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Lesson 14 of 45Hammond OrganIntermediate

Jimmy Smith's percussion

Joe Glossop

With

Joe Glossop
2:32
Joe looks specifically at how Jimmy Smith used 'percussive' playing on the Hammond. If you use this sort of stuff in your playing you'll sound more like an organist
Part of the coursePlay Authentic Hammond Organ45 lessons (3h 0m)

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What's in the course

45 lessons (3h 0m) · 1 free

    • 01. Distinctive hammond techniques

      Free lesson

      5:46

    • 02. Slides

      4:31

    • 03. Jimmy Smith's percussion

      You are here

      2:32

    • 04. Billy Preston's vocal 'punctuation'

      1:51

    • 05. Ken Lupper 'walks'

      1:46

Lesson transcript

Exploring Percussive Playing with "Cat" by Jimmy Smith

I'm just going to give you a bit of "Cat" by Jimmy Smith just ahead, with some percussive playing in between.

Key Concepts

  • Phrasing and Spaces:

    • Focus on the phrasing and the kind of spaces you create.
    • Push your playing along with those punctual bits of percussion.

  • Versatility:

    • It's quite a useful technique that you can apply all over the place.
    • There isn't really a lot to it, it's just a blues scale concept.

  • Integration:

    • The main goal is to try to fit those percussive elements in and push what you're doing along with it.

Techniques to Try

  • Hand Shapes:

    • You can use different kinds of hand shapes for this technique.
    • A good practice tip is to aim for the wood; this will help you avoid getting all the harmonics.
    • You just want to kind of scutch the top of it.

  • Speed and Rhythm:

    • You could try practicing at a slower speed.
    • Focus on integrating those percussive elements in between your notes.

  • Both Hands:

    • Feel free to use both hands, almost as if you're playing a conga.
    • Think of your instrument as a percussion instrument rather than focusing solely on the notes.

Conclusion

So, give it a little go and try to figure out where you can place those percussive elements in between your melodies.

Final Thoughts

Practice using punctuation in your playing!

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Joe Glossop

Joe Glossop

Joe Glossop is a keyboard player from Sheffield who has made his name on the Hammond organ. He currently holds the organ chair in Tom Jones's touring band, and has played with Van Morrison and James Hunter, as well as on piano and Rhodes. His courses get the real Hammond sound out of any keyboard - drawbar registration, the Leslie, the walking-bass left hand, and the comping and soloing vocabulary of the soul-jazz, blues and rock organ traditions, from Jimmy Smith to Booker T.

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