I'm feeling faint!

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

C

Cybrvanr

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
1,287
You all probably know by now that I'm a keyboarded instrument nut. I've got two Hammonds, a Vox Continental, and Casiotone keyboards. Well, due to their rarety, I do not have any analouge synthesizers from the seventies. It was taking all my might not to punch in my credit card number and have this on the way, despite the fact I don't have the money for it right now!

This model here, the ARP Odyssey, although frequently heard on many recordings, especally disco tracks, is as rare as hen's teeth, and highly coveted for their sound. These keyboards are responsible for making the synthesized strings sounds hears in music from Styx, BeeGees, The Buggles, and many others. They also produce the most amazingly cool, mellow, lonely tone when set to it's fundamental frequency settings. Unfortunatley, although ARP was one of the synthesizer technology leaders, and a direct competitor to MOOG, they didn't last long, only about 8 years.

I may try for this Russian Polyvox...their version of the famous mini-moog:


Now, it's time to put on some classic synth music from the seventies...hmmm...Pink Floyd, Styx...Moody Blues, Emerson Lake & Palmer...hmmm.

 
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
The electrontic music studio of the college I went to had an ARP Odyssey; I spent many hours working with that and an old MOOG, which was another gem, if only for the (now) vintage sounds. Damn the checkbook! Get it!
 
Love vintage synths

When I was in elementary school, they shuttled us over to the high school for what I thought was another boring "assembly". There was a guy on the stage in the auditorium that had all these boxes and cables all over. He didn't say anything, and for some reason, no one told us what we were in for, just to see an interesting "invention".

Out of nowhere, this guy lights up this early MOOG, and I thought the rafters were going to come down. I was freaking amazed.

I have NO idea why/who/how this guy was there, and why the school and he agreed to set up such a massive amount of stuff to show school kids. There was not alot of explanation. Basically, that new electronics were being made to sound like real instruments that were not there.

Shortly thereafter, "Switched on Bach" came out, and I told my whole family that THIS is what we heard.

My one friend in the 80s had a Roland monophonic model, and we played and played with it. My other friend, circa 1985, got a huge Oberheim OB-8, with a drum machine. It was impressive, he even left it at my house for a while. I was hoping he would forget about it, but he came and got it eventually. Then it sat in a corner of his house because, he said, "it's not MIDI".

My parents got me a Yamaha CS-01 for Christmas years ago. I still have it, staring at it now. It's really small. I used it for sound effects in my cheesy movies. These are still expensive on EBAY.

Now I have a Yamaha EZ-150, which is not professional, but when used with my music software, allows me to "compose" scores for my newer cheesy movies. My only problem is I can't play worth a damn, but I love the technology.

As far as Hammonds are concerned, I am fascinated with those Lesley speakers, which I understand are speakers that spin around in the cabinet to make a unique sound!
 
Kevin can you post a pic of that Yamaha cs-01. There looks to be an older Yamaha sitting right now at a thrift store here I've never seen before,, basically just a keyboard on metal legs with a fold over suitcase type lid and a volume pedal hanging down, no voices, just an on/off switch.

You're right the leslie speaker does spin or else it has baffles surrounding the speaker that spin like on mine, common in smaller home spinets, usually with two speeds, on my organ it's labelled celeste (slow) and tremolo (fast). The idea is to give the sound life, on the fast speed it's sort of that Hammond a go go sound. You can also direct the sound solely thru the leslie or split it between the leslie and the regular speakers for a richer sound.
 
Since I have an interest in organs-Synthesizers are interesting devices as well.Each has their place.I also love Hammon d organs.Its interesting that some keyboard builders are making intruments to try to "imitate" the Hammond tonewheel organ sound---guys-why not just go back to building tonewheel electgronic organs---nothing like the REAL thing.I have some thoughts of getting an electronic organ of some sort-don't have the money or space for a pipe organ.I have LOITS of organ recordings.Get pleasure from those.Leslie speakers were first developed by an inventer of the same name-he concluded the rotating baffles would generate a "sorround type sounds" from one speaker instead of several.The typical Leslie speaker unit had a woofer with a rotating baffle below it-(the unit I saw and worked on-had a down firing woofer) and a rotating tweeter horn.Organists loved these units-some guitarists used them-the one I worked on was owned by a guitarist.Replaced the 5U4 rectifier tubes in the amplifiers.Each speaker had its own amp.Used push-pull 6550 tubes to drive each speaker.Was impressive.Special string like cloth belts drove the rotating elements from a small two speed motor.These belts were incredibly durable. didn't srtetch like rubber belts.Should have bought that Hammond someone was offering me for $100 years ago!!
 
