From jgand@gand.com Thu Dec 15 08:50:27 2011
Subject:Re: Hammond SK2 - Gig Tested

Try EQ'ing the extra sounds on the SK1 or SK2 - you won't believe the difference! I have been using the SK1 since it first came out, and I found that I did have to tweek the extra sounds, but after I did, they are just as useful as the Nord extra sounds were. I have set myself up with a good acoustic piano, wurly, rhodes, and clav, which sound great and cut through in the live mix. Most tweeking was to the EQ section on the SK1, I had to suck the midrange out of the acoustic piano, and saved to the "favorite" preset button. These sounds must be EQ'd, just as the Nord sounds also needed. To me, they come in much too mushy, and you can get some clarity with the EQ, and also make it sound right with your speakers.

I have used this on weekly gigs since August and had no complaints - in fact everyone seems to like the acoustic piano better than the Nord, and loves the warmth of the organ sound. I was a dedicated Nord user all these years, since the Electro first came out, so I was hesitant to switch, but I'm loving my SK1 and having a great response from the band and the audience with it.

Here are a couple of videos where you can hear the pianos. This first one was digitally recorded at the club in Pro Tools and mixed down on the fly by the engineer there. SK1 Acoustic piano is featured here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLgY0IsiT0&feature=related

This one is a tribute song I wrote for our singer who passed away last year from cancer very suddenly. I used the Wurly on this one. Its soft, but you can still hear it sounds good. This was recorded with a handheld Yamaha recorder set on the singer's mic stand. You can hear someone hit the mic stand with a beer bottle!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1K7siSzVYM&feature=youtu.be

PS. I'm told we are the only store within a huge radius that has both the Nord products and Hammond products in stock, so if you need anything, check us out at www.gand.com We have everything in stock as of right now. A Ventilator makes a wonderful holiday gift! :-)

Joan Gand