Theatre Pipe Organ

[Septieme]

Are there any other theatre organ enthusiasts lurking in these hallowed halls? Tell us about some of these great instruments in your area

Just joined, and don't know the ropes. I'm a theatre organ buff, a working organist/choirmaster, too. 3/18+? Barton in Greensboro NC. Looking to get Hauptwerk so I can have a "virtual" WurliTzer.

[marval]

Hello Septieme

Welcome to the forum, you have come to the right place to discuss organs/music.


Margaret

[jhnbrbr]

Welcome to the forum Septieme! It's a great place for organ enthusiasts (and for much more), and there are members here with lots of experience of virtual organs (and others like me who've dabbled a bit). Looking forward to hearing more from you.

John

[Septieme]

Thanks marval & jhnbrbr. This seems to be the right place to be once I find out how things work here.

[Krummhorn]

Just joined, and don't know the ropes. I'm a theatre organ buff, a working organist/choirmaster, too. 3/18+? Barton in Greensboro NC. Looking to get Hauptwerk so I can have a "virtual" WurliTzer.

Welcome aboard, Septieme

Looking forward to seeing you about the forums here.

III/18 is a nice size for an ample theatre organ ... I've heard some Barton's and even some Robert Morton's who were about the same size.

Here in Arizona, about 110 miles from where I live, is Organ Stop Pizza, home of a IV/79 Wurlitzer. Under the mastery of Charlie Balogh and Lew Williams, this instrument sings joyfully to a full house every night. I go there at least 3 times a year and get there when it opens and stay until closing.

[wljmrbill]

welcome septieme: There is section on vitual( electronic) organs here also I have Hauptwerk installed and find it quite satisfactory... I started with free edition and one midi keyboard I already had..only bought an usb midi interface form ebay online and I have one manual playing.... now have to proceed to adding another (maybe 2) manuals and pedal board.....but for now have a very good sounding organ ( couple choir and swell to great so have a real full sound for one manual organ.) Good Luck
Bill

[greatcyber]

Greetings Septieme,

Hauptwerk is a nice program if you can afford the program as well as the samples from various vendors. Have you taken a look at the Miditzer (free) program at http://virtualorgan.com? The 216 is free and the 260 requests a $100 donation to help theater organ restoration societies. It is a 4 manual organ with great sounds. You can use the organ for free for 30 days to try it out. There are also loads of songs you can download to listen to and watch your "player theater organ" on screen. Their forums are very user friendly.

Welcome to MIMF.

[AllanP]

Greetings Septieme,
Welcome to the forum. There are a few theatre organ fanatics here, I am one. I play both classics and popular music on my Wurlitzer. Note how I slipped in that I have a "real" which I love to play.

[Thimae]

Greetings everyone,
Although I'm more into the "classical" stuff, I really love sound of the theatre organ. It was in fact the IV/15 Wurlitzer at the Musikinstrumenten-Museum Berlin that started my passion for all things pipe organ.

[wljmrbill]

There is also some great audio files.
http://www.theatreorgans.com/souther...m/USAfiles.htm

[greatcyber]

Thanks for that link. Mummy will love it (me, 2).

Here's another: http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/home/browse

[wljmrbill]

Thanks Stephen.. It is a great site with a wide variety of composers, periods . and posters....recognise some from youtube.

[greatcyber]

You're very welcome. I like to start out my days by listening to the newest posts there.

I am happy to report that I finally got my Miditzer programme working with my digital keyboards and the behringer foot controller. Since I haven't yet gotten my real organ "midified" I use an emu 2 octave keyboard controller for pistons/couplers and also to play the pedals. The foot controller now controls the swells and I set up the mod wheel on one of the 3 keyboards to control the crescendo. Since all of that is actually working AND I just today changed the settings in my m-audio delta 1010lt card to output to channels 3/4, I have in essence gotten 5.1 speaker output working when I play. Now I will go and find an inexpensive surround sound system to attach to the digital breakout cables for even more realism and chambers.

There is a Ron Resleigh concert that comes with the download of miditzer and he plays the wurly for 30 minutes. My poor neighbors...I play this over and over again. But it is a lot of fun to finally be able to play the wurly. I'm now tweaking the 260 3 manual to work with GSO for even more incredible sound. I'll start modifying the Hammond to accommodate these programmes in short order.

Finally, some "ME" time after working on projects for others for that past 6 months.

[oliver]

New to the forum and was searching for any opinions but found none. Any comments, input from members would be greatly appreciated. (www.virtualorgan.com) Regards, oliver

[Contratrombone64]

I love theatre organs, they're just so bizarre. And as to any church organists who look down their noses at theatre organs ... BAH to you!!