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    Frederik Magle
    Administrator

    Krummhorn
    Co-Administrator

Midi

dll927

New member
I am still left wondering exactly what MIDI is and what it has to do wth organs. I take it that it's an electronic phenomenon and has little or nothing to do with pipe organs. Yet such entities as Allen and Rodgers mention it in specifications. Can somebody enlighten me about its purpose and use?
 

Dorsetmike

Member
Wiki has quite a comprehensive article on MIDI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI

Given the necessary electronic circuits and connections a keyboard can generate MIDI signals to control most instruments with a suitable interface.

The MIDI data can be saved to a computer file, which can be used a number of ways, it can be edited, used to print sheet music, imported into notation software, sent to a synthesizer, The virtual organ software like Hauptwerk and Grande Orgue use it, either generated from a MIDI keyboard or from a computer MIDI file.

I see no reason why a pipe organ could not be adapted to use a MIDI interface, in fact it has probably already been done.
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
There do exist MIDI capabilities on many of newer pipe organs being installed in my region.

The capability is also available to 'capture' what is being played at the console and saving it to a "mid" file so that later on it can be imported into a music notation software program and then printed as sheet music as Mike describes above.

I am biding my time at my own church where we are facing a complete rebuild of our pipe organ (as well as additional ranks) which will include a new console with "midi" capability. I do improvisations during the church service each week (some Lutherans do not like 'silence' during the service at all) as fill in times when needed. I hope to capture some of those improvs ...
 

Dorsetmike

Member
I use MIDI files to "play" Grande Orgue; I generate the MIDI files with Finalé notation software then I've found an app which allows me to edit the files, so I can change registrations and other functions anywhere they are needed.
 
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John Watt

Member
Yeah! The 1977 Roland electric piano I have has a MIDI plug at the back.
After that, Korg came out with "The Wave", a better system for linking instruments.
But The Wave seems to have washed up a long time ago, and MIDI is still around.

I'd be wary about musical instruments that need a computer link to make them work.
I'm seeing big synths at buy and sell shops that aren't selling for $10,
even if Van Halen used one for recordings, because they need computer links.
I only like to worry about the quality of the electricity I'm using, not my equipment.

This message was sent using the pure power of Niagara Falls,
the first commercial hydro generation in the world.
Stay tuned for new Niagara Falls news in a couple of months.
 
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