Dear Brett and all,
This is very exciting. Congratulations on what must have been a mind-bendingly taxing task — and in usual Hauptwerk community fashion, everyone wants even more from you!
Brisbane City Hall has a fine 5-manual Willis orchestral organ, though the hall's acoustics do not do justice to the instrument. The hall is now closed for extensive structural works as the foundations are in seriously degraded condition (not due to the organ, let me make clear...) This is an interesting and informative article on the organ and its history:
http://www.ohta.org.au/organs/organs/Br ... nHall.htmlI wanted to comment on the aspect ratio and landscape/portrait issues discussed earlier in this thread. It seems quite obvious to me that larger draw-stop consoles are obvious candidates for twin-widescreen, portrait orientation displays. As with TV, the jump in image size (for wider aspect ratio material) when displayed full widescreen) is not trivial. Simple mathematics will show the considerable benefit.
I am very interested in this product:
http://www.cyclotouch.com.au/product_in ... 61f80e86e4Check out the video at the bottom of the page, which rather dramatically demonstrates the use of a hammer rather than the more typical finger(s) for control. Note the convenient integrated rotation fitting. Resolution is 1680 x 1050, meaning it can show all horizontal pixels for the 'portrait' 1024 x 1280. But look at the vertical resolution gain! Why not take advantage of this style of display for those stop-jamb arrangements that fall naturally into these proportions?
For software attempting to provide an immersive virtual organ experience, I consider it a straightforward conclusion to construct the twin-screen graphics to conform with the natural proportions of larger instruments. And for the really gigantic organs, like West Point, which await suitably intrepid samplers, I am sure they would tolerate a little discretionary re-organising of stop positions to allow for nicely sized and spaced on-screen drawstops.
I personally quite like the grouped rocker-tab style of coupler array, though basic-function coupler pistons are great and I think practically essential (again from my point of view). This (the thumb pistons) is what we have implemented in a very long-winded (and finally nearing completion) project build: a 4-manual console designed specifically for St. Luke's Church, Buranda, South Brisbane. I'll post some pictures when it is actually operational. Not too long now (I continually tell myself). I'm also extremely keen to see the release of the Salisbury 'dry' set. Life is good....
Cheers,
Stephen.