How To Play 16th Note Funk Rhythms On the Organ

[@TheMisterGriswold]

The absolute best of the best on funk organ is Chester Thompson from Tower of Power. Check out his "Hammond Organ Clinic", or "Squib Cakes Chesters Solo". And to cap it off, "Chester Thompson - Ebony Jam". You will be amazed. 🎹🎹

[@UniverseofKeys]

I am very familiar. You are right. Nobody compares to Chester!! Very unique special organist!! Thanks for watching :)

[@jaijeffcom]

Pretty lucid demystification of a beautiful, effective, and frequently heard sound. Thank you!

[@UniverseofKeys]

:)

[@briankamisato9236]

I couldn’t concentrate on what you were saying….kept looking at the cup of coffee on your B3….great video!

[@taubennedjensen]

That organ sound and your playing sounds sooooo good. Pure funk. Thanks man! :)

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thank you for the kind words and for watching :)

[@JoeBoomerMusic]

I love that he says it sounds like a wah on a guitar…. My adult life as a guitarist has been searching for pedals and wah’s to make my guitar sound like your organ. How ironic

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching!! Mike

[@Artiscrafty]

Have you ever heard Maceo Parker. South wick. Super bad ass organ nice base line with great comp trying to figure it out, could you I do a lesson on it?

[@coleverret2269]

Check out the canyon ?

[@georgetebbens3524]

I've a guitar player for over 45 years. But my Strat has been vacationing at the pawn shop luxury spa for... about a year. Thing is I rescued a Casio keyboard from the alley a few years ago, which has been collecting dust. I HAVE to play music. So I've been jamming on the keyboard. I know enough about music theory to make sense of a piano keyboard. And it makes far more sense than the fingerboard of a guitar. I groove. I'm learning a ton from you. Thanks, Roger. (Or whatever your name is.)

[@UniverseofKeys]

Glad to hear!!

[@andrewyerkes4287]

Many thanks, this opened a ton of doors in my head! Now to get it in the fingers. Love all your videos.

[@UniverseofKeys]

Good to hear Andrew :)

[@coryhaugen602]

Hi brother! Being a guitarist and drummer, there is no feeling like the first time you get to pull all the drawbars out and hear that keslie spin up! Wow! Your Jon Lord story made me feel so good, thank you

[@UniverseofKeys]

Happy to hear thank you!!

[@leonardorochadutra8811]

The leakage of this B3 is a pleasure to hear.

[@UniverseofKeys]

It's not very often that someone appreciates leakage!! Awesome!!

[@leonardorochadutra8811]

@@UniverseofKeys For sure!! Reminds me of John Medeski's A100

[@ericmailer6722]

Great video, as a piano player who does a little organ it's a good lesson on funk the rhythms 🙂

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@louislamonte334]

Thank you so very much for this video, my friend! I hope you are very well!

[@UniverseofKeys]

No problem Louis, all the best to you!!

[@alexspiterigingell915]

Thanks for sharing great groove

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thank for watching!!

[@snakehips81]

Pure GOLD !!! Great lesson. Many thanks, cool dude !

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for digging it!!

[@Sky-on2cy]

@@UniverseofKeys agreed, super helpful, great lesson!

[@UniverseofKeys]

@@Sky-on2cy Thank you :)

[@randyzaucha8745]

LOVE IT!!! I have been wanting to learn this FOREVER!!

[@UniverseofKeys]

It's fun stuff!! Thanks for watching Randy :)

[@ДмитрийЯмщиков-г7э]

It`s really great exercise. Thanks!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching!!

[@josephwright5921]

Awesome! I really miss funky 70s music!

[@UniverseofKeys]

:)

[@kenrizzo1962]

Very cool …. I love inverted 5ths …. Like the whole intro to Perfect Strangers

[@UniverseofKeys]

Yup they literally work everywhere!

[@B3burner]

Yay! Deep Purple. Inverted 5ths are like the 4th of the V chord… but I’m being too technical. Lazy intro too. 😊

[@garys8990]

Great video! I have a 1963 B-3 ,but there are no techs around anymore to repair it, so it will be going by the wayside. A shame. Keep up the great work!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks so much!! Appreciate you checking out the channel :)

[@scrunchymacscruff1244]

What symptoms on the B?

