My Go-To Drawbar Settings for That Jimmy Smith Hammond Sound
The sound of the Hammond organ is shaped by many factors, but drawbar settings are one of the most important. In this guide, I’ll walk you through my go-to settings, inspired by the legendary Jimmy Smith—a true master of the bluesy, swinging Hammond sound.
These settings will help you get a punchy solo tone, deep left-hand bass, and full comping sound.
🎥 Watch the full video tutorial here
Now, let’s break it down!
Upper Manual Drawbar Settings
For the upper manual, my go-to setting is:
📌 8-8-8-0-0-0-0-0-8
(or in words: “eight-eight-eight, zero-zero-zero, zero-zero-eight”)
This setup creates a rich, full tone with plenty of warmth and bite—perfect for soloing and lead melodies. But here’s something important to keep in mind:
🎹 Percussion Trick
•When percussion is ON, the last drawbar (8th drawbar) is silenced.
•When percussion is OFF, that last drawbar kicks in, adding extra fullness to the sound.
This is a handy way to switch between the snappy Jimmy Smith-style attack and a warmer Groove Holmes-style tone with just one button!
Lower Manual (Bass) Drawbar Settings
For my bass lines on the lower manual, I use one of two settings:
📌 8-4-8-0-0-0-0-0-0
📌 8-3-8-0-0-0-0-0-0
👉 The difference is subtle, but both offer a deep, punchy foundation that works great for walking bass lines.
🔹 Comping Chords on the Lower Manual
While the lower manual is often used for bass, I also use it for comping chords with my right hand while my left hand keeps playing the bass. This technique fills out the harmony and gives you a richer, fuller sound—especially in a trio setting.
Vibrato & Chorus Settings
🎛 Chorus 3 (C3) ON – I like to keep this on, especially when the Leslie is on brake (stopped).
•Adds movement and a bit of bite to the sound.
•Gives a slight edge without making the tone harsh.
🎛 Vibrato OFF on Slow Leslie – When I switch the Leslie to slow, I usually turn vibrato off for a cleaner, more natural sound.
🎧 Tip: Play around with these settings and find what works for you—each player has their own sweet spot!
Leslie Settings
The Leslie speaker is a huge part of the Hammond sound! Here’s how I use it:
• Brake (Stopped Leslie) – This is my default setting for that punchy, direct Jimmy Smith tone.
•Fast (Leslie ON) – When I want to bring the heat, I kick the Leslie into fast for more movement and excitement.
👉 This creates a dynamic contrast between smooth, static tones and swirling, expressive effects—key to getting a pro Hammond sound!
What’s Your Setup?
These are my starting settings, but every player has their own preferences. What are yours?
Drop your favorite drawbar settings in the comments, and let’s talk Hammond tone!
And if you want to take your playing to the next level, check out HammondLessons.com for more lessons, tips, and deep dives into the sound we all love.
🎵 Keep swinging!
