TONEDB

organ (specifically jon lord's organ solo section from “highway star” by deep purple | ToneDB

highway star

deep purple

organ (specifically jon lord's organ solo section

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The Hammond organ roars with a distorted, overdriven tone, cutting through the mix with a searing intensity. It's a raw, aggressive sound that defines the iconic Deep Purple organ tone.

Gear

Hammond C3instrument
Reverb$6495Sweetwater
Marshall Majoramp
ReverbSweetwater
Neumann U67microphone
ReverbSweetwater
Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Faceprocessing
ReverbSweetwater
Leslie 147amp
ReverbSweetwater

ToneDB may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

The Story

Jon Lord's legendary organ sound on "Highway Star" came from running a Hammond C3 organ through a Marshall Major amplifier head and 4x12 cabinets, creating the signature distorted rock organ tone that defined Deep Purple's sound. He used a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face pedal to add additional saturation and aggression to the signal. The track was recorded at Star Musik Studio in Germany with producer/engineer Martin Birch. A Leslie 147 rotating speaker cabinet was also part of his setup, contributing to the swirling modulation effect.

Production Credits

Producer: Deep Purple

Engineer: Martin Birch

Recorded at: Star Musik Studio, Germany

Signal Chain

Instrument: Hammond C3

Amp: Marshall Major

Microphone: Neumann U67

Processing: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

Other: Leslie 147

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Hammond organ VST or a real Hammond C3 if available.
  • Route the organ signal through a virtual or real Marshall amp.
  • Use a fuzz pedal plugin or a physical Fuzz Face to add distortion.
  • Apply a Leslie speaker simulator or, ideally, record through a real Leslie cabinet.
  • Adjust the drive and tone settings on the amp and fuzz to achieve the desired level of distortion.
  • Experiment with the Leslie's speed settings for different modulation effects.
  • EQ to taste, focusing on midrange frequencies to help the organ cut through the mix.

Original Gear

  • Hammond C3(keyboard)
  • Marshall Major(amp)
  • Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face(pedal)
  • Leslie 147(amp)
  • Neumann U67(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Hammond SK1-88$1800-$2200

Alternative to: Hammond C3 organ

Modern Hammond with authentic C3 drawbar voicing and built-in vintage amp modeling that captures the original tonewheel character

ReverbSweetwater
Marshall DSL100HR$800-$1000

Alternative to: Marshall Major amplifier

High-wattage Marshall head with the aggressive midrange character needed to drive organ signals into natural overdrive like the vintage Major

ReverbSweetwater
Dunlop Fuzz Face Mini Germanium$150-$180

Alternative to: Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face

Authentic Fuzz Face circuit in compact form that delivers the same fuzzy saturation Jon Lord used to push his organ tone

ReverbSweetwater
Neo Instruments Ventilator II$280-$320

Alternative to: Leslie 147 rotating speaker

Industry-standard Leslie simulator that accurately recreates the Doppler effect and cabinet resonance of vintage Leslie speakers

ReverbSweetwater
Native Instruments Vintage Organs$100-$150

Alternative to: Hammond C3 + Leslie combination

Sampled vintage Hammond with modeled Leslie effects and amp simulation, offering the complete Jon Lord signal chain in software

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Community Insights

No community insights yet. Be the first to contribute!