :D

[rounder2u]

Hi MVanthoor

I see.

Well, nothing wrong with the trombone itself, and the sound will fit in a jazz combo, but its very unusual. Maybe because it is one of those instruments that sounds 'not so good' :-) no matter how hard you try, until you finally have reached a true virtuousic level. A very difficult instrument to play.

Talking 'bout difficult instruments: Time to practice that left/right hand independence again :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[rounder2u]

Thanks awaken!

I'm happy to hear that you appreciate my overhead camcorder view. I shoot my videos this way with the hope that it might be of help to see my hands movements/my fingerings.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[DX7Alex]

Great job Rounder! Watching you play really helps my technique, especially with the walking left hand bass lines. I'm saving up for an A100 or a BV, because I have outgrown my M-162, especially in the left hand bass department.

[rounder2u]

Thanks DX7Alex!

It's great that you find some use of my videos for your left hand bass lines. Rule No 1. in jazz organ: The left hand is the Boss :-)

The A-100 is a wonderful instrument, as good as the B-3/C-3. You will enjoy it immensely.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[DX7Alex]

@rounder2u Thanks Rounder :-)

Alex

[finnbjerke]

Great

[rounder2u]

Thanks finnbjerke!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[lydays]

I think your left hand is great! Of course I have a hard time even playing in F lol -I tend to gravitate to G :)

[rounder2u]

Hi lydays

Thanks!

F and G are both humane keys. If you had written that you tended to gravitate to Ab you'd have scared me :-) Come to think about what I believe Dizzy once said in an interview. He didn't care what key the song was in. What a great feeling it must be to be such a virtuos that boundaries like keys doesn't exist! Well, I will cling to F :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Mooser42001]

You keep swinging too, rounder2u, and I appreciate your encouragement. Lord knows I don't get much around here. My wife went swimming. She told me she was going to dive in the deep end and hope for a ruptured eardrum. I'm not worried, I installed a small mirror on the music-stand so she can't sneak up on me again. It was a close thing last time, but I shook her off, finally.

[rounder2u]

Hi Mooser

Don't you think your case instead could be one of those 'the more they reject it, the more they love it'? She might just be afraid of being overwhelmed by her strong passionated wonderful feelings that your jazz organ playing invokes in her. I think the same goes for cats too.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Mooser42001]

@rounder2u Let's hope so!  She's awfully strong and determined. I heard her tell her Mom on the phone: "I've got recordings of his snoring and his playing, and no jury in the world could tell them apart. They'll let me off, and thank me".

At this point, I'm getting some decent bass lines, I think, but everything I gain in the left I lose from the right! Anyway, the dog has pretty much given up and simply hopes things will be better in the next life.

[JTcheatwood]

I love 1:34. Great stuff!

[rounder2u]

Thanks JTcheatwood!

At 1:34 I'm doing an 'emergency services vehicle siren sound' :-)

I'm holding the C sharp as a pedal tone to avoid activating the 'Percussion' effect of the organ.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Mooser42001]

@rounder2u Well, I'm working hard every day on my LH bass. I'm gaining about one note every two days. I can play three notes now. Softly, softly, catchee monkey!

[rounder2u]

Hi Mooser

Good to hear! That's the way to go. And as you know - Rome wasn't built in a day.

Keep swinging that left hand bass line,

Rounder

[hungrydave1977]

great stuff, why don't you do some lessons on palm glissando's and stuff here on Utube, my keyboard is probably a bit heavy, but i can try.

Love the hammond when it really revs around like on champ.

[rounder2u]

Hi hungrydave

Thanks!

I will do my best to answer questions, but I don't think I'll do regular video tech lessons for time being. I do hope though, that the overhead camera view I'm using will make it possible to follow what I'm doing with my hands.

The 'more info' field also contains all details about settings, etc for my uploaded songs.

Palm glissandos works best on fast trigger action keyboards with waterfall keys (e.g. Hammond or Nord C1/C2).

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[hungrydave1977]

@rounder2u

Yeah, i got an electro2 rack, but it's hooked up with a fully weighted keyboard as i primarily play rhodes and piano but i do love seeing hammond played well.

:-D

Are you in US?

[rounder2u]

Hi hungrydave

Not now. Even Key West is chilly.

The Electro 2 Rack is a neat and deft little thing :-)

On a fully weighted keyboard you may resort to doing glissandos the classical way, as a 'wild' Hammond palm glissando may damage or tilt a key if they are of spring board type.

Btw, I like the Rhodes sound. It's e.g. very dynamic.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[realguy640]

what key are you in?? love love to improvise, I know C and G for blues, doesn't look like you arein that. Please let me know.

[rounder2u]

Hi realguy

I play this blues in the key of F.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Behemottiih]

it's so shame that you can't do nothing impressive with your right hand :(

very nice left hand bassline you got there, but u prolly should take a little more focus on ur "solo" hand. no off. :P

[rounder2u]

Hi Behemottiih

Thanks for complimenting my left hand walking bass line!

