MIDI on an Allen Organ

[UCG Musician]

Does anyone have experience running an Allen MDS-50S (or any similar Allen organ) using MIDI? I have lots of MIDI experience with synthesizers, digital pianos, sound modules and even some soft synths using Sonar on a computer but this will be a new venture for me. My church is soon to have use of an Allen MDS-50S, which has a "Console Controller" that is supposed to be fully MIDI capable. There is also a synthesizer in the new hall that we are moving into and it could be used to drive the organ.

This may sound odd, but my church congregation is rather small and we have never owned a building. None of the halls we've rented has been a church and few of our members are likely to appreciate the use of the organ until they get used to it. All hymn accompaniment in the past has been with piano or synthesizer. As a result, I may need to be careful and start accompanying first with the piano, then with the synthesizer, then with the synthesizer driving the organ and finally on the organ itself.

Eventually, I'd like to use a computer to run the organ for choir acompaniment, as I do not normally have an accompanist at all, let alone someone who is able to play the organ.

[Krummhorn]

I'm a former Allen technician, but that was for the MOS and ADC series. I have known of situations where the MDS Allen was able to play other instruments ... I am not sure if it can work the other way around where other instruments can play the Allen via Midi.

Does this Allen have speakers? There are subtle ways to slowly introduce a new organ to the congregation ... basically stay clear of the big reeds and Great mixtures at first. No big heavy pedal stops either ... just gentle flues to begin with, then with a solo stop like the Hautbois or my favorite, the Krummhorn (hence my mo****r here).

[UCG Musician]

Thanks, Krumhorn. This instrument does have speakers and I think 44 ranks. There are lots of gentle stops (plus your favorite solo stop on the choir organ).

I had my first organ lesson Friday afternoon. It felt like going back to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star!" We're using the Gleason book as you recommeded. (The instructor was fine with that.) We got through many of the manual exercises, primarily covering articulation, and then started on pedals. It may be my teacher's particular means of explaining pedal technique but he instructed me to keep my knees and heels together but flare out my toes. Looking down, I cannot see the pedal board and he said that's as it should be; one needs to be able to play without looking at his feet. This was quite surprising to me. That will take a lot of getting used to.

Well, I could go on about this for some time but I'll leave it at that. The church with the pipe organ, where I am able to practice, gave me a key to the building and the sanctuary so I can practice quite as time allows. That will be one of the challenges, for sure!

[Krummhorn]

Hi UCG,

That pedal technique was the way I was initially taught too ... it does require one to use the touch and feel method, which is certainly good. To this day, I seldom look at my feet ... On Sunday mornings, I only turn on the pedalboard light for my choir who are completely fascinated with my pedaling and how smoothly I can transition from one note to the next.

I don't play knees together anymore though ... having migrated somewhat to the Stainer method ... I routinely cross in front of or behind the other foot for ease of playing.

I think it's great that you have a pipe organ at your disposal for practicing - that's most generous of that particular church.

[UCG Musician]

Well, I played my first service yesterday & used the organ a little. We have 6 hymns in a typical service. I did 3 on piano, 2 on synthesizer (one of which was set to an organ sound) & one on the organ. For the 2 on synthesizer I had the keyboard connected to the organ via MIDI & it worked pretty well. I switched voices from electric piano to organ, which sent different piston settings to the organ. I verified in advance that this would happen & no surprising sounds would result. So, technically the Allen organ was used for 3 hymns but the congregation only thought it was used on the last one!

For the last hymn, I picked a rousing number with 4 verses. I used a preset that had primarily flues on all three manuals but slightly fuller on the choir than the swell and fuller still on the great. So I did verse one on the swell, two on the chorus, three on the great and then added the pedal & melody coupler on verse four & played that on the great. It sounded like I knew what I was doing! No one complained about the use of the organ but ironically some said the one hymn I did on the synethesizer with an organ setting was too loud.

We had a small ensemble playing along. There were two flutes, a violin, a tenor sax & a baritone. On the final hymn another accompanist joined in on piano. Everyone is accustomed to the piano & ensemble, so this seemed to be a good way to work in the organ without making it the "center of attention" that might have bothered a few.

Before services I had a general setting that I liked & wanted to use for the final hymn but someone told me it was probably too loud. So I chose a softer setting. However, after I played the introduction, I could not hear myself during the first three verses, due to the volume of the piano & ensemble. I barely heard it on the fourth verse when the bass & melody couplers were added.

This first service was quite successful in that no one was turned off by the sound of the organ & it was introduced in small steps & never used entirely by itself. On the downside, the care I took to ensure that it was well received made it impossible for me to hear myself the first time I actually used it. Next time, I will bump up the settings & risk having it sound too loud for some of the members.

I am not scheduled to accompany hymns every week but the others who do will not play the organ. Consequently, I will be able to even when I am not scheduled. I will probably do so most services that I do not speak or lead hymns. (I give a small sermon about once every three months & lead hymns about once every six weeks.)

Comments on what I described & propose to do going forward are most welcome. Thank you!

UCG Musician

[Krummhorn]

Congratulations ...

From what you wrote above, I think you did a splendid job of introducing the different sounds of the organ to the congregation. Hearing one self is always problematic in some situations ... in my own church whenever we use a brass choir on the hymns, I can barely hear myself play ... but know that from where the people sit in the pews, the mix is balanced, so I just cope with it.

One could suggest that the other instruments tone it down just a bit perhaps.