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Midi on Swell

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csw900

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Midi on Swell

PostMon Jul 01, 2019 1:30 pm

I have been looking at the St. Mary Le Bow, Tickell organ and have come across a "Midi on Swell" stop. The explanation in the writeups of this organ lack detail and are of no value in explaining what this stop does.

Is there anyone who has this HW organ and who can explain in detail what this stop does?

Does the result of using this stop get recorded in the organ's midi files? If so can someone please provide an example midi file where this stop is used.

Thank you
csw900
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IainStinson

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Re: Midi on Swell

PostMon Jul 01, 2019 2:08 pm

The Lavender Audio manual says
There is one unusual addition to the specification – MIDI on Swell. This was requested by the then organist, Alan Wilson, who is a noted composer and it allows a range of electronically produced sounds to be added as desired. Incidentally, this facility has been incorporated into the standard sample set, meaning that the Swell manual MIDI output from Hauptwerk can be switched on and off from within the sample set.

I would expect the midi in for the Swell to be send out on the same midi interface on which it was received when this stop is engaged. I would also expect the midi recording to record the stop on / off state.
(Although I have this excellent sample set I’m away from home at present, hence “expect”.)
Iain
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engrssc

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Re: Midi on Swell

PostMon Jul 01, 2019 5:03 pm

MDA's MasterWorks E.M. Skinner (Dry - only) sample set also has these "stops" (one for each manual) altho they are somewhat hidden. They function as David of Lavender Audio says to "allow a range of electronically produced sounds to be added as desired" (& controlled from the console's stop board.) I used the "feature" to add a Pianoteq Neat with those switches controlling MIDI output from each manual allows which manual "plays" the piano. 8)

Rgds,
Ed
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csw900

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Re: Midi on Swell

PostTue Jul 02, 2019 12:53 pm

Thanks Iain, I look forward to (hopefully) receiving a midi file which uses Midi on Swell on the SMB organ. In order to be most useful it will need to use some midi instruments other than piano, i.e. some midi program change messages will be needed to select the midi instruments. My email address is in " About" on my website.

At least it seems clear to me now that HW does nothing with the Midi on Swell stop other than muting the current swell sounds and making a through midi channel from the swell manual to the organ's output. You must connect a midi synth to the HW output in order to get any midi instrument sounds and find some way to input the midi program change events necessary to select the instruments.

In the mean time I have been looking at your website and have noted quite a lot of broken links, particularly the Bruce Miles website link is a real horror as some really nasty site has taken it over. Otherwise there is a lot of very interesting organ content.

Thanks Ed for the comment, Allen organs make a big feature of being able to play midi instruments.

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engrssc

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Re: Midi on Swell

PostTue Jul 02, 2019 1:10 pm

csw900 wrote:Thanks Ed for the comment, Allen organs make a big feature of being able to play midi instruments.


Another Allen feature on some models that I like is being to switch from a classical to a theatre organ instantly, even while playing (if that's what you want.) No loading time required.

Rgds,
Ed
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csw900

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Re: Midi on Swell

PostThu Aug 01, 2019 12:51 pm

Hi Iain

I assume you have now returned home and have your organ handy. I am still interested in exactly what "Midi on Swell" does and would like to know the facts rather than speculate. It's a very unusual stop for HW organs and may be rather difficult to use. Agnus_Dei dismissed it when I suggested he should try it out.

I am still "expecting" and would very much like to have a midi file recorded using this stop.

csw900

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