About my right hand: Yes, it would be really great to have the keyboard skills of the jazz organ wizard Joey DeFrancesco, wouldn't it? :-)

Check out Joey's top-notch performance doing his 'Blues for Bobby C' here at YouTube.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[jfinn440]

I thought it was great soloing. soloing like that is a lot harder than you think, especially with an awesome walking bass line. like that.

[rounder2u]

Thanks jfinn!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[IMightBeJesus69]

great musicianship, although I'm not a fan of the nord hammond software, even though it's one of the best on the market so far. Did you consider plugging them to B4 II?

[rounder2u]

Thanks MightBeJesus!

I have not used the B4 software. What I would like to do though is record by plugging the C1 to a tubed Leslie with it's 15" woofer. Then I would probably skip the lower manual bass setting at the C1 and take advantage of the B-3 (C1) bass line foldback. But when recording line out as I do here, I'm using the lower manual bass at drawbar registration 80.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[cky12qxz]

Groovy left hand Rounder!

[rounder2u]

Hi cky12qxz

Thanks!

This left hand walking bass line pattern took me quite some time to 'tame' :-) Good to hear that you like it :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[soulrongang]

Hey Rounder Man -

You've definitely outdone yourself - your rendition is flawless, and hat's off to you on your own composition. You're really getting that C1 to sing - keep the good sounds coming.

Amen

[rounder2u]

Thanks Ron Gang!

No plan to stop yet :-) I've got another song just around the corner.

Keep swinging at your Electro 2,

Rounder

[sebkeyboard]

yeahhh !! i love this

[rounder2u]

Hi sebkeyboard

That was good to hear :-) Thanks!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[169B3]

My friend, that is sounding great. I definitely see that you are progressing in your playing. Keep them coming!! I still have my big ole B3/w Leslie 122 and PR-40 Tone Cabinet. Would be nice to get something more portable so I can go out and jam with friends.

[rounder2u]

Thanks 169B3!

Good to hear from you again :-)

No plan to stop yet :-) I uploaded 'The Preacher' just the other day.

The C1 weights in at a mere 33Lbs/15Kg, so it's perfectly portable. You can carry the B-3 sound under one arm. But you still have to have speakers though :-) But any PA system will do fine, if you're not bringing your own tone cabinet.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[milnzi81]

wow, this is perfect man!

[rounder2u]

Thanks milnzi!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[alfafulll]

Hi Rounder,

after seeing (and hearing) your great organ-play I ordered touday an Nord C1. I get it in 2-3 days.

Your videos and commentars are very useful - thanks a lot!

Best regards from Switzerland

Gabor

[rounder2u]

Hi Gabor

Good to hear that you like my videos and appreciate my texts with detailed drawbar settings etc. Thanks!

You will not be disappointed with your C1. It's a mighty little beast.

By the way, I just learned a few hours ago that Clavia will release a successor to the C1, called C2. It is, as of my understanding right now, basically the same as the C1 but with a sampled pipe organ added. I have no idea when it will be available in the market though.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[alfafulll]

Dear Rounder,

I got the C1, and I'm very hapy with them. I'm practicing your excelent compositions. I have to admit: you are still a little better :-)

MayI ask you a question? If the C1 is turned on, and I not touch any keys, then I can hear a grumble sound - like the typical sound for an old power supply or an old TV. It is not loud, but easy to notice. Can your hear any "idle sound" of your C1 is turned on?

Thank you for your answer.

Best Regards

Gabor

[rounder2u]

Hi Gabor

Good to hear that you have your C1 now! You will soon be a better player than I am :-)

There is a very low but clearly audible hum from my C1. Probably from the power transformer.

But I cannot hear this hum through the headphones or thorugh the line output. It's silent even if I turn the volume to max. I have Nord C1 OS v1.12.

If the hum is going out through the outputs (line or headphone) there might be a problem with your C1.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[alfafulll]

Hi Rounder,

thank you for the quick and calming answer. I also hear the noice not through the speakers, it comes from ghe body of the organ. The beharvoir of our organs is identical, therefore no defect is likely.

Therefore, I can keep practicing your songs without any truble.

Best wishes

Gabor

[rounder2u]

Hi Gabor

That was indeed good news!

Keep swinging at your C1,

Rounder

[hagarus]

Rounder,

I want to be you when I grow up!

(OK, so I'm 46, so by some standards

I AM grown up...)

I am learning more about B3 blues playing by watching your videos. Thanks for posting them! They are very educational and entertaining. I can't find a B3 teacher where I live.

My only You Tube video is "You Tube Rock Star". You can see that I'm a beyond a novice, but not a guru by any means. Thanks for helping me to be a better player!

Keep Rockin'

~hagarus

[rounder2u]

Many thanks hagarus!

