Voicing electronics organs to raise the standard

[David Pinnegar]

Hi!

Last week upon going to Brighton for a recital and being disappointed, or at least not "turned on", by the instrument http://www.organmatters.com/index.php/topic,1089.msg4736.html it was apparent that the organist was really trying to raise enthusiasm in the church concerned, raising the profile of the instrument and of life within the church. So much the sadder that the organ as an instrument didn't say WOW! to me . . .

Perhaps there are pipe organs too that have that effect on us, but even moreso a badly or inadequately regulated electronic. Perhaps a better regulated electronic might inspire a real pipe organ at the end of the electronics life, and so often on this forum Eric has turned up repeated examples of this. But a poor electronic without life might simply give way to drums and guitars. . .

So there is merit in making electronics better. An important step is to pay attention to speakers, and to concentrate on the instrument not being a mere hi-fi system. I can advise privately about this but will not discuss techniques in public for the reason of not enabling electronic manufacturers to compete head to head with pipe-organ builders. However, key to the musicality of the instrument is the voicing and perhaps it's worth considering a methodology to enable better electronic voicing. Of course, pipe organs are automatically regulated by pipe scaling rules and wind pressures, for a start, whilst electronic instruments have mere signals at their source, without clue as to their relative required strengths.

Coming home from the Brighton recital I started looking at a relatively standard sort of 3 manual specification http://www.hammerwood.mistral.co.uk/concerts.htm here by Makin in the Harrison and Harrison idiom:

Choir:
Gedekt 8
Dulciana 8
Hohl Flute 8
Chimney Flute 4
Nazard 2 2/3
Block Flute 2
Larigot 1 1/3
Tierce
Clarinet 8
Tuba 8

Perhaps here is where one starts, setting the Tuba as the loudest stop available. One might often start at the quietest and work one's way up to the loudest, but it's really the digital maximum that sets the 100% headroom

One might then look at the Great
Contra Salicional 16
Open Diap 8
Stopped Diap 8
Wald Flute 4
Principal 4
Twelfth 2 2/3
Fifteenth 2
Fourniture IV
Posaune 8

and set the Posaune so that it can be overpowered by the Tuba, single notes from the Tuba being able to shine over a chord on the Posaune. The mixture,  H&H Harmonics or here the Fourniture might be next but it will need adjusting in relation to the flues afterwards. There is always a classic debate as to whether to pull the mixture before the reed or on top of the reed to add spice  . . . so the answer is really that the stop should be capable of doing both, but in order to add to the Posaune must not be unsubtly loud with the flues. This might be achieved by choosing carefully harmonics of the mixture which add structurally to the sound of the reed, not merely reinforcing existing strengths of the reed and merely adding to them. The answer to this is that it's probably the top pitch(es) of the mixture ranks that need to be loud enough to just tweak the ear on top of the reed.

Perhaps one might work through the Great at this stage setting the Diapason so that the reed overpowers it but the Diapason is at a level where it can be heard just thickening up the fundamental pitch. The Principal should be nearly at the same level but taken a shade back, and the Fifteenth likewise in respect of the Principal. The Twelfth should merely fill in the gap.

Then there's the Stopped Diapason - this should be set back a little below the Open Diapason, thickening it up just as the Open thickens the reed, and the 4ft Flute to match in the same relationship as the Principal to the Open Diapason. The relationship of the Principal to the Stopped should be to add the missing harmonics of the Stopped to create a bright version of a small Open Diapason. Both the Open Diapason /Principal and the Stopped Diapason / Flute should be able to form valid choruses with the Fifteenth on top and even with the Mixture on top of that not screaming but still able to add to the Reed. The 16ft must not be too loud or it becomes unsubtle and muddy - but brings the top heavy Flute Chorus with Mixture into nice balance.

Far from being a mere collection of additive stops, this scheme should now result in a very exciting progressive crescendo.

Following this, a similar approach should now be given to the Swell:
Voix Celeste 8
Geigen Diap 8
Echo Gamba 8
Lieblich Gedekt 8
Stopped Flute 4
Principal 4
Fifteenth 2
Mixture V
Oboe 8
Clarion 4
Trumpet 8
Contra Fagotto 16

ensuring that with the swell box shut the 16 8 and 4 trumpet based stops merely add to the Great subtly whilst with it open they outshine the full great and double its volume. The Oboe should probably be at the same level as the Diapason, so that the Oboe is outshone by the Trumpet, just adding a barely audible tinge. The Gamba should be much quieter but not so quiet that it cannot be used with the Principal on top to give a sprightly combination or with the Gedekt as a lesser Diapason. Meanwhile the Voix Celeste should be at the minimum level almost not to be heard at all but to give undulation to principally the Gamba, but also to the Diapason, Gedekt or Oboe.

