Jim Atwood in Japan

Doobie Powell Neo Soul DVD

I have been a long time Neo-Soul fan and have come to collect quite a few Neo-Soul Dvds from the likes of Jamal Hartwell at GospelMusicians and a few others. One DVD that I finally purchased today is Doobie Powell’s Neo-Soul Instructional DVD. In the past I’ve refrained from purchasing the DVD primarily because of the exorbitant shipping charges that Showmethat charges. However, I will be heading to my hometown of Seattle Washington for a couple of weeks and thought now would be a great time to buy it and have it shipped to the States to reduce shipping. Thus I can say I finally bought the DVD and I’m quite excited about it. Once I get my hands on it I will most certainly update this article with a proper review. For now you can check out the Youtube video highlights which shows some pretty good stuff. What I am hoping to get out of this DVD is more of how Doobie approaches his Neo-Soul grooves and progressions. What is cool about his style of Neo-Soul is how much extra “funk” he adds to the groove. His playing is very smooth yet funky at the same time. I really like his vibe. So, hopefully next week I’ll be able to add an update as I watch this DVD in Seattle during my trip. Stay tuned!!

Neo-Soul Suitcase VST Plugin

Today I purchased the newly released Neo-Soul Suitcase Rhodes VST Plugin for Kontakt 4.2.3. Honestly I’m a much bigger fan of hardware than software, but two things made me get this. First, I’m a big fan of Jamal Hartwell over at Gospelmusicians.com who produces outstanding tutorial DVDs, samples, and now VST plugins. Second, I’m a big fan of the Fender Rhodes Neo-Soul sound which Jamal has captured very well with this new Neo-Soul Suitcase VST Plugin. It simply sounds fantastic despite having to go the software route to get that sound.

My setup at home for the Neo-Soul Suitcase VST is nothing fancy but it gets me the sound and feel with no detectable latency. I use a Dell XPS laptop with 4GB memory, ASIO4ALL installed, and a reasonably good audio card built it. I run a line out to my Yamaha Mixer and a USB cable connects to my Roland PCR-800 which is a superb midi controller. I use it primarily for my Roland MKS-50 with it’s excellent control maps. My Dell XPS uses Windows 7 OS 32bit and the Kotant 4 standalone version is 4.2.3 which is the minimum required for the Neo-Soul Suitcase Fender Rhodes VST Plugin. It all works surprisingly well and I’m able to be just about as expressive as I need to be with the keyboard controller and Rhodes sound. Latency was my biggest worry and it turns out with the Neo-Soul Suitcase everything works excellent.

I browsed through and tested all the sounds and they all played very well. My favorite so far is the Jamal Funk sound which comes closest to the sound that I prefer when I play. No doubt everyone else will choose different sounds that they like and Jamal has done a great job with providing some noticeable variety in all the patches. It’s extremely important to note and to understand that the Neo-Soul Suitcase Fender Rhodes VST has a main focus on getting close to the Neo-Soul RnB sound. Of course these patches are applicable to all sorts of styles out there so it shouldn’t be looked upon only as a Neo-Soul Rhodes sound, but it’s important to know that the Neo-Soul sound is the primary focus. Scarbee, Lounge Lizard, Mr. Ray, etc. all present very good Rhodes emulations for various styles. Scarbee for example is a big favorite among many, but I never really got into it. It just didn’t bark enough for me. I did like Mr. Ray, but I had latency issues which oddly enough are gone with the Neo-Soul Suitcase VST.

As you all know there are a lot of players out there in the Fender Rhodes VST market, but I’m quite happy with the sound of the Neo-Soul Suitcase VST thus far. In fact, I think it’s ( to me ), one of the best sounding Rhodes sounds I’ve played. For everyday practice, I enjoy playing various Rhodes samples loaded into my Roland Fantom XR, Motif ES, or most recently using the stock EP sounds of the Korg M50. As I reported earlier, those EP Rhodes sounds in the Korg M50 are excellent for practice. However, when it comes to recording or playing close to the real thing, I feel the Neo-Soul Suitcase VST is going to be fantastic. I don’t think I’m ready to put this setup on a stage yet as my luck is not the best, but for recording and studio work, I think the sounds are funk solid.

