A non pedal organist

[Soul Stream]

As much of a pedal enthusiast as I am....as Jack McDuff said "The pedals don't swing enough to be played by themselves. To swing you have to play left hand bass." In that, I totally agree. Although to hear someone like Rhoda Scott or Lou Bennett, they're killing the pedals. But, to me, the pedal sound itself is just too heavy. The stops on the manual allow a more realistic bass sound for the left hand. I'm a fan of pedal bass in the sense that I'm just a fan of the organ. But, in fact, pedal bass is very limited in modern jazz organ outside of ballads and fortifying the left hand. Because anyway you cut it, foot basslines by their very nature have to be very chromatic as opposed to the left hand which gives you much better facility.

[Jim Alfredson]

Most likely Bennet's beef with Smith and his disciples was the public's ignorance of how they were actually playing the bass lines. On almost every Jimmy Smith album, the liner notes claim that he is producing the bass lines with his feet, comping with his left hand, and soloing with his right, which is not correct.

Is Jimmy's way "cheating"? It could be argued as such, especially if you do the one-pedal tap that I outlined earlier, which produces the same "plucking" effect for which the Jimmy Smith-style basslines are known. But Smith himself did not tap one-pedal, he shadowed or copied what he was playing in his left hand with his foot. Speaking from experience, do this for long enough and you will be able play a swingin' bass line with one foot, without the left hand.

I agree with Mike that generally speaking, pedal-only basslines on the Hammond don't sound very good, not necessarily due to the person's technique (although really uptempo tunes would probably be next to impossible), but due to the nature of the sound of the Hammond itself. From the beginning, the biggest complaint about the tonewheel Hammonds from classical organists was the "flabbiness" of the bass pedal tones.

After seeing Hammond-Suzuki rep and gospel organist Aaron Thomas live, I can honestly say my pedal technique pales in comparison (and I consider myself a good pedal player in the jazz sense). That guy played basslines with one foot faster and more precise than I could do with my left hand. He's incredible. That's what true classical pedal technique will do.

Jackie Davis played pedals exclusively I believe. Rhoda Scott, as mentioned. Milt Buckner. A lot of the "old guard", pre-Jimmy Smith people. The nice thing about the Smith technique is that when you do lay into the pedals, it creates a nice way to really build tension.

To get back to Jazz Kat's question, I would ask yourself this:

Do you want to play and sound like Jimmy Smith? If yes, learn the pedals. If no, then don't worry about it.

[7/4]

I want to play like Keith Emerson. Do I still have to learn the pedals?

[Jim Alfredson]

I want to play like Keith Emerson. Do I still have to learn the pedals?

No, but you do have to learn to wear outfits like this:

[Jim Alfredson]

Watch out, though, 'cos this kid is on your ass...

http://bigsynth.com/

[7/4]

I want to play like Keith Emerson. Do I still have to learn the pedals?

No, but you do have to learn to wear outfits like this:

Maybe something that will cover up mah stomach.