This will ensure a good exciting crescendo through the Swell and a good crescendo of the Swell on top of the Great to full organ.

Perhaps others might add or revise and improve areas of this methodology but perhaps in formulating it, those only with access to electronic organs might be able to ensure their instrument does good justice to the repertoire, the spirit and the name of the King of Instruments.

Best wishes

David P

[KB7DQH]

Perhaps there are pipe organs too that have that effect on us, but even moreso a badly or inadequately regulated electronic. Perhaps a better regulated electronic might inspire a real pipe organ at the end of the electronics life, and so often on this forum Eric has turned up repeated examples of this.

I am of the opinion based on what I have read of the articles I have posted that not all of the electronic installations replaced by real pipe instruments were all that splendid to begin with :o  and it may be possible but not readily determined from the information provided through the brief media reports that
"all may have been reasonably done" to improve the sound of the Electronic but to no avail ??? and thus the decision to replace or supplement with pipes is made... This I will reiterate is an assumption...

But a poor electronic without life might simply give way to drums and guitars.

The presence of "popular" instrument ensembles in "contemporary" worship may be influenced  by the perceived financial burden imposed by a real pipe instrument... but this is more likely a means of providing a musical program for which the newer church audience has some familiarity, which is unfortunate.

A possibility too horrible to contemplate but which is becoming all too apparent... The lack of persons capable of playing the organ competently to lead and inspire within the worship space...

A bad organist is painful, and a competent one is useful, though often uninspiring. But a superior organist just transports you.

In the "miscellaneous and suggestions" board I posted about finding writings of the King of Instruments in unlikely places.  That comment above was clipped from... Take a wild guess... Try a WOODEN BOAT forum :o ;) ;D

One would have to engage in something like  a  "market research" project to determine, objectively,  the most influential factor in the decision to significantly alter the music program within a "worship community"...  Or, in the case of forming a "worship community"... what form, if any, the music program will have...

Eric
KB7DQH

[David Pinnegar]

Dear Eric

Thanks - interesting observations here.

I am concerned that organs representing themselves as organs should . . . . INSPIRE . . . !

As such I beleive there to be merit in encouraging people to voice electronic instruments better, and then even if not quite sounding like a real pipe organ on account of speaker issues, it might at least behave as an organ and inspire towards something better at least as a hifi representation of an organ . . .

On this basis, I'm sure that my notes above might be a beginning but certainly not the last word  . . . can anyone add to a methodology of voicing stops to their appropriate levels . . . ?

Best wishes

David P

[David Pinnegar]

Hi!

I have done a YouTube video following these sort of ideas on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgd6Q930Fzg and hope that it's useful. . .

At the end of the video perhaps the difference might be apparent. . .

Best wishes

David P

[Bruise in the Muttastery]

Greetings,
I'm new here.  Some of you might recognize my user name from PiporgL.   I'm in the "lower colonies"  aka SE USA (Florida).  My fictional residence (which I use for some of my writing) is the Muttastery of St. Dogmael, a Muttastery being a canine version of a Monastery, which is home for the "munts" (mutt + monk).  In the Chapel of All Hounds we have a 3m tracker built by the firm of Haulen, Barken & Wooofff of Beagledor, Canada.   My actual personal is somewhat dull in comparison as I am a 63 year old retired organist/choirmaster in a rather unmusical part of Florida.  Although we have a few nice organs, their work us usually done on Sunday mornings.   But I have digressed before I've even started!  ;-)

I read with interest David's treatise on voicing/finishing a digital organ.   I was given an Allen ADC-4000 last year by a church that has abandoned traditional music.   The organ had been moved into a chapel and the sound source run directly to the PA system through a mixer.   Since it allowed for only two channels, only half of the Great/Pedal and half of the Swell were playable and then without expression.  This gave them the impression that the organ was "broken" which made it seem reasonable to them to let me have it!  whew!

Anyway, I have spent the past year adjusting the voicing and finishing to get the organ to an optimal level for my small room (14 x 25 x 8).   The carpet has been removed revealing the concrete slab and the walls and ceiling are wall board.   Removing the carpet and all uphostered furniture and drapes did wonders for the acoustics, so that I now have a live room with a tiny bit of reverberation (much like the average, small American church!

