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Cheap DIY Organ console

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

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Cheap DIY Organ console

PostTue Apr 12, 2016 4:59 pm

Hi Guys,
I am looking for a little advice.
I am an A level student in first year of college and I am taking AS music this year then A2 music next year. I have been playing the organ for a few years now and wanted to build my own organ in my house for me to practice on. However, because I am in college still, my budget is very limiting.

Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can construct a two manual organ without spending a fortune??

Cheers
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johnh

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostTue Apr 12, 2016 5:49 pm

I suppose it depends on your definition of cheap and what features you need/want.

Hauptwerk isn't necessarily cheap. Have you watched this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWprXxnmrYM

A used Rodgers or Allen might be had cheaper if you watch Craigslist or the equivalent in your area. If you want to build an organ and are a serious music student then you'll likely want better keyboards than the controllers shown in the above video. Good quality keyboards aren't cheap unless you can find a set used and re-wire them yourself. Do you have experience with electronics at all? Soldering?

So, what's your budget and what do you want to accomplish?
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profeluisegarcia

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostTue Apr 12, 2016 7:05 pm

Hello newcomer¡ (as I used to be).
In these posts you can find good inspiration and information:

http://www.pcorgan.com/Fotos3cEN.html
http://www.pcorgan.com/BenodigdhedenEN.html
https://www.hauptwerk.com/support/tutorials/

Regards,
Luis
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magnaton

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostWed Apr 13, 2016 12:57 am

Here is another video for reference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoFcEz0MsmI

This video mainly details midi-fying an AGO pedalboard. In this video it appears he's using an old dinning table with legs wide enough that the pedalboard cat fit underneath. My guess is for the 2 M-Audio controllers, reed switch assembly & encoder, and MIDI-usb interface (for pedalboard) he has no more than $500 invested. Looking again there is a touch screen monitor which was most likely purchased for this project so add $260 for that.

The 'gig is up' as they say for a late model Allen or Rodgers organ with MIDI as these are in demand for use as a HW controller plus they are most likely still fully functional with their native electronics so they'll carry a nice price tag. The good deals (are on rare occasions free deals) are for pre-MIDI organs if your patient and can search Craigslist daily or set up a search email alert.

Check with your local or near by organ dealer for parts or maybe even consoles. One electronic dealer in my town took a few pre-MIDI Allen consoles to the landfill as he needed the space and didn't really want to spend energy to deal or support a used organ of a competing brand.

Danny B.
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NickNelson

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostWed Apr 13, 2016 1:19 am

Willchannon wrote:Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can construct a two manual organ without spending a fortune??


Where in the UK are you? It would be good idea to include this in your profile as a likely source of help for someone in your position will be other Haupterkers (if there are any nearby).

Don't worry too much about software costs, the free edition of HW with the St Anne's organ should be adequate for your purposes and will run on a modest computer by todays standards. Bigger and more powerful will always be an attraction but if money is tight you can do without.

Similarly, you don't strictly need any kind of stop control hardware initially, just set up preset combinations on the screen and it's easy to trigger them with any kind of cheap MIDI controller.

As others have observed, it's the keyboards and in particular the pedalboard which will be difficult to source (or modify) cheaply - keep your eyes and ears open for anything that might be useful (especially a pedalboard).

Nick
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magnaton

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostWed Apr 13, 2016 8:44 am

NickNelson wrote:Similarly, you don't strictly need any kind of stop control hardware initially, just set up preset combinations on the screen and it's easy to trigger them with any kind of cheap MIDI controller.



Also the computer's QWERTY keyboard can be assigned pistons or stops too! On a non laptop keyboard the functions keys work great as pistons since they are usually separated from alpha and numeric keys.
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organsRgreat

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostWed Apr 13, 2016 9:10 am

Reference to AS and A levels suggests that you're in the UK, so you might consider joining the Electronic Organ Constructors Society. They have kits available which would allow you to add MIDI to keyboards, pedal-boards or swell pedals. I wouldn't personally go to the trouble of adding MIDI to a keyboard, as there are so many available commercially, but a kit for MIDI-fying a pedal-board could save you a lot of money.

