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Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

Building organ consoles for use with Hauptwerk, adding MIDI to existing consoles, obtaining parts, ...
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macpianoman

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Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostFri Jan 29, 2016 8:27 pm

I used an old Schrober carcass for my DIY organ console. I also have the AGO pedalboard that it was built with and I added window security switches and Midi'ed those up. That works great. I am using a Roland Alpha Juno 2 for the great and a Miniman for the swell. I had to build a board across the console to hold the Alpha and I built an aluminum frame for the Swell. My question is what note on the pedalboard should be lined up with what key on the great. I'm not at church or I could look but I have the middle D on the great lined up with the DD pedal. My keyboard is 29 inches from the pedals and my bench is 21.5 above the center of the pedals. I have the AGO specs but it just centers the pedals under the manuals but it looks like that would be slightly off from my scenario.

I have looked at some pics of factory built organs and it looks like as close as I can tell it is the DD lined up under the D key deal.

Also how far should the front or back of the pedalboard should it be from the edge of key on the bottom manual? Also even though I majored in organ in college I've always wondered where my body should be centered in relation to the keyboard. I generally sit about d-e.

Thanks
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jerrynazard

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 10:35 am

Using a plumb line, on my console the middle D (D3) on Choir is directly above middle D on pedalboard. Depending on how many manuals you have, pedal DD-sharp's front end is 8 1/2 to 11" back of plumb line dropped from edge of white keys of lowest manual. Hope this helps.

-Jerry
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 12:15 pm

What about placing the pedalboard keeping bilateral symmetry with the keyboards?
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macpianoman

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 3:28 pm

profeluisegarcia wrote:What about placing the pedalboard keeping bilateral symmetry with the keyboards?


I went down and measured my pedalboard and it is centered in the console and that makes the center of the organ with the pedalboard E. On the manual on the bottom the center is like F#. Perhaps it was/is eaiser to remember the D's are lined up. My console although gutted is the one that was built with the pedals.
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johnh

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 5:08 pm

The AGO Console specification says this:

PEDAL TO MANUAL
Left to right location: Centered under the manuals.
Front to back: Pedal DD-sharp's front end 8 1/2 in. to 10 in. back of plumb line dropped
from edge of white keys of lowest manual of two manual or three manual console, 11 in. on a four manual.
Vertical: 29 1/2 in. between playing surface of natural keys of lowest manual and middle natural key of pedal.
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macpianoman

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 6:07 pm

I have those specs as well but it looks like it ends up being the D keyboard note above the D pedal below. I know they say centered but inquiring minds want to know exactly. Thanks for reminding me of the specs.
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johnh

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 6:57 pm

On my console, the middle of the bottom manual is pretty close to being between F and G. The center of the pedalboard is E.
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engrssc

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 7:53 pm

Just slightly off topic, a good friend and excellent organist always plays the pedals in his stocking feet. :shock: Is he the only one that does that? My Organ Master shoes have very soft soles which give excellent feel of the pedals.

Rgds,
Ed
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macpianoman

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 8:04 pm

At home I used to practice in stocking feet but then used organmaster at church. Now I have a set in both places. I think I can feel the pedals better in stocking feet. But when I got to church it was too different. So that's why I always wear Organmaster both places.

When I was a teenager I was playing classical organ with just street shoes. And that was Herman Schroder and Bach stuff. Even when I was an organ major in college I wore just regular street shoes. It's only been like the last 10 years. There are times that the stiffness of street shoes enhances playing.

I don't play in bare feet because there are times I use a lot heel playing because of the piece etc. and stocking feet doesn't cut it. BTW do you ever look at your feet playing? I try not to and at church I can't because I'm wearing a choir robe.
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engrssc

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 8:31 pm

Again off topic, but looking for advice - sort of.

I've developed tendinitis in my left heel. Achilles tendon is very painful making pedal playing, even walking difficult. My foot doc asked if I was using my left foot in any "unusual" way. Told him about playing toe heel fairly vigorously lately. Doc said that it's quite possible that "activity" could be causing the problem. Some runners develop the problem as well. He is treating it with an external med in place of recommending surgery which usually takes 2 - 3 months to heal.

Rgds,
Ed
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macpianoman

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostSat Jan 30, 2016 9:43 pm

I feel bad for you. Hope you recover quickly.
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sjkartchner

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostMon Feb 01, 2016 2:50 pm

engrssc wrote:Again off topic, but looking for advice - sort of.


Reminds me of the old saw:

Patient: "Dr. Dr., it hurts when I do this."
Doctor: "Then stop doing that."

OK, that isn't particularly helpful, but it does point out the problem with repetitive stress injuries. You have to give them rest, and figure out how to stop causing future injury. My teacher, who is a world-class composer and performer for the organ, emphasizes techniques that do not place the hands and feet in awkward, and therefore potentially harmful, positions. There is also an emphasis on economy of motion, which is challenging for me because I tend to overplay at times. The upshot is that evaluating technique and economy of motion may help to prevent future injuries.
Stan Kartchner, Tucson, AZ USA
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macpianoman

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostTue Feb 02, 2016 6:45 pm

I just was reading Kenneth Spencer's "All about Hauptwerk" and the chapter on build you own case etc. and in his diagram the D key on the manual is directly lined up underneath the DD pedal. So my initial measurement is correct. I also lined up the manual evenly in the console side to side and it correctly lines up the same way. Safe to say that is pretty definitive.
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mumblecake

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Re: Postion of pedalboard in relation to manuals

PostFri Feb 05, 2016 9:00 am

AGO specification says "centered under the manuals" assuming 61 key manuals and a 32 note pedalboard. Not sure what that pans out to be ...:
http://www.westminsterorganworks.com/pdf/agoconsole.pdf

British organ console specifications say: middle D over middle D:
http://www.organworks.co.uk/brit_console_dimensions.pdf

Best Regards

Mathis

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