Chord organ
Encyclopedia
The chord organ is a kind of home organ with a keyboard
and a set of chord
buttons, enabling the musician to play a melody or lead with one hand and accompanying chords with the other, like the accordion
.
It was invented by Laurens Hammond
in 1950 as an electronic home organ based on vacuum-tube circuits similar to the Novachord
and Solovox.
Also Farfisa
and Estey Organ
made some professional chord organs..
In the 1960s, Magnus Harmonica Corporation
introduced their electric chord organs similar to electrically blown small home reed organ
s.
Since then, chord organs were generally designed as toys, and separated from the mainstream of home electronic organ
s.
In addition to Magnus, also Emenee toy companies, Bontempi
and Belcanto made chord organs.
Chord organs have seen a recent revival amongst minimalist and ambient
musicians.
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and a set of chord
Chord (music)
A chord in music is any harmonic set of two–three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously. These need not actually be played together: arpeggios and broken chords may for many practical and theoretical purposes be understood as chords...
buttons, enabling the musician to play a melody or lead with one hand and accompanying chords with the other, like the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
.
It was invented by Laurens Hammond
Laurens Hammond
Laurens Hammond , was an American engineer and inventor. His inventions include, most famously, the Hammond organ, the Hammond Clock, and the world's first polyphonic musical synthesizer, the Novachord.- Youth :...
in 1950 as an electronic home organ based on vacuum-tube circuits similar to the Novachord
Novachord
The Novachord is often considered to be the world's first commercial polyphonic synthesizer. All-electronic, incorporating many circuit and control elements found in modern synths, and using subtractive synthesis to generate tones, it was designed by John M. Hanert, Laurens Hammond and C. N....
and Solovox.
Also Farfisa
Farfisa
Farfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy.The Farfisa brand name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. At the height of its production, Farfisa operated three factories to produce instruments, in...
and Estey Organ
Estey Organ
The Estey Organ Company was founded by Jacob Estey when he bought out a Brattleboro, Vermont manufacturing business in 1852. The company went on to become the largest manufacturer of organs in the United States. The original company had been founded in 1846...
made some professional chord organs..
In the 1960s, Magnus Harmonica Corporation
Magnus Harmonica Corporation
The Magnus Harmonica Corporation was founded in 1944 in Linden, New Jersey. The company sold and distributed children's harmonicas and mechanical reed organs. Later, Magnus introduced its electric chord organs, which were in production until the late 1970s...
introduced their electric chord organs similar to electrically blown small home reed organ
Reed organ
A reed organ, also called a parlor organ, pump organ, cabinet organ, cottage organ, is an organ that generates its sounds using free metal reeds...
s.
Since then, chord organs were generally designed as toys, and separated from the mainstream of home electronic organ
Electronic organ
An electronic organ is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally, it was designed to imitate the sound of pipe organs, theatre organs, band sounds, or orchestral sounds....
s.
In addition to Magnus, also Emenee toy companies, Bontempi
Bontempi
Bontempi is an Italian musical instrument manufacturer, best known for manufacturing low-priced, plastic-cased Chord Organs; small keyboard instruments in which the sound is produced by air being forced over reeds by an electric fan....
and Belcanto made chord organs.
Chord organs have seen a recent revival amongst minimalist and ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
musicians.
Chord organ musicians
- Daniel JohnstonDaniel JohnstonDaniel Dale Johnston is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and artist. Johnston was the subject of the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston. He currently lives in Waller, Texas....
- The MicrophonesThe MicrophonesThe Microphones was a lo-fi band based in Olympia, Washington, and fronted by Phil Elvrum. Elvrum is the principal member of the band, but he has collaborated with many other musicians on his records....
/Mt. Eerie - The Music TapesThe Music TapesThe Music Tapes is an experimental pop music project of Elephant 6 member Julian Koster, also of Neutral Milk Hotel, and the earlier Chocolate U.S.A....