does piano technique suffer from playing organ?

[rob sanders]

I'm pretty much new to the organ. I've had some synths and even a single-manual Hammond XB-2 15 years ago.

I have decided to immerse myself in the organ, and I have a new Hammond SKX that should arrive any day now.

My question is this. Have people noticed their piano playing suffering once they started playing organ? And vice versa.

I think I can go back and forth no problem.

But the thing is, I can't haul my 9 foot baldwin to a BBQ joint or an open mike.

And recently I've got some rodent leaving nut shells inside the baldwin. In that octave right above middle C. Some notes sticking. whatever.

So rather than evict the critter I'm getting a Hammond.

[Teasing the Korean]

As long as you spend a reasonable amount of time playing the piano (or something with weighted keys), you will do fine. 

[dankarlsberg]

The organ is a wind instrument, and the piano is a percussion instrument. Thinking about it this way will help you approach each instrument separately, and not interfere with each other. Thus, your piano playing will only suffer if you don't play the piano for a long time, and the same with the organ. Also, the fact that they sound so different, will put your head in different places. 

As a side note, Fats Waller played both and was amazing on both, so you can do it too.

 

good luck! Enjoy it!

[Teasing the Korean]

On June 22, 2018 at 3:58 PM, dankarlsberg said:

The organ is a wind instrument...

A Hammond B3 with the click and percussive harmonic engaged is as percussive as a piano, IMO.

[Shrdlu]

I think Rob is referring to the fact that, on the organ, you can press and hold a note steadily for as long as you like - which, of course, you can't do on a piano.

[JSngry]

How is a B-3 a wind instrument?

[dankarlsberg]

On 1/5/2019 at 11:01 PM, JSngry said:

How is a B-3 a wind instrument?

A hammond organ is an electric version of a pipe organ, which is a wind instrument. Sound is produced from air moving. The electric organs simulate that like keyboards can simulate pianos which are percussion instruments. Any person who plays both piano and organ can tell you how you hit a key on the piano changes the volume and sound. How you hit a key on organ has zero effect on the sound, with one exception: the release time. The percussion setting can add an attack on the front end, but does not make the organ a percussion Instrument. To be a percussion instrument how you strike the instrument will matter.

It really helps the player to think like using air. You'll approach it differently. Also it helps put your mind in a different place then when you play piano.

[Teasing the Korean]

On July 5, 2019 at 10:08 PM, dankarlsberg said:

It really helps the player to think like using air. You'll approach it differently. Also it helps put your mind in a different place then when you play piano.

I always play B3 with percussive settings, and it helps me to think of it as a percussion instrument, especially if i'm doing a lot of left-hand jabs between chords. 

In fairness, depending on how it is being played, a B3 has characteristics of both a wind and a percussion instrument.