0:48 - Italiy actually has a long tradition in building electronic keyboard instruments, think about brands like Farfisa, Elka, Crumar, Generalmusic, etc. Most of these factories were located in the region of Marche. Also Vox outsourced for a period the making of its Continental line of organs to Italy, I don't remember the factory which with they did the agreement tho. If I remember correctly Ray Manzarek's Vox Continental was an italian model. Roland also has his arranger keyboard production in Italy, but unfortunately they recently closed that branch. Today most famous Italy's keyboard makers are Fatar, Crumar, Viscount, Dexibell, Ketron and other makers that right now don't come to my mind.
@@20Arnt Probably they travelled around the world to show their product. If I remember correctly behind the sound engine of the Viscount digital clonewheel organs there's a man called Elvio Previati, which also designed the engine for the Keyb's line of Hammond clones.
Congrats, Woody! That Legend is an awesome organ system indeed, I've been wanting one since I played one at a music fair. Being from there, I noticed since I was a child that italians love the sound of the Hammond jazz organ for some reason. Count me in as well! :D You play it beautifully. Also this Viscount has an excellent Leslie simulation - no need for external / big cabinet...
hi paolo, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think I watched your video when I was doing my research :) Glad you liked the video and playing, I think you have a real tonewheel organ or two in your studio?
@@WoodyPianoShack I used to have a real C-3, unfortunately sold it years ago - at the moment I have a Hammond clonewheel, XK-3c system + 122XB but indeed looking at the Viscount line, or getting a used B-3 locally ;)
@@SynthManiaDotCom ANY Hammond organ made today is NOT a clonewheel. It is a Hammond Organ first and formost..... I had the complete XK-3c with lower manual and a B3 Guys stand. I downsized to an SK-2 and Studio 12 Leslie. Run it as dirty as possible, it really is incredible even without all the drawbars onboard, but you get used to things like anything else. (O:
Oh sir, disagree. The Leslie sim on this is it's worst feature. That tremolo is ...well, it ain't the best. Regular organists will want a real leslie to pair this with. It'll be night and day. *to be fair, leslie sims on all the new clones follow same suit (best with a real leslie). I am interested in their upcoming 'Soul' model with the rocker switching.
@@Joedoriamusic That's true. However, I had occasion to try the Legend + Hurricane at a nearby store and I wasn't getting from the Hurricane the sound you get from a 122 / 147... it might have been the listening environment at the store, but it didn't seem to "move air" and sound the way the 122/147 does. These new organs are all very customizable, though, so I'm sure if one spends time tweaking the settings, it's possible to improve / perfect the sound to one's liking.
Literally the first thing I noticed was the light wood color on the end cheeks. I thought, "Now there's a modern looking organ that I wouldn't mind having in my home!"
Welcome to the club Woody..I bought my black Joey D model in 2018 from Hammond Organ World...came complete on a pallet..organ...legs..bench..bags..Hurricane 210...I run a 147 Leslie and the Hurricane 210 together... and the 210 is chained to my Roland KC 900..2x12's and horns in stereo just for a monitor for myself...I bought the Lounsberry Tall and Fat Pedal..run it thru my effects loop although the down side it is noisy...but it gives the Viscount a most agreeable throaty B-3 feel....a real must actually ... that Roland amp, although costly..is really a killer addition to the overall sound..it has plenty of bass..I rebuilt my Leslie for this organ..replaced all the old caps...new Jensen replacement speaker instead of the Utah..all new tube set...my 147 started life as a 51C in l958......then I had it modded to a 147/122 basic configuration....I'm happy...and at 73 years young after hauling around a B-3 from the 60's forward to 2018 I'm glad I made that transition...I can get my whole rig in my old Range Rover...with a little help with the lifting...
amazing story, thank you! your legend unboxing must have been quite the experience! I was also considering the hurricane and that pedal, that's funny. The hurricane a bit rich for me though, I just ordered an amp and a pair of pa speakers, organ shouldn't be played on headphones! I respect your opinions and experience, thanks for writing.
I owned 2 hammond A100's in my career and this sounds as close as you can get. I like the visual with the wood and all and the waterfall keys are kind of supposed to feel that way and not like a synth. The hammond keys have a spring back thing going on as well which makes it able to do trills and such. The sound is off the hook and it doesn't kill your back to move it around to gigs.
Italian engeneering pride, thanks to the inventor Elvio Previati of Keyb Organ. I purchased one of the last KeyB Organ MKIII made in his factory near Reggio Emilia (Italy) before the new Legend brand acquired by Viscount
@@WoodyPianoShack If I remember correctly, on “older” console (2 manual x 5 octave) Hammonds, the bottom octave drawbars used the same set of low tonewheels as the pedals. On later revisions, the bottom manual is “folded back”; that is, the lowest octave brown drawbars repeat the same pitches as the next octave up the keyboard.
@@makers1958 On these new Clones, you can edit the foldback and remove it. I have done it on my Crumar MOJO. I now get successive tones over the 5 octaves.
That instrument and making the videos works as a great motivation to practice! You have a real audience and gig! But do not stress too much, this is a gear channel. I really enjoy the channel and your light style of presentation. People need fun during these times!
@@WoodyPianoShackThanks Woody. One other question regards the lower manual comping ,have you split the lower manaul to get that warm sound for chord comping & have the left hand bass setting seperate, if so, are the 2 sets of drawbars necessary to do that splitting ? I have an XK3c w/only 1 set of drawbars & can't seem to be able to achieve manual splitting. I was told they updated the distortion & bass sounds on the 'SOUL'. Would be interesting to see what you thought more out of curiosity regards regards justification of the huge price hike. Loving the sound of yours as it is.
