Shred your Solo with these Hot Licks !

This tutorial is an introduction to a keyboard Technique that is legendary for fans of the Hammond Organ. We're talking about "Slap Style Rhythm". This is probably one of the most fun and effective keyboard techniques you'll ever get to use, with a musical result that is very similar to a rhythm guitar part.
If you are new to this two handed "SLAP" technique, imagine that you are playing a pair of bongos. If I establish a pair of alternating "Toggle Chords" to play in my right hand, I will use my LEFT hand to add some extra rhythm by simply tapping any of the nearby black keys.Given the black keys "elevated" position above the white keys, they are easy to engage and provide enough sound in comparison to the notes played by the right hand. To summarize, My RIGHT hand is playing chords in a quarter or eighth note rhythm, and my left hand is simply playing the off-beats. If I add a SWING or TRIPLET feel to the left hand part it would extenuate the rhythmic style of the music in the same way that a percussionist would play a conga or bongo part.
It may take some time to get comfortable with this two hand style of rhythmic playing, but once you get into the groove you’ll be quite surprised at the musical results.

[@Chunda8]

Sounds a lot like "Frankenstein" by Edgar Winter....

[@jimprovmusic]

Yes ! You are correct !

[@gisellechacon7081]

Dude- how is it I never thought of just doing the slide on the *black* keys?? So smooth! Some really nice useful riffs off that initial Frankenstein motif. Great takeaway value here, thanks so much! 👍🏼

[@organeu]

Would be better with a real HAMMOND and a Leslie cabinet.

[@jimprovmusic]

Yes - You are so right about that.

[@a8fashion]

Wonderful lesson! But please! When there is too much light, photographers call it overexposure! The white keys completely merge into one spot! This is mistake! Less light lick!

[@jimprovmusic]

Yes - you are correct !! I think I've solved that problem in my more recent videos.

[@billg6166]

"Frankenstein"

[@guitartommi]

That rocks. Cool!

[@louiscornale5667]

Nice but where is wooly bully?

[@jonnybass1968]

This is Awesome! Looking forward to more tips and tricks

[@Stokkie2310]

Nice tutorial, but a 😖 organ sound. Not even close to a Hammond. But good licks👍

[@jimprovmusic]

...maybe in ,my next lifetime I can afford to own a real Hammond B3.

[@Stokkie2310]

@@jimprovmusic you don’t need a B3 for a proper Hammond sound 😄 Lots of (cheap) models will do the job. And also lots of clones.

[@fotoalive]

I think it sounds GREAT ! INSTANT SUB! @@jimprovmusic

[@1970piano]

Nothing wrong with the sound. It’s the player, not the instrument… and he plays fantastic!

[@a10-w6x]

Absolutely love these organ rock tips. Never enough! Also how to comp in a rock band on the Hammond?

[@jimprovmusic]

The Hammond Organ (or a suitable imitation) is like an enormous toolbox that can "solve" any musical situation. Check out Gregg Allman with the Allman Brothers Band. His Hammond playing is a great cross-section of what that instrument can do in a wide variety of musical settings. Check out Jon Lord of "Deep Purple" and you'll get to hear how many ways he used the Hammond to match exactly what the song needed, whether light or explosively heavy. That instrument does it all.

[@szekerespista3758]

Wow! 😯A big Like and subscribed to your channel!

[@ProvenGroove]

Great tutorial - useful stuff 👍🎶🎹

[@MrJimmason]

Thanks ! Hope you two are doing well.

[@Greg-om2hb]

The first lick sounds a lot like LAZY (Deep Purple/Jon Lord), which is a Blues in D.

[@jimprovmusic]

Yes, I hadn't noticed that before. This lick is also very similar to the main riff in "Frankenstein".

[@Stokkie2310]

Lazy is in Fm😊

[@TheMaytagmike]

Love it cant wait for more .Thank you for teaching me

[@jimprovmusic]

Thank you for discovering my channel. Please check out my video on "Descending Triads" - I think you will fully appreciate the massive utility of this riff. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKnZmatmmMeIrtU

[@haluk2336]

What is your La frequency tune? Because the sound does not match with mine?

