Anybody know where's some Leslie footage on-line??

[Rooster_Ties]

There was a story on NPR this morning (Monday, LINK) about a band from Atlanta (the CodeTalkers), and their guitar player plays through a leslie (should "leslie" be capitalized?), and they were talking about it and demoing it during the story. My wife thought that meant playing a guitar through an organ. I tried to explain how that was sorta kinda half-way true, but not quite -- and I was wishing I had some footage of a leslie in action, to show her.

Anybody know of any?? Thanks!!!

Also, anybody played anything else (or heard of anybody playing anything else) through a leslie??

I know Miles hooked up a wah-wah to his trumpet -- but can you (could you?) play a trumpet through leslie?? -- for instance. Or anything else through a leslie?? -- for that mater.

[Alexander Hawkins]

Also, anybody played anything else (or heard of anybody playing anything else) through a leslie??

I know Miles hooked up a wah-wah to his trumpet -- but can you (could you?) play a trumpet through leslie?? -- for instance. Or anything else through a leslie?? -- for that mater.

I think it's not uncommon to play things through a leslie - just a case of getting the connections right etc, (possible with adapters). I guess one of the most famous examples of someone doing it would be Jimi Hendrix, e.g. on 'Little Wing'. I get the impression guitarists do it relatively more than other people. Rhodes are also often put through them, though!

Edited July 25, 2006 by Red

[Jim Alfredson]

Back in those nutty 1970s, they used to put all sorts of things thorugh Leslies, including vocals. Can't think of any examples off the top of my head, but I know they did it with Genesis (probably Fountain of Salmacis, if my memory serves me correctly). It makes the voice sound like it's under water (if the Leslie is spinning fast).

On Pink Floyd's "Meddle" they put a piano through a Leslie. Basically, the Leslie is just a speaker cabinet, so like Red said, if you get the connections right, you can put anything through it and then mic the cabinet. Certain things sound better than others. I put a Rhodes sound through my Leslie the other week and while it sounded cool on the slow speed, it sounded kinda crappy on the fast speed.

What does it mean to get the connections right? Well, the standard Leslie is the 122. It connects to the organ via a 6 pin cable. That cable carries the audio signal, the switching signal (to switch the speeds of the motors) and the actual power for the speaker. It's just a matter of connecting the Leslie without the organ.

[Jazz Kat]

The Ventures put a saxophone through one I think, on Walk Don't Run 64'.

[TheCheeta]

...and I was wishing I had some footage of a leslie in action... Anybody know of any?? Thanks!!!

At 2:59 into this video, there is a close-up of the horn spinning and slowing. Pretty cool stuff, and not a bad video, to boot!

{Edit... ok, well... poo. I can't embed video on this forum. In that case, here is the video on YouTube of The Big Organ Trio.}

Edited August 3, 2006 by TheCheeta

[DukeCity]

Here it is: Leslie video at 2:59

(edit: sorry, I didn't see that it was already posted.)

Edited August 3, 2006 by DukeCity

[TheCheeta]

Here it is: Leslie video at 2:59

(edit: sorry, I didn't see that it was already posted.)

Wassup wit dat? You tryin' to steal my thunder??

Too funny that you found that today as well. Hey all you Hammond players... get some more vids on YouTube, will ya? I need something to occupy my time at work!

[CJ Shearn]

it'd be interesting to hear vibes through one because the rotation speeds of the motor in a vibraphone remind me of a Leslie.

[Robert J]