[@PhilipMurrayDesign]

Thanks Mike - superb tutorial

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks Philip :)

[@robinwolf4270]

I will never forget the feeling of accomplishment that came from being told I could hold a steady groove and seeing that I had it by the throat, and the beat,,,,beat

[@UniverseofKeys]

A Steady groove is everything!! Thanks for watching :)

[@michaelsmilek2404]

Awesome ! ❤ Thank You for Great Information 👊🏻❤️👊🏻

[@UniverseofKeys]

Happy to help!!

[@SERJ4MAN]

Cool!For me it is groove from MMW & Scofield "Chicken dog" A go-go album ❤🎉

[@UniverseofKeys]

That is SUCH a great album!! Thanks for watching!

[@SERJ4MAN]

@@UniverseofKeys I not only watch, I also play after you 🙂Thank you so much!⚘🎹

[@UniverseofKeys]

@@SERJ4MAN Excellent!!

[@mistercorkyschannel]

Amazing lesson.

[@UniverseofKeys]

Glad you think so!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks! 😃

[@DeepspaceHorizon]

Really cool, thank you ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching!!

[@alaster33]

Funky man great vibes , supper cool

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching!!

[@claudevieaul1465]

This is so great... I've been playing organs since I was 4, and influenced by a lot of Hammond players. And to me that wasn't just about layers of sound so the guitarist sounded good 🤣🤣🤣 but rather pumping rhythm and groove into a melody! I love my B3 (1961 with 122 Leslie) and the immense range of expression that can give if you know what you're doing... I'm certainly a percussive player whenever I can be, finding that sweet spot between plenty harmonic content and a percussionist, to drive the song along. Keep rocking that glorious beast, man 😎🙏

[@UniverseofKeys]

1961 nice!! Thanks for your comment Claude :)

[@B3burner]

Love the tutorial! Totally in my wheelhouse and easy to understand. Love the sharp 9 chord- and I voice them same as you. Only thing is I’m left handed, for some reason can’t get the sixteenths going in the left, only the right. So I gotta cross arms to get the effect. Guess I gotta practice it more.

[@UniverseofKeys]

I am left handed too, I can relate!!

[@philippederome2434]

@@UniverseofKeys oh my God! Lefties can be pro at keyboard!

[@UniverseofKeys]

@@philippederome2434 Lefties forever!!

[@JeffLearman]

As a righty, I find the opposite to be easier (opposite from what's shown.) Just take it slow, and practice. Before long it'll sink in and be 2nd nature. Also, do it in your head when you can't sleep.

[@ryanmelvey8764]

i'm a drummer first, so i love playing drum patterns on the organ but with rich chords!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thats the idea! I played drums too in high school and all of the concepts work beautifully on the organ. Thanks for watching!

[@Mangoplak]

Cool tutorial! Thanks. So it's a bit like playing the bongos.

[@UniverseofKeys]

You are the first person to put that together. When I was developing this I practiced on bongos and transferred the rhythms to the organ. Great observation!!! Thanks so much for checking out the channel!

[@williamhanney7459]

Amazing video! Thank you so much. I'm going to ask what I hope isn't a stupid question ( but it very well could be). I'm hearing triplets rather than 16th notes on the initial groove. (1+a, 2+a, etc. rather than 1e+a, 2e+a, etc) Am I hearing that wrong? Again, I apologize if I missed something

[@UniverseofKeys]

Hi! Not a stupid question at all. I think if I were to play it straight the 16 th note pulse would be obvious. Add some swing, sounds like triplets. Truth is I don't really count when I play this stuff and rely alot on "feeling" it. Then the tough part, how to break it down for the student :). Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for your feedback!

[@RayyMusik]

I‘m also hearing triplets most of the time, RLL RLL etc. 🤷‍♂️

[@michaeldempsey3281]

This is a great tutorial, thank you!

[@UniverseofKeys]

No problem thanks for watching!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks Michael!!

[@antoniocabrera4588]

..."a-GAIN and a-GAIN..." YES, we love GAIN!

[@thomasrhein7757]

I'm struggling to reproduce this awesome funky sound on my Nord. How did you set the percussion? Soft Fast Third? And which stops are pulled out?

[@UniverseofKeys]

Hello!! That percussion setting will work :). A great drawbar setting that always works is the first 4 bars out. Keep the left hand very relaxed and make sure that it plays very staccato. You should only hear a percussive sound in the left and not the sound of the chord. I hope this helps and thank you for checking out my page!!

