By Barry Carson

History and Background

In talking to other Nord users, it seems that the most underused features of the Nord Combo Organs, Stages, and Electro 3's might be the incredible models of two of the most iconic transistor organs of the 1960's, the Vox Super Continental and the Farfisa Combo Compact Duo. While it's true we all love our Hammond sounds, we shouldn't forget that these Vox and Farfisa organs, the original combo organs, helped create the sounds of the British Invasion, the psychedelic summer of love, early hard rock, and all the other '60's music we love. The best way to realize the full potential of the incredible transistor organ models available on the Nord instruments is to have a good idea of what these organs were and how they worked. As a teenager 45 years ago, I listened to, played, and was intoxicated by the Vox and Farfisa organs. So, for other old-timers who grew up with these amazing organs and for young keyboard players born long after the swinging '60's were over, I figured it might be fun to revisit these great instruments!

Farfisa

While the Farfisa Combo Compact certainly had some hit records, it seemed to be more the choice of garage bands and teen-aged combos with lots of attitude. It showed up most often in noisy bars, high school gyms, and smoky basement clubs. It had a more workmanlike look and its rough, gritty sound fitted nicely in those bands that used it. There were basically 4 models of the Farfisa Compact series: the 4 octave Mini Compact, the 5 octave Combo Compact (which was the original Farfisa organ), the Combo Compact Deluxe (with some extra features and voices), and the top of the line two manual Compact Duo. The Nord models the Compact Duo, but it can create the sounds of all four of these organs. These four types of Farfisa Compacts and the two types of Vox Continentals mean that using the Nord transistor organ models actually gives the player an arsenal of the sounds of 6 different combo organs to choose from.

VOX

The Vox Continental was certainly the most recognizable 1960's combo organ. Its unusual reverse colored keyboard, curving chrome stand, and striking orange and gray finish were seen on televisions everywhere and looked especially good on those new-fangled color ones. Its sounds poured out of juke boxes, hi-fi's, and transistor radios all over the world as it was the organ of choice for most studios and most of the bands making the big hits. There were two versions of the Vox, the original four octave Continental and the top of the line, two-manual Super Continental. Both of these can be played on the Nord Vox model, and this is important because most of the Vox Continental's 'greatest hits' were performed on the original single manual version. You can get these sounds because the Super Continental's lower manual actually has the drawbars and sound of the original single manual Continental (albeit shifted up one octave) while the upper manual has an extra drawbar and has a slightly different sound.

These programs include a variety of transistor organ sounds including reproductions of the sounds used on several Vox and Farfisa hits. It is important to note that the original sounds were recorded over 40 years ago through various amps with various tone settings into various microphones and into various boards and effects and ultimately into various tape recorders. I have recreated these sounds through studio monitors using the Nord models, EQ section, amp simulations, and effects. While the end sounds are the same as those on the records, I'm not sure the drawbar or tab settings are exactly the same as those used on the original recordings. In any case, Farfisa and Vox organ players, like Hammond organ players, rarely set the tabs or drawbars and left them; they would often change them throughout a song. Hopefully these programs will not be an end unto themselves, but starting places for you to create your own sounds.

VOX Continental

The Doors — Light My Fire

Sounding like nothing else before it, The Doors' dark and intoxicating first album was released to an unsuspecting public in 1967. The record is full of vague poetic allusions (including the name of the band itself), haunting vocals, jazz-like drumming, and Indian influenced guitar. All of this is accented and punctuated by Ray Manzarek's bright and aggressive Vox Continental. He played the bass parts with his left hand on a Fender Rhodes Piano Bass while seamlessly comping and soloing with his right on the Vox Continental. Playing without vibrato, his lines, along with Jim Morrison's poetry, explored the deepest regions of the id. "Light My Fire" is a tour de force of innovative soloing and improvisation. It was also (in a shortened version) their first big hit. Manzarek's unforgettable intro, his hypnotic solo, and his playing beneath Robby Krieger's snaking guitar and Jim Morrison's disturbing poetry is Vox Continental playing at its very best. This program features a bass voice for the left hand (in case you don't have a Piano Bass).

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental

The Animals — House of the Rising Sun

Forming in Newcastle in the north of England around 1963, the Animals became part of the 'British Invasion' of bands that conquered the world. But, unlike the pop and rock 'n roll sounds of their counterparts, the sounds the Animals created were lowdown and grimy blues. Alan Price played the Vox organ on their first big hit, "House of the Rising Sun", and this song gave a lot of listeners their first taste of a bluesy soaring Vox Continental solo. On the song Alan Price sits out for a bit, then plays chords matching the guitar behind Eric Burdon's soulful vocal, then his chords become more powerful and he hits the vibrato tab, and then he takes off on his breathtaking solo.

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental

The Beatles — I'm Down

Best known for their Gretsch, Rickenbacker, and Hofner guitars, the Beatles also used all kinds of keyboard instruments in their songs and often performed with a Vox Organ on stage. Performing "I'm Down" live at the incredible Shea Stadium concert in 1966, John Lennon played perhaps the most memorable Vox Continental performance ever caught on film. The sound he uses is a classic example of the Vox Continental with 'all stops out' and Lennon uses it to play his rock and roll keyboard licks and to slide up and down the keys with his elbow. Popular legend has it that after the performance this particular Continental had to be retired!