Hammond wasn't the only organ maker to offer the true Leslie speaker in their spinets, they did license it out to other makers to use like mine which is an Electrohome. I was sold on it the first time I heard it played. At the time about 30 years ago now I was looking for a decent one that had as true a sounding "big" organ sound as I could get without spending money I didn't have then and it fit the bill. 30 years now and I still havent had to replace that belt though I have had to oil the axles. I got a Roland midi synthesizer about 12 years ago as a Xmas present but I don't play it that much
 
Other electronic organ builders used rotating baffles or rotating speaker arrays-to get the "Leslie" sound. Allen Rogers electronic organs used a "Gyrophonic"tone cabinet to imitate the Leslie sound. In it they used a rotating speaker array to give the effect.it had a similar sound. Heard one demo'd at a music store in downtown Rapid City-trying to remember their name.This would have been over 30 years ago.At the time Allen organ were marketed to commercial and churches.They weren't marketed to homes.they were Very large units.They were being sold to try to replace small pipe organs.Were less expensive than the pipe organ and didn't need swell chambers for pipes. Used the 'fridge size tone cabinets instead.The Allens had a nice sound-but no way could they replace a pipe organ.Allen-rogers is still with us.They also own designs from Moller organs.The old moller factory in Hagerstown Md,is now the Hagerstown Organ co.Bought out by former Moller employees.They still build and service pipe organs.They have the largest pipe organ factory in the US.
 
Appliance Collectors and Organists?

OK. How many in the club are organ nuts? We have a couple church organists in the Vacuum Cleaner Collectors Club, how many do we have here? It is good to see the employees of Moller Organ Co. have kept it going, they made a fine instrument. I just wish the Austin Co. could do the same. Won't comment on Allen and Hammond- I'm a purist!
Bobby in Boston
 
In Junior High

I got an Organ for Christmas one year. A Kimball entertainer III. I was lousy at practicing....but always pulled my music off at practice that week.<p>One of the highlights of my organ career was playing a duet at my recital that year with my teacher....she on the piano and I on the organ. We played *I'm looking over a four leaf clover*<p> The organ is still at my parents house, I occassianlly will sit down and play a song or two I remember. *please dont talk about me when I'm gone* / *Wendy* / and of course the four leaf clover song. :)
 
The trouble with organs is they got a bad rap over the years with some awful awful music put out. Then too, while piano teachers are plenty, there's one on every block or neighborhood there aren't very many organ teachers. Coupled with all that automation starting with rhythm masters, then auto chording, fancy fingers, and auto arpeggios, the sounds coming out of them can be atrocious. That can be fun at first but it wears quickly. Better to know how to play properly without the automation in the first place. Myself I prefer strictly classical organ works from the masters but enjoy the fun stuff at a concert or competition especially when someone renowned is playing. The highlight here is ever 4 years the Calgary International Organ Competitions are held and you get the best of the best new talent along with some of the worlds most renowned judging and also giving concerts. During the summers they have organ a la carte Tuesdays at noon in the downtown concert hall, free, just walk in with your bagged lunch and enjoy. It's not stuffy, you don't have to be quiet and stiff, on the contrary it's supposed to a fun lunch and again you get to hear the worlds best like Carlos Curly or the absolute best Simon Preston if they're in town.
 
Organs

Vinvac here,,

Church organist..self taught.. I have had to leave a church that I loved very dearly. The movement within the United Methodist Church is contempory and most contempory sounds bad on a pipe organ. The first church I played for had an Austin Organ. About 8 ranks and installed in 1906 new. Not much has been done other then the key board and electrical have a new power supply. The church I left and the church I currently play at have Allen Digital Pipe. They are great organs. If installed and voiced properly it is hard to tell that they are not the real deal. I want the one I currently play to be revoiced. It is voiced very softly and some ranks are far to quiet for the voice. So will get that taken care of soon. Also play as a sub in a church that has a Wicks pipe organ. 13 Ranks. Here in Dubuque there are several good pipe organs and there is a Moller at the Masonic Temple. Not sure how many ranks, but if I had to guess it would be close to 20.
 