[@thomasrhein7757]

@@UniverseofKeys thanks a lot for your reply!

[@Blues.Fusion]

Clonewheels like the nord and the controller I use for b3x are harder to get this same effect. They don't have the 9 contacts that a real B has. They just have the one midi trigger under the key. I can get something close but the left hand has to slap just right or its not there.

[@parkerchace]

The dancing skeleton "yay"🤣

[@UniverseofKeys]

🤣🤣🎹🎹

[@bremflux6464]

Thank you that was helpful

[@UniverseofKeys]

My pleasure!! Thanks for checking it out 🎹👊

[@davidsummerville351]

Fun video!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Glad you enjoyed thank you!!

[@jimfromzerosurge4846]

Thanks for this. It is like playing the bongos.

[@UniverseofKeys]

Learned to play these rhythms on the bongos. You are absolutely right!!

[@RonaldRademaker]

Keep the funk coming like it al ready😁 question could you help me out with this song sweetspot from Shakura S,aid like to play it but can,t figure it out. What the really playing. Maybe with your experience you,ll regonize the bits and peaces. Let me know, if you do not have the time "no biggy"

[@UniverseofKeys]

Hey Ronald! What a great tune man. I can hear what the organ player is doing. Simple and effective. Not sure how to show you.... I do private lessons online and I could break it down for you. I am just heading out on a tour and will be back sometime in February so maybe shoot me an email and we can figure something out! [e-mail] All the best man :) Mike

[@B3-R]

Very nice, excellent 🔥

[@UniverseofKeys]

:)

[@bunchafunk]

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching :)

[@joeskladanek5114]

I'd be interested in understanding what you're doing with your left hand a bit more. I know you say that you are trying to play the same voicing just one octave lower but as I watch the video I don't think you ever really play three notes while doing the sharp 9 chord with your left hand and when you were doing the inverted fifths I'm not sure whether or not you were even playing two notes. I understand that the notes being played in the left hand are not necessarily as importand as the rhythm and that it's probably more of a purcussive thing than a harmonic thing. Personally, I think I've always just kind of hit random keys or the root but I like the effect of what you're doing better. Any chance you could elaborate?

[@UniverseofKeys]

Hello!! It really is just a percussive sound. And you don’t actually want to hear the notes in the left. Just the smack or the “click”. It is however important to me that the hands stay close together, an octave apart. That way the sounds match pitch wise. Even though you are not hearing the notes in the left the “click” sound will be deeper near the bass and “thinner” near the top of the organ. I use that like an instrument as well and don’t always want the same percussive sound in the left. This is just the way I look at it and may or may not work for you. Do your own thing! I am available for master classes via zoom if you ever want to dig in to this more. Thank you :)

[@galagalatv7600]

Yesssss!!! Great lesson.

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching!

[@gtwarden7292]

I’m just waiting for the ff7 theme to start playing “those who fight” I think

[@cameronllewellyn1]

Am I the ONLY one who does not see how F, F# and C is a #9 chord in the key of D maj…(?) Will someone please let me know how these notes constitute a “#9”? I did hear the F and F# referred to as major and minor 3rds… “Major third on the bottom, flat third on the top…” would make this a rootless (no D) D7 (V five) chord with a minor 7th (C natural) a 3rd (F#) in the bass and a sharp 9th. So in the “key of D” if we’re talking blues where the 1, 4 and 5 chords are all Dom7 chords… Is that it? 😅

[@UniverseofKeys]

Can be a bit confusing for sure. This is a “D Blues” progression. Technically it is not D Major. In fact a blues changes tonal centres three times. D7 G7 and A7 are all dominant chords and would really be the keys of G,C and D major. What you really need to know however is simple……. In application and on stage…. Musicians will say “Blues in D”. Might not make “classical” theory sense but it is the language of the street. The reason the note F is called a #9 is because there is no root in the chord. When you see a chord marked as a 9, 11 or a 13 it is like a giant billboard telling you to not play the root. If the root is in the chord then these would be called the 2,4 or 6. Hope I am making sense. PS this is how I understand it and there are always many ways to interpret music theory. Cheers!! Mike

[@cameronllewellyn1]

@@UniverseofKeys ok. Does make sense.

[@jacksonrauch9429]

Thank you!