I recently purchased the Fundamentals of Neo-Soul DVD from Gospelmusicians and as a result I was able to get the Neo-Soul Suitcase Fender Rhodes VST for the $49.99 introductory price. I think Jamal has a DVD/VST combo for sale and that is what I would recommend getting. The Neo-Soul DVD is a best seller and I highly recommend it for all levels of keyboard players. I think if you are a big fan of Kontakt, Neo-Soul, Rhodes, and products such as Scarbee or Mr. Ray, you’ll like Neo-Soul Suitcase VST very much.

Note that I’m not an affiliate of Gospelmusicians.com so I can be a little more up front about my thoughts and I must say, Neo-Soul Suitcase VST is a great product. It’s only been a day since I’ve played it, but I simply cannot find any problems with it yet other than we’re dealing with software instead of hardware. I suppose if there is one product that’s going to get my feet wet with VSTs, then it’s probably going to be Neo-Soul Suitcase VST. Jamal is feeling good about sales right now, so I’d grab it while you can. Tell me what you think in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out the following websites for more info:
http://store.gospelmusicians.com/
http://neosoulsuitcase.com/

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UPDATE: I changed my setup a bit. I now run my Windows Laptop into the audio input of my Roland Fantom X7 which allows me to record the Rhodes sound into the audio tracks or layer it with another sound. Running through the audio system of the Fantom X7, the Neo-Soul Suitcase sounds really phat and very good. Another thing I do with the Neo-Soul Suitcase settings is to lower the output volume down to about -15.5 along with flipping the switch from clean to original. I tend to play hard on the keys and this virtually eliminates any and all slight static or distortion one might get with a similar setup. Sound cards are all different and mine works fantastic with the volume lowered. I also prefer the original to the clean version for two reasons. One is that I like the dirtier sound of the Rhodes with all it’s imperfections. In addition, I find the sound to my ears to sound less processed but more clear. It might just be me thinking that though. Overall, the Neo-Soul Suitcase is incredible sounding. I love it now that I can play and record it through my Roland X7 which is my main board at the moment. Having almost zero latency really makes it fantastic as well. Without a doubt, the Neo-Soul Suitcase is the best sounding VST EP I’ve heard and played in quite a while.

Gospelfingers Musician's Toolbox

Yesterday I picked up a new Musician’s Tool Box DVD Set from Gospelfingers.net. The Musician’s Tool Box is a 6 disk set which includes the Crazy Chords DVD, The Great Diminished DVD, A Touch of Jazz DVD and Progressive Movements DVD. This is over 6.5 hours of the hottest progressions, talk music, worship, Diminished movements, shouts and much more according the Gospelfingers website. I must say it’s pretty much right on target.

I bought the DVD Set because I’ve purchased DVD’s from Gospelfingers in the past and they have all been really good. With this particular set, I was pleasantly surprised at how well the topics were presented. Learning complex and diminished chord movements is something I’m very interested in. Whether you are into Gospel Keyboard music or not, this DVD set is actually applicable to all sorts of music especially Gospel, R&B and Jazz Keyboard. I’m also a big fan of Neo-Soul. Jay Toles and company covers movements that are applicable to Neo-Soul which is also fantastic.

The Musician’s Tool Box DVD Set is very reasonably priced. In fact, I think it’s a really good deal, especially if you go the download route. The customer service at Gospelfingers is also top notch. I had some trouble with my downloads and Jay was right there to help out. The website Gospelfingers.net has had some significant updates so little things can happen, but the support is quick to answer questions or solve any issues should you have any. The quality of my downloads is great and I look forward to going through them in great detail over the next few weeks.

