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Body Hammond: history, description, photo

The Hammond organ was created in 1935. Its distinctive feature is that it is not only a mechanical musical instrument, and not a wind instrument, like other organs, but electromechanical. The name of the tool was received by the name of its creator and designer - L. Hammond.

The original appointment of the Hammond organ

It was not as expensive an instrument as a conventional organ. Therefore, churches bought it as an alternative. But it turned out that Hammond's organ is suitable for performing blues and other fashionable music. Since then, the musical instrument has become more widespread than anticipated. It was used by military musical ensembles, it studied the timbre, using in acoustic scientific research. Buy it and private individuals for home music making.

History of invention

The inventor Lawrence Hammond has significant merits in terms of discoveries. For example, stereokino was originally his idea. In total, about 80 patents for inventions were made on his account, and the first of them was received at the age of 16 by Hammond. The organ, the device of which was carefully designed, was not his first brainchild.

After buying a used grand piano, he took out the keys and used them for his experiments in the field of sound generation. Having developed a method of electric reproduction of sounds, a year later the designer was able to present a new musical instrument at the Industrial Exhibition. The basis for synthesizing the sound signal was reproduction with the help of mechanical phonical wheels. The levers helped mix different forms of electrical signal. The motor rotated disks having a wavy edge. The keyboard of the organ was activated, as a result, each disc played a note. The electric magnet was located opposite. Due to the rotation speed and the frequency specified by the "irregularities" of the disc, a tone of a certain height was formed. To the tone were added several harmonics, which were responsible for higher and lower sounds. Registers adjusted the volume. So the sound was synthesized under the action of a synchronous motor, which is also the invention of this author.

A patent on the Hammond organ and trademark

In our time, the Japanese company Suzuki is the owner of the musical brand Hammond, as it acquired this trademark. Suzuki, being an automotive company, has long been eyeing the instrument. Several analogies were issued, not comparable with the original elector. They are called only mock-ups compared to the original instrument. In 2011, a division of Hammond Suzuki was formed.

Hammond's tool was patented in a very short time, in 1934. Apparently, this was due to the relevant financial and political situation. Originally on sale the model of the organ had 2 keyboards with 61 notes. And also was provided with registers for keyboards, 25 pedals and registers for pedals. The organ has gained considerable popularity, but this has helped some case.

The beginning of popularity

An interesting story is about two engineers working for G. Ford, who instructed them to make an electric organ with the specified dimensions. Time for the execution of the assignment was limited, and the engineers decided to go to the Patent Office, where they found a patent already issued to Hammond for such a development. All the parameters were exactly as ordered by G. Ford. But it was not a coincidence. Ford just became interested in the new body, learning about it, and decided to redeem the patent, avoiding publicity. After all, the author of the invention can start bargaining, and Ford did not like it.

Engineers threatened Hammond with troubles and asked to sell the patent. The presentation was planned only for April 1934, that is, a couple of months before this event. Engineers were refused. Then G. Ford personally asked to bring him a tool after the end of his assembly.

Ford got acquainted with the body and did not buy it, although he said that in two decades everyone should be able to buy such a home musical instrument. After that a dinner was given. Now Ford asked about the price and, having learned it, bought 6 copies at once. Hammond's agents set the price at 1,250 dollars. Thus, the first sale of the bodies took place before the presentation at the Industrial Exhibition of Arts.

Electroorganization company

The further destiny of the musical instrument can be called happy. Hammond did not make a big deal for every sale. But I must say that Ford asked him about it, offering money and employees for the company. The first year was sold in 1400 pieces of organs. Potential buyers were considered churches, but many individual citizens, including President Roosevelt, bought the instrument.

Despite the high price of the organ, its popularity was even more significant. Over the next two years, the company made a profit of hundreds of thousands of dollars, which by the standards of our time is equivalent to millions.