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental

Paul Revere and the Raiders — Just Like Me

After first making his name as a player of exceptionally loud electric pianos in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, Paul Revere brought his band of Raiders and his zany combo organ antics to TV's Where the Action Is inspiring a generation of young musicians. But, behind the comedy was solid rock and roll keyboard playing. In "Just like me" the Vox Continental plays a powerful part that drives the song under Mark Lindsey's frantic lead vocals and Drake Levin's burning lead guitar work. Working with drummer Mike (Smitty) Smith and bass player Phil (Fang) Volk, Revere shows that the Vox Continental can be a powerful addition to the rhythm section. This sound features lots of vibrato and a full bright sound.

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental

Iron Butterfly — Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida

These LA musicians began to experiment with what they called Heavy music in the late 60's. Their devotion to this style of music shows up in their band's name as well as the name of their first album which was called...Heavy.

But, it wasn't until the release of their second LP, In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida that the band became truly famous. Doug Ingle's classically tinged Vox Continental work in the title song uses the first three drawbars: 16', 8', 4' with lots of the bright (M) drawbar for a pure but cutting sound with lots of keyclick. From the opening arpeggiated D minor chord through the church-like and hard rock organ solos, this song is a classic example of psychedelic organ playing.

Hear the original here (YouTube)

Farfisa Compact Duo

The Blues Project — Two Trains Running

The Blues Project formed around lead guitarist Danny Kalb in New York City during the spring of 1965. Later that year they encountered Al Kooper, a studio guitar player who had recently started playing organ during a Bob Dylan recording session. Kooper joined The Blues Project and brought his brand new Farfisa Compact Duo to the band. Their 11 minute version of "Two Trains Running" on the Projections LP shows the band at its bluesy, improvisational best. Kooper's Farfisa, drenched in reverb, floats beneath Kalb's magnificent solos, and stabs the rhythm, helping drive the song.

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental / Farfisa Combo Compact

? and the Mysterians — 96 Tears

Another unforgettably great organ hook! But, great controversy rages over whether the signature opening organ lick in this iconic song was played on a Farfisa Combo Compact or a Vox Continental. Evidently both instruments were in the studio as the song was being recorded and the story goes that organist Frank Rodriguez owned the Vox and the studio owned the Farfisa. It seems that the 14 year old Rodriguez played both organs at different times during the session and no one seems to know exactly which one ended up on the record. Since I have no desire to take sides in this one, I've included appropriate settings for both organ models and let each player make his or her own decision!

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental

The Dave Clark 5 — Because

The Dave Clark 5 was the first British Invasion band regularly using a Vox organ to achieve huge popularity. With the DC 5's success following quickly after that of the Beatles', they gave most of the world its first glimpse of the Vox Continental. While Mike Smith's rhythmic playing usually added to the band's pounding beat, the gentle playing in "Because" might be his organ part that is most remembered. The intro and understated solo are played with a nice amount of reverb and the chords backing the vocals feature a guitar amp tremolo effect. The program includes the tremolo effect; be sure to turn it off for the intro and solo!

Hear the original here (YouTube)

Farfisa Combo Compact

Strawberry Alarm Clock — Incense and Peppermints

In the psychedelic world of the late 1960's, The Strawberry Alarm Clock seemed to have it all: the great name, the cool Nehru jackets, and, of course, a huge, organ driven smash hit with "Incense and Peppermints"! Organ player Mark Weitz has indicated that this song was played on a "bright red Farfisa Combo Compact" — so it's highly appropriate to play it on a bright red Nord! This is a very clean bright sound played with no vibrato. Interestingly, during his career with the Strawberry Alarm Clock Weitz played the Farfisa Compact then later changed to a Vox Super Continental, and finally to a B3 and a Rotary speaker. That means you can relive Weitz's whole career in the band on a Nord Keyboard with just the push of a button!

Hear the original here (YouTube)

VOX Continental

Monkees — I'm A Believer

There really isn't much new I can say about this wildly popular 60's act. Four young actors (who were musicians and singers) were hired to play the parts of the four members of a rock group on a weekly situation comedy. This ersatz band had zany adventures along the lines of those the Beatles had in their hugely popular films. But, along the way, the actors became the musicians and started putting out hit records. "I'm a Believer"" was written by Neil Diamond, released at the end of 1966, and went on to sell many millions of copies. What interests us here is the simple but irresistibly infectious organ hook that starts the song off and shows up again and again. It is widely assumed that the organ playing this part is a Vox Continental, probably because Peter Tork, the groups' organ player when they needed one, played a Continental on the show and on stage. However, it is also pretty widely assumed that the organ is a B3, probably played by one of their many studio sidemen. Rather than taking sides in this one, I've provided you with programs for both the Vox and Hammond set up to make this sound, and each can decide for his or herself.

Hear the original here (YouTube)

About Barry

Barry Carson lives near the Canadian border in a small Northern New York town where he works as a counselor for mentally-ill children and adolescents. He has also taught English at multiple levels and currently spends every July in Ireland and Northern Ireland with his wife running a summer program for university students. At heart Barry is a musician and composer with a particular passion for both combo organs and the Hammond organ. He began playing the organ soon after the Beatles appeared in the U.S. and has subsequently played in rock, R&B, and soul bands as well as a gospel choir. He has owned dozens of different '60's combo organs, and his love for these awesome instruments led him to write popular articles about them for Keyboard magazine and other publications in the 1990s. He is a huge fan of the Nord keyboards and is honored to help recreate the combo organ sounds he loves for them.