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Quick question from a MIDI dummy

Connecting Hauptwerk to MIDI organs, sequencers, ...
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RaymondList

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Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostThu Apr 05, 2018 1:44 pm

I'm just getting started converting my Allen to Hauptwerk. A quick question from a MIDI dummy - would a MOTU UltraLite MK4 be all I'd need to get the MIDI signal into my computer and the audio out to some amplifier? In other words, does that one piece of hardware do both? If so, I'm also thinking I can then use that to send the audio to a few Behringer B2031A speakers as a start. Thanks so very much. I'm just sitting here thinking too much, waiting for my MidiBoutique hardware to arrive from Bulgaria so I can start wiring!
Ray
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organtechnology

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Re: Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostThu Apr 05, 2018 1:54 pm

Hi there,

Yes that will work just fine. MIDI cable from the output of the MGB boards to the MIDI in on the MOTU and the USB from the MOTU to the computer. When you bring up Hauptwerk and look at MIDI in General Settings you will see the many channels of the MIDI from the MOTU. Check the left hand column for each MIDI channel you are going to use and then go teach Hauptwerk what is connected to what.

You are going to possibly need to rewire your keyboards into an 8x8 matrix rather than the 6x11 matrix that Allen sometimes used. Let me know if you need help with that.

Thomas
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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RaymondList

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Re: Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostThu Apr 05, 2018 2:13 pm

Hi,

Thanks very much for the quick reply and the offer to help. Unfortunately, I'm going to be running a LOT of wires, since my Allen is 50 years old so it basically has no 'matrix'. It just has tons of magnet wires coming from the keying contacts (which are just stiff silver wires themselves). There are 11 contacts per key, but I plan on using maybe 3 or 4 of those in parallel. I don't think I would live long enough to sort through all 1,342 magnet wires to use all the contacts on those keyboards! Going to be time consuming as it is!

Again, thank you!
Ray
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organtechnology

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Re: Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostThu Apr 05, 2018 8:08 pm

Ouch! That is a lot of wires :(

So you don't have a matrix just 61 notes with multiple contacts per note?

Thomas

RaymondList wrote:Hi,

Thanks very much for the quick reply and the offer to help. Unfortunately, I'm going to be running a LOT of wires, since my Allen is 50 years old so it basically has no 'matrix'. It just has tons of magnet wires coming from the keying contacts (which are just stiff silver wires themselves). There are 11 contacts per key, but I plan on using maybe 3 or 4 of those in parallel. I don't think I would live long enough to sort through all 1,342 magnet wires to use all the contacts on those keyboards! Going to be time consuming as it is!

Again, thank you!
Complete Hauptwerk™ systems using real wood consoles, PC Sound Engines, Dante Audio for Home or Church. info (at) organtechnology.com http://www.organtechnology.com
Authorized Hauptwerk; Milan Digital Audio and Lavender Audio reseller.
USA and Canada shipments only.
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RaymondList

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Re: Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostThu Apr 05, 2018 8:17 pm

That is correct. This was a discreet transistor instrument with 2 1/2 chassis of individual generators (1 flute, 1 string, and 1/2 for string celeste - only the middle octaves had celeste). 11 contacts per note, 61 notes per keyboard, 2 keyboards. (I didn't bother mentioning the 32 pedals!). I'll be happy if I can wire one octave a day. LOL. Have pity on me.

Ray
organtechnology wrote:Ouch! That is a lot of wires :(

So you don't have a matrix just 61 notes with multiple contacts per note?

Thomas

RaymondList wrote:Hi,

Thanks very much for the quick reply and the offer to help. Unfortunately, I'm going to be running a LOT of wires, since my Allen is 50 years old so it basically has no 'matrix'. It just has tons of magnet wires coming from the keying contacts (which are just stiff silver wires themselves). There are 11 contacts per key, but I plan on using maybe 3 or 4 of those in parallel. I don't think I would live long enough to sort through all 1,342 magnet wires to use all the contacts on those keyboards! Going to be time consuming as it is!

Again, thank you!
Ray
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stoverkid

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Re: Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostFri Apr 06, 2018 4:03 pm

Hi, Since the heavy hitters have weighed in, I can tell you how I converted an Allen TC4 circa 1959. I am a retired Telephone office repairman, so I understood the challenge. I got my console from a junk pile, complete with an abandoned mouse nest. This is tedious and time consuming. You can purchase a 2 or 3 manual stack already equipped. This project gave me an AGO console with a touch screen, and 8GB Dell for $1200. If you still want to wire..... Try step 2 first. If you can't figure out the terminal strips, get help before investing in the MIDI encoder.
1. I selected the MidiBoutique HWCE2 bundle #3, which could handle a third manual of the "old style"..
2. I used a shim to keep one key down and purchased a simple circuit tester, the kind with a probe with a battery and light bulb in the probe. The back terminal strips ate labeled with C notes. There are some relays at the left (from the rear) that move mechanical sliders. I put a small zip tie around the relay and tested to find the terminal strips to get a light. It sounds complicated but I found that "DIAPASION" terminal strip 4th relay slider from the front, works on the lower. FLUTES second slider from the rear works the upper.
3. I stripped out the drawers of discreet components by cutting each wire that went into the wiring harness, at the drawer end so as to conserve the wire. The end that goes into the rear of the terminal strips from the drawers, I cut the whole cable at the end of the terminal strip I used these cables for wire to assemble the (included) cable plugs for the HWCE encoder.
4. The pedal cable can be wired as stated in the instructions. The swell shoes took some engineering, but use an off the shelf Pot and gear/track that are available from web sites. IF you male it this far, you should find the terminals from the PRESETS and wire them to a spare HWCE position on a encoder.
5. I found the View Sonic 23" touch screen on Tiger Direct for $249 .
Good Luck
Jim Manuel
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Re: Quick question from a MIDI dummy

PostFri Apr 06, 2018 7:31 pm

Yes, Jim, you know the organ I'm dealing with. Yours sounds identical in the keying department. Likely you had a tube generator organ due to the year, where mine is circa 1967, and was discrete transistor. I'm not inexperienced with these, since I used to work part-time for Gillette Organ Service in northern NJ way back then and have experience with all of these, tubes and transistors. I had some of the same ideas. I planned to go the zip tie route to 'activate' the relays that pull the plastic strips to 'bend' the key contacts closer to the 'wiper' bars that do the keying. I plan to start wiring next week and have some ideas to try. One thought I had was to just take the magnet wires at the key contact, cut them leaving a 'stub', sand the varnish off and solder a new wire to them at that point to go to the HWCE2. I need to look at things a little closer to decide. Thanks very much for your reply, and the ideas you shared. You give me encouragement that it can be done!

Ray
Ray

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