I’d say the main aspect of the Musician’s Tool Box DVD Set is the idea of learning how to play and improve upon various “movements” or “progressions” mainly used in Gospel music. Whether it’s talk, praise, worship, shout, contemporary, etc. movements are covered in all areas. The Great Diminished DVD is exceptional with info about how to add more diminished chord movement concepts to your playing. Crazy Chords gives you added ideas for chord alternatives that can be placed in your progressions. A Touch of Jazz is just that. It helps you to sprinkle some jazz into your Gospel and Contemporary Groove playing.

The Musician’s Tool Box DVD Set is about adding that extra flavor to your grooves, progressions, movements, or whatever you want to call it. If you find yourself in need of some spice, check out the Musician’s Tool Box DVD Set. There’s something in there for everyone. This set is definitely one of the better collections from Gospelfingers.net! Way to go guys!

Note that Gospelfingers also has an online membership system that when you register for a free account, you will be able to create a profile, upload videos and communicate with other musicians. There is also a paid membership service with the added value of viewing online video instruction each week. Gospelfingers.net is definitely a site to keep an eye on.

Update: I just posted my review of the Tony Lucus Gospelfingers “The Great Diminished DVD” here: http://neosoulkeyz.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/great-dimished-neo-soul-grooves/#comment-39

Review of the Sean Cook Gospelfingers “Crazy Chords DVD” here:
http://neosoulkeyz.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/pastor-sean-cooks-crazy-chords-dvd/#comment-40

Stay tuned for more reviews of the DVDs coming soon.

Fundamentals of Neo-Soul Keyboard

Fundamentals of Neo-Soul Keyboard and Hip-Hop Production

Today Fundamentals of Neo-Soul Keyboard and Hip-Hop Production was released in download format. I purchased my copy and am currently downloading the material. This is a release that I’ve been very much looking forward to and there is no doubt in my mind it will be fantastic. Not only is Jamal Hartwell a great instructor and producer of such Neo-Soul Keyboard instructional material, but he is very inspirational. One of the things that drives my interest in music is being connected or around other musicians who love their craft.

Anyone interested in Neo-Soul, RnB, Funk, Gospel, or just plain interested in playing a groove on the keyboard should get this DVD package. Two demo videos have already been released on Youtube. I have posted one below and just viewing that alone is evidence enough that this is the bomb folks!! Get it now while it’s on sale too until April 15th. Thanks very much Jamal for producing this great new Neo-Soul Keyboard DVD.

Features include: Live Instruction, Beat Making, MIDI files, Sheet Music, Easy Theory, Chord Charts, Free Drum Sounds, Live Band, and Overhead Keyboard

Also note that a FREE Neo-Soul MIDI Lesson is also available here.

Fundamentals of Neo-Soul: http://store.gospelmusicians.com/Fundamentals_of_Neo-Soul_Keyboard_Download/ :: Learn Hip-Hop Production and Neo-Soul chords. Urban Piano

The Fundamentals of Neo-Soul Keyboard DVD is now available. It will be on sale for $39.99 until April 15th. Learn how to play the fundamentals of Neo-Soul keyboard:

1. 1.5 Hours of Neo-Soul Lessons from the Studio
2. Easy Neo-Soul Theory Lessons for Beginners
3. Neo-Soul/Hip-Hop Beat Making
4. Sheet Music with Chord Charts
5. MIDI Files

http://neosoulkeyz.com

Today I launched a new blog website called Neo Soul Keyz which can be accessed at http://neosoulkeyz.com. I am a big fan of Gospel Keyboard, including Funk, Rnb, and Jazz. However, my absolute favorite is Neo Soul. I have found with the reviews on my current blog here that there is actually very little information on the subject of Neo Soul Keyboard. Indeed there are a few instructional videos, artists, and info lying around the net, but it’s very unorganized. So, I thought I would start up a new site and post Neo Soul information that I discover as I comb through the various resources around cyberspace.

If you are interested in Neo Soul Keyboard music, feel free to pop on over to Neo Soul Keyz for information about Neo Soul Keyboard musicians, tutorials, and new instructional DVD releases that I find. Plus I would greatly appreciate comments and emails about additional info that can be added. If you have a website, DVD, or video that highlights something about Neo Soul, please send me an email and I’ll be happy to add it to neosoulkeyz.com. Or you can just comment in this post and I’ll take that info and add it to NeoSoulKeyz.