No need to judge harshly, that is some proper 'groovy' organ playing right there! So good to see you review a Hammond type instrument, it really suits your style of playing. Looking forward to your next uploads with this!
Woody! I am very happy you got it. It's a real masterpiece. I own a Legend, the full version with black octave. I think it can improve a lot with a better Leslie simulation. At home I use it with IK Multimedia Leslie on Amplitude. Really juicy and satisfying. I was told by a friend that with Ventilator is extremely good too. Anyway, I love it. Two years ago I sold a Nord Stage 3, with the cash in my pocket I had a chance to try the Legend on a real Leslie and I said immediately "It's mine". It was used but only from a gospel band on tour in Italy (3 dates). So it was a real bargain. Italians has a long tradition of craftsmanship in musical instruments, we are good engineers too... Have fun (and buy it...)
hi furio, congrats on yours! the rotary is a step up from everything else I've tried, plus it's all tweakable too via the editor, as you know. yes, italy has a tradition of making fine keyboard instruments, it's great that you are so passionate about the hammond, we thank you!
@@WoodyPianoShack I have always been a rock keyboard player. With the only one band close to a real contract, we recorded a demo in a studio in 1993. There was a real C3 and I played it a lot. I will never forget the feeling to have real air moved by an instrument instead of usual electronic things. From that day on I was looking for a way to have it at home, lighter and cheaper. Now I got it...
Fun video Woody! Playing the organ is fun. You have some good organ chops. After decades of not being able to play, my wife had my 1964-1968ish Hammond B3 restored for me. I'm having to learn to play all over again. Have fun with your clone wheel. It sounds good.
@@WoodyPianoShack Hi Woody, I promise i did not mean it that way (elitist and snobby) I truly love playing the organ, be it a Hammond, pipe organ, or a Vox Continental, and after not being able to play my organ for a couple decades, I can understand and appreciate your enthusiasm at having one available to play. I've had my organ since i was 14 (I'm now much older), so it was exciting for me to be able to play it again. Thanks for your understanding. Here's a link to a UA-cam video that highlights my restored B3: ua-cam.com/video/UYusO6AEu20/v-deo.html
This one is the Legend Live.... The Legend has the black octaves for the presets, the half moon switch for the Leslie speed and the white buttons for the percussion & the vibrato as the b3..... I have one since last year and is fantastic instrument.....
Awesome demo! "Rotary lever stick thing" 😄 that's the first time I've heard a Leslie switch referred to this way. Those knobs are definitely the same found on the old M-Audio Keystation Pro. This thing looks solid and beautiful. KeyB has always been at the top of my list in the clonewheel game along with GSI/Crumar/Hamichord. KeyB is responsible for quite a number of great organs; the Viscount, the defunct Voce V5, the old Diversi organs, and the Numa organ engine. My only gripe would be that I've read that there is no velocity sense in the manuals themselves, which, to me, is crucial for percussion, busbar simulation, key click variation, and MIDI. That Leslie is... Not quite right. I would definitely need a Neo Ventilator. Again, thanks for the indepth review. I can wait to see the editor video.
hi, same engine as the numa organ? that's interesting, i must investigate if the manuals send velocity, this model of keybed provides it, but perhaps not implemented in software, hard to believe!
Also got this wonderful instrument 2 days ago, it really feels and sounds amazing. I must admit that keys much tighter on Legend then on Nord Electro ( I have also Electro5 ). I have bought Legend live with foot pedals and expression pedal that have rotary switch on it + bags for organ, pedals and stand. Congrats Woody, you have nice demo, may be I'll share also my unboxing and my review, for now I just enjoy the sound.
congrulations to you, awesome configuration, glad my demo was of some help. I would love to see your review if you do it, please share the link and I will approve the comment. does yours have the sharp edge on the metal separating the two manuals, or is it just a one-off on mine?
@Woody Piano Shack yeah, sharp edges that's the same. But I feel no discomfort... at least yet 🙂 sure, I will share my review and opening when I'll get ready for this. Let's messaging on FB, share the experience.
Do I understand well : all other major brands (Yamaha, Hammond, Nord) have switched to sample based tone generators for their Hammond sound, but this Viscount Legend actually uses a physical modeling of the tonewheel generator ?
I did played a Viscount model for a couple of seasons in the 90s, and another one recently in a church for a wedding (it was Viscount Sonus). That brand produces great organs, so cool! You can go with Viscount without fail. Top class. Thank you Woody!
Nice to see you getting back to the roots, Woody, it realy sounds very close to a real Hammond organ. If you ever need to bring it for a gig, it will weigh a lot less than a real thing (ouch!)
I view many Hammond Hammond/clone demo’s on my 12” i-pad and most appear to lack volume from lower manual. Andreas Hellkros’s B3 and Tony Monaco’s are the only balanced sounding demo’s.
This organ sounds really nice, with beautiful crosstalk and a pretty nice overdrive. I don’t like the Leslie simulation though, on fast it sounds like a vibrato and not like a Leslie.
Always a pleasure watching your honest reactions to these products. Well done sir. I might get the desktop version just to save some space for now but eventually I want the full blown dual manual +pedals exp...it’s what I started on yrs ago b4 I fell in love with piano.
yeah the little module looks awesome, who knows, that might be what I end up buying myself, although having two manuals is a blast, but it takes up some space.
Many, many years ago I had a Hammond organ, gave it up 'cos I couldn't multitask adequately. Looked forward to 'hearing' your video, but found it was dissapointing. Don't know what was going on but I wasn't able to appreciate the bass, which you were so enthusiastic about. All I could hear was a key clicking produced by your left hand. Quite unusual, I normally don't have any problems with my quality sound system. However, I certainty appreciated the superb sound produced by ypur right hand and your musical talent.
