• 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

Questions from a new organist

BethWagner

New member
Hello everyone! I started playing the organ a few weeks back and have loved every minute of it! I have an amazing teacher (I'm pretty sure there isn't a better one in the city!) and we have two lessons a week, as time permits. I'd like to know (from some of the older organists, and ones just starting, too!) what the hardest thing was for you while learning the organ. I would say that for me it is the adjustment of depressing notes with 2-3 fingers and playing with the remaining fingers. Also, what sage advice could you give that you wish someone would have given you just starting out? Thanks so much!
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
My hardest challenge was the pedals initially, very difficult for my brain to fine tune the movement of two hands and two feet. I played a lot of hymns playing the bass part on the pedals (of course) the tenor on the left hand and the soprano and alto on the right hand.

Now, my brain is much more diverse at being multifunctional, advice for you: stick with it, it'll be worth all the teeth gringing and pain in the long run.
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
I am in accord with CT64's suggestions - Stick with it - Its worth every penny - And then some........
 

wljmrbill

Member
Welcome the forums. For me I guess the connecting,lagato touch an moving the fingers around to acheive such.. as I came with a heavy background in piano.now I can go back and forth between instruments without a problem.
 

methodistgirl

New member
The first time I played a pipe organ, I had to be shown
how to use different stops to get a different sound.
I was impressed and loved it. The one I played on was
not as big as some of those in pictures. The one at
my church had 47 ranks on it and I didn't really want to use
all of them. Just enough that I knew I wasn't playing
some Hammond organ. It played like a dream. The only
problem, I had to give myself lessons.
judy tooley
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
By the time I began organ lessons, I had completed 6 years of piano study. My first hurdle was learning the pedalboard ... although I was allowed to "peek" at my feet every once in awhile, for the most part during lessons and in my practice time at home, my teacher really stressed learning the pedals "by feel".

David (Contratrombone64) brings up a good point ... trying to not double the bass part in the manuals. Takes lots of patience and hours upon hours of practicing.

Sounds like you are enjoying the learning process, and I hope you will continue to enjoy the fulfillment of playing that the rest of us "older" generation organist have.
 
My first diffuculty was to synchronize the hands with the feet.
Though, i got used to it quite fast. Other than that, generally the organ technique,and the fact that it is completely different compared to piano (which i was used to playing).
Something which still is pretty chalenging for me is Prima Vistas in pieces that have a pedal line.
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Hi Beth ! welcome to the forums !
By the time I started pipe organ lessons I was an accomplished pianist, just finished the Hellenic Odeon-piano class. So fingers wasn't a problem at all. I could play 5 voice fugues ect. Pedals, for some unexplaned reason, was smooth and easy, but playin' solo with them (slow to fast 64notes)....:) :).
Also I found I had an ability right from the start playin right hand and both feet easy enough and ......the problem apeared when I tried adding the LEFT HAND !
Synchronizing left hand - left foot was the hardest.
I explained that as in piano first bass note first beat was almost allways with left small finger - giving rythm and on organ this had to play it with left foot....what