Plus if you know of any great Neo Soul artists, please leave a comment with a link to a video or their music. It’s important to note that I’m not a guru about Neo Soul. I have a lot to learn and I look forward to sharing new Neo Soul sites, videos, artists, and keyboard instructional info that I find. Thank you and enjoy!

Here is azexperiment from Youtube with a nice Neo Soul jazz groove!

Gospel Fingers Piano Instruction DVD

I’ve been meaning to do a follow-up to my previous articles about Gospel Fingers Atlanta’s #1 Piano Instruction DVD and website. I must say that Jay Toles has been super busy with new additions to his website including new products, site reconstruction, and adding updated information. I’m a big fan of any site that is active and creates inspiration for what I enjoy doing which is playing music. These days you need to be active on your website to stand out and kudos to Gospel Fingers for keeping it fresh and up to date. Gospel Fingers always gets my attention.

I have written below are some of the Gospel Fingers webiste updates you should check out.

Online Piano Lessons – Jay Toles uses Skype for this and although I haven’t tried such a lesson before, It’s something piano instructors are increasingly using. Not many Gospel piano sites are doing this, so here’s you’re opportunity to give it a shot if interested.

Gospel Fingers DVD – At the moment, this is the central DVD to get from Jay Toles. This should be in everyone’s DVD library as it contains some great info that not everyone else covers. He has another DVD also called “Get it in all 12” which covers tips and techniques for playing in all 12 keys more proficiently.

Drummers DVD – It’s seems lately that Gospel Music Instruction sites are releasing new Drum and Bass DVDs. I think this is great and Gospel Fingers certainly met the demand with their recent Drummer DVD release.

Extreme Downloads – Gospel Fingers has added a $5 Dollar Video Clip download section to the site. This is pretty common with a lot of sites now with many opting for the “membership area” which I prefer, but when the videos are good, I definitely recommend picking them up in singles. I think quality of content is importing here and it looks like Gospel Fingers has just started this so we’ll need to give it time to flourish.

Piano Lessons – As the site says, Gospel Fingers is Atlanta’s #1 spot for musicians and I’m sure beyond. I have never been to Atlanta, but if I ever visited I’d definitely check them out. Pricing looks competitive and reasonable.

Last year I purchased both the “Gospel Fingers DVD” and the “Get it in all 12 Keys DVD”. I have enjoyed them both and I certainly gained some great ideas, tips, and techniques from each DVD. I do recommend them absolutely. Sometimes there are deals that come via newsletter, so I recommend getting signed up at the Gospel Fingers website for updates. I would consider picking up the DVD’s at the regular price anyway as they are more than reasonable. These guys work hard on producing these DVDs, so I feel compelled to compensate them as much as possible. (Note that I am not an affiliate for Gospel Fingers).

If anyone has purchased a DVD, download, or online lesson from Gospel Fingers, please leave a comment. I’m sure other visitors and Gospel music enthusiasts would love to hear about your experiences good or bad. Thank you!

For more info about Gospel Fingers check out Jay Tole’s website at http://gospelfingers.net/. I also recommend emailing him too. He’s a friendly guy who actually responds quite well to emails unlike most sites out there nowadays. Jay seems to care about his customers and visitors a great deal which is great.

Here is a video excerpt from Gospel Fingers with Jay Toles in action on the keys!

Fundamentals of Neo Soul DVD

Jamal Hartwell at Gospelmusicians.com has done it again with the soon to be released DVD titled “Fundamentals of Neo-Soul Keyboard“. Below is a video Sneak Peak released today on Youtube highlighting some exciting movements in the Neo-Soul fundamentals DVD.