Nicely done, and you really looked like you were enjoying it, even more than usual; I'm looking forward to the additional videos on the Viscount. I considered Viscount, but decided on the Hammond A-3 as I'm very pleased with my SKx. Joey DeFrancesco has a signature model Viscount, and uses it; which shows it's the real deal sound and feel IMO. I will guess it's going to be tough for you to return it, time to find a permanent spot in your home for it, then add the pedals, in a future video. ;) Cheers and great video!
congrats on your a3, wow, that looks to be an incredible machine! i'm subscribed to joey's premium content, and he uses his legend a lot for his lessons, and in his hands it sounds incredible. it's challenging enough with two hands. those guys that can play with feet, hands, and then talk or sing at the same time, it's nuts!
yes, heard great things about that, but kinda happy with the built-in overdrive, but love to try it one day, the legend has an fx loop that could be used for this.
You said these drawbars don’t ratchet, but when I heard the drawbars go in, I could swear I heard them giving haptic feedback, somewhat like the click I felt on drawbars of vintage B’s & C’s I’ve played in church. So… do these actually give haptic feedback like on the vintage organs? That’s a necessity for me since I feel like I was raised on them…. And I’m only 37!! ☺️
Very informative! I think my first dual manual might be a Crumar because of the overall value, but I feel like if money was not a limiting factor the top-of-the-line Viscount is the way to go.
interesting, i know this tune as "shake everything you got", two different names for the same maceo groove, still working on this, goldings lines are really hard!
@@WoodyPianoShack Yeah, they added new lyrics to it for the 'Life On Planet Groove' album, but the original title was Southwick. Recorded on the Maceo & All The King's Men album from 1970 titled 'Doing Their Own Thing.' Highly recommended listening, that one. That album was a huge influence on a young Jaco Pastorius.
@@WoodyPianoShack As much as I like the album Life on Planet Groove, the low-fi 1970 production of Doing Their Own Thing suits the genre far better, in my opinion. Funk needs to be dirty. If it's too surgically clean it loses something.
Hey Woody, these organs seem to look pretty amazing but I've found little info on the Viscount Legend Expander, which seems to be a smaller module rather than a large keyboard. Do you have any idea if it sounds at all similar to the bigger organs or if it's a massive downgrade to cut costs? There doesn't seem to be much info out about these devices and I'm really curious.
Love you to try Legend '70s next. That would be amazing. From all the clip videos around there, odd enough, none of them have played the organ sounds (I assume they're extracted from the Legend organ), and just a bit of the other sounds. Love to hear them. Cheers.
That effects loop is very noisy on my particular Legend...with the Lounsberry running thru the effects loop I get a lot of low speed Leslie hiss...best way to describe it..I had some minor problems with my organ and had Robert Darnell from Viscount America replace the mother board in the organ...and he tried to address the noise while using the effects loop...no answer there...
I have a Legend Solo organ. It's a beautiful, well made instrument! Would be cool to see a video about Viscounts Legend 70s piano on you channel one day, Woody.
Absolutely love that funky groove you're playing at 11:32 . I know it's probably improvised at least partly but I REALLY want to learn how to play it and I've tried slowing it down etc. Any chance u have sheets or could do another demo of it ..... . or any advice how to learn to play it?? Sorry to be a pain, I just love the way you groove on that walking bass line.
it's taken from larry goldings and maceo parker, shake everything you got. i just listened to the track and figured it out, give it a shot! tricky thing is the LH RH coordination & syncopation. i won't rule out the tutorial but they don't generally appeal to viewers. good luck!
hi gabe, you'd be right, well spotted. i've been a subscriber of his lessons, but only as a viewer so far. I've seen you in action dozens of times. I always enjoy your playing and have checked out your band videos. really good stuff. thanks for participating in tony's lessons and really glad to have you as a viewer. best regards.
12:15 Sounds fantastic Woody! It comes down to make music, be inspired. It sounds fine. Looks good too. I like how clean the controls look compared to the Hammond XK-5.
What a glorious sound! I love it! You are becoming quite the organ player. It is nice to see you having so much fun with it. Please connect the expression pedal you used on the YC61 or the Naultilus. That helps to make it sound even more authentic. I am looking forward to more demos. Keep 'm coming!
thank you, yes it's very inspiring! the pedal was connected today, but I didn't really know what to do with it :) I normally tap with my right foot, so it's hindering me a bit...
Italy has a long history of making organs! So it does not come to a surprise at all. Farfisa (1863), Bontempi (1932), Crumar and Viscount have been around for many years.
I have owned a Legend Solo for some years and an HX3 organ by MAG for 18 months. My experience: 1) Yes, the Legend sounds very good - as long as you don‘t compare it to the HX3, let alone the real thing. 2) This is also valid for the Leslie sim; I hooked up a Vent II, and it‘s quite a different world of sound. 3) The standard Fatar TP8/O action is very sturdy but definitely way too stiff. You need to play it like a piano which is not what I expect from a clonewheel organ. My custom MAG has the same keybeds but with light-weight springs and feels so much better. 4. To be fair, the build quality of the Legend is excellent (whereas the chorus knob is also too stiff), and it is pretty inexpensive. Thus my Legend ended up as a remote controller for the MAG or sometimes the Logic Pro X B3. Sorry, Viscount. 😊
fascinating to read, thank you! the hx3 module thing got my attention too during my research, but hard to find a decent controller for it, without buying another organ! Perhaps I could borrow one, now that I have a controller. as for the stiff keys, interesting comment, thanks again. I've been watching joey d play his, and he seems to do pretty good on those stiff keys :D
@@WoodyPianoShack Sorry, forgot this post. Yes, it‘s hard to find a decent external controller. Doepfer used to produce one, but it is discontinued. Therefore complete HX3 organs (MAG or Uhl) are perfect solutions: - better look, - direct access to all important parameters instead of menu diving, - no MIDI latency - and yes, there is a noticeable difference in direct comparison. As for Joey: well, heavy fingers. ;) Of course you can play organ on any keyboard; the fabulous Yohan Kim even uses an RD-2000. Nevertheless: the lighter the better the more original.
