Organ matters - Organs matter!

Electronic Organs => EOCS - Electronic Organ Constructors Society => Topic started by: David Pinnegar on October 29, 2011, 04:51:33 PM

Title: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on October 29, 2011, 04:51:33 PM
Hi!

The London meeting of the EOCS today demonstrated that the society should be called something else as it was far from being all about electronic organs. Increasingly systems used by organs, whether electronic or pipe are shared - and developed by the same people . . . who are members of the EOCS.

Members include people who are interested in electronics but also very often have a deep interest in pipe organs, and whose pipe projects eclipse their electronic activities.

Presentations today included an optoelectronic keying and encoding system - which is as relevant to taking a MIDI output or electric action extensions from a tracker action pipe organ as it is to encoding keyboard signals for electronics or Hauptwerk organ simulation. Other presentations dealt with stop capture and memory systems.  . . . . and for people who want organ simulation but are not wanting the switch-on time of a computer, an amazing MIDI encoding chip and synthesizer which can be programmed to accept organ samples . . . as well as a demonstration of a Hauptwerk cinema organ.

Another presentation included the switching abilities or Quantum Tunnelling compounds, pressure sensitive pads which have a variety potential uses.

So the society has lots to offer anyone constructing any sort of organ, not just electronic, not just pipe and not just Hauptwerk. Perhaps it should be renamed simply the Organ Constructors' Society . . . .

Whatever its name, membership will be of use to anyone intested in constructing any sort of organ. http://www.eocs.org.uk/

Best wishes,

David P
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: Holditch on October 29, 2011, 05:48:18 PM
Hi David

How does one go about joining the EOCS ?

I know I am miles away from the location of the meetings, but I think discussion via the electronic highway would be beneficial

Many thanks
Marc
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on October 29, 2011, 08:04:59 PM
Dear Marc

It would be great to welcome you, even only at a distance, although when there are enough regional members regional meetings occur . . .  http://www.eocs.org.uk/scripts/joining.htm

Best wishes

David P

(PS By the way I may have slightly edited the St Pauls post since perhaps you might have seen it.)
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: Holditch on October 29, 2011, 10:10:51 PM
 Thanks David

I will investigate the forum soon!

With regards St Paul's, I think this could be (should be!) the start of something that has been long overdue. Our society is currently so skewed and unfortunately represents the wants of those who want and think they need, and not the needs of those who really do need and do not want!

Many thanks
Marc

Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on October 30, 2011, 01:56:41 AM
By the way, for Members of the (Electronic) Organ Constructors Society, even if people cannot attend meetings proceedings of meetings are written up in the EOCS magazine which is sent out, which often also includes interesting and relevant articles written by members. I inserted (Electronic) in brackets above for the reasons given above . . . and look forward to Members' deliberations as to what the Society should officially call itself in due course . . . At a mere £12 a year it's good value . . .

Best wishes

David P
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: revtonynewnham on October 31, 2011, 11:41:04 AM
Hi

There are several members who don't get to London very often (including me - Saturday was my first visit to an EOCS meeting for around 9 years!).  Maybe we can do something in Lancashire/Yorkshire? 

Every Blessing

Tony
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: Blue on December 17, 2011, 10:12:26 AM
Hello David,

Do you know if the membership fee is still £12? I emailed this question to the club treasurer but haven't had a reply yet. I ask because the website shows the fees for 2009. Also, is Mr. Coates' address still the correct place to send my application form and cheque to?

I live in West Sussex so I should be able to attend some of the local meets. I play the piano but not the organ so I am hoping to build an organ on which to learn. Currently, I'm building Colin Pykett's MIDI pedalboard circuit on a large piece of veroboard and I'm hoping to test it over Christmas. I also have a 32-note pedalboard to go with it. Eventually I aim to design a PIC-based organ to work with Hauptwerk. I'm also interested in the analogue electronic side of things and I would like to start experimenting with some of the circuits shown in Alan Douglas' books. Incidentally, it was from Alan Douglas' books that I discovered the EOCS.

All the best,
William
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on December 18, 2011, 01:04:14 PM
Dear William

Firstly WELCOME to the forum!

It's great to hear of your interest. I'm not sure about the subscription - I had hoped Tony would confirm - but it's probably right and Ron Coates is certainly still membership secretary.

The society is particularly interesting as one of the member has been the significant source for bespoke remote console electronics for pipe organs for the past 30 years. Anyone maintaining pipe organ electronics systems will find a wealth of resource among the membership.

If you are doing a pedalboard midi project, I might be interested if you might possibly be able to duplicate it, on a commercial basis of course, as I'm wanting to put together a console for outside concerts. . . .

A couple of members are doing PIC projects at the moment which you may find very interesting and a number of people are working with Hauptwerk.

Best wishes

David P
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else
Post by: dragonser on December 18, 2011, 06:34:07 PM
Hi,
yes, Ron Coates is still the membership secretary, and the postal address on the web site is correct.
the subscription fee was still £ 12-00 last year..
regards Peter B
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: revtonynewnham on December 19, 2011, 10:01:39 AM
Hi

Sorry not to have replied earlier - I've had a very bad reaction to antibiotics.

Ron is membership secretary - and he also supplies MIDI pedalboards - and a MIDI encoder to convert existing boards, which is what I'm currently using.

Every Blessing

Tony
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: Blue on December 22, 2011, 12:40:53 AM
Hello David, Peter and Tony, and happy Christmas to you.

