Hammond Chord Organ Tone Tablets

Probably the most eyecatching feature of the Hammond Chord Organ is the row of twenty large black and white "tone tablets" above the keyboard and chord buttons.

Basically just rocker switches, the tone tablets are like stops on a pipe organ, with each modifying the sound in some way. Kids love to flip the tone tablets, which make a nice "thwup" when pressed.

There are four groups of white tablets separated by three groups of black tablets. The white tablets are in groups of one, two, three, and five tablets; each group of black tablets contains three tablets. There is no particular significance to these numbers, but the layout looks kind of cool.

A tablet is "on" when the dot on the top edge of the tablet is showing. This means you push the tablet in at the bottom to turn it "on". Music arranged for chord organ shows the tone tablets with dots indicating which ones are supposed to be engaged.

Here is Hammond's description of the function of each tablet, adapted from the Chord Organ "Owner's Playing Guide".

[Text like this added by CLONK.]

VOLUME SOFT

[Leftmost white tablet]

Soft music of great beauty can be obtained by using this tablet. It also serves a nice purpose if you are playing in a small room or practicing. Primarily this tablet reduces the volume without losing the full range of the expression control.

CHORDS

[Leftmost group of three black tablets]

SUSTAIN CANCEL

This removes the relatively soft tonal background which is normally produced by pressing only a chord button (without using the chord bar). As a background is usually desired, this tablet cancels the sustained background. Resultingly, rhythm patterns produced with the chord bar and pedals are more pronounced.

MUTE

Use of this tablet will make the chord button tones more mellow.

PEDAL FAST DECAY

This produces a more percussive pedal tone. Whenever a pedal is released, the bass tone fades away very rapidly.

ORGAN

[Group of two white tablets]

STRINGS & FLUTES

These two tablets control the voice of the organ division (playable from the keyboard). If neither one of the tablets is used, the organ division will be silent--leaving only the solo division. Individually--

STRINGS--produce very brilliant organ tones.

FLUTES--produce very mellow and pure tones.

Use them together and you obtain a full and rich quality to your music.

VIBRATO CANCELS

[Center group of three black tablets]

There are three Vibrato Cancel stops: ORGAN AND CHORDS, SOLO WIDE, and SOLO SMALL. Do not be confused by the word "cancel" -- it simply means that the vibrato effect is removed when these stops are pushed in at the bottom. They are arranged to cancel the vibrato effect rather than to add it because the vibrato is normally desired.

Listen to each division with the three vibrato cancel stops pushed in at the top and note that the vibrato imparts a smooth, rich, string-like tonal warmth. A wide vibrato is desirable for such qualities as violin and cello, while orchestral solo instruments, such as the oboe, clarinet, and flute, sound best with a small vibrato. For some purposes, however, you may wish to take the vibrato completely off, particularly for qualities resembling the church organ.

The ORGAN AND CHORDS vibrato cancel stop removes the vibrato from the chord button and pedal tones as well as from the organ string and flute tones.

With both SOLO SMALL and SOLO WIDE pressed in at the top you hear the maximum vibrato effect on the solo division. Pressing both stops in at the bottom causes the vibrato to disappear. To get a small solo vibrato, press only SOLO SMALL in at the top, and for a medium solo vibrato, press only SOLO WIDE in at the top.

Many lovely composite tonal effects may be had by opposite settings of the vibrato stops; that is, by using a vibrato effect on the solo division but not on the organ division.

SOLO REGISTERS

[Center group of three white tablets]

BASS, TENOR, SOPRANO

The function of these three tablets is very simple.

They control the pitch range of the solo division. In BASS the tones will be in low register; the TENOR produces medium register; and SOPRANO places them in high register. When used simultaneously you can obtain a chorus of tones in octave relations.

[We're calling the rightmost group of black tablets "Solo Effects", but really the Solo Woodwinds tablet is separate from the two percussion tablets.]

SOLO WOODWIND TABLET

[Left tablet in rightmost group of three black tablets]

This tablet changes the quality of the solo tones from the string or brass family to the clarinet or woodwind family. Particular qualities within these two groups are determined by the solo timbre tablets employed.

PERCUSSION

[Right two tablets in rightmost group of three black tablets]

When you do not use either of these tablets, your music is well suited for slow moving melodies like ballads because the tonal response of the solo division is very gradual. Individually--

SOLO FAST ATTACK (also FAST DECAY with SOLO PERCUSSION)

Useful for fast moving songs. The response is very prompt.

SOLO PERCUSSION

Response is not only very fast but the tones fade away in a percussive manner like a chime or orchestral bell.

When both are used, the tones fade away very rapidly like those of a banjo or marimba.

SOLO TIMBRES

[Rightmost group of five white tablets]

The last five tablets are used to modify the quality of the tones selected by the solo register tablets (BASS, TENOR, SOPRANO).

DEEP TONE

Provides a pure and mellow tone.

FULL TONE

Brings out a bright quality.

FIRST & SECOND VOICES

Operate as musical resonators by emphasizing various groups of overtones. These are particularly suited for producing beautiful solo voices of the horn type.

BRILLIANT

Produces a piercing quality, especially when used alone.

All of the tablets may be used singly or in various combinations to produce a great variety of effects. At least one of the three solo register tablets and one of the five solo timbre tablets must be used in order to obtain a solo tone on the keyboard.

Drop a note to the author: CLONK