reducing rotterdam...

[sonar11]

I've been interested in the just released Rotterdam sample for some time... My question / challenge to the HW and organ experts out there; is there a way to reduce the size of Rotterdam down to 40 ranks or so? It would still need to use Jiri's original organ definition (so no custom codm or anything like that), but just selectively loading half the ranks to form a smaller version of this organ but still have something that sounds good?

There is a dry version of the organ, which I find very interesting.... if it's possible to get a good sounding 40 rank reduction, then that could be used in churches etc which is where my interest in this exercise is coming from.

My requests would include the following:
- as many string ranks as possible should be included in the reduction
- same thing for the 8 and 4 foot wooden flutes
- mixtures, mutations, reeds can be reduced
- should only require 2 physical keyboards + pedal, permanently requiring couplers to be engaged is OK

Or alternatively if this is a bad idea for some reason then please say so

[John T.]

You don't need to load the entire sample set. In Organ, select the second option & pick what you want to load.

[telemanr]

But you might have to devise a different screen (jorgan) otherwise you can't tell which stops are loaded and which aren't.
Also, you can't shift stops from one division to another without using CODM if you are reducing to two manuals. And I don't think you can have couplers permanently on so as to avoid that problem using just HW.

[sonar11]

You don't need to load the entire sample set. In Organ, select the second option & pick what you want to load.

I get that, which is why I wrote "selectively loading half the ranks"... my post was concerned about choosing which stops to use. This is an organ issue, not a hauptwerk issue, I'd like to have a usable 40 stop organ when done but the hard part is choosing which stops to load.

[sonar11]

But you might have to devise a different screen (jorgan) otherwise you can't tell which stops are loaded and which aren't.
Also, you can't shift stops from one division to another without using CODM if you are reducing to two manuals. And I don't think you can have couplers permanently on so as to avoid that problem using just HW.

I guess I'm picturing a permanent installation in a church, complete with dedicated stops (no touch screen for main usage). My current organ is 2 manuals, but I play a 3 manual by coupling the third to the swell, they are both softer manuals anyway and seem to work well together. The "permanent coupling" comes in when I press the "0" preset on my organ, which I've mapped in HW to have 0 stops on but just the "3 to 2" coupler. That gives it the "permanency", provided I remember to zero out each time after initially loading the organ. All other presets are programed to have the coupler engaged as well, it works great...

[telemanr]

Personally I'd look for a suitable 2 manual sample set. Much less trouble, foolproof, and better balance and matching of voices since it was designed to be what it is.