[@UniverseofKeys]

🎹🤟

[@curiouscurious6558]

Great video! Ok so here's my question knowing you're a Jon Lord,fan when he played one of my all time fav solos.in HUSH., did he double track it? will look forward to your answer Thanks for all you do!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Hi! Great question. There is definitely one track of solo and one track of rhythm organ. So it is in my opinion an overdub situation. Double track to me means playing the same part twice and I don't hear that, but I do hear two separate takes together. I actually have the separated stems for the Machine Head album, it's really interesting because he does overdub organ parts like in the solo of HWY Star there are two parts that fit together like a puzzle. Cool stuff and really pushing the limits of recording for that time. He was such a great musician and a huge influence on organ players worldwide!! Thanks for watching :)

[@curiouscurious6558]

@@UniverseofKeys Thanks so much for your answer, Hush definitely got my attention! yes double track would mean same thing on both, my bad, should have said more than one track. To your point I heard Jon being interviewed when he said he played some solo parts by using additional tracks, rather than taking the time in the studio to work them out with both hands and record them all at once. Thanks again

[@UniverseofKeys]

@@curiouscurious6558 ahh you know that makes a lot of sense! Sounds like he played a bunch of stuff and then went back and comped a solo together from multiple takes. Of course I wasn’t there lol but that sounds like a cool way to do it. Check out Garth Hudson’s solo on the Northern Pikes song Girl With A Problem. Same deal. Comped it together by assigning different solos to different faders on the board and physically moving them up and down to create a really unorthodox and beautiful thing. One of the guys in the band told me this which is how I figured it out. Love that stuff!! Outside of The Band Garth did not guest on a whole lot of stuff and he just fits perfectly into a 90s rock song :) Lowrey organ heaven!!

[@nobutternotes]

Thank you so much! I've been wanting to play the organ for a while now, and I'm so happy I've found this channel! I'm thinking of picking up a free Hammond a few hours away, do you have any tips for beginners?

[@UniverseofKeys]

Truly happy some of the vids are helping you!! My tip is learn how to work the drawbars and the leslie, it is 50 percent how you play and 50 percent how to work the machine :) Some of the best players do not necessarily have the best technique or chops but they know how to get the right sounds at the right times. All the best!! Mike

[@saintbees2088]

It's 3 against 4. Based in Brazilian samba music. Check Pete Dupoe's "king kong" beat.

[@UniverseofKeys]

I will thank you :)

[@Jack-fs2im]

cool thanx will try it

[@UniverseofKeys]

Do it! Thanks for watching :)

[@herbie5263]

Nice

[@UniverseofKeys]

🤟🤟🎹🎹

[@timothydurbin9597]

Inspired...may take few views but it's going to happen

[@UniverseofKeys]

Awesome!! 🎹🤟

[@frankmontis]

Nice !

[@UniverseofKeys]

Hi Frank!! Enjoyed your tune w The D minor pentatonic/ F Major Pentatonic soloing today. Awesome!!

[@frankmontis]

@@UniverseofKeys thanks man! There can’t be enough organ tutorials right ? Keep them coming ! I’ll try to do the same 😁!

[@UniverseofKeys]

@@frankmontis Pls do! And I will get a lesson off you one day soon. Be good to meet.

[@frankmontis]

@@UniverseofKeys ooh that would be fun for sure !

[@jordangravel26]

Nice rheem kee bass

[@UniverseofKeys]

Haha! Thanks, great little board.

[@dejantodorovic6542]

My Man

[@UniverseofKeys]

🤟🤟🎹🎹

[@organfreak]

I got more specific commenting on your Fazebook post.

[@vansullivan236]

Thanks again!

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thank you!!

[@m.chaidarlatif8789]

Thank you

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching!

[@pianist007]

Mike this is a great tutorial and that Hammond has a fantastic overdriven tone, is it the tubes pushed hard or using some kind of pedal? Thanks for sharing this.

[@UniverseofKeys]

Thanks for watching :). That’s just good ole fashioned tube goodness!!

[@bcj842]

“When you’re listening to a James Brown track and you scrub 7 minutes into the song…” If that ain’t the truth.

[@UniverseofKeys]

lol Yup!!

[@davaxschinko]

Proper

[@organfreak]

5 Stars

[@UniverseofKeys]

:)

[@UniverseofKeys]

Love it!!