The appearance of opponents of successful production

Those who released the organs of the previous models, that is wind instruments, suffered losses due to the compact dimensions of the new instrument and comparative cheapness. The prices were simply incommensurable. Having started to lose in the market, the producers of the previous bodies applied to the trade commission with a complaint. The complaint contained a request: Hammond should not henceforth call his instrument an organ. The reason was the lack of a proper sound range in shades and harmonics, sufficient to match the organ.

Electroorgan check for conformity with the church tradition

This statement was not without real grounds, as it almost corresponded to reality. The sound of the electric instrument was different from the traditional church organ. But the commission did not find this obvious and decided to arrange a demonstration competition in the church at the University of Chicago. From listeners it was hidden, on what instrument the music is performed. Or Hammond organ or traditional?

The jury consisted of students, but it was only one part of it. The second group included famous musicians and conductors. Professional musicians caught the difference in most cases, while students could not always distinguish performances. But 100% could not be differentiated by any group.

Hammond got the right to call the instrument an organ, but it was prescribed not to advertise it as a tool with an infinite sound range. The exact figure was defined as 253 million sounds.

Competition

Leslie decided to produce electronic musical instruments similar to Hammond, which led to competition. Electric current in America began to translate from a frequency of 50 Hertz to 60. D. Leslie replaced the tone generators on the organs for proper sounding. At that time, he wanted to work at Hammond's firm, but was not accepted. Then he decided to start producing loudspeakers for an electric organ and achieved superiority over Hammond's engineers.

Leslie released the speakers that Hammond used in its organ. These were complex parts of the instrument with rotating components. The companies were in hostile relations, although their founders did not quarrel and did not make friends. D. Leslie's products were not advertised as actively, but in terms of quality, they won.

The feud was discontinued after the death of L. Hammond by the fact that in 1980 his company bought the firm Leslie for the production of speakers. Lawrence Hamond himself died in 1973.

Development of tool design

After the appearance of the first model, subsequent musical instruments from the inside were not always subjected to great changes. Often simply replaced the case. But you can also mention the additional devices that significantly updated the design. This, for example, vibrato, and later the amplifiers, which were built into musical instruments.

The dynamics of Leslie also had an unusual effect, since they were equipped with a rotating horn and a reflector. These parts were respectively in the high-frequency and low-frequency speakers, only two. The sound varied according to a complex of parameters: timbre, frequency, amplitude.

Famous musicians on the organ of Hammond

Hammond's organs were used to perform music by the most famous musical groups, almost all rock bands. In those days the organ timbre was very popular, therefore, no modern musician could do without his inclusion in his composition. No self-respecting rock band went on stage without Hammond's organ. For example, actively used his group Deep Purple, as well as the Beatles. Even in the period of mass enthusiasm, the reproduction of samples in some synthesizers contained several of its timbres. In our time, interest in historical instruments has been revived, and therefore Hammond's organ has again become in demand.

The most famous keyboard player playing on Hammond was elected as a result of a survey conducted by Keyboard magazine. This is Keith Emerson, repeatedly recognized as the best by the results of the year. By the way, he was quite unusual with his instrument. With the help of conventional knives, he achieved the fastening of the keys to ensure a long sound to the notes, while he himself continued to play with both hands. Subsequently, it was his instrument that was used for the Hammond organ samples in the popular E-mu Vintage Keys sound module.

The present period in the life of the organ

The organs of Hammond in its original form ceased to be produced in 1976, only glory remained. There were a lot of models of musical synthesizer of sound, but most are called only toys in comparison with the original. Electronic synthesis of sound, copying Hammond based on chips, a fairly complex process, if we talk about accurate reproduction. But so far, many tool repair companies have been manufacturing spare parts for Hammond and repairing it.

In the 70's, Japanese engineers were involved in the production, and in 1986 Suzuki began to acquire the Hammond brand. At that time, she already owned Leslie completely. Now, while producing their own Hammond organ, the Japanese corporation uses several other methods of sound reproduction.

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