Previously Jamal has released a few Neo-Soul related titles which can be found in the Gospelmusicians store. I actually have them all and find them to be very informative and highly recommended. In fact some people might ask why is another Neo-Soul DVD needed since existing titles from Gospelmusicians already exist? My answer to that is basically once you dive into the realm of Neo-Soul you can just never get enough of it. Probably a better question to ask is why is only Jamal from Gospelmusicians focusing on Neo Soul when it’s obviously a highly sought after area of music for Gospel, RnB, Funk, and perhaps even Jazz keyboardists.

If you don’t know what Neo-Soul is, just check out the video below. Then check out some of Jamal’s other videos as he often sprinkles Neo-Soul in just about all of his keyboard playing. Then have a listen to other artists like Musiq, Jill Scott, and Erykha Badu. In fact, one of my favorite artists from the 80′s, Sade has elements of Neo-Soul in her music. ( in my humble opinion ). Neo-Soul simply has a smooth, phat, and elegant flavor to it. As a keyboardist, it’s gives me almost instant gratification whenever I play stuff with a Neo-soul feel. Simply put, Neo-Soul is just “cool” and the “wow” factor is just off the hook!

We need more Neo-Soul and Jamal Hartwell from Gospelmusicians has met that demand!! I can’t wait until this is released. Thank you Jamal! Plus if you haven’t already check out Jamal’s Neo-Soul Rhodes Samples and Patches for Yamaha Motif ES/XS/XF, then you need to do that too. I have them and they are phenomenal! Along with the Neo-Soul technique and feel you need the sounds! It’s a combination of them all that helps you to achieve that great Neo-Soul sound!

Note that I am not an affiliate of Gospelmusicans. I am simply a huge Neo-Soul keyboard fan!!

Please feel free to comment if you know of any other Neo-Soul artists, resources, or even if you are just a Neo Soul enthusiast like I am. Thanks! – Jim

Photo above can be found at Jamal Hartwell’s Facebook Wall Photos Page. Click for more information.

Today I became a member of the VAMusicMinistry Online Keyboard Instruction website. I was browsing through some keyboard videos on Youtube and ran across this fantastic musician named Minister Vincent Alexander who was playing one of the best renditions of “Thank You Lord” by Walter Hawkins I have heard thus far. I’m really into adding a Jazzy, Rnb, Funky feel to a Gospel Music Foundation and Minister Vincent does this well. I think Minister Vincent’s performance of “Thank You Lord” really did it for me and had to learn more about how he adds that flavor to the music he performs. I was wonderfully surprised to find that he has a membership website with a large library of instructional videos on all sorts of Gospel Keyboard Songs in various styles. The first month is free and thereafter there is a nominal monthly fee payed via Paypal. Minister Vincent also has a DVD available entitled “Strictly for Beginners” for those wishing to catapult themselves to the intermediate level.

So far I’ve viewed only a handful of videos, but from what I’ve seen so far, they are very modern, relevant, and applicable to everything I like to play. The song selections are also very well thought out and members are encouraged to submit requests at anytime. Minister Vincent Alexander also has a really good teaching style. He not only explains clearly the notes and chords he is playing, but he also offers additional insight and variation to his renditions. This gives you a few additional tools to work with when learning songs so that you can expand further when you get the main structure of the song down. I particularly like the selection of chord voicings and patterns used in the songs. I also find many of the songs have that Neo Soul touch which is another sub genre of Gospel Music that I rather enjoy.

If you haven’t heard of Minister Vincent Alexander, I highly recommend to check out some of his videos on his Youtube channel found here: http://www.youtube.com/user/vralex02. Also, Minister Vincent is very speedy at replying to emails via his Youtube Channel or Contact page from his website. If you have any questions, I’m sure he’d be more than happy to reply. Note that I am not an affiliate of the VAMusicMinistry Online Website. I just like what I hear and wanted to share this site I stumbled upon on my blog. I hope you’ll find as much inspiration in the keyboard music of Minister Vincent Alexander that I’ve found. It’s great music with quality instruction!

