Euphonic Studio Hammond Organ Model A-100 with Leslie 251 10-10-16 7:34 PM

Euphonic Studio
Coming soon... audio samples of what this Hammond/Leslie sounds like in the
studio. This will illustrate why keyboard manufacturers have been unable to
duplicate this sound with a synthesizer after decades of trying!

Hammond A-100
Euphonic Studio Hammond
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Hammond A-100 with modified Leslie 251

Up Ask any pop or jazz keyboardist

to name their ultimate organ
and you will undoubtedly get an
Mason & answer of “Hammond B-3”. The
Hamlin Hammond-Leslie speaker sound
is inextricably tied to popular
Hammond music and the list of Hammond
A-100 artists and bands seems
endless. Just about any pop
music recorded with an organ
Synthesizers track will use a Hammond; they
are found in the best recording
studios worldwide.
Memory
Lane There is some confusion regarding different models of Hammond
organs. My studio has an A-100. To help clarify, a Hammond A-100 has
every part in it that a Hammond B-3 has, and more.

The A-100 has two additional features not found on a B-3. First, it has
an internal amplifier and speakers so it can be played without any
additional equipment. A B-3 requires an external amplifier and speaker
system. Second, the A-100 has a separate reverb channel not provided
on B-3s. The reason why A-100s are rarely seen on the stage is the
extra weight added by having 3 speakers, an amplifier, and additional
cabinetry. B-3s are already heavy enough.

Hammond creates its unique sound by an electromechanical system.

There is a motor turning a shaft with "tone wheels", or

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Euphonic Studio Hammond Organ Model A-100 with Leslie 251 10-10-16 7:34 PM

"tonewheels", which are toothed metal with varying numbers of teeth.

These spin past electromagnetic pickups which create pitches based on
the number of teeth on the wheel. Each tone wheel has its own volume
control, and different timbres are achieved by adding and subtracting
harmonics. The sound is distinctive... often imitated but never
reproduced.

The Hammond sound

is further defined by
Leslie speaker
systems. There are
many different
models of Leslie
speakers but the one
thing they have in
common is a method
to rotate the direction
of sound output from
the speaker cabinet.
The keyboardist can
change the speed of
the motors that
rotate the sound to
create different
effects.

The least expensive

version of this
machine/instrument is
a foam baffle that
rotates in front of a
coned speaker. This
version of Leslie (e.g.
Model 120) requires an external amplifier. This design was licensed to
manufacturers of home organs and despite its limitations it improves
the sound of the organ by an order of magnitude.

The most desirable Leslies have a two output amplifier and two speaker
components. The bass output is sent to a 15” woofer facing downwards
in the cabinet. Beneath it is a rotating wooden baffle that directs the
sound as it rotates. The treble channel speaker is actually not a speaker
at all; it’s a horn driver connected to a plastic rotating horn. There are
two rotating horns but one of them is plugged and serves to balance
the two horns. The most common models of this Leslie type are 147
and 122.

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Euphonic Studio Hammond Organ Model A-100 with Leslie 251 10-10-16 7:34 PM

With the proper motor controls, Leslie speakers can produce 5 distinct
effects: stopped, accelerating, rotating slow (chorale), rotating fast
(tremolo), and decelerating. What the Leslie actually does to the sound
is beyond the scope of this website (see my links page). In a nutshell,
the Leslie modulates amplitude (loudness) and frequency (pitch due to
the Doppler Effect). This gets to be a complicated topic due to the
variations of rotating speed and what notes are being played (high
and/or low pitches). More interesting complications… the horns and
baffle turn in opposite directions and they accelerate and decelerate at
different rates. It should be intuitive that when the Leslie is stopped,
there is no Doppler Effect. At chorale, the Doppler Effect is present but
the amplitude modulation is much more of a factor. As the speaker
rotation accelerates the Doppler Effect becomes more pronounced. With
this brief description, you may have an appreciation of how difficult it
would be to model this with a synthesizer through a fixed speaker.

My Leslie is a Model 251, specially designed to work with a Hammond

A-100. In addition to the bass and treble speakers, it has two fixed
speakers for the reverb channel. Originally, the speaker motor controls
had a two position switch for only slow or fast. I upgraded the motor
controls with solid state relays to eliminate the loud metallic contact
clicking noise when changing speeds (this was very annoying when
recording). The kit contained a 3 position motor control switch for
chorale, tremolo, and off.

Call Bill for a studio tour... (319) 895 8002

Euphonic Studio digital recording services and music lessons

Mount Vernon, Iowa serving Cedar Rapids, Marion, Solon,

Mechanicsville, Ely, Springville, Anamosa, Iowa City and
surrounding area

For information about music lessons and digital recording at

Euphonic Studio, call Bill at 319.895.8002 or 319.329.4527

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