@@WoodyPianoShack No, no, you're doing it very well. It was (partially ;) ) a joke. Many well known Hammond organ players don't use the pedal. I would be very happy if I could play it like you do.
Oh, that’s a beauty. Sounds amazing. You’re giving me ideas!! 👌👍 I reckon synths sound better with a bit of wood incorporated in them as well (Jupiter 8 is the exception off course).
Woody, like the channel. Curious about the sharp edge you mentioned between the manuals. I and possibly looking for a dual manual organ/controller and I use a lot of palm smears when I play, pretty soulful rock style organ. Is this something the manufacture addressed with you after your review? You've had this Viscount for a while now, is it much of a factor for you?
the legend was only loaned to me for a brief period, and I'm not much of a palm smearer so hard to say. i doubt they changed anything based on my comments :) if I had bought one myself, then I would mod it by taking that part of and sanding down the rough edge, then a quick rattle-can respray.
0:48 - Italiy actually has a long tradition in building electronic keyboard instruments, think about brands like Farfisa, Elka, Crumar, Generalmusic, etc. Most of these factories were located in the region of Marche. Also Vox outsourced for a period the making of its Continental line of organs to Italy, I don't remember the factory which with they did the agreement tho. If I remember correctly Ray Manzarek's Vox Continental was an italian model.
Roland also has his arranger keyboard production in Italy, but unfortunately they recently closed that branch. Today most famous Italy's keyboard makers are Fatar, Crumar, Viscount, Dexibell, Ketron and other makers that right now don't come to my mind.
it's seemingly italy and usa that makes the very best organs!
I think this organ is programmed in Oslo, Norway. I know the man who has done it.
@@20Arnt As far as I know the organ is designed and developed in Italy.
@@mima85 I saw the prototype for this organ in Oslo many years ago ;-)
@@20Arnt Probably they travelled around the world to show their product. If I remember correctly behind the sound engine of the Viscount digital clonewheel organs there's a man called Elvio Previati, which also designed the engine for the Keyb's line of Hammond clones.
Love it...that's what electricity sounds like when it sings.
This video has a gloriously Woody thunk to it. 😀
It sounds really good. The organ feeling seems right and you offer, as usual, an enjoyable performance. Thank you for sharing the joy of playing!
Absolutely beautiful instrument! Sounds so authentic! Looks like it feels authentic as well.
Congrats, Woody! That Legend is an awesome organ system indeed, I've been wanting one since I played one at a music fair. Being from there, I noticed since I was a child that italians love the sound of the Hammond jazz organ for some reason. Count me in as well! :D You play it beautifully. Also this Viscount has an excellent Leslie simulation - no need for external / big cabinet...
hi paolo, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think I watched your video when I was doing my research :) Glad you liked the video and playing, I think you have a real tonewheel organ or two in your studio?
@@WoodyPianoShack I used to have a real C-3, unfortunately sold it years ago - at the moment I have a Hammond clonewheel, XK-3c system + 122XB but indeed looking at the Viscount line, or getting a used B-3 locally ;)
@@SynthManiaDotCom ANY Hammond organ made today is NOT a clonewheel. It is a Hammond Organ first and formost..... I had the complete XK-3c with lower manual and a B3 Guys stand. I downsized to an SK-2 and Studio 12 Leslie. Run it as dirty as possible, it really is incredible even without all the drawbars onboard, but you get used to things like anything else. (O:
Oh sir, disagree. The Leslie sim on this is it's worst feature. That tremolo is ...well, it ain't the best. Regular organists will want a real leslie to pair this with. It'll be night and day.
*to be fair, leslie sims on all the new clones follow same suit (best with a real leslie).
I am interested in their upcoming 'Soul' model with the rocker switching.
@@Joedoriamusic That's true. However, I had occasion to try the Legend + Hurricane at a nearby store and I wasn't getting from the Hurricane the sound you get from a 122 / 147... it might have been the listening environment at the store, but it didn't seem to "move air" and sound the way the 122/147 does. These new organs are all very customizable, though, so I'm sure if one spends time tweaking the settings, it's possible to improve / perfect the sound to one's liking.
I used to play Yamaha electone organ since 4th grade. Bring back memories 😀
Yeaaah! A Viscount in action!! finally!!
COngrats, Woody :-)
Literally the first thing I noticed was the light wood color on the end cheeks. I thought, "Now there's a modern looking organ that I wouldn't mind having in my home!"
indeed, good that they've gone for a different look I guess!
It’s such a joy to watch how much joy you’re getting from playing this!
thank you, that's what it's all about, playing music should be fun, or why bother? :)
Exactly!
I noticed the rotary switch bears more than a passing resemblance to a Telecaster selector switch.
about twice the size, but yeah!
Welcome to the club Woody..I bought my black Joey D model in 2018 from Hammond Organ World...came complete on a pallet..organ...legs..bench..bags..Hurricane 210...I run a 147 Leslie and the Hurricane 210 together... and the 210 is chained to my Roland KC 900..2x12's and horns in stereo just for a monitor for myself...I bought the Lounsberry Tall and Fat Pedal..run it thru my effects loop although the down side it is noisy...but it gives the Viscount a most agreeable throaty B-3 feel....a real must actually ... that Roland amp, although costly..is really a killer addition to the overall sound..it has plenty of bass..I rebuilt my Leslie for this organ..replaced all the old caps...new Jensen replacement speaker instead of the Utah..all new tube set...my 147 started life as a 51C in l958......then I had it modded to a 147/122 basic configuration....I'm happy...and at 73 years young after hauling around a B-3 from the 60's forward to 2018 I'm glad I made that transition...I can get my whole rig in my old Range Rover...with a little help with the lifting...
amazing story, thank you! your legend unboxing must have been quite the experience! I was also considering the hurricane and that pedal, that's funny. The hurricane a bit rich for me though, I just ordered an amp and a pair of pa speakers, organ shouldn't be played on headphones! I respect your opinions and experience, thanks for writing.
