Initial versions the Starter Set featured only Big Organ and Drums and Pop Piano Plus Guitar. Soon the other two discs were added, and this is by far the most common version of the set.

70000 Big Organ & Drums

An ideal beginning program. The left hand chord buttons give you sustained organ chords without rhythm accompaniment. On the right-hand keyboard, you play rich “theater organ” melody notes. This simple combination will let you play your favorite tunes in minutes. And you can play them all “by-the-numbers,” if you choose. When you’re ready, add the drum rhythm to match your song from one of the Special Effects Switches. Then press Special Effects Switch #5 and give yourself a great big hand! You will find the Big Organ Program excellent for religious and classical music, or whenever you want the smooth, rich sounds of a mighty theater organ.

  • Working Title: “Basic”
  • Known Revisions: K, L, P, R
  • Rarity: EC
  • Musical Arrangements: Unknown- probably improvised
  • Primary Musicians: Hammond B3 Organ: Marshall Pearlman
  • SFX Musicians: Drums: John Raines, Drums: Anonymous, Applause: Probably from SFX library
  • Dates Cited: 6/1/70, 11/16/70
  • Scale:
  • Notes: Early versions of this disc were numbered 69-0001-1. The B3 chords were played through a Leslie speaker and with a registration setting of 204413112-03.
  • Listen: [audio:http://www.optigan.com/sounds/optigan/bigorgan.mp3|titles=Big Organ & Drums]

70001 Pop Piano Plus Guitar

Now, with one finger of your left hand bring in the rhythm section. A real piano plus guitar, bass and drums. The subtle, exciting sounds of a real “pop” combo bring your favorite tunes to life as you play the melody on the big organ keyboard. But this is only the beginning. Add even more excitement with the instrumental and percussion solos on the Special Effects Switches. You’ll enjoy playing almost any song with the Pop Piano program, but we particularly recommend the songs you’ll find in these Optigan® Music Books: Oldies And Evergreens, Big Ballads, Sing-Along and Contemporary Standards.

  • Working Title: “Pop Piano”
  • Known Revisions:N, O, U
  • Rarity:EC
  • Musical Arrangements: Unknown- probably improvised
  • Primary Musicians: Anonymous German Session Musicians
  • SFX Musicians: Drums: John Raines
  • Dates Cited: 6/17/70, 2/11/71
  • Scale:
  • Notes: Early versions of this disc were numbered 69-0002-1. Brass overdubs were later added (“Pop Piano Plus Brasses”), but they did not make the final cut.
  • Listen: [audio:http://www.optigan.com/sounds/optigan/poppiano.mp3|titles=Pop Piano]

70021 Latin Fever

This is the big beat sound just the way they play it down south. Down south of the border, that is. Latin music with a fiery rhumba beat. Your left hand plays piano, guitar, bass and drums in an exciting Latin arrangement. And all at the push of a button. Your right hand plays the melody on a marimba. And the five Special Effects Switches add the complete range of Latin percussion. Try them one at a time, or use all five. You’ll enjoy playing all you favorites on the Optigan’s Latin Fever Program, but we particularly recommend the songs you’ll find in these Optigan® Music Books: Contemporary Standards, Country Hits, Big Ballads. Latin Fever. There’s no way to keep from catching it.

  • Working Title:“Latin” “Rhumba”
  • Known Revisions:B, G, H
  • Rarity:C
  • Musical Arrangements: Unknown- probably improvised
  • Primary Musicians: Anonymous German Session Musicians
  • SFX Musicians: Percussion: “Tony” & “Claudio”
  • Dates Cited: 2/11/71
  • Scale: Lowery Organ “Marimba” Setting
  • Notes:
  • Listen: [audio:http://www.optigan.com/sounds/optigan/latinfever.mp3|titles=Latin Fever]

70011 Guitar in 3/4 Time

Push one left-hand chord button and you’re playing a guitar in perfect 3/4 time! The left-hand guitar chords are played in an arpeggio. Guitarists study for years to match the sound you can make on your Optigan® in seconds. With on little finger. The Guitar In 3/4 Time Program is a perfect program for beginning players. Or for youngsters who can quickly learn to play 3/4 songs like Silent Night. But the virtuosity is unlimited as you’ll see when you master a beautiful 3/4 ballad like Greensleeves. You’ll enjoy playing every type of music on your Guitar In 3/4 Time Program, but we particularly recommend the songs you’ll find in these Optigan® Music Books: Folk Classics, Sing-Along, and Big Ballads.

  • Working Title:“Guitar 3/4 Simple”
  • Known Revisions:B, I, J
  • Rarity:EC
  • Musical Arrangements: Unknown- probably improvised
  • Primary Musicians: (see notes)
  • SFX Musicians: Drums: “Joe”, Drums: Anonymous German Session Musician, Percussion: Marshall Pearlman
  • Dates Cited:, 6/9/70, 11/16/70
  • Scale:
  • Notes: There seems to be a bit of a mystery as to who the guitarist was for this disc. Mike LeDoux told me that all the solo acoustic guitar work was performed by Frederic Noad, an LA guitarist who could be seen teaching basic guitar on Public Television in the early 70’s. But listening to the tapes, the engineer can be heard using the name “George” in reference to the guitarist. “George” also has an English accent- I have not determined whether Noad was English.
  • Listen: [audio:http://www.optigan.com/sounds/optigan/guit34.mp3|titles=Guitar in 3/4 Time]
Optigan® is a registered trademark of Pea Hicks/optigan.com in the US and EU.