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5 More Ways to Play Organ

Like Dr. Lonnie Smith
Brian Charette shows examples of how to play Hammond B-3 organ like
Blue Note artist Dr. Lonnie Smith

BRIAN CHARETTE · UPDATED: NOV 29, 2017 · ORIGINAL: MAR 18, 2016

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 For my money, Dr. Lonnie Smith is the greatest Hammond B3 organist alive today.
Along with guitarist George Benson and saxophonist Lou Donaldson, Smith wrote
the proverbial book on what we now call “soul jazz.” This month, let’s delve into the
sounds and settings behind the good Doctor’s signature style. For more examples,
check out my lesson in the September 2014 issue of Keyboard.

1. Slap That Thing!

Ex. 1 is inspired by Smith’s song “Play It Back,” the opening track of his new Blue
Note release Evolution. This two- sted excerpt in C minor imparts the funky avor
of that song. Turn your Leslie speaker or simulator to the fast setting and note the
photos of the drawbar settings as well. This technique sounds best when played
sloppily. In this example, I am emphasizing a few chord tones like the Bb and F, but
the rest can be somewhat imprecise and smeared. Note how the interplay between
hands creates an undulating, funk fervor.

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 2. Left-Hand Top Chromatics

Ex. 2 illustrates how Smith sometimes slides his left hand up to the top organ
manual to play a quick chromatic scale while holding a chord down. Note that the
right-hand drawbar setting here is called “Half Fat” because it’s somewhere in-
between “chill” and “all stops out.” The right hand shape is a raised ninth “piano
shell” voicing with a atted fth on top. This extra note on the top of the voicing is

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 a very common way to construct chords on the Hammond organ. Check out Smith’s
song “Afrodesia” to hear this technique in action.

3. Vibey Bass Ostinatos

Smith often sets up slow ostinatos in the bass that are accentuated by doubling the
chord root in the pedals. In Ex. 3, the left hand plays fths with the rst and third
drawbar pulled out, for a stock bass setting on the lower manual. In the right hand,
we have what is called the Tibia organ setting and one that comes from gospel
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 music. Over the bass we play a simple bluesy ll from the D Dorian scale (D, E, F, G,
A, B, C, D).

4. Simplify

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 Ex. 4 is in uenced by Smith’s penchant for playing simple, soulful solos. Here, over
a rather involved ii-V chord sequence, Smith’s use of a few minor pentatonic scales
allows him to weave in and out of the chord changes. Notice that nearly all of the
right-hand notes here come from the E minor pentatonic scale, which works great
over the entire chord progression. Our last Eb catches the listener by surprise and
outlines the third of the B7#11 chord. The right-hand drawbar setting here comes
straight from storied organist Jimmy Smith, with the rst three drawbars out and all
percussion tabs up. Check out Dr. Lonnie Smith’s solo on the classic composition
“My Favorite Things” (also on Evolution) to hear more of his understated solo style.

5. Smush It Real Good!

The Hammond organ sounds sublime when you put your hands all over the black
and white keys. This gentle smush (when used in conjuction with the drawbars and
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 Leslie speaker) creates dramatic musical e ects and is essential for authentic organ
playing. Ex. 5 illustrates this technique over a bass drone, with a smushed right hand
solo line up to a C. The rest of the right hand line comes from the C minor
pentatonic scale and skips every third note in sequence, starting the next pattern
with the skipped note. Note that the drawbar settings pictured here is often referred
to as the “silk” setting.

BY BRIAN CHARETTE

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