Interesting video

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

http://youtu.be/zD-Gj-gkB8k

obviously a publicity video blowing Allen organ's own trumpet!  But still interesting to see some of the technology - even if the sheer scale of the instrument is somewhat on the large side!

Every Blessing

Tony

[David Pinnegar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-Gj-gkB8k

Dear Tony

How very interesting. . . . Seeing this I just wonder whether English organ builders, and indeed some continental schools of thought are really shooting themselves in the foot by not embracing organ enlargement technology by inclusion of electronic sound sources within the pipe scheme.

I can think of one very english organ at the moment which is particularly endangered because its style of organ building is out of fashion and "does not have enough definition". By inclusion of electronic stops voiced "with definition", and controlled from the pipe console the original instruments could be cherished, preserved unaltered, its integrity kept in tact and the originbal instrument kept distinguishable from the electronic additions . . . to the benefit of the preservation of the heritage.

This was actually one of the experimental purposes of creating the Hammerwood "beast" in combining electronic extensions to a very traditionally voiced "English cathedral" sounding Makin as a model for the pipe organ. The experimental validity is even enhanced by reason of the Makin's tuning being temperature dependent. . . .

Should this thread be combined with Eric's thread about hybrids?

Is anyone brave enough to comment to take these threads further, as there is no other forum for their discussion. I was ejected from the Mander forum for breaching the hybrid taboo - http://www.mander-organs.com/discussion/index.php?showtopic=1774&mode=threaded&pid=35707 and no doubt I would not be allowed back having re-raised the bogeyman of pipe-digital hybrids . . .

Best wishes

David P

[KB7DQH]

Until I saw the speakers and console I would have sworn this was a telephone central office or a datacenter server room :o ;)  (I will admit I only saw the first minute or so... :-[

I certainly wouldn't  object to combining the threads into the "Hybrids board" ;D

One of the reasons exploring "hybrid" technologies is important... not only for allowing existing organs to remain unaltered... is to provide an exchange of information so as to permit migration to pipes as the electronics tire... 

I can think of one old toaster being replaced by Hauptwerk in a church, where the plan is to use some rescued pipework to augment the electronics... Or is it the other way round ??? ??? ??? ;D ;) 

Eric
KB7DQH

[revtonynewnham]

Hi

There are some English builders using hybrid technology - there are 3 examples not far from here, and I know of several more.  Also, a couple of English organ builders were building hybrid organs some 50 years or more ago (a Midlands firm and Compton at least - and I know of one amateur-built hybrid built probably 40 years ago)  It's still probably under represented though - not helped by the attitude of the IBO to hybrids - but it's an area that has some potential.

My one concern is the relative life span of pipes vs the digital technology.  Definitely an area to watch.

Every Blessing

Tony