It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 8:32 am


Stiff paper template on keys for quick registration changes

Playing or learning the organ, hints, tips and tricks, registrations, techniques, fingerings, ...
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

adri

Member

  • Posts: 1545
  • Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 6:33 am
  • Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Stiff paper template on keys for quick registration changes

PostThu Feb 28, 2019 8:34 am

I created a paper template, in MS Word, that allows strips of stiff paper to be placed over a keyboard you are not using (e.g. the 4th manual of a 3-manual organ, etc.), so that the 61 white keys can be programmed to correspond to your stops.

https://adriandegroot.smugmug.com/Dutch-Pipe-Organs/i-r8KBxhG/A

The image shows a quick prototype on regular paper; it should ideally be on stiffer paper, and if anyone is interested in the template that you can fill out at your own leisure, then send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you the WORD file; you can highlight the entire table and then copy it, so you can design as many as you like.

All you need: heavy paper, printer that can handle that, paper cutter or scissors. Easy right? The hardest part is filling out the stops, and programming the white keys.

I believe that in practice this is faster than using your touchscreen. Mine went kaput and I haven't replaced the yet; hard to find them here in Belgrade.

I will be making templates now for the following organs:
Ottobeuren
Kampen
Furtwangler Kaisersdom
Metz
others later

Since we would have each others' emails, we can send new templates we make ourselves to one another.

You can play around with the fonts and the design, but do not make the columns go wider than the keys; th columns are set at 0.9186 inches, or 2.3333... cm width.

It can be printed on A4 or American 8-1/2x11" paper.
Offline

sesquialtera

Member

  • Posts: 365
  • Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 12:25 pm
  • Location: france

Re: Stiff paper template on keys for quick registration chan

PostThu Feb 28, 2019 12:55 pm

Hello Adri(an)
Good idea !
I've tried your system some years ago.
Problem 1 : it is not easy to press a A key if you play a piece in Ab. There a king of warning in the brain that says : no, don't hit that key , it is bad !! :twisted:

Problem 2 : After some minutes, how can you remember if the stop is "on" or "off" : the keyboard key is not enlighted, or doesn't stay in the lower position. You've got to keep on eye on the screen to check ! :cry:

This is why I've made this : http://forum.hauptwerk.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=10855
But i don't use it anymore. I use the mouse ( lazy solution :oops: ) or the step sequencer, more easy !

but your idea is more simple and it's still a good idea if it's ok for you while you are playing !
Offline

adri

Member

  • Posts: 1545
  • Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2004 6:33 am
  • Location: Belgrade, Serbia

Re: Stiff paper template on keys for quick registration chan

PostThu Feb 28, 2019 5:37 pm

But the black keys will all be invisible, so that you only see the white keys and you have no idea which is which and they all just look a little bit like those very handy rocker tabs you have on some organs.

Anyway, real life practice will show whether there is any issue hitting a white key while in a black key playing mode.... :D

At any rate, this is an extremely low cost approach!

Your contraptions looked very ingenious I must say. You could also have placed two smaller MIDI keyboards vertically next to your keyboards and then have horizontal labels glued or taped onto the keys.

Return to Performance practice

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest