That old sound of notes flying all over when you turn off a B3 motor

**whykooper** · 07-27-2012, 04:23 AM

I'm new here, don't have a Hammond, but remember an effect that I'd see b3 players do in the late 60s.

They'd play notes or a chord and while holding the notes, turn off one or other (there are two switches, right?) hammond motors. The effect would then be the notes flying into wacky noises as they'd die out. Didn't have anything to do with Leslies, but it was something in the b3 itself.

The guys would switch the motor back on to straighten the notes back out etc. It was a pretty cool live effect. I never asked much about the effect in the old days and now ....I see no examples of people doing that on youtube and ... it's actually hard to find anyone who knows what I'm talking about.

Do you guys know how to get that effect? Does it burn out anything in the motor etc, to keep doing that effect on a regular basis?

What I'm really wanting to do is create samples of that... or at least experiment in creating a sample library of that effect for my own use to fly in to sections of recordings. I just don't remember enough about the effect to know exactly how the notes react with the motor clicking on and off.

What I remember very well about the old days, is carrying b3s and Leslies. No fun.

Anyway, do you guys know what I'm talking about? Has anyone sampled the effect into software?

**JJMcS** · 07-27-2012, 04:44 AM

Turning the run motor off and on lets the notes bend down a little. It can be done for a second or so but if the motor is left off for too long it will slow down too much and not be able to lock onto the 60Hz cycle again. Turning the start motor on for a second will speed the generator up a little.

**sfp1954** · 07-27-2012, 04:57 AM

I use that effect all the time.
But I just sampled it from the middle of "Hello I Love You" by The Doors and loaded it into my Roland XV-5080.
The 5080 has two midi-ins so I can trigger it from one controller while still playing normally on another.

It's also a patch on the the Roland SR-JV80-08 card Keyboards of The 60's & 70's.
Patch #74 B3PowerOnOff

**torea** · 07-27-2012, 04:58 AM

If you leave the run switch on but hit the start switch for just a second, the start motor will rev up. This means the notes will bend upwards until you release the start switch. Then they'll try to stabilize. While stabilizing, they will bend up and down until they level out.

**paulj0557** · 07-27-2012, 05:20 AM

There is a video on youtube of a guy who has a couple of spinning vibratone speakers in the background and he tips his Hammond and plays with the start/run switches. He is a thin guy that wears a sleaveless jean jacket and has long hair,and I believe wire rim glasses...old hippie LOL. Anyway, can't find his videos...I think he is in Argentina or something. Plays good and has lots of good Hammonds. Who is that guy I can't remember...ahhh!!

**Huboe** · 07-27-2012, 06:40 AM

You can get a similar effect by flicking the power switch on the L100 Series ala Keith Emerson (of E.L.P)... When switched off the tone generator slows down and the notes get deeper..but when you power it back up man does it get PSYCHOTIC SOUNDING till the motor gets back up to speed!!!! Here's Keith beating the SNOT out of a poor L100!! The switch effect is shown as soon as the video starts.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTrbIvKdKo0 Should also mention the L100 has a single power switch not the start/run set-up the B3 has

**JJMcS** · 07-27-2012, 02:42 PM

The Hammond XK-3 and '3c can be set to mimic this effect with the pitch bend wheel. In addition to the notes bending down it will also fade out as the amp powers down.

**Hamman** · 07-27-2012, 02:57 PM

The only problem with using the start motor while the run motor is on is the audio popping coming through the Leslie when you flip the start switch. Otherwise the turn off and back on of the run motor is tricky because of the stall speed of the synchronous run motor. You would have to experiment with it. Maybe adding a rheostat??

Originally Posted by torea

If you leave the run switch on but hit the start switch for just a second, the start motor will rev up. This means the notes will bend upwards until you release the start switch. Then they'll try to stabilize. While stabilizing, they will bend up and down until they level out.

**Hammond101** · 07-27-2012, 03:25 PM

"Maybe adding a rheostat??"
The Hammond Generator works and maintains a constant speed due to htz or cycles per second of the AC current. Lowering the voltage would have little effect until the voltage got lower than you wanted it effecting the preamp volume.

A circuit similar to that used in a two speed Leslie adaptor would work eliminating pulses of cycles from the supply without changing voltage.

**Hamman** · 07-27-2012, 03:29 PM

Rheostat would work by....lets say, lowering the "horsepower" of the Sync motor there by over riding the torque of the 60htz

Originally Posted by Hammond101

"Maybe adding a rheostat??"
The Hammond Generator works and maintains a constant speed due to htz or cycles per second of the AC current. Lowering the voltage would have little effect until the voltage got lower than you wanted it effecting the preamp volume.

A circuit similar to that used in a two speed Leslie adaptor would work eliminating pulses of cycles from the supply without changing voltage.