I owned 2 hammond A100's in my career and this sounds as close as you can get. I like the visual with the wood and all and the waterfall keys are kind of supposed to feel that way and not like a synth. The hammond keys have a spring back thing going on as well which makes it able to do trills and such. The sound is off the hook and it doesn't kill your back to move it around to gigs.
Italian engeneering pride, thanks to the inventor Elvio Previati of Keyb Organ. I purchased one of the last KeyB Organ MKIII made in his factory near Reggio Emilia (Italy) before the new Legend brand acquired by Viscount
I’m glad for you Woody - who doesn’t want a dual-manual organ? Looks marvellous too (the Viscount i mean). 😉
Wow! Nice one Woody. Sounds awesome!
Beautiful piece of kit right there! Sounds just like a real one. :)
The low end is just immense, in a good way, gave me chills even!
it's quite astonishing down in the bottom octave!
It must be the computer i was listening to it on. To me the bass didn't sound that good.
@@lcrecel I recommend listening with some decent headphones, it's quite good 👌
@@WoodyPianoShack If I remember correctly, on “older” console (2 manual x 5 octave) Hammonds, the bottom octave drawbars used the same set of low tonewheels as the pedals. On later revisions, the bottom manual is “folded back”; that is, the lowest octave brown drawbars repeat the same pitches as the next octave up the keyboard.
@@makers1958 On these new Clones, you can edit the foldback and remove it. I have done it on my Crumar MOJO. I now get successive tones over the 5 octaves.
That instrument and making the videos works as a great motivation to practice! You have a real audience and gig! But do not stress too much, this is a gear channel. I really enjoy the channel and your light style of presentation. People need fun during these times!
hi, thanks for the comment! yes, sharing these videos and having an audience is the perfect motivation to practice!
Your smile at the beginning says it all
You play very well bruh-a real musician..seasoned with detail…thnx 4 sharing..with such patience and attention to clear detail
anthony, thank you so much,
Have you tried the Legend Soul 261 yet Woody ?
no, but features and sounds same as this one, just a different keybed, not worthy of a new video perhaps?
@@WoodyPianoShackThanks Woody. One other question regards the lower manual comping ,have you split the lower manaul to get that warm sound for chord comping & have the left hand bass setting seperate, if so, are the 2 sets of drawbars necessary to do that splitting ?
I have an XK3c w/only 1 set of drawbars & can't seem to be able to achieve manual splitting.
I was told they updated the distortion & bass sounds on the 'SOUL'.
Would be interesting to see what you thought more out of curiosity regards regards justification of the huge price hike. Loving the sound of yours as it is.
Love this demonstration of yours. Sounds great and you swing!
thanks, that comment means a lot to me!
You’re the best, Woody!
ah shucks!
The joy on your face my friend, priceless!!!
You are beaming playing that.
Great demo
I'm in love with Crumar Mojo Classic.
Love my legend. Wonderful demo
No need to judge harshly, that is some proper 'groovy' organ playing right there! So good to see you review a Hammond type instrument, it really suits your style of playing. Looking forward to your next uploads with this!
thanks for the encouraging message, I'll keep going!
I Love this Organ! Wish I had One!
Great playing Woody !!! Love it !
Now THAT is how an instrument should be built. Wonderful video.
Woody! I am very happy you got it. It's a real masterpiece. I own a Legend, the full version with black octave. I think it can improve a lot with a better Leslie simulation. At home I use it with IK Multimedia Leslie on Amplitude. Really juicy and satisfying.
I was told by a friend that with Ventilator is extremely good too.
Anyway, I love it.
Two years ago I sold a Nord Stage 3, with the cash in my pocket I had a chance to try the Legend on a real Leslie and I said immediately "It's mine".
It was used but only from a gospel band on tour in Italy (3 dates).
So it was a real bargain.
Italians has a long tradition of craftsmanship in musical instruments, we are good engineers too...
Have fun (and buy it...)
hi furio, congrats on yours! the rotary is a step up from everything else I've tried, plus it's all tweakable too via the editor, as you know. yes, italy has a tradition of making fine keyboard instruments, it's great that you are so passionate about the hammond, we thank you!
@@WoodyPianoShack I have always been a rock keyboard player. With the only one band close to a real contract, we recorded a demo in a studio in 1993. There was a real C3 and I played it a lot. I will never forget the feeling to have real air moved by an instrument instead of usual electronic things. From that day on I was looking for a way to have it at home, lighter and cheaper. Now I got it...
Great Woody. I play the Legend JDF since over 2 and a half year. I still lobe it. Thomas
hi, i did not realise the organ had been around that long, cool!
So very very nice Woody!! Thank you so much for this fantastic demo...
Fantastic demo, great instrument and brilliant playing 👍
Sadly no room, but I can dream. Looking forward to an exploration of the front panel.
“Every organ should have some wood on it.” 😏
Fun video Woody! Playing the organ is fun. You have some good organ chops. After decades of not being able to play, my wife had my 1964-1968ish Hammond B3 restored for me. I'm having to learn to play all over again. Have fun with your clone wheel. It sounds good.
