Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ

Greetings all.

I am really delighted to report that my new book, entitled "All about Hauptwerk - the virtual pipe organ" is now available. It can be obtained from http://goo.gl/S85xIq.

PRINT COPY
The printed book is available direct from the publisher (see above), by online order via Amazon and several other web retailers, and by retail order from Barnes & Noble (US), Blackwell, Waterstones & WH Smith (UK), and local retailers worldwide. Educational institutions and retailers can order from Ingram (US), and Lightning Source (UK).
ISBN:978-1-326-31884-0; Perfect bound, soft cover; B&W; pages: 244; chapters: 14; illustrations/images/diagrams: 115. Price £17.50.
A British Library cataloguing in publication (CIP) record will be available shortly.

PDF EBOOK
A PDF eBook version with the 115 illustrations in colour is available from me, to those who have purchased the printed book.
Free copy If you purchased the book direct from the publisher (http://goo.gl/S85xIq) and would like a free PDF copy (not for copying, nor passing on, nor distribution otherwise), send me a direct email to publications at kaspencer dot com and I'll tell you how you can get the PDF free-of-charge.
Chargable copy As retail outlets make a charge against my royalty on each sale, I cannot extend the free PDF offer to retail outlet sales. However, if you would like a PDF copy, contact me by direct email at publications at kaspencer dot com and I'll tell you how you can get a copy. The cost is £5.00.

THE FRONT COVER (printed book):


CHAPTER HEADINGS
The following is a list of chapter headings and main sections:

Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
Chapter One Life before Hauptwerk
- 1.1 Reed Organs
- 1.2 Tone Wheel Organs
- 1.3 Electronic Organs
- 1.4 The Mellotron
- 1.5 Synthesised Organs
- 1.6 Digital Organs
- 1.7 Where does Hauptwerk Fit in?
Chapter Two An Introduction to the Pipe Organ
- 2.1 The main parts of the Organ
- 2.2 The Theatre/Cinema Organ
- 2.3 Playing the Pipe Organ
Chapter Three An Introduction to Hauptwerk
- 3.1 Obtaining Hauptwerk
- 3.2 Hauptwerk and Sample Set Licences
- 3.3 How Does Hauptwerk Work?
- 3.4 How is a Sample Set Made?
Chapter Four What do you need to get started?
- 4.1 The Hauptwerk Computer
- 4.2 Preferred Accessories
- 4.3 Optional Accessories
- 4.4 Can you start with your existing PC?
Chapter Five Installing Hauptwerk and Loading the St. Anne's Organ
- 5.1 The Installation
- 5.2 Starting Hauptwerk
- 5.3 Loading the St Anne's Moseley Organ
- 5.4 Creating the Sample Set Cache
Chapter Six Configuring an Organ
- 6.1 MIDI: A Brief Explanation
- 6.2 Testing the Audio and Checking MIDI Devices
- 6.3 Configuring the Keyboards and Pedalboard
- 6.4 Other Controller Devices
- 6.5 Play the Organ!
Chapter Seven Improving your computer
- 7.1 The Dimensions of Computer Power
- 7.2 Hardware Choices
- 7.3 Operating System (OS) choices
- 7.4 A Good Start
Chapter Eight A keyboard stack
- 8.1 Keyboard Options
- 8.2 Preparing the Keyboards
- 8.3 The Keyboard Stack
- 8.4 Quality Keybeds
- 8.5 Interfacing
Chapter Nine A pedalboard 113
- 9.1 Pedalboard Compass and Designs
- 9.2 Sourcing your Pedalboard
- 9.3 Swell and Crescendo Controllers
Chapter Ten Improving your audio
- 10.1 Adding Audio Channels
- 10.2 Choosing your Main Speakers
- 10.3 Choosing your Sub-woofer Speakers
- 10.4 Configuring Multiple Audio Channels
- 10.5 Configuring an Organ for Multi-channel Operation
- 10.6 Adding Reverberation
Chapter Eleven Building or Converting a Console
- 11.1 Building your Console
- 11.2 A Music Desk
- 11.3 Installing the Components
- 11.4 Using an Existing Console
Chapter Twelve Recording Hauptwerk Audio and MIDI
- 12.1 Audio Recording
- 12.2 MIDI Recording
Chapter thirteen Voicing the Organ
- 13.1 Real Pipe Voicing
- 13.2 Voicing a Virtual Pipe Organ
- 13.3 Adjusting the Tremulant Rate
Chapter fourteen Tuning and Temperament
- 14.1 Tuning
- 14.2 Temperament
Appendix A General Schematic of a typical Hauptwerk virtual pipe organ
Appendix B A Glossary of Terms for the Pipe Organ & Virtual Pipe Organ
Appendix C Specimen LaunchPad Layout for the St. Anne's organ
Appendix D Some interesting virtual pipe organs & instruments
References and Bibliography
INDEX

I really hope that the book will fill a gap in printed help available to those contemplating getting involved with Hauptwerk, for those who know about organs but not Hauptwerk, and those who know little or nothing about either. For those that are brave enough, drawings are provided for a 30-note concave radiating pedalboard, and for a console with and without stop jambs. Full details of configuring an organ for multiple audio channels are also included.