I like the idea on pipe organs that it is a permanent peice--most pipe organ builders build and install the unit to last a lifetime-or even centuries.No electronic organ can claim this-will any of the electronic ones by playable centuries from now-think of it!The pipe organ can be maintained-and usually is.electronic ones are like some new appliances-throwaways.Oh-yes I am a member of the VCCC.Yes electronic ones are getting better-but still can't match the majesty and power that a pipe organ has.In some institutions-pipe organs have replaced electronic ones!!The clients are happier with the pipe organ.And they love the recording contracts-these pay for the new pipe organ.also remember the pipe instrument is HANDMADE--not stampted out like electronic ones.electric ones have their placesthey are less expensive,take up less space and require less maintenance.
 
I would agree it would be much better to have a real pipe organ. We replaced a real pipe with the electronic simply due to cost. It cost a little over 350.00 twice a year and depending on the weather sometimes 4 times a year to have the pipe organ tuned. Plus it was going to cost 65,000.00 to have the organ put into good working order. We had trouble with the stop panel and several of the pipe chests needed to be redone. They would not gaurentee the organ to work more then a year before they felt more could go wrong. So we decided on the Allen. Pipe organs now run about 12,000 dollars a rank. Not including the keyboard and pedal board. For this area that type of money is just not to be had. Most of the smaller churchs here are going even to electronic piano's. Which is far worse than an electronic pipe organ.. they still (piano) sound like a tin can..

St. Rapheials Cathederal here in Dubuque just restored their 27 rank pipe organ about 8 years ago. The cost was 350,000. After all that work the new priest doesn't want the organ used but has three woman that play guitars. Sad.

Same story in a Methodist Church in Madison WI. They installed to the tune of 1/2 million dollars a three manual Austin Organ about 5 years ago. Money left to them from one member. Their new pastor has a contempory group and the organ sits. However, now they have gone from 600 to 700 people in worship to less then 200.

I have a friend who is a concert organist and plays here in the US as well as tours a lot in Europe. It saddens him that organ music and organists seem to be loosing their place here in the US.
 
Another thing-I SELDOM hear pipe organ or any other organ music played on the radio.There is so much organ music out there-and it could satisfy anyone-the organ-pipe or electronic-is a one man orchestra or band.The organist can make you happy or sad-or make you get up and dance!esp with traveling band organs.I listened to a Wurlitzer band organ-the operator loaded it with the polka music rolls-and it got EVERYONE listening DANCING!Was great.If I want to listen to organ music as I ride in my car-have to bring my own CD's or tapes-the radio stations here don't play it.
Another sad thing-but conditions improving-the two organs in the Atlantic City "Boardwalk Hall" The Auditorium organ that fills the largest enclosed space with music-the largest and most powerful on the planet is now unplayable.Renovations in the hall disabled both the ballroom organ(Kimball) and the Auditorium Oran (Midmer Losh)Both were built in 1932-these are TRESURES!The largest in the world-they may have more fans overseas than here.The Sports Authority that runs the hall is now working on having them restored-will be a 6 year project-imagine hockey games-basketball games,etc having REAL organ music accompnying them!! would be great.Also the Miss America Beauty pagents are held there-in years past the main organ provided the music.I have recordings of these instruments-they are magnificent.You can order your own from the Atlantic City Convention Hall Organ Society-or the Organ Historical Society(I am a member).They arlso have a supurb DVD video of the auditorium organ.Excellent information on it.gives history and Video "Organ chamber crawls"
It is sad churches are going away from their organs-many people in the audience prefer the organ-least I do when going to church-hate the guitar music-Its a CHURCH-not a rock music hall.I suppose the tighter budgets churches face force them to go electronic.The church my dad goes to had their pipe organ refurbished-the congregation even took up collections to pay to have it done-and even did some of the work themselves.They were happy with their "new" organ-even listened to it-was WONDERFUL!!Many of the pipes in it were "recycled" from the Downtown Rapid City "Elks" theater when they had an organ.Remember when THEATERS had organs??
 

Latest posts

Back
Top