Though I am not an expert in Black Gospel music, I found some good styles for the BK7m from Giga Style Collection that I think can be used for Black gospel music. Does anyone know if Yamaha, Korg, or any others have good styles suitable for this type of music?

While at it, I found this choir singing the simple tune "We Shall Overcome" in "style"(pun intended) that blew my mind. I surely liked everything about it; the organist, pianists, instrumentalists, the choir, the way they clapped hands, the director, and even the audience or the congregation depending on how you look at it how they all stood up and responded. What an electrifying musical event! I wonder if there is an arranger "style" for something like that!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TMi77xXZAA

Anybody else listen to the bass? Not even close when he starts to "walk".

WOW!


Russ

The choir gets most of the attention; but, boy, is that rhythm section tight! Great performance. I was spellbound.

AWESOMNESS Yeah!!!! Loved it wow!!

Guys, LISTEN! The bass line is so off it gives me a headache. Really bad changes, and the song is really simple!


Russ

Bass player must have gotten the "Spirt" and lost his concentration.
One of the best preformances I ever heard was when I was doing the Hammond sales and service thing and my partner and myself went to Harlem to fix a B3 and look at their PA. I didn't notice it but gradually Church members started drifting in. All of a sudden a bus pulls up and a load of Japanese tourists ( yes, they all had cameras around their necks LOL! ) come in and fill the place,'
The Church members now had their robes on and did a Gospel concert for them. Part of a "Tour of Harlem" See the Historic Sights, go to a concert, and then eat at Sylvia's Soulfood restaurant. I swear the church levitated during that show.
Jazz/Blues organist Tony Z ( Tony Z- Kiss My Blues CD ) now plays B3 in a Gospel church in Florida. Nice stady gig for a guy who started out playing in Strip Clubs in Boston.

In all fairness, this is obviously a 'custom' arrangement and I think the 'custom' changes are very deliberate (i.e not a mistake, just exercising musical license). Same as doing a jazz version of Jingle Bells or something. I'm not religious but I do love choral gospel music, especially as done by these Black mega-church, 'no expenses spared', choirs. It's a cultural tradition and hard to duplicate unless you grew up in this culture - not impossible, mind you, but difficult. I think you'd be hard pressed to pull it off with an arranger keyboard. First off, you'd need to have the 'gospel' chops exhibited by that organist (and the other musicians) as well as a 'feel' for that type of music (regardless of the realism of the arranger style). Then there is the problem of emulating the choir sounds - that's not going to be easy (understatement ).

What's amazing (about that video), if you think about it, is being able to find that many amateur singers with that sharp a sense of rhythm. That IS the key to up-tempo gospel music.

Just my .02 cents worth (but what do I know),

chas

Chas
I'll give you another tip. A lot of those Gospel Organists play mostly on the black keys and reverse hands- LH upper manuel RH lower manuel Many are self taught but growing up in the environment they ahve a feel for it.
Same with the singers. just being there and doing it is the best education.

That explains a control on my KeyB Duo Mk111 called 'Gospel drawbar mode' that allows you to reverse which manual the drawbars control. I'd never heard of it before buying that organ. Guess there's no end to the Hammond story .

chas

My mother played piano and Hammond C3 at church for many years. I can remember going with her when she went to practice and she would let me "play" it. That thing was huge to me; it even SMELLED powerful. Had to learn the startup procedure so I could help my mom. She let me think she couldn't remember how to start it up.
I pretty quickly could pick out simple melodies, like Jesus Loves Me, or In The Garden,and she couldn't understand how a little kid could do that without seeing music notes! She never figured it out. She could play absolutely any music you put in front of her, but literally could not play Happy Birthday without it. She was still playing for church into her 80's.
She bought a piano and later an organ for our house, so it was always there if I wanted to play on it. I tried piano lessons but quit after a few months. Wanted to do it MY WAY. After stints with trumpet, drums and guitar, her plan finally worked and I started playing organ.
Now if I'd grown up in a church where they did that type of Gospel music, I'd probably be the music director today!
We had plenty of churches, but zero black people in our little town. Had lots of Native American friends, but then I've got a lot of Osage in me as well. I remember some of them doing old songs from their ancestors with tom-toms during celebrations. A lot of soul there, but no keyboards.
Seems the old man has rambled way off topic again. I'm going to get my new PA4X out of the bag now and try to play some of those B3 licks.