Pump Organ?

[Matt Grabe]

What do vintage pump organs sound like? Could anybody possibly recommend some songs to listen to that have a pump organ?

[swankdoc]

I recorded a group using one of these a while back, Ill see if I can dig up the tracks.

They sound like a noisy detuned accordion. Nosiy as in squeeky wheezy moving parts.



So I guess that makes them a squeeky wheezy detuned accordion.

[zemlin]

So I guess that makes them a squeeky wheezy detuned accordion.

I'd say that's fairly accurate.
http://www.cheap-tracks.com/mp3/chea...son_sample.mp3

Neil Young plays one on a tune, but I can't come up with the title - I think it's an UNPLUGGED album. Help me out, folks ...

got it - Like a Hurricane - some might describe Neil as squeaky, wheezy, and detuned

[Kiwiburger]

The Beatles used them a fair amount - even McCartney's relatively recent albums still use pump organ. Sometimes called a Harmonium. Makes quite a good 'organic' (xcuse the pun) pad sound. Sort of between an accordian and an electronic organ - often it's in a mix but not obvious.

From memory - "We can Work it out" made good obvious use of one.

EDIT: there is an indian version that probably was used in the psychadelic daze. I think the Native Instruments B4 organ has a soundbank with samples from one.

The quality varies a lot - they don't necessarily need to be whiney or out of tune. Some will have electric fans instead of foot pedals. They are basic very small church pipe organs, except they use reeds.

In my distant childhood I recall some family friends who had these things in their homes. They had different stops for different tones - very intriqueing when you are a kid ...

[robd]

If they are out of tune, you can get an accordion player to tune them. If they are whiney the seals are probably not good. There are portable ones, like ww1 chaplain's organs, but they are hard to find. One very interesting aspect of their sound that is different from an accordion is that most of the old ones (not the indian ones) have knee levers which you can use to control the voicing in real time while you play. (They do the same thing as the switches on the front of an accordion, but you can actually use them constantly for phrasing.) I have heard people use them to great effect as accompaniment instruments in person a couple of times, but I can't think of any recordings.

[earlgreen]

YouTube - Pump organ

If you want to see a small one and hear it, check out the link above.

Pump organs are still being used in parts of Europe. There is a difference between a reed organ and a harmonium. The reed organ in the US was mainly an instrument where the air was sucked through the reed, thus the volume was not that great. Later there were Wurlitzer reed organs that were electric.

The harmonium was used throughout France as a church organ and was quite a bit like a small pipe organ. These instrument used bellow to blow the air through the reeds, much like pipe organs blow air through the pipes. These instruments were much better sounding and had a greater range of expression. Many were made with 2 or 3 keyboards and a full pedalboard.

I grew up playing one of these in church, yes I'm only 44 but still we had one and also I played several in Paris in 1999. They are still used, and sound better than some electronic organs!

Here's more info: Reed Organs

Enjoy!

[Logan Erickson]

Originally Posted by earlgreen

YouTube - Pump organ

If you want to see a small one and hear it, check out the link above.

Here's more info: Reed Organs

Enjoy!

That looks to be an old Esty Harmonium/pump organ. has full 3 sets of brass reeds. very cool. I have one. Jon Brion has one too.. used in punch drunk love. very nice sound for the size. I scored mine for $100 and all it needed was a new set of springs for the bellows (hand built by a local specialist: Robert Gross **THIS GUY DOES AMAZING PUMP ORGAN WORK!!! VERY HARD TO FIND THESE DAYS!**). i recommend having one o these around the studio.

[echurch86]

When I recorded Zero 7 they had a harmonium. I believe they use it in alot of there tracks. The played it through a pignose with a delay attached

[roger]

they do sound lovely - the accordian description is right on the money but they can go a coupla octaves lower - they are just nearly always outta tune so be careful! very nice sitting in the corner of the studio if you can find one for cheap.

you can work out while you play too. handy.

[Vinrockindie]

Coldplay 'Life Is For Living'