Fender Rhodes 1971 Suitcase Piano

I have always been a huge fan of the Fender Rhodes Electric Piano Sound. I love listening to some of the great artists like George Duke, Jeff Lorber, Bob James, Dr. Lonnie Liston Smith, Herbie Hancock, Ramsey Lewis, Joe Sample, The Crusaders and one of my favorites Eumir Deodato jam on the Rhodes Piano. It’s simply breathtaking and inspiring.

There are plenty of great hardware and software Rhodes Emulations out there from the Yamaha Motif Series, Nord Electros, Kurweil, Korg SV-1, to the Roland classic Vintage Keys expansion cards. Scarbee, Lounge Lizard, and Mr. Ray are a few of the top Software choices emulating the popular Fender Rhodes sound.

So what are some of the top Fender Rhodes Sounds and Samples? Well as of writing this post there are a load of Rhodes Sample choices out on the market. I have narrowed down a few that are popular, plus a brand new one released this week for the Yamaha Motif Series Keyboards.

1. Neo-Soul Fender Rhodes Sounds and Samples – by Jamal Hartwell from Gospelmusicians

2. Fender Rhodes Suitcase Premiere – RHODES Premier Japan

3. Dusty Electric MkII by Precision Sound

4. Real Rhodes by Pyramid Sound Productions

5. 1977 Mark I Rhodes Stage Piano by Learjeff’s Soundfonts

6. Scarbee R.S.P. ’73 – RSP 73 is the most comprehensively sampled Rhodes piano on earth.

7. E-PIAN by Acoustic Samples – a Classic 73 Keys Electric piano from 1972 recorded

8. Tubed Keys Mk I 73 by SampleTekk – The Rhodes challenger! Sampled using a Fender Twin (c) amp.

Here is a video of Jamal Hartwell’s new Neo-Soul Fender Rhodes Sounds and Samples for your Yamaha Motif ES/XS/XF.

Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners

This is a part 1 of my review of the new “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” DVD from Gospelmusicians.

Today I bought Jamal Hartwell‘s new DVD called “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners“. I normally wait for sales and stuff or reviews from other musicians, but in this case I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this DVD. The reason is that I’m a big fan of Jamal’s instructional DVDs and I’ve honestly never purchased a bad one. They are all good and so I’m confident “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” is a good one too. I should also note that the DVD has 7 hours worth of information which is the most I’ve seen from him. It also comes with PDF and Midi files. Plus there is a download version which allows someone like me living in Japan to not have to pay for shipping. Currently there is one zip file that I’m downloading at the moment and like all of the other downloads I’ve purchased, I don’t expect any issues. How big is the file? I’m not sure yet as I’m downloading it via my Firefox browser and there’s no file size info.

A couple of things probably important to know is that I’m first not an affiliate of Gospelmusicians, HearandPlay, or any other online instructional company for that matter. There is no particular reason for this other than that it kind of frees me up to write my own thoughts and experiences without influence. Second, I am an absolute “complete” beginner with regards to the Hammond or any other organ. In fact I’ve never even sat down at one, so I’m probably about as beginner as you’re going to get with respect to the organ. Finally, like I mentioned above, I paid full price for the “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” not simply because I wanted it now, but I also know that Jamal’s instructional DVDs are effective and excellent sources of info. The price is excellent and I didn’t feel I needed a discount. I’m a big fan of compensating people for their hard work. To me, “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” is a great value even at regular price for sure.

Currently I am a member of HearandPlay’s GMTC Gospel Musician’s Training Center. In there, you can find many many videos teaching various songs on the organ. So while I already have access to lots of organ songs to learn, I wanted more info about the organ itself and different techniques with regards to playing the organ. I thought “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” fit the bill nicely for several reasons.

1. Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners walks you through the organ mechanics from the different types of Organs, presets, internal components, maintenance, and other functions that an organ provides. The organ is so new to me that I believe it would be a good way to get educated about the organ without having one. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if all levels of organ players would benefit in some way by viewing this DVD. Jamal tends to throw in quite a few surprises for the experienced players as well, which is another reason why I like his DVDs. There is room to grow for all ability levels.

