The Novachord was not well-suited to the technique of organists or pianists and required frequent adjustments to controls on the front panel to create new sounds.

The instrument found its niche some years after production, shaping the sound of many science fiction film and television scores.

[citation needed] Containing 163 vacuum tubes and over 1,000 custom capacitors,[7] the Novachord weighed nearly 500 pounds and was roughly the size of two spinet pianos.

[8] The resulting sonic palette ranged from dense, sustained string- and vocal-like timbres to the sharp attack transients of a harpsichord or piano.

Hammond soon offered a special upgrade to improve stability, which was no more than a low-power heater bolted inside the enclosure to reduce the effects of humidity.

[10] In December 1939, Kurt Weill wrote incidental music for Elmer Rice's comedy Two on an Island for Novachord solo.

Many songs sung by Vera Lynn, including the original 1939 version of "We'll Meet Again", were accompanied by Arthur Young on the Novachord.

The Novachord is used for the bass line on that track, but can be more prominently heard on the B side of the record playing the melody on "Margie".