Custom Organ (Very Large)

[hvandyk]

The organist at our church when I was young always told me my dream of a 175 rank organ in my home when I grew up was not possible. Besides, it would never sound like it would if it where in a large church. She said I would be very disappointed with the results. Now that was back in the 1960s. Seeing the potential for Hauptwerk but being frustrated with the lack of a large (by my standards) high quality organ sample set being available, Francois suggested that I consider using a couple of sets from Sonus for a custom instrument with the help of Jake. We were thinking 150 stops or so at that time. Well, things grew out-of hand (almost, but not quite). I ended up with about 260 ranks and 246 Drawknobs. It uses all of the Laurenskerk organ, all of the Caen - St. Etienne, with some of the extensions from Jake. The Echo division of the Doesburg, Martinikerk Walcker Organ is in it plus a number of additional stops I felt I needed (personal opinion). It also has the Zymbelstern from the Goerlitz, Sonnenorgel organ (All of these sets are from Sonus Paradisi). There is also the Ghent Carillon and Chimes. All said, there are 23 ranks of strings, 9 sets of Chamades, plus the Henry Willis Tuba at 8' and 4' from the Hereford Organ. 5 Vox Humanas, well... you get the idea. I am just in the process of wiring the Jambs now and hopefully by the end of the month, that will be finished. The organ is completely playable at this point though. I started in January of this year with the building process. The organ has 4 swell shoes with 6 divisions under expression. You can assign any division to any one of the shoes at anytime via lighted pistons on the coupler board. I can't say enough good regarding the services of Francois and Jake and their help with the project. I used Artisan Instruments for the midi components. I can't say enough good about them either. Everyone so far as made this a fun and easy project.

Here is a pic of the console. I have to complete the console shell itself yet, but that is for another year. I have a feeling I will be pre-occupied with practicing . You can go to HJ Home Inspections on Pinterest and click on the Hauptwerk organ Project board to see more pics. I will post the specs sometime, somewhere or, you can email me for them at harold@hjhomeinspections.com. Francois and Jake will be making the custom set available for purchase at sometime in the future. The organ will be available for visits should you be in the Grand Rapids, MI area at anytime.

[organsRgreat]

WOW! I want one I see that you have the MOTU 24 Ao – how many channels are you using?

[hvandyk]

At this point, since I live in a condominium, I am using a headset (Sennheiser HD 800 Dynamic Open-Back Stereo Headphone).

[notdefined]

Hat tip to you sir.

[micdev]

When Harold contacted me, he was looking for something very specific. While Hauptwerk is great and allows you to play "thousands" of stops, what he was looking for was "ONE" organ and he wanted to design his console around "a bank of sounds".

I made this proposal of a composite organ based on many sample sets... he became "hungry"... adding more and more stops In the end we have a "mini Wannamaker". With Jake' expertise we rapidly had first disposition, testings were done, Harold' taking care of the "sound/voicing/balance", myself testing and pushing the system to its limit.

Many more versions, modifications were made, functionalities added. The project is almost completed. I'm pleased to announce that I will sell the LRO (Large Romantic Organ) (and all the needed sample sets and computer able to handle this "monster"). I will soon update my website http://www.hauptwerkconsultant.com with a special page about this project, organ specifications and computer requirements etc.

Of course, should you want also a console like the one Harold will use, well, you can contact him and simply imagine the cost of all the components + the hundreds of houses he spent building this rather large furniture... but know that the LRO will be easy to control using 2 touchscreens (1 is possible but you need to switch tabs to access all the stops!)

Now back to testing...

Regards
François

[organsRgreat]

I'm fortunate in being able to run (currently) twenty channels – neighbours on both sides like music, and actually enjoy what little sound does escape. In your situation I would want to experiment with several speakers in a sound-proof box, using a pair of microphones with suitable amplification to feed headphones. That should provide a degree of “air mixing” which to me is one of the most significant aspects of Hauptwerk. Colin Pykett explains clearly why multiple speakers overcome some of the limitations of a digital organ, at

http://www.pykett.org.uk/EndOfPipeOrgan.htm

I didn't realise that it was possible to “mix and match” sample sets as you have done; for the moment I use two complete Hauptwerk systems so that I can play complementary instruments simultaneously – in particular a theatre organ and a church organ. In England we have several “dual purpose” organs of this type dating from the 1930s e.g. Southampton Guildhall (Compton), Dome Concert Hall, Brighton (Hill, Norman and Beard/Christie) – I don't know whether such instruments exist in America?

I would certainly love to have the Hereford Cathedral Diapason chorus, and its Tuba, available on, for instance, the MDA Mount Carmel Skinner – or even on a theatre organ. Something to look into when the busy Christmas period is over perhaps. Anyway congratulations on a magnificent concept!

[murph]

Hi folks!
Is there a direct link to the pinterest pages, because I get a page of men in work clothes when I search for the house inspections page? (And none of them are even my type.)

[hvandyk]

https://www.pinterest.com/hjhomeinspect ... werk-organ

[organtechnology]

I just can't believe you went to all this effort and then PAINTED the thing.
Oh well, to each his own I suppose.

Thomas

[engrssc]

A favorite color - suppose? Matching the furniture on the left of the picture?

Still of piece of art (work).

Rgds,
Ed

[hvandyk]

I painted it first of all because I don't have the skill level needed to achieve stain quality workmanship. (Besides, my workshop consists of a garage stall with a cheap, used $175 portable table saw, cheap, small drill press,a router table and 3' x 7' work bench.) Secondly, I love the way painted consoles look on the organs in Europe. And 3rd, I wanted something different then what you see around my neck of the woods. Hence the painted and multi angle jambs.

[sonar11]

Hi Harold, would you be willing to share some details on the stop system? Supplier of the stops, are they LED based or "moving" stops, are they fully integrated with HW (so changing the physical stop changes HW, and changing a stop in HW will modify the light/location of the physical stop), what midi encoder you used etc etc?

[Dnsmo]

I painted it first of all because I don't have the skill level needed to achieve stain quality workmanship. (Besides, my workshop consists of a garage stall with a cheap, used $175 portable table saw, cheap, small drill press,a router table and 3' x 7' work bench.) Secondly, I love the way painted consoles look on the organs in Europe. And 3rd, I wanted something different then what you see around my neck of the woods. Hence the painted and multi angle jambs.

Makes sense to me. And you chose a very handsome color. In my opinion, it's a classy alternative to stain finishing!

[telemanr]

I approve. My console from Classic is black so I’m quite used to black.
Plus, I’ve never liked stained grand pianos so my grand is black, as are most concert pianos. Walnut or white pianos in my view were bought to be pieces of furniture which fit in.
Of course I’m on a very high horse about this. Over 18 hands I should think.

[engrssc]

Of course I’m on a very high horse about this. Over 18 hands I should think.

Gotta hand it to you as well, Rob. That would be about 6 feet (182 cm). (Uncle had a pair of draft horses at least 24 hands high Really beautiful animals).
.
Re this organ, it is extremely well done and I applaud it. I, too, would appreciate some of the technical details. Thanks for sharing.

Rgds.
Ed