I'm not at all a pro player, but if you have any questions about e.g. practicing tips just drop me a line and I will do my best to answer.

I've checked out you video. You've got the feeling. Keep on!

PS. Never ever 'grow up'! It just leads to boredome.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[marsalone]

Wow brother, this is really nice. Not only is your playing impressive, but the head is bad ass. I really like the big write up on he more info button detailing each chorus. Much appreciated.

[rounder2u]

Hi marsalone

Thanks!

The head (main riff) really stuck on me when I happened to play it during some improvisation and it was the start for building this song up.

Good to hear that you appreciate the 'more info' text! The reason I'm writing detailed info for my videos is that maybe the info can be of use for others when it comes to organ settings, thoughts about building blocks in songs, or inspiration.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[LinkBulletBill]

you just influenced me, well actually I knew that hitting the organ gives clicks, but playing a solo, then doing the clicks in between I could have never thought of! EXCELLENT!!!!

[rounder2u]

Hi LinkBulletBill

Thanks!

It's good to hear that you found something inspiring and useful!

I really like that we, by sharing videos here at YouTube, can inspire and learn from each other.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[DenGodfather]

Very good vids, i think you play a little ' Shake Your Tailfeather' of Ray Charles at the begining :)

I gonna watch all your vids cause i'm thinking about buying a c1!

greetz from Luxembourg (EU)

[rounder2u]

Thanks DenGodfather!

Just in case you havn't noticed it yet: If you click the field 'more info' at the right side of the screen you will find all details about settings and drawbar registrations for every one of my C1 videos.

PS. I hadn't heard that song before. I checked it out, and it has a nice little intro. Sounded like a Fender Rhodes.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[RyanX42]

How do you do that wonderful bassline?

Like how do you keep it in the chords you're playing in? it's awesome?

[rounder2u]

Thanks Ryan!

This bassline took me weeks of practice with ONLY the left hand. First memorize. Then slow metronome tempo, then faster, chorus after chorus...

The bassline has to be totally ingrained.

Then I started to add right hand riffs. In the beginning I messed it up all the time as soon as I did something with the right hand.

But after many practicing hours the left hand will be independent, and it will even be possible to improvise freely with the right hand.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[zamil25]

Wow such odd time signatures. Thats awsome.

[counterstrikeforces]

this video is amazing man do u take organ lessons and do you have the sheet music for this song.

[rounder2u]

Thanks counterstrike!

I'm sorry, but I didn't wrote sheet music when composing this song, so I can't give you that.

Regarding lessons: Do you mean if I take lessons myself, or if I give lessons? I don't have a teacher, I'm driving that bumpy self-taught way :-)

If you have questions I will try to answer and give any tips I have :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[bubbaboud]

not too bad board sounds good

but no jimmy smith he did with one finger the clicks you are doing with two fingers

there was a certain spot in the key where it would click on and off if you are familiar with the hammond c3 organ you would know this

peace

bb

[rounder2u]

Hi bubbaboud

Thanks!

I'm missing him - the man that Miles Davis once proclaimed the "eighth wonder of the world", the unsurpassed Master of the B-3. The Incredible Jimmy Smith!

Have you heard his live version of 'I got a woman' from the 1965 'Live at the Village Gate'? Listening to it right now :-) World class jazz blues frenzy!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[marcodu33]

Très bien joué ! Bravo. 5*

[rounder2u]

Merci beaucoup, Marcodu!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[olooj]

brilliant as always, a really good jazzy piece that will stick in my head till next week :) BTW i'm having a little trouble with my composition i was talkin to you about.... don't know if you remeber me but im doing GCSE jazz composition in the time signature of 3/4. Ran into a bit of trouble regarding the harmony... shall i submit to you what i have done already... and see if you can help me in the production of a harmony...

thxs for help and keep up those really good vids! :) :) :)

[rounder2u]

Thanks olooj!

I hope the main riff stick! It did with me :-)

Regarding your composition. There is no right or wrong with a composition.

But if you would like me to maybe have an opinion about your main chord structure, you can send me a message to my message inbox here at YouTube with some info and the harmony, e.g.

Cmaj7 : Dm7 : G7 : G7-9

Separate bars with : or some other character.

And I'll do a quick check about how I percieve the harmony standing in itself.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[rounder2u]

Hi olooj

Maybe it's better if I can see the composition. If you have it in Sibelius format or a MIDI file or a MP3 you can put it up somewhere on the net (e.g. Rapidshare) as a file and I can download that file. In that case send me a message to my message inbox with the URL from where I can download the file.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[mitchell866]

Great job as usual, the Nord puts out a great

sound, with your assistance of course.

[rounder2u]

Hi Mitchell

Thanks!

Well, as the sound of the Nord C1 is great, it has the effect that it's more fun tickle the ivories, so in a way the C1 assists me also :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder