From goff747@aol.com Mon Dec 06 09:15:25 2004
Subject:Re: Waterfall Keyboard Controller


In a message dated 12/6/04 11:17:31 PM, harjoy@elknet.net writes:

<< And actually a few people agree with me that you can do quite well without
"waterfall" if you use your hands or fingers appropriately. This still
leaves room for the individual to "love" this keyboard feel and "hate" that one
based on the "feel" and on the response. You won't know without trying one- and I
mean more than 5 min. once in a store!
>>

someone made a remark that went something like who died and made waterfall
keys king... that church organs got around fine without them. that is true to a
point. if you're playing church music, or Virgil Fox, then it lends itself.
however, music we seem to love in this forum is that which was born on a
waterfall keyboard, give or take a few hits done on Vox, Farfisas and Gibson organs.
that having been said, not all waterfall boards feel the same, Hammonds most
specially. I prefer the action on my early BC more than my "newer" late 60's
B3. I presently play a Kawai Spectra as my controller and it has regular organ
keys. But I'm looking for a real waterfall controller. I think the size of
Hammond waterfall keys and the way its sprung, lends itself to the style of
music we love playing. I was attracted to a semi weighted 61 key Yamaha controller
I saw in a Hard Off store last month in Japan going for $50, something I'd
never seen before and proli only exists in Japan but after really thinking
things through, I analyzed the spring back of the keys and it was definitely piano
like and not fast enough for Hammond playing.
Whenever I see semi weighted, I tend to look at an attempt to make a piano
player think of buying the board. But if you really stand back and think, the
semi weighted technology was there because they hadn't developed hammer action,
much less graded hammer action back then and that was the closest they knew
how to do to make a board piano like. I don't see semi weighted good for
anything at this point. Its not a synth, not an organ and not a piano. I know some
play organ through a piano controller, but perhaps they want to be thrifty and
make a mind over matter effort to make do. If some manufacturers offer semi
weighted, it's the all in one approach, synth/piano but both suffers, IMO. The
more pro you get, the more you split boards for specific duties. The Doepfers
are coming out but who has ever tried one? and for $4-500 a pop, I would think a
hands on trial is in order. Somewhere down the line a waterfall controller
has to be developed as we move into software/cpu engines. And until then
everyone will have his way of getting around creating a hammond sound through
anything he/she feels comfortable with. Then again is the waterfall board the best
there'll ever be? Untill something better comes along, it proli is. Ok the
challenge is on..who can make the best waterfall controller, not the most authentic
perhaps, maybe better than the original.