Back at the Chicken Shack - Nord C1

[TheKeitharoon]

what are the chords

[rounder2u]

Hi Keitharoon

This is a standard 12 bar blues in F. The chords are F, Bb and C.

Here are the chords for one 12 bar long chorus:

F, F, F, F,

Bb, Bb, F, F,

C, Bb, F, F.

(four bars of F, two bars of Bb, etc)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[weeeendog]

awesome! Love this piece, and any different version is good.

[rounder2u]

Thanks weeeendog!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[lordcontaminus]

The last drawbar shouldn't make a sound when percussion is on. It sounds weird too. Obvious Nord design fault.

[rounder2u]

Hi lordcontaminus

On the current model, the Nord C2, you have both options, so its up to the player to choose.

Some players prefer to have the last drawbar available at all times, even when Percussion is enabled, and there is an easy tweak to an old B-3/C-3/A-100 to have that.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[lordcontaminus]

@rounder2u Yeah, I know that, the C2 is a great organ. Love your playing and your videos btw.

Keep on truckin'!

[rounder2u]

Thanks lordcontaminus!

Will do, no plan here to give up just yet :-)

Keep swingin'!

Rounder

[jcracker]

ive been trying to figure out the organ bass line on the original jimmy smith recording with no luck. this seems to help, thanks (great playing too)

[rounder2u]

Thanks jcracker!

Good to hear that you find this video useful :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[TheMadMusicMan]

Hey Rounder, nice job buddy. Just a note though, the 1' drawbar (last one) on a real B3 is muted when the percussion is one, this is why JS and Joey leave it pulled out though because they can turn off the the percussion to have the 88800001. I think it would sound better without it. Anyhow, very nice job, you will one day be a jazz legend :)

[rounder2u]

Thanks MadMusicMan!

You are of course right about the drawbar/percussion on/off functionality.

When I did this, my first C1 video, I dialed in what I felt gave a nice sound.

But actually I've never been pleased with this take (neither regarding sound nor playing), and on top of that the sync between sound and video went wrong. But I'll leave the video here warts and all as it is my first C1 take.

PS. I will never be a legend not even in my own backyard! :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[DaBossk]

cool u should play the whitershade of pale song

[rounder2u]

Thanks DaBossk!

I will do that, but first I need to get a foot pedal board. To do that song justice you need to use the left hand for the chords, the right hand for the melody, and the foot for playing the bass line.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[rounder2u]

Thanks Diego!

I agree with you, Jimmy Smith was a true legend. I have many records with him. I like him the best in small format, e.g. with a drummer and a guitarist, like his trio record 'Organ Grinder's Swing' from 1965.

I'm very satisfied with my Nord C1, and if I happened to drop it down a flight of stairs and it went to pieces, I would buy me a new one, but I would go for the successor, the Nord C2. It's almost the same as the C1 with a baroque pipe organ added.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[letsgodisko]

Naaaaice Baseline!

[rounder2u]

Hi letsgodisko

Thanks!

If you like jazz blues organ left hand walking bass lines you might be interested in checking out my song 'Riff Stapler Blues'.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[TheOrganiston9th]

Rounder: as always, a great, great rendition of a great track... re too much Drive & Treble eq: I don't hear it that way at all. I think the way you apply it here is as authentic a use of the C1's eq as I've heard! I love the Drive on my Nord; it feels/sounds aeons ahead of the v.2 CX3 I used to play. I've been tweaking the "Mid" knob more recently - if I'm using a full, gospelish d-b setting, more Mid seems to illuminate the white drawbuttons in a nice way. I LOVE this organ! Thanks again.

[rounder2u]

Hi Organiston

Good to hear that you like this take. Thanks!

I have though about recording this song again as I'm not that satisfied with this take myself. But in that case I'll let this version still be here as a comparison.

Interesting about your EQ Mid. There are so many sounds to explore sitting at this little beast! Just one notch with a drawbar can make a big difference. I'm playing a song with extensive use of the keyclick effect. I hope to upload it quite soon.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[Tubalover95]

clavia for life :)

cuz im swedish :D

[Petethepedalopirate]

you have descridbed as simplified but it still sounds great!

Im considering buying one but I want know, how easy is it to change drawbar settings compared to a normal organ?

[rounder2u]

Thanks Petethepedalopirate!

According to 'hammondrebuilder' here at YouTube, it takes only a few hours to adjust to the C1 digital drawbars.

You can also check out 'Days Of Wine And Roses' played by the pro Eddie Landsberg here at YouTube to see C1 drawbar changes during a song.

To change Presets or Chorus is just a push of a button. I'm changing Presets and Chorus on/off a number of times in my latest song 'Guts Runner' if you are interested to see how it is done.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[glamheden2]

l don´t think it´s too much overdrive. l like it that way:) l have also a nord C1, and l have recorded some good stuff with it:) but l haven´t upload it on youtube:/

[rounder2u]

Hi glamheden

Good to hear that you like it that way!