Thank you for your replies. I've sent my form off to Ron now and I look forward to seeing some of the projects people are working on.

I will have to see how successful my MIDI project is but you can certainly have a copy if it works well, David.

I did look into buying parts 'off the shelf' but I have my reasons for building my own hardware, such as learning MIDI, having a system that I can easily adapt (when I use the PIC), and the fun of it. At first I will be playing the pedals through my old Yamaha keyboard, so it won't sound very good at first, but I will be able to play through Hauptwerk when I have a good PC audio device. That's the plan for now.

All the best,
William
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: Blue on January 10, 2012, 11:24:19 PM
Hello,

Does anyone know when the magazine comes out? I'm still waiting for the cheque to clear so I'm probably not officially a member yet. Hopefully I'll hear something soon though...

I completed that MIDI circuit just before Christmas and it works so I just need to fit some switches to the pedals and wire them up and I'll have my first practice organ! I seem to have taken this thread off course a bit.

All the best,
William ;)
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: revtonynewnham on January 11, 2012, 11:40:34 AM
Hi

The magazine came out a couple of weeks ago.  I should contact Ron and check that everything has gone through O)K.

Every Blessing

Tony
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on January 11, 2012, 11:56:20 AM
Dear Tony and William

Thanks - I thought there was something missing in my life . . .  :) ;) The magazine has not come through to me either. The dangers and perils of the night of the Christmas post . . .

Best wishes

David P

Title: Re: EOCS magazine
Post by: dragonser on January 11, 2012, 07:05:56 PM
Hi, well I got my copy just before the new year.
But I think the post may still be influenced by the Christmas Festivities.

regards Peter B
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: bstuartb on August 12, 2015, 11:10:04 PM
I agree - we used to build organs in electronic hardware, now the best sound is from real organ samples and the term Virtual Pipe Organ has taken over.
So.... What about the VPOCS - Virtual Pipe Organ Constructor Society ?
VPO also suffers far less from the prejudice amongst musicians and music snobs that the term 'electronic organ' has always engendered.

I think that VPOCS opens the gate to a huge following, including all current members.

Regards

Bill Stuart-Bruges. 
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: revtonynewnham on August 13, 2015, 09:50:55 AM
Hi

The problem with changing the name to VPOCS or something similar is thaat  it disenfranchises those who, for whatever reason, have an interesst in building/modifying/restoring analogue electronics.  There's been a lot of discussion about the name over recent years, but no clear "winner".  The society also includes a few people insteressted in building/modifying pipe organs, and also other electrronic musical instruments.

No easy answers!

Every Blessing

Tony
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: bstuartb on August 14, 2015, 12:34:05 AM
I really disagree - us old analogue folk were/are trying to create virtual pipe organs - just in a different way.  The objective was always to recreate the sound of real pipes, wasn't it !  ( I started over 50 years ago )

Now we nearly all use sound samples, because the technology  is here to enable it.  Some do digital modelling too. 

Has the society really got a death wish?  VPOCS  can embrace every technology and no-one should feel left out.
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on August 14, 2015, 08:51:53 AM
Perhaps simply the Organ Constructors' Society would fit all? Many members have been dabbling with pipe organs and for some electronics are a matter of action control. It brings the society into a much more universal perspective.

The world of organs really does need a boost at the moment. The number of instruments on ebay is alarming and the number of impending closures of CofE churches is about to release a flood.

The Church with its philosophy in its present form has been an outright and undeniable failure in showing itself as relevant in modern people's lives.

Best wishes

David P
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: JBR on August 14, 2015, 11:04:58 PM
How about IOSCS?  (I'll invite others to work out what the letters stand for!)

No offence intended.  Please regard as a humorous remark.   ;D
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on October 14, 2017, 02:56:29 PM
:-) I'm not sure about being bright enough to understand the IOSCS joke but the society has a broad spectrum of members interested in all aspects of organs, pipe, electronic analogue, digital and software, as well as pipe control systems.

It's a worthwhile gathering of people and minds, many of whom are increasingly white haired and who need to pass on knowledge to younger members.

www.eocs.org.uk

Best wishes

David P
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: dragonser on October 14, 2017, 11:00:06 PM
Hi,
just to confirm that the website has been updated recently. the Joining page may have moved ? but should be accessible from the main page.
regards Peter B
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: David Pinnegar on October 16, 2017, 04:56:23 PM
In my browser none of the links to other pages are working . . . :-(

EOCS has now been added to the front page of this forum

Best wishes

David P
Title: Re: EOCS really ought to be called something else - members welcome - wide benefit
Post by: bstuartb on June 12, 2021, 09:37:38 PM
The problem for the EOCS (Electronic Organ Constructors Society) is that the membership is dominated by folk of my age (70+) who are probably the last generation who actually used a soldering iron and built complicated things for themselves.   We used to add contacts to a keyboard, now you can buy a midi controller keyboard for £60 or so.  We used to build electronics to generate the frequencies and tones, now everyone just downloads and uses someone else's software package with real samples and the result is infinitely better.  It has never been easier for keen amateurs to put together a "Virtual Organ" that can fit into any home.  The EOCS knows this, but it must reach out to music schools, promote the late Carlo Curly, the current Cameron Carpenter and maybe a lot of other less showy professionals.  With the dwindling church membership, something must be done to make the young want to play organs.