My desire has been to have an organ that fits the room as a pipe organ would so I concentrated on the stops that would likely be in a small house/studio organ.   Here is the total stoplist:
-----GREAT 
8 Prinzipal, Hohlflote, Gambe
4 Oktav, Spitzflote
2-2/3 Quinte;  2 Fifteenth, Waldflote;     Mixture IV
Trompete 8
   Swell to Great
-----SWELL
8 Salicional, Vox Angelica, Gemshorn, Gedeckt
4 Spitzprinzpal, Koppelflote
2-2/3 Nazard;  2 Piccolo;  1-3/5 Terz;  1 Sifflote;  Mixture III
16 Fagotto;  8 Hautbois,  Trompette;  4 Clairon
-----PEDAL
16 Diapason, Bourdon, Lieblich Gedeckt
8 Octave, Gedecktflote
4 Choralbass
   Mixture III
16 Posaune

One problem encountered is that the stops are grouped onto several boards.   For instance, the Great Principal, 4 Spitzflote, Quinte, Fifteenth are on one board, while the Hohlflote, Gamba,  4 Octave and Waldflote are on another, with the Trompete and Mixture on yet another.   What this means is that a priority stop needs to be chosen with others following as best they can.

My first goal was to set the Great Prinzipal 8 to its maximum comfortable volume and to the specific colour that I wanted.  I wanted the experience/impression of a rank of Principal pipes voiced to fill the room.

After the Principal 8 was set, I set the 4 Oktav attempting to use the "two pipes smaller rule" so that the 4 Oktav was a couple of notches softer than the 8' and about the same colour.   

With the 8 and 4 Principals done I went back and adjusted the Hohlflote and Gambe to roughly the same volume as the Principal, following the French "recipe" noted by Stephen Bicknell.  As well, I wanted to eliminate the flute "electric buzz" that is common to many Allen flutes.   This is achieved by reducing the treble and mid-range and increasing the bass gain.   (Each "board" has adjustments for bass, mid- and treble, and a master gain for the board.)

Then, after more tinkering with the 8 Principal, the 4' Spitzflote was round and bright.  This was possible because the Principal sound I wanted was broader than the very Germanic/American-Classic sound which is standard on this instrument.

The Trompete 8 and Mixture IV are on yet another board, and I reduced the volume and decreased the mid- and treble setting on that board, which resulted in a more Romantic Tromba colour, which is more velvety and smooth than the Germanic Trompete.   Fortunately, this adjusting resulted in reduced volume of the Mixture so that it simply brightens the chorus without increasing the volume.

The Pedal stops which are divided on to two boards were then adjusted.   I have a deep love for open metal pedal stops, so I ajusted the 16 Diapason so that it was just slightly louder, but the same colour, as the Great 8 Prinzipal.   This allows me to use it not only with full organ but also to have purring beneath the strings.   When I want a full, rumbing pedal sound I only need to add the Bourdon 16.   This seems to have been an idea used by Pilcher in his instruments, and he built the most beautiful Bourdon stops.

Similar adjustments were made for the Swell, but were more complex because of the presence of the reeds, which I can only describe as UGLY!   They try to be French but are sorely lacking in foundation.  They have a great deal of harmonic development but not the colour of French reeds.   They do remind me of many of the American-Classic compromises of the early 70s and 80s.

However, since my approach is to have organ sounds that would likely be in a small studio, I do not consider these reeds to be important and I very seldom use them.   The only two regularly used reeds are the Great Trompete (Tromba) and the Pedal 16 Posaune which as been adjusted to match the Great reed, sounding similar to a wooden Trombone.

I have really enjoyed this experience in digital voicing/finishing, especially since I was told by the Allen folks that "it can't be done."    They left me to discover the voicing controls on my own.

I learned a great deal from reading Stephen Bicknell's article on his webpage.

Removal of my carpeting has greatly aided the sound of the organ, significantly warming the sound.  I would like to have more/some reverberation but do not like the affect of the electronic "reverb."   I'm prepared to live with what the room can ultimately offer.    The floor will be painted with Rustoleum epoxy floor paint and possibly the walls as well.   I'm also investigating a ceramic paint which insulates and hardens the walls.  Your experiences and suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Bruise in the Muttastery

[organforumadmin]

My fictional residence (which I use for some of my writing) is the Muttastery of St. Dogmael, a Muttastery being a canine version of a Monastery, which is home for the "munts" (mutt + monk).  In the Chapel of All Hounds we have a 3m tracker built by the firm of Haulen, Barken & Wooofff of Beagledor, Canada.   

Hi!


Thanks for coming to join the forum and bringing with you a sense of humour, without which life can be all too boringly serious. It's also very important to play a part of court jester from time to time as in jest many a truth is said which cannot otherwise be muttered . . .


May organs continue to thrive in woofdom! Thinking about it some 16ft do woof a bit . . .


Best wishes


Forum Admin