"i have a 1964 B3, have fun with your clone wheel", LOL, funny quote, I know you didn't mean it like that :)
@@WoodyPianoShack Hi Woody, I promise i did not mean it that way (elitist and snobby) I truly love playing the organ, be it a Hammond, pipe organ, or a Vox Continental, and after not being able to play my organ for a couple decades, I can understand and appreciate your enthusiasm at having one available to play. I've had my organ since i was 14 (I'm now much older), so it was exciting for me to be able to play it again. Thanks for your understanding. Here's a link to a UA-cam video that highlights my restored B3: ua-cam.com/video/UYusO6AEu20/v-deo.html
I have the same, I rediscover the sound of a hammond organ, it gives me great joy.
This one is the Legend Live.... The Legend has the black octaves for the presets, the half moon switch for the Leslie speed and the white buttons for the percussion & the vibrato as the b3..... I have one since last year and is fantastic instrument.....
That review and also your playing was awesome!!! How lucky for me to find this video since I am thinking of buying this great instrument..
so glad you liked the vid, glad it was helpful, good luck with any future purchase.
Hey Woody I really enjoyed this mate. You showcased this so well and it made me want to go buy one. Good on you mate 🎹
i'm sure viscount will be pleased to hear that, and so was I, thanks for the feedback!
Don't know much about these beasts! Very much but looking forward to watching this vid. All those drawbars 😍😍😍
hello jack, your guests keep saying how good you are on Hammond, you should give me lessons :D
@@WoodyPianoShack 🤣 Think they were just being courteous!! Ain't nothing I know that you don't Sir I can assure you. Sending love 💘
Just watched - Wow - Sounded unreal!! Awesome vid X
@@jackduxburymusic glad you liked it, means a lot to me, say hi to the muff :)
Awesome demo! "Rotary lever stick thing" 😄 that's the first time I've heard a Leslie switch referred to this way. Those knobs are definitely the same found on the old M-Audio Keystation Pro. This thing looks solid and beautiful. KeyB has always been at the top of my list in the clonewheel game along with GSI/Crumar/Hamichord. KeyB is responsible for quite a number of great organs; the Viscount, the defunct Voce V5, the old Diversi organs, and the Numa organ engine. My only gripe would be that I've read that there is no velocity sense in the manuals themselves, which, to me, is crucial for percussion, busbar simulation, key click variation, and MIDI. That Leslie is... Not quite right. I would definitely need a Neo Ventilator. Again, thanks for the indepth review. I can wait to see the editor video.
hi, same engine as the numa organ? that's interesting, i must investigate if the manuals send velocity, this model of keybed provides it, but perhaps not implemented in software, hard to believe!
@@WoodyPianoShack Thanks for the reply, sir. I REALLY hope you determine otherwise regarding the vel. sense.
Thanks for the video! can you turn off the blue lights? they look strange to me in my opinion.
Great impresive
Nice one woody, good to see ya enjoying yourself. That last piece you played was interesting
Greetings and thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to improving my skills.
Also got this wonderful instrument 2 days ago, it really feels and sounds amazing. I must admit that keys much tighter on Legend then on Nord Electro ( I have also Electro5 ). I have bought Legend live with foot pedals and expression pedal that have rotary switch on it + bags for organ, pedals and stand. Congrats Woody, you have nice demo, may be I'll share also my unboxing and my review, for now I just enjoy the sound.
congrulations to you, awesome configuration, glad my demo was of some help. I would love to see your review if you do it, please share the link and I will approve the comment. does yours have the sharp edge on the metal separating the two manuals, or is it just a one-off on mine?
@Woody Piano Shack yeah, sharp edges that's the same. But I feel no discomfort... at least yet 🙂 sure, I will share my review and opening when I'll get ready for this. Let's messaging on FB, share the experience.
A little Steve Winwood would be great? Spencer Davis, Blind Faith or Traffic !
Do I understand well : all other major brands (Yamaha, Hammond, Nord) have switched to sample based tone generators for their Hammond sound, but this Viscount Legend actually uses a physical modeling of the tonewheel generator ?
Enjoyed your organ playing, Woody! Glad to see organ videos on your channel. Keep up the good work!
I did played a Viscount model for a couple of seasons in the 90s, and another one recently in a church for a wedding (it was Viscount Sonus). That brand produces great organs, so cool! You can go with Viscount without fail. Top class.
Thank you Woody!
This is nice,, My Hammond c3 is 60 yrs old still going strong
it will probably do another 60! awesome stuff :)
Finally someone does this
Nice to see you getting back to the roots, Woody, it realy sounds very close to a real Hammond organ. If you ever need to bring it for a gig, it will weigh a lot less than a real thing (ouch!)
I view many Hammond Hammond/clone demo’s on my 12” i-pad and most appear to lack volume from lower manual. Andreas Hellkros’s B3 and Tony Monaco’s are the only balanced sounding demo’s.
you can balance the volume balance between manuals however you want by adjusting the drawbars!
Does it have a 'Local Off', allowing you to play it via MIDI?
pretty sure it does, check the manual for list of these special functions
Hey Woody, Have you ever played the Crumar Mojo Classic?
nope, but I have played the VB3 software that the crumar uses, sounds fantastic.
wooooo amazing review as always woody my newport friend!
This organ sounds really nice, with beautiful crosstalk and a pretty nice overdrive. I don’t like the Leslie simulation though, on fast it sounds like a vibrato and not like a Leslie.
Do they have bass pedals available?
yes, pricey though!
Always a pleasure watching your honest reactions to these products. Well done sir. I might get the desktop version just to save some space for now but eventually I want the full blown dual manual +pedals exp...it’s what I started on yrs ago b4 I fell in love with piano.
yeah the little module looks awesome, who knows, that might be what I end up buying myself, although having two manuals is a blast, but it takes up some space.
What's about the key action feel compair with the real thing !?, also do the legend organ produce multi-contacts feel !?
