• Welcome to the Pipe Organ Forum! This is a part of the open community Magle International Music Forums focused on pipe organs (also known as "church organs"), organists, organ music and related topics.

    This forum is intended to be a friendly place where technically advanced organists and beginners (or even non-organists) can feel comfortable having discussions and asking questions. We learn by reading and asking questions, and it is hoped that the beginners (or non-organists) will feel free to ask even the simplest questions, and that the more advanced organists will patiently answer these questions. On the other hand, we encourage complex, technical discussions of technique, music, organ-building, etc. The opinions and observations of a diverse group of people from around the world should prove to be interesting and stimulating to all of us.

    As pipe organ discussions can sometimes become lively, it should be pointed out that this is an open forum. Statements made here are the opinion of the poster, and not necessarily that of the forum itself, its administrator, or its moderators.

    In order to post a new topic - or reply to existing ones - you may join and become a member by clicking on Register New User. It's completely free and only requires a working email address (in order to confirm your registration - it will never be given away!). We strive to make this a friendly and informative forum for anyone interested in pipe organs and organ music.

    (Note: If you wish to link to and promote your own website please read this thread first.)

    Many kind regards
    smile.gif

    Frederik Magle
    Administrator

    Krummhorn
    Co-Administrator

This sounds good, how can I start?

mr_bjb

New member
I would love to learn to play the organ, but I have never played one before. I can play the piano, but I do not have an organ of my own. What can I do?

Thank you for your help
mr_bjb :confused:
 
Last edited:

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Hello mr_bjb,

For starters, the only similarity to piano and the organ are the keys and how they are arranged. The playing techniques are quite different - not to mention the different sounds available on an organ, and of course, the extra keyboard (pedalboard) for the feet to play as well.

The only way to learn to play the organ is to play on one. There is, imho, a wonderful publication: The Method of Organ Playing written by Harold Gleason that can be of great help to a beginner learning to play the organ. I to have to add here, that the current (8th edition) new book is rather pricey ... there could be less expensive (older editions) ones on sites such as ebay or amazon. I still have mine (1949, 4th edition) and still find it a valuable resource.

Perhaps there is a music store or religious institution at where you can arrange for practice time at. Have you sought out an organ teacher? Some universities or colleges have organ departments and might offer some courses in this, too.

How long have you played the piano? Have you studied piano (taken lessons) or are you self taught?

Hope this helps a little. I wish you all the best in your quest for learning more about the King of Instruments.

Kh
 

mr_bjb

New member
Thank you for your help. I do have piano lessons and have been learning for about five years

Thank you

Mr_bjb
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
yeah - just do it - as to owning one, very few people own their own pipe organs (reasons are pretty obvious) and most who do own home pipe organs get very tired of the limited amount of stops pretty quickly.

Your local church might have a pipe organ ... always good to go meet the clergy and see if you can practise on it
 

Soubasse

New member
Well, good to meet some clergy perhaps!:grin: Always be keen but when approaching churches, try not to come across as too green. Some of the more, shall we say "precious" institutions tend to take you for a bit of a ride if they know you're even the slightest bit desperate to play an instrument. Many will charge a fee where there is no need and you even sometimes come across churches where the organist won't let anyone else play "their" instrument (and it's usually a crap instrument not worth it anyway ... god if ever end up like that, someone shoot me!!)

As for practice instruments, well you can pick up all sorts of older electronic church organs for a reasonable sum (if you have a reasonable sum to start with), with the correct disposition of manuals and pedals for serious repertoire practice (hell, even Gillian Weir used to have an electronic in her house to practice on).

As for primers, my first teacher gave me many, many pages from C.H. Trevor's The Oxford Organ Method which was quite well graded. There's also Playing the Organ by .... damn, who was that - was it Stainer?

You can often pick up some nicely graded volumes second-hand. Where do you live bjb?
 

Sylvie Pacey

New member
Mr bjb You don't say where you are, but if it is in England I know of an electronic organ (It is large and fairly cumbersome) which my local church has to dispose of. It has two manuals and a pedalboard and would be a fine instrument to prepare you for playing a pipe organ. I used to play it myself for weddings and funerals. I'm sure it shouldn't be expensive, so if you are interested contact
the vicar of St. Francis Church, at the Vicarage, Saxon Green, Bridgwater, Somerset. Sylvie (Remember to play Legato for the organ...it is not a percussive instrument like the piano) Good Luck.
 
Top