Best wishes,

Ken

I'm impressed. Ordered the book on 30 June and have just received it 6 July 2015 - and I am on the other side of the world, Australia. Very well done.
Just started reading with a naïve expectation that I would be familiar with most of it (I've had a Hauptwerk setup for 6 or 7 years) - but no. Only at the early chapters and realised that I need a bit of fill in knowledge, For instance I did not understand "looping" or "truncating" but now do - so on to the further chapters!
Well done and thanks,
Keith

Thanks for those nice comments Keith!

I hope that your enjoyment continues! If you purchased the book direct from the publisher (http://goo.gl/S85xIq) and would like a free eBook/pdf version (not for copying, nor passing on, nor distribution otherwise), send me a direct email to kenneth at kaspencer dot com and I'll tell you how you can get it.

Naturally the eBook version is in colour.

(Sorry, but owing to the charge made against my royalty by retail outlets, I cannot extend this offer to retail outlet sales.)

Best wishes,

Ken

Do I need to buy the hard copy version first?

Thomas

Thanks, Thomas ...

... the PDF/eBook version is not actually published (and may not be), but as it has the images in colour (I think that the majority of the 115 images are in colour) I am very happy to let purchasers of the printed book have a copy of the PDF (subject to no copying allowed!). So yes, you will need to purchase the printed book first. I'm afraid that I can't really give the PDF away without a purchase, because I spent so many months writing the book!

Actually, I would be quite flattered if you purchased the book, because it is aimed at the amateur Hauptwerkian, not the professional console and system builder! So do tell me what you think.

I had considered publishing the book in colour, but unfortunately I concluded that it adds too much to the cost.

I do hope that helps!

Best wishes,

Ken

Hi Ken:
I placed an order for the book last week. I was unaware that the hard copy did not have colour pictures, but it is of no concern. But I would like the color PDF that you are offering. How can I make sure I get a copy ?
I can't wait to get the book !!!!!
Antoni

Keith and Antoni ... your colour PDFs are on their way!

I'll look forward to hearing what you think!

Ken

Thanks Ken, Will do asap.

Thomas

kaspencer wrote:Thanks, Thomas ...

... the PDF/eBook version is not actually published (and may not be), but as it has the images in colour (I think that the majority of the 115 images are in colour) I am very happy to let purchasers of the printed book have a copy of the PDF (subject to no copying allowed!). So yes, you will need to purchase the printed book first. I'm afraid that I can't really give the PDF away without a purchase, because I spent so many months writing the book!

Actually, I would be quite flattered if you purchased the book, because it is aimed at the amateur Hauptwerkian, not the professional console and system builder! So do tell me what you think.

I had considered publishing the book in colour, but unfortunately I concluded that it adds too much to the cost.

I do hope that helps!

Best wishes,

Ken

I just finished reading All about Hauptwerk. The book is a MUST READ for anyone owning a Hauptwerk or even vaguely interested in how the organ evolved from pipe organs to reed organs, electronic organs and finally Hauptwerk. It is excellently written and is extremely thorough. Kudos to Ken.

Antoni

Ken,

I have also placed an order. When it is processed, could I please have the PDF as I generally read documents like this on my iPad?

Thanks,

Gerry
Gerry@geraldoehring.com

Is there no way you could sell an e-version?

ppytprs wrote: Is there no way you could sell an e-version?

Thanks, "ppytprs" for the message ...

... I'm not planning to release the book as an eBook because one of my objectives was to meet the gap in printed advice, documentation and information about Hauptwerk. As you may know, there are already e-publications on quite a few aspects of Hauptwerk - including one general e-Book (it was the subject of discussion on this forum recently), and several on its use with reverberation and DAWs. MDA have also produced quite a few e-publications offering advice. I am also hoping that people will appreciate a physical book - maybe I am a bit prejudiced towards "real" books!

The reason for making the eBook/PDF available to purchasers of the printed book is simply because I decided that releasing the print version in colour carried a cost that I didn't wish to impose on people.

Thanks again for the enquiry, and I do hope that helps to explain the decision.

Best wishes,

Ken

Fair enough. I think that in this day and age there are people who like printed books and are willing to pay for them, and there are people who aren't bothered. I just thought that if you make your e-book available for sale, you might make more money from e-people, probably without impacting on the printed sales much.
There are also people like me who are interested to see if there's any info in there we don't already know and would be happy to pay a few quid for an e-book, but not for the printed version!

However you sell it, it looks like a useful and comprehensive guide.

Paul

Thanks Paul ... naturally if I do decide to release it in eBook format, I'll let you know!

Best wishes,

Ken

I've gone ahead and made this topic Sticky.

Thanks Ken!