Beyond Hauptwerk Organ Sounds

All:
I think I saw somewhere on the Hauptwerk Forum, or somewhere else Hauptwerk realated, that sounds other than pipe organ sounds were available using the Hauptwerk software. Hauptwerk requires a high performance computer with extensive polyphony to allow multi-voices to be played.
Are there any web sites that offer orchestral strings, voices or high end synthetic sounds that can be played on Hauptwerk software ?
I'm looking for some of those high-end lush synthetic string or orchestral/choir voice sounds that I can play using Hauptwerk software ? Ant help would be appreciated.

If the question is whether there is an orchestral sample set available for Hauptwerk: I would say this is possible, and I think it would be awesome, but sadly I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist (aside from some experiments in that direction). Hauptwerk has some very advanced features that would make that kind of sample set amazing, but I think it would require someone from the established players in that field to use their samples and expertise to make it, and they are generally already invested in other software.

If you're interested in software that can be played along side Hauptwerk, some do exist, and there has been generous mention of others who have used them for an orchestral trumpet, for instance. A similar question has been raised on the Organ Forum: https://organforum.com/forums/forum/organ-building-repair-restoration/virtual-organs/33909-can-one-play-organ-sample-sets-and-instrumental-samples-simultaneously-with-hauptwerk). Be warned though that setting up your computer to run both Hauptwerk and another program such as this can be quite complicated. As the above source mentions, others have connected a Midi module that has orchestral sounds to get the same thing, and that solution has its pros and cons, and also can be tricky to set up properly.

Larason said:
If the question is whether there is an orchestral sample set available for Hauptwerk: I would say this is possible, and I think it would be awesome, but sadly I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist

Hello Larason:
I'm confused, in one breath you say it is possible, but in another breath your'e sure it doesn't exist.

I'm pretty sure I saw the mention of String/Voice sounds that could be played on Hauptwerk, especialy since Hauptwerk had such a high polyphony capability.

"Possible to do but hasn't been done" isn't a contradiction. There aren't Hauptwerk samplesets for orchestral instruments, so they aren't available.

There are a lot of separate software and hardware MIDI sound generators that could be used alongside HW. You could duplicate the MIDI from your console (using hardware or software) to control both HW and an orchestra module running simultaneously, or put a DAW in front of both as VST hosts, or maybe use MIDI direct from HW to control a separate module.

None of that easy to do without researching a lot of details to do the design. You've previously expressed that you're not that interested in learning about computers, so I wouldn't suggest it for you without professional help.

I was only interested in finding out if there was a Hauptwerk download of lush string sounds, choir voices, etc. that could be played from my Hauptwerk console. I agree that there are a lot of separate software and hardware MIDI sound generators that could be used alongside HW. I used to have an Ensoniq ASR10 prior to getting Hauptwerk that offered many string/choir sample sets but it had little polyphony ( 32).

This may or may not be relevant to your question, but I have the Paramount 341 Theatre Organ installed and it has the capability to send Midi OUT on each keyboard and the pedalboard. I have a Roland Sound Canvas SC-88 installed and am able to play one of the Roland's 600+ sounds on each keyboard at the push of a tab. These are typical (General Midi) synthesizer sounds, but some decent strings and brass. I'm sure other Midi sound modules could work in the same way.I assume some other Hauptwerk organs have Midi OUT capability.

Happy to provide more info if you are interested.

It looks like you can make any Hauptwerk organ send MIDI note on/off to an external sound generator when a specific stop is turned on in the sampleset. I think this replaces the stop with the external MIDI sound. See page 196 of the user guide.

You'd still have to press buttons on the sound generator to pick the orchestral sounds in this setup, or have HW send a patch as on page 197 if that works with your sound module.

I haven't tested this -- gave away my last sound module.

[mdyde]

It looks like you can make any Hauptwerk organ send MIDI note on/off to an external sound generator when a specific stop is turned on in the sampleset. I think this replaces the stop with the external MIDI sound. See page 196 of the user guide.

If you configure MIDI output directly from a virtual rank in that way then the MIDI output would play whenever the virtual rank would, but it doesn't automatically mute the virtual rank. However, you could potentially set the rank not to be loaded (via "Organ | Load organ, adjusting rank audio/memory options"), and thus be constantly muted.