How to Play Rock and Roll Organ

Learning to play the rock and roll organ requires skill and great musicality. The rock and roll organ may not be the first rock and roll instrument you might normally consider, but the potential and sounds it brings are an incredible and unusual addition to any piece of rock music.

Instructions

1. Become comfortable with the draw bars, presets, percussion, chorus, chords and vibrato. These are all basic techniques that should be mastered on almost all keyed instruments, and especially on the rock organ. For these techniques, consult a piano or organ instructor or online course.

2. Play around with the draw bars to create harder sounds in the songs you already know. This is an easy way to create a rock sound. Start with one draw bar set for a deeper, heavier sound then change to a lighter sound by adding a draw bar. Use the presets to switch between a B flat to a B, or other note changes to create harder sounds.

3. Keep in the mind the main difference between an organ and a piano. When you hit the key on a piano, the notes plays a single time. When you press the note on an organ, the sound will continue until you let off. This is a good way to blend music and create more harmony and a more melodic sound when playing in a rock band. Use the drawn out sounds to blend the next note and other instruments together.

4. Practice playing the organ in a rock band by first getting to know the sounds of the other instruments and the main chords to be used. As the organ player in the band, you will likely be setting up the bass for which the other instruments will be playing.