[@jimprovmusic]

Not sure what "La Frequency Tune" refers to, but yes, there is an audio/video sync problem with a few of my videos and I am slowly but surely solving this issue that is not always evident until I render and upload the video. Apologies

[@jimprovmusic]

Okay - I will check that out, but I am 99% sure that my Kronos is set for A=440. Perhaps there has been some small timing drift in the video process that affected the overall frequency...not sure.

[@mitchelljarmellmiller6102]

Fire!!

[@jimprovmusic]

Stay tuned for more keyboard tips with fire

[@rodrigodeclercq6763]

Fantastic

[@FKL]

Could you please explain the lick at 00:25? And maybe share your backing track… Txs

[@jimprovmusic]

Thank you for noticing this ! I call this RIFF, "Descending Triads" and in the video at 0:25 I’m using “straight” eighth notes, no triplets. Given that there are EIGHT eighth notes in a 4/4 measure this “riff structure”uses TWO sets of three-note triads followed by ONE set of paired eighth notes that play just the first TWO notes of the (incomplete) third triad in the measure. This gives us a total of EIGHT notes. This 3 + 3 + 2 pattern allows each subsequent measure to start with a full broken triad. If you try this RIFF in A minor, your first broken triad (using 5-3-1) will be E - C - A. Following that first triad,you will then descend ONE scale step to the next triad (D-B-G), and then you will descend one more scale step and play ONLY the first TWO notes (C-A). For an entirely different “feel” you can also perform this riff with Four sets of Triplets - each one a descending triad - for a total of twelve notes in a 4/4 measure. The first triplet, an A minor Triad would be: E - C - A, The NEXT triad in our descending RIFF is G minor, played by D - B - G in that order, the third one after that is C - A - F, and the fourth one is B - G - E. Keep in mind that each of the four beats in your measure will contain a full broken triad. I will post a detailed video about this "Descending Triads" Riff asap.

[@jimprovmusic]

I'll put the backing track on a video soon.

[@FKL]

Txs for your replies

[@FKL]

@@jimprovmusic So if I understand well, you alternate triads between Am and Gm? By the way, B should be Bb, right? Does this means that for a given minor chord you can alternate triads of 1st and 2nd degree in different inversions? Looking forward to learning more with your next video. Thanks a lot Frédérik - Paris - France

[@jimprovmusic]

@@FKL If you're playing this lick in A minor, there would be no sharps or flats, unless you wanted to "adjust the scale into some related mode. Admittedly, it does get a little tricky with scales that contain a mixture of black and white keys. My video on this topic should be uploaded by early next week at the latest. It's such a classic riff - Glad you are wanting to learn it.

[@billhasty5197]

Loved the Lesson. Just subscribed and I will go look through your library of posted videos. Thank You, keep posting new content please.

[@jimprovmusic]

Bill - Thanks for checking out my channel, and please let me know if there are any topics that would interest you; technique, soloing, synth programming, etc.. I'm about to go deeper into improvisation concepts for keys players. Stay Tuned.

[@billhasty5197]

@@jimprovmusic That is a great idea on improv

[@jimprovmusic]

@@billhasty5197 - Yes, encouraging folks to explore improvisation is the true focus of my channel. Please post some of whatever you're doing with music.

[@billhasty5197]

@@jimprovmusic I have been a Classic Rock player (60's,70's) my whole life. Mainly piano and synths. For the last month I have been studying "Blues", which is a new style of playing for me. I want to study Jazz after I learn the Blues.. Never played either.

[@jimprovmusic]

@Bill Hasty - Awesome ! it sounds like you are having a blast with your music ! One of my videos is set up as a play along "Jam Track".It's called "Bues for Mr.Haze" and has a D minor vibe.Check it out and see if it's a good play-along.