There are of course other sources of MIDI kits which you can find on the internet, but an advantage of working through the EOCS is that you have direct contact with the designer, and plenty of help available from other members.

The free version of Hauptwerk, with the included St. Anne's organ, is certainly good enough for practice; and if you happen not to like St. Anne's there are other free instruments available – including baroque organs which would enable you to play the early repertoire authentically.

http://www.eocs.org.uk/
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engrssc

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostWed Apr 13, 2016 4:57 pm

Certainly are lots of societies in the US, curious if there is a similar one to the UK's Electronic Organ Constructors Society. here? Interesting thought, tho.

Rgds,
Ed
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NickNelson

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 4:10 am

magnaton wrote:Also the computer's QWERTY keyboard can be assigned pistons or stops too! On a non laptop keyboard the functions keys work great as pistons since they are usually separated from alpha and numeric keys.


Thanks, I had forgotten that, makes it even easier.

Nick
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Willchannon

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 2:19 pm

Ah ok. That sounds like a fantastic idea and will help a lot with cost. Thank you
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Willchannon

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 2:21 pm

organsRgreat wrote:Reference to AS and A levels suggests that you're in the UK, so you might consider joining the Electronic Organ Constructors Society. They have kits available which would allow you to add MIDI to keyboards, pedal-boards or swell pedals. I wouldn't personally go to the trouble of adding MIDI to a keyboard, as there are so many available commercially, but a kit for MIDI-fying a pedal-board could save you a lot of money.

There are of course other sources of MIDI kits which you can find on the internet, but an advantage of working through the EOCS is that you have direct contact with the designer, and plenty of help available from other members.

The free version of Hauptwerk, with the included St. Anne's organ, is certainly good enough for practice; and if you happen not to like St. Anne's there are other free instruments available – including baroque organs which would enable you to play the early repertoire authentically.

http://www.eocs.org.uk/



This is brilliant help. Thank you so much.
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Willchannon

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 2:26 pm

johnh wrote:I suppose it depends on your definition of cheap and what features you need/want.

Hauptwerk isn't necessarily cheap. Have you watched this video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWprXxnmrYM

A used Rodgers or Allen might be had cheaper if you watch Craigslist or the equivalent in your area. If you want to build an organ and are a serious music student then you'll likely want better keyboards than the controllers shown in the above video. Good quality keyboards aren't cheap unless you can find a set used and re-wire them yourself. Do you have experience with electronics at all? Soldering?

So, what's your budget and what do you want to accomplish?



My Budget really can go up to about £1500 on HARDWARE because someone else is getting me the software and I need something at home to practice on before the Sunday services and any concerts.

The video has given me some really good ideas though. Thank you
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Willchannon

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 2:28 pm

profeluisegarcia wrote:Hello newcomer¡ (as I used to be).
In these posts you can find good inspiration and information:

http://www.pcorgan.com/Fotos3cEN.html
http://www.pcorgan.com/BenodigdhedenEN.html
https://www.hauptwerk.com/support/tutorials/

Regards,
Luis



Thank you so much. This has been an amazing help and I now have a really really good idea on what I need to get and what I need to do.
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organsRgreat

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 3:02 pm

engrssc wrote:Certainly are lots of societies in the US, curious if there is a similar one to the UK's Electronic Organ Constructors Society. here? Interesting thought, tho.

Rgds,
Ed


Although the EOCS is based in the UK, we have members all over the world – four in America, and one each in Finland, Nigeria and Australia. As the magazine is one of the main benefits of membership, members outside the UK pay a little more to cover postage.

This little youtube video was posted by a member, and is typical of the ingenious ideas EOCS people think up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUtS-Msw6OM
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RichardW

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Re: Cheap DIY Organ console

PostThu Apr 14, 2016 6:02 pm

Ebay is worth a look. You sometimes find what you need.

For example: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-Midi-Con ... SwiYFXD35k

Regards,
Richard
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