2. The organ is obviously different than the keyboard. What those differences are, I don’t really know or understand very well. Thus there is an important section called “Organ Essentials” that gives you an overview of the organ, drawbars, personal drawbar, effects, and foot pedal techniques. Plus you get information about transitioning from keyboard to organ which is very important to me. There are also some additional techniques about grace notes, using your left-hand, and volume pedal techniques that I think can be useful for not just playing the organ but for the keyboard as well.

3. The Virtual MIDI Organ Lessons section is where Jamal sits down and shows you not only some of the techniques that are important for the organ, but techniques that I believe that can also be applied to the keyboard. This isn’t stated, but I’m sure I’ll be able to use some of them in my keyboard playing. In fact, many of the techniques I can see have already been covered in earlier DVDs, but what’s important to know is that Jamal ALWAYS seems to teach a different angle to the same subject. I personally learn best by listening to different ways to explain the same thing. Maybe I’m unique, but all this theory and technique can be really confusing sometimes. It’s great to be able to explain something differently or better perhaps.

Thus it’s fantastic that Jamal most likely will not only be explaining similar concepts but perhaps better with the use of the organ. Some of the great techniques found in previous DVDs include the I Chord, Classic Walk, Phat Tritone Circle, Ab Runs, and Preacher Chords/Runs. Some of the newer techniques that I am looking forward to watching are about Circle of 5ths (Organ Style), Chromatic Movements, Devotional Song Patterns, Neo-Soul on Organ, Perfect 4ths, and the Chinese Run.

4. Finally the next thing I’m looking forward to checking out are the drawbar settings. Like I mentioned already, I don’t have an organ to play other than the sounds on my keyboard. I may look into an organ software application online, but this doesn’t mean I won’t get something out of the drawbar settings section. From past DVDs, Jamal tends to show a lot of tricks and playing techniques while illustrating a point. My thinking is that there will be lots of great playing to showcase each of the drawbar settings such as Talk Music, Full Gospel, Church Choir, Getting a Fat Sound, Xtreme Settings, and my favorite…Neo-Soul Settings.

A good example of what I’m talking about with respect to the Drawbar settings and learning some cool riffs on the organ can be seen in this Gospelmusicians Channel Video. ( Be sure to watch the full video as Jamal sprinkles bits of licks and grooves throughout the video ). Also note that “hopefully” this will be in the midi files, but if not you can at least see the highlighted keys.

I am very excited to have purchased the “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” DVD from Gospelmusicians. Although I am a big fan of the GMTC Gospel Musicians Training Center, I am also a huge fan of Jamal Hartwell’s DVD catalog and a few other musicians such as Kevin “KC” Conley whose DVD “Unlocking the Keys” is magnificent. Jamal’s “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” will no doubt be a winning DVD. It’s got a great price point and it’s packed with 7 hours of valuable “must have” information and instruction about the organ in a Gospel music context which by the way can also be applied to any sort of music played today in my opinion.

After I get a chance to sit down and work with the material in the “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” DVD, I’ll write a follow-up or part 2 with my thoughts on whether the DVD met my initial expectations. I’m pretty confident at this point that this DVD will be one of my favorites and I don’t even have an organ…LOL. I just like the music, the sound of the organ, and the value techniques or tricks that Jamal shows in his videos. I also have to say that his personality and instructional style ALWAYS influences me to get up and start playing. It’s great.

Thanks Jamal for the fantastic new release from Gospelmusicians “”Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners”.

For more information about the new DVD, please check out the new Organ Xtravaganza website. Again note that I’m not an affiliate with Gospelmusicans, but rather I like to write about things I am very passionate about and that just happens to be music. The excitement you read about in this article comes from that passion and really isn’t motivated by anything else. “Organ Xtravaganza for Beginners” is an exciting new DVD that’s motivated me plenty to practice more on both the keyboard and perhaps an organ someday. For now, the organ sound on my keyboard will do fine I’m sure. Enjoy!

Jim