As an organ lover and someone who enjoys singing, I do love Church Music, You know hymns and carols. It is veryeasy to shut your eyes and imagine singing the hymn as you play(And yes, I often play with my eyes shut. I will cover that in the near future).
The organ wuth its wealth of Flutes or Tibias, is the one instrument that can add much variance to the melodies. Use of Reverb, Chorus/ Chorale/ Lesle Speaker/Tremelo, with fast or slow speeds can bring life to the music as you play. Sustain, and a really deep Bass Pedal sound fills it out nicely.
I am attaching yours truly playing my favourite Hymn. I hope you like it.
I would also like to thank, those people who have given me a 5 Star rating for one of my Utube pieces..
Bye for now
Robin
PS. If you want to request a piece played, I may be able to help you.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The Funny Noise
Dear All,
You will have probably seen or heard my attached videos here in previous articles, or on youtube at 2009RobinC. Now how many of you have heard a strange creaking noise in the background.
Well funnily enough I had mentally ignored it as I recorded the music, but on listening to them I was astounded at how loud they were.
Well you will all be pleased to note, that it was actually my good old trusty Technics organ stool. A couple of the legs had very slightly come loose. Never mind, a 17mm socket and ratchet soon fixed the problem. It does however lead nicely into the next part though. Recording yourself (or trying to record yourself).
I like may people out in the wide blue yonder, can have an absolutely great playing session, and actually sound fantastic, sometimes even to others, BUT.
As soon as we hit the record button on the organ, cassette recorder , video camera, or even the computer.
Woomph. It all goes wrong.
Well, you will be pleased to know that this problem hits even the best of them.
I was lucky enough to be at a presentation by John Walker, a professional English Yamaha Organ Demonstrator. He was talking about his recordings (Cassettes and CDs). He said that what happens is that he gets everything set up in the recording studio. Lights, Sound Levels, organ Settings etc, then,
AS SOON AS THE RECORD BUTTON IS PRESSED.
IT ALL GOES WRONG.
So friends, when you are down in the mouth, and thinking that you are a failure, remember the great John Walker's comments, and chin up. It is just perseverance. You will get there. Remember if you do not try again, then you have failed.
I will perhaps place a John Walker Track on this site soon. He is brilliant.
Well that is it for now, Be back soon.
Please add your comments or ideas, and feel free to email me.
Robin
You will have probably seen or heard my attached videos here in previous articles, or on youtube at 2009RobinC. Now how many of you have heard a strange creaking noise in the background.
Well funnily enough I had mentally ignored it as I recorded the music, but on listening to them I was astounded at how loud they were.
Well you will all be pleased to note, that it was actually my good old trusty Technics organ stool. A couple of the legs had very slightly come loose. Never mind, a 17mm socket and ratchet soon fixed the problem. It does however lead nicely into the next part though. Recording yourself (or trying to record yourself).
I like may people out in the wide blue yonder, can have an absolutely great playing session, and actually sound fantastic, sometimes even to others, BUT.
As soon as we hit the record button on the organ, cassette recorder , video camera, or even the computer.
Woomph. It all goes wrong.
Well, you will be pleased to know that this problem hits even the best of them.
I was lucky enough to be at a presentation by John Walker, a professional English Yamaha Organ Demonstrator. He was talking about his recordings (Cassettes and CDs). He said that what happens is that he gets everything set up in the recording studio. Lights, Sound Levels, organ Settings etc, then,
AS SOON AS THE RECORD BUTTON IS PRESSED.
IT ALL GOES WRONG.
So friends, when you are down in the mouth, and thinking that you are a failure, remember the great John Walker's comments, and chin up. It is just perseverance. You will get there. Remember if you do not try again, then you have failed.
I will perhaps place a John Walker Track on this site soon. He is brilliant.
Well that is it for now, Be back soon.
Please add your comments or ideas, and feel free to email me.
Robin
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Matching Your Instruments
Hello again,
It is now the eleventh of January in my part of the world and I am gradually getting the hang of the reduced visibility in thr right eye. It will be nice when the headaches end.
Now, as an avid organist, I have always been aware of the styles and registration ideas that other organists use. In the early days of the 1970's, organ voices were a little bit "suck it and see." Being a Lowrey fan at this time, my favourites were the fantastic String Bass and Bass Guitar pedal sounds, the Marimaba which at that time was a twin mallet repeat style and the Clarinet, which had this deep woody sound when played with reverb. (I was at a Hammond Demonstration in Bolton where the organist was no other than Bryan Rodwell. He made the Hammond sound fantastic but when a asked him for a Clarinet demo he admitted that the Lowrey one was far better at that time).
You have to match your particular instruments actual sounds to the right melodies, and I suppose that this also goes for the keyboard players, BUT if you play the right piece with the right instrument then you can let peoples imaginations takeover to fill in the gaps. It is all a question of feel and atmosphere.
As an example, an old trick on the Lowrey Citation Spinet, was to play Amazing Grace using the Upper Cello with Lower String Accompaniment and have on reverb but as you play, hold down the Glide Pedal, which bent the whole organ tone back half a tone. This gave an impressive BAGPIPE effect and if AOC was utilised it was great, especially if a Slow Waltz Rhythm was used with that melody.
Well that is all for now.
I have attached this video of Yours Truly playing Stranger On The Shore on the Clarinet, made famous of course by the legendary Acker Bilk.
Bye for now
Robin
It is now the eleventh of January in my part of the world and I am gradually getting the hang of the reduced visibility in thr right eye. It will be nice when the headaches end.
Now, as an avid organist, I have always been aware of the styles and registration ideas that other organists use. In the early days of the 1970's, organ voices were a little bit "suck it and see." Being a Lowrey fan at this time, my favourites were the fantastic String Bass and Bass Guitar pedal sounds, the Marimaba which at that time was a twin mallet repeat style and the Clarinet, which had this deep woody sound when played with reverb. (I was at a Hammond Demonstration in Bolton where the organist was no other than Bryan Rodwell. He made the Hammond sound fantastic but when a asked him for a Clarinet demo he admitted that the Lowrey one was far better at that time).
You have to match your particular instruments actual sounds to the right melodies, and I suppose that this also goes for the keyboard players, BUT if you play the right piece with the right instrument then you can let peoples imaginations takeover to fill in the gaps. It is all a question of feel and atmosphere.
As an example, an old trick on the Lowrey Citation Spinet, was to play Amazing Grace using the Upper Cello with Lower String Accompaniment and have on reverb but as you play, hold down the Glide Pedal, which bent the whole organ tone back half a tone. This gave an impressive BAGPIPE effect and if AOC was utilised it was great, especially if a Slow Waltz Rhythm was used with that melody.
Well that is all for now.
I have attached this video of Yours Truly playing Stranger On The Shore on the Clarinet, made famous of course by the legendary Acker Bilk.
Bye for now
Robin
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Oops and a A Happy New Year for 2009
Well first of all I have to say Oops. I attached the wrong file to my last post and so there was no sound.
I am sure that you will all forgive me as I am working with my left eye only since the detached Retina operation.
Please acccept my apologies for this and try the revised attachment below.
May you all have a Happy and Prosperous New Year
Robin
I am sure that you will all forgive me as I am working with my left eye only since the detached Retina operation.
Please acccept my apologies for this and try the revised attachment below.
May you all have a Happy and Prosperous New Year
Robin
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