Playing while standing.

[Freslanta]

Hello all,
I have a Hammond A-100 organ. It's like a piece of furniture. I want to play while standing up, but the keyboard needs to be a bit higher. I'm 5' 11", So I'll need some kind of riser for the organ.
I've sketched out something made with 4x4's, plywood, and lockable caster wheels (you know how heavy an A-100 is). I'm thinking about 8" height should do it. It'll be about $80.00 to $100.00 in materials. I'm just guessing at the height (~8") and that's the crux. How High should I make it? I'm not quite sure and I hoped to get some input from out there prior to committing the time and $$.
Any thoughts or suggestions on raising the organ?
Thanks, Rick

 

[kanthos]

You lose out on a lot of the capability of the Hammond (namely, swell pedal and bass pedals) by standing; are you sure you want to do that?

As for judging the height, why not take a tape measure to a music store (ideally one that has a two-manual keyboard on a stand; if not, one with multiple keyboards on multiple stands) and see if they'll let you adjust the height so you feel comfortable and then measure?

 

[b3maniac]

Freslanta, I "faked" standing while playing Hammonds in the past. I used a bar stool
and kind of proped my rear against the stool part of the time. When I was working the volumn pedal, I could lean against the stool and use my leg/foot easily.
But, because of the volumn pedal (and/or the bass pedals if applicable) it's awkward to try and play a Hammond while standing, and I frequently used my volumn pedel
to accent chops.

 

[Freslanta]

Thanks for the input guys. I got the height figured out after I noticed my navel was at the base of the keys while seated (which was a comfortable height), so I just stood up and measured my navel height standing and "voila", I knew that lifting it by ~8" was about right. Standard concrete block is 7.5", so, get 1 for each corner, add a piece of 1/2" plywood to evenly distribute the load, and there it is. So, now I know how high to build the portable, rolling lift when I get around to it.
I can still use the volume pedal, a bit different but doable.
Using the bass pedals was a consideration, but the material I'm working on these days doesn't call for it and getting used to playing while standing is something I've been wanting to explore for stage presence reasons. So I decided to put the pedals on ice for now.
The playing while standing has had unanticipated benefits as well. I can comfortably practice much longer now. It just feels better on the back.
And playing left hand chords in the higher register of the lower manual while playing with the right on the upper manual is much more comfortable. I really think it's improved my playing.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond. I appreciate it.
Rick

 

[JimRH8]

Please Forgive my ignorance, I am still a noob.
I remember reading somewhere that hammond organs are (or were) frequently, like, "chopped up" so that different components could be put in seperate boxes and transported easier to gigs etc. has anyone ever done this and separated the bass pedals from the manuals, so the pedals can sit on the floor? I've never really seen a hammond in real life so I don't know how possible it is.

 

[b3maniac]

JIm, check out my Avatar. That is a Hammond B3. Chopped down Hammonds are around in various configuarations because they are essentially a custom rigs. With some expections, such as a few companies who had a somewhat standardized offering.
Hammond actually offered some models over the years with "removable" bass pedal for transport, specifically I am thinking of the model they called the "Porta B".