Fantastic Organ ...La verdad
Great demo thnx woody.
I got a viscount solo because of this video with a vent 2 thanks for the video
congrats! so tempted to get the solo myself.
...how do you like the Solo?
very good and the vent 2 pedal good @@fragu123
@@fragu123 dam good and using a vent II with it
Congrats.... Looks good and sounds like a Hammond!!
Many, many years ago I had a Hammond organ, gave it up 'cos I couldn't multitask adequately. Looked forward to 'hearing' your video, but found it was dissapointing. Don't know what was going on but I wasn't able to appreciate the bass, which you were so enthusiastic about. All I could hear was a key clicking produced by your left hand. Quite unusual, I normally don't have any problems with my quality sound system. However, I certainty appreciated the superb sound produced by ypur right hand and your musical talent.
hi tony, the key click you heard was part of the emulation of the hammond organ sound! There's a knob to turn it up or down, I had it in the middle.
Thank you Woody for your explanation, I was wanting to hear the deep, rich waves of magnificent bass. Maybe when you give us a full show tune.
@@pegasus23pfa this beast has tremendous low end! maybe you are not listening on optimal headphones or speakers?
Nicely done, and you really looked like you were enjoying it, even more than usual; I'm looking forward to the additional videos on the Viscount. I considered Viscount, but decided on the Hammond A-3 as I'm very pleased with my SKx.
Joey DeFrancesco has a signature model Viscount, and uses it; which shows it's the real deal sound and feel IMO.
I will guess it's going to be tough for you to return it, time to find a permanent spot in your home for it, then add the pedals, in a future video. ;)
Cheers and great video!
congrats on your a3, wow, that looks to be an incredible machine! i'm subscribed to joey's premium content, and he uses his legend a lot for his lessons, and in his hands it sounds incredible. it's challenging enough with two hands. those guys that can play with feet, hands, and then talk or sing at the same time, it's nuts!
There it is. Lot of people like this one. Akiko Tsuruga plays it on gigs.
not to mention joey d & brian auger (for a while)
Nice tasty playing and fantastic sound!
Woody you have to add that Lounsberry pedal to your rig...it will make the experience even more awesome...you can't go wrong...
yes, heard great things about that, but kinda happy with the built-in overdrive, but love to try it one day, the legend has an fx loop that could be used for this.
You said these drawbars don’t ratchet, but when I heard the drawbars go in, I could swear I heard them giving haptic feedback, somewhat like the click I felt on drawbars of vintage B’s & C’s I’ve played in church. So… do these actually give haptic feedback like on the vintage organs? That’s a necessity for me since I feel like I was raised on them…. And I’m only 37!! ☺️
hi! no ratchets or feedback, these are like smooth faders. some hammonds were like that too.
Very informative! I think my first dual manual might be a Crumar because of the overall value, but I feel like if money was not a limiting factor the top-of-the-line Viscount is the way to go.
So cool!
What kind of speakers did you connect it to for sound....and are there foot pedals? Thank you.
i don't have the pedals, but they are available as accessory, recently made video about the speakers.
Nice to hear Maceo's 'Southwick' getting an airing here. I was playing the melody here on my piano along with your comping at the start.
interesting, i know this tune as "shake everything you got", two different names for the same maceo groove, still working on this, goldings lines are really hard!
@@WoodyPianoShack Yeah, they added new lyrics to it for the 'Life On Planet Groove' album, but the original title was Southwick. Recorded on the Maceo & All The King's Men album from 1970 titled 'Doing Their Own Thing.'
Highly recommended listening, that one. That album was a huge influence on a young Jaco Pastorius.
@@godisbollocks wow, yeah The King's version of the tune is incredibly funky! bass line partly played on clav sounds cool
@@WoodyPianoShack As much as I like the album Life on Planet Groove, the low-fi 1970 production of Doing Their Own Thing suits the genre far better, in my opinion. Funk needs to be dirty. If it's too surgically clean it loses something.
Hey Woody, these organs seem to look pretty amazing but I've found little info on the Viscount Legend Expander, which seems to be a smaller module rather than a large keyboard.
Do you have any idea if it sounds at all similar to the bigger organs or if it's a massive downgrade to cut costs?
There doesn't seem to be much info out about these devices and I'm really curious.
the module has the same sound engine, same editor, most of the important controls. it looks like a great unit, I considered it myself.
I'm waiting on my legend expander now to be delivered
@@adigunhotep4826 Great! Have fun with it.
It's on the way this week
Can you do "Magic Carpet Ride" for your next demo? That would be sweet!
now that is a groovy tune. what a great sound too! maybe I can do it, might sound naked without drums & guitar tho
Maybe a Deep Purple cover or two, as well 😁
@@WoodyPianoShack awesome, maybe you got a drum machine handy? ☺☺☺
@@Roboprogs Like "Gypsy's Kiss" maybe? 😁😁😁
Love you to try Legend '70s next. That would be amazing. From all the clip videos around there, odd enough, none of them have played the organ sounds (I assume they're extracted from the Legend organ), and just a bit of the other sounds. Love to hear them. Cheers.
i didn't realise the 70s had organ sounds, are you sure, it's never nice playing hammond on a weighted keyboard!
@@WoodyPianoShack yes, indeed mate! Check the soundlist. It has pads, organs, strings, etc. Cheers
Love that thing!
That effects loop is very noisy on my particular Legend...with the Lounsberry running thru the effects loop I get a lot of low speed Leslie hiss...best way to describe it..I had some minor problems with my organ and had Robert Darnell from Viscount America replace the mother board in the organ...and he tried to address the noise while using the effects loop...no answer there...
interesting read, hmmm, was planning to test the fx send with a tube preamp, so stay tuned for a video on that topic.
