Music Collectibles Guide

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The Hammond organ was an attempt to recreate the sound of a traditional pipe organ in a more portable music keyboard instrument.  It became more widely used in rock music during the 1960s and during that era the combo organ was invented and became popular as a more portable replacement for the Hammond organ.  These are now considered vintage instruments and although still used by musicians for performance they are also collector’s items.

The idea behind the Hammond organ was to create a more affordable and portable alternative to the pipe organs found in churches.  The sound was to resemble the various combinations of pipes in a traditional pipe organ, but the sound would be created electronically.  The Hammond organ typically has two manuals, a pedal board, and a series of drawbars that control the combinations of sounds, all enclosed in a wooden cabinet.  These organs eventually became standard keyboard instruments used in jazz, blues, and rock music, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s and are still used in recordings and performance today, although synthesizers that emulate the Hammond organ sound are being used more, particularly for tours.

The combo organ is a simpler, more portable keyboard instrument that became popular in rock music during the late 1960s.  It was typically made in a one-manual form, but two manual combo organs were also produced.  Whereas the Hammond organ generates sound via mechanical tone wheels, the combo organs were transistorized (some used tubes), thus generating sound electronically.  They were typically made in a portable case of various, often bright colors, and came with a folding stand and volume pedal.  Like the Hammond organ, a combo organ has drawbars to control the sound which is known for being bright, thin, and “cheesy.”  Combo organs such as the Vox Continental, Farfisa, and Gibson G-101 in many cases were favored over the Hammond organ because they were more portable, particularly when it came to live performances and touring, but they were also liked for their distinctive sound.

Combo organs are coveted for their sound and looks as well as their historical significance in music.  They were used by popular groups such as The Doors and The Animals in many hit songs, and later by new wave groups of the late 1970s and 1980s.  The Hammond organ is sought after more for its sound and it’s “antique” status, though their price tag will be higher than that of a combo organ.  Collectors of vintage instruments will find that these two music keyboards, if a working model is found, are fun to play and a source of pride to own.

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Acapella (also spelled a cappella and acappella) music is singing without instrumental accompaniment.  When they think of this form of singing, most people usually think of doo wop, barber shop quartet, or acapella hymns.  After the 1950s, acapella singing declined considerably. However, in the past decade, there has been a resurgence of acapella singing groups.

In fact, there is now even an iTunes radio station, A Cappella Always, that plays nothing but acapella music 24/7.  There are also Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards that are given to the best a cappella singing groups in various categories.  Some of the categories for awards are: Best Pop/Rock, Best Hip-Hop/R&B, Best Folk/World, Best Jazz, Best Religious, and Best Barbershop Quartet.

Some of the better known groups today in the pop/rock genre are Club for Five, Firedrill, Basix, Overboard, and Sonos.  In the field of classical music, some of the prominent acapella groups today are Amarcord, The King’s Singers, and Lumen Valo. In the field of religious acapella music, some of the better known groups are Glad, First Call, Acappella, Undivided, Rochester Praise Team, and Praise Apella.

Although acapella singing is having a rebirth today, it is hardly a new form of music. In fact, it’s the oldest type of music in existence. As Jason Caffarella of the group, Rezonate, put it, “The first instrument anyone ever had was their voice. Sometimes, people think a cappella singing is something fresh and different, but it’s not really fresh and different at all.”

For centuries, only acapella hymns were allowed in the church.  It wasn’t until the time of the Renaissance, that musical instruments began being used in religious music. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a cappella singing in various forms, such as barbershop quartet, was quite popular.  The new sound of acapella singing is different, but it carries on a long tradition.

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