If you have Nord C1 stuff recorded, please, upload it :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[neroFFS]

My uncle works for clavia and he's making those things :) Swedish quality

[rounder2u]

Hi nero

I don't know the name of your uncle but Hans Nordelius at Clavia is a truly remarkable man. What he has achieved with e.g. the Nord Stage and the Nord C1 is very, very impressive. Mr Nordelius has of course had great help of those other guys at Clavia. Clavia is a very small company but they have managed to produce high quality products so far.

PS. It irritates me that I put on too much distortion on this take. Maybe I will record 'chicken shack' again, but with better sound...

[neroFFS]

His name is Daniel Eriksson. I'm not that interested in those instruments. But Im impressed that he is a part of making stuffs that famous people uses. And your vid is great ^^

[db0007]

U're awesome playing. So tasty!

[rounder2u]

Hi db. Thanks!

[db0007]

I'm Danial

[youngdre513]

how much is those nord c1's i might just purchase me 1..... great skills

[rounder2u]

Hi youngdre. Thanks!

In US: 'Hammondrebuilder' here at YouTube picked up his Nord C1 for $2000 at Ebay. Normal price is $2800. What might be interesting is that the Nord C1 packs a Farfisa and a Vox Continental in the same instrument as the Hammond B-3 clonewheel.

You can check out clips by 'Hammondrebuilder' here at YouTube where he is making a direct head-to-head sound comparison between a 1965 Hammond B-3 and the Nord C1, or search for 'Nord C1 versus Hammond B-3'

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[rounder2u]

I have uploaded another song with the Nord C1 without Drive/Overdrive. 'Bucket' that I mentioned below is with the Leslie simulator on Stop, but if you are interested in what the Nord C1 sounds like with the Leslie simulator on Slow, please check out my song 'Jumpin' Papa'.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[rounder2u]

If you would like to hear the Nord C1 'clean' without the Drive/Overdrive distortion, please check out my cover of Jimmy Smith's 'Bucket'.

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[drummertom123]

Nice playing dude!

Why do people use 2 keyboards though? Is it so one can be set at a lower octave, surely for 2 different voices you could just use a Dual mode?

[rounder2u]

Thanks drummertom!

There are a number of techniques you can use if you have a dual 'Hammond style' keyboard. I'm using one of those techniques in this take, starting at 2min 06sec. During this 'chord chorus' I'm starting by hitting the chord on the upper manual and slide down the same chord to the lower manual. The song ends (last chord) in the same way. This is one of those things that can't be done on a single keyboard.

PS. The two lowest octaves at the lower manual are used for bass lines.

[drummertom123]

Ah I think I see now! I ocasionally have 1 keyboard stacked on top of another (the bottom with 88 weighted keys and the top 66 unwieghted synth style) to save me swapping voices around as much - means that I can always keep the top on say flute and not have to worry about changing the bottom voice so much!

[Triuntolearn]

Oh Rounder, that is so nice!! So glad you got a C1 and you are souding better and better. You (and also kw231263) inspire me. Keep Swinging man!!!

[rounder2u]

Hi Triuntolearn

Thanks!

Yes, finally has the two manual clonewheel journey began! :-) And the Nord C1 is very, very capable. Just listen to Eddie Landsberg here at YouTube playing a Nord C1 straight in to the line in. He is a real pro :-)

Now I just wish I was as capable as my gear...

OK. Time to practice!

Keep swinging your B-3,

Rounder

[mp2611]

Hi rounder,keep 'em coming, they get better and better!

[rounder2u]

Hi mp. Thanks!

I'm new at two manual organ à la Hammond B-3. It's a formidable challenge for me to learn how to play this beast, but also lot's of fun!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[kw231263]

Great Rounder,I give this a 5 star.Hope you like your NORD C1,it sounds great and great playing to.

[rounder2u]

Thanks a lot Kim! (kw231263)

Well, maybe I put on a tad too much distortion, but I like the sound of an old really battered, little overdriven B-3 with Leslie.

Yes, I like the Nord C1 very much indeed! It delivers! It's all up to me now. I have lot's of shortcomings as a player to overcome. But that's also a fun challenge - to improve, to be better.

By the way, Kim, your're one of the guys that inspired me through your videos, to buy the Nord C1 :-)

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[bloozeman101]

wow rounder!!

perfect!!!!!!

[rounder2u]

Thanks bloozeman!

Keep swinging,

Rounder

[adamkingkeys]

this is great. the C1 is my love.

[rounder2u]

Hi adamking. Thanks!

Btw, I've checked out your C1 vids, and you're good!

Keep swinging,

Rounder