Great addition my man! Makes me miss my church organ days. Cheers :D
i did not know that about you, cool!
Do the pedals come with the organ or are they an extra? If they are an extra what is the price please?
extra, but many different pedals can be connected I suppose, so please check prices in your area.
I have a Legend Solo organ. It's a beautiful, well made instrument! Would be cool to see a video about Viscounts Legend 70s piano on you channel one day, Woody.
yeah, the viscount guys are keen to send me one to review, but bit lacking on space at the mo. congrats on your leg!
Viscount is the update of the Oberheim OB3Squared? They've always had good sounding clonewheel keyboards. Great video!
no relationship between oby and viscount afaik, thanks for the comment!
Absolutely love that funky groove you're playing at 11:32 . I know it's probably improvised at least partly but I REALLY want to learn how to play it and I've tried slowing it down etc. Any chance u have sheets or could do another demo of it ..... . or any advice how to learn to play it?? Sorry to be a pain, I just love the way you groove on that walking bass line.
it's taken from larry goldings and maceo parker, shake everything you got. i just listened to the track and figured it out, give it a shot! tricky thing is the LH RH coordination & syncopation. i won't rule out the tutorial but they don't generally appeal to viewers. good luck!
You play aint it funky Tony Monaco style. By any chance do you study with him or have in the past?
hi gabe, you'd be right, well spotted. i've been a subscriber of his lessons, but only as a viewer so far. I've seen you in action dozens of times. I always enjoy your playing and have checked out your band videos. really good stuff. thanks for participating in tony's lessons and really glad to have you as a viewer. best regards.
12:15 Sounds fantastic Woody! It comes down to make music, be inspired. It sounds fine. Looks good too. I like how clean the controls look compared to the Hammond XK-5.
What a glorious sound! I love it! You are becoming quite the organ player. It is nice to see you having so much fun with it. Please connect the expression pedal you used on the YC61 or the Naultilus. That helps to make it sound even more authentic. I am looking forward to more demos. Keep 'm coming!
thank you, yes it's very inspiring! the pedal was connected today, but I didn't really know what to do with it :) I normally tap with my right foot, so it's hindering me a bit...
Had one for sale in my hometown. Too expensive for me. But what do You think about buying an Eminent Solina for 50 bucks?
not something i'm into but seems like a good deal?
@@WoodyPianoShack Nothing special. Just an electronic organ.
Italy has a long history of making organs! So it does not come to a surprise at all. Farfisa (1863), Bontempi (1932), Crumar and Viscount have been around for many years.
very good point, i should have realised. then it's curious why the two countries with such a legacy for organs would be usa and italy!
@@WoodyPianoShack great playing by the way!
@@WoodyPianoShack The programming is made by a Norwegian Hammond technician, Tom Erik Skram.
Would also like to know about the pedals!
I have owned a Legend Solo for some years and an HX3 organ by MAG for 18 months. My experience:
1) Yes, the Legend sounds very good - as long as you don‘t compare it to the HX3, let alone the real thing.
2) This is also valid for the Leslie sim; I hooked up a Vent II, and it‘s quite a different world of sound.
3) The standard Fatar TP8/O action is very sturdy but definitely way too stiff. You need to play it like a piano which is not what I expect from a clonewheel organ. My custom MAG has the same keybeds but with light-weight springs and feels so much better.
4. To be fair, the build quality of the Legend is excellent (whereas the chorus knob is also too stiff), and it is pretty inexpensive.
Thus my Legend ended up as a remote controller for the MAG or sometimes the Logic Pro X B3. Sorry, Viscount. 😊
fascinating to read, thank you! the hx3 module thing got my attention too during my research, but hard to find a decent controller for it, without buying another organ! Perhaps I could borrow one, now that I have a controller. as for the stiff keys, interesting comment, thanks again. I've been watching joey d play his, and he seems to do pretty good on those stiff keys :D
@@WoodyPianoShack Sorry, forgot this post.
Yes, it‘s hard to find a decent external controller. Doepfer used to produce one, but it is discontinued.
Therefore complete HX3 organs (MAG or Uhl) are perfect solutions:
- better look,
- direct access to all important parameters instead of menu diving,
- no MIDI latency - and yes, there is a noticeable difference in direct comparison.
As for Joey: well, heavy fingers. ;)
Of course you can play organ on any keyboard; the fabulous Yohan Kim even uses an RD-2000. Nevertheless: the lighter the better the more original.
Nice, also my dream. But where is the pedal?
This is no real organ without pedal. ;)
Wow and the song Southwick by Maceo Parker!! Very good choice.
you totally right, maybe when I got my two hands working properly, then I can think about adding the feet!
@@WoodyPianoShack No, no, you're doing it very well. It was (partially ;) ) a joke. Many well known Hammond organ players don't use the pedal. I would be very happy if I could play it like you do.
Local man becomes organ harvester
Oh, that’s a beauty. Sounds amazing. You’re giving me ideas!! 👌👍
I reckon synths sound better with a bit of wood incorporated in them as well (Jupiter 8 is the exception off course).
so true!
synths sound better with a bit of "Woody" incorporated also :-)
Woody, like the channel. Curious about the sharp edge you mentioned between the manuals. I and possibly looking for a dual manual organ/controller and I use a lot of palm smears when I play, pretty soulful rock style organ. Is this something the manufacture addressed with you after your review? You've had this Viscount for a while now, is it much of a factor for you?
the legend was only loaned to me for a brief period, and I'm not much of a palm smearer so hard to say. i doubt they changed anything based on my comments :) if I had bought one myself, then I would mod it by taking that part of and sanding down the rough edge, then a quick rattle-can respray.
We love you in America woody
and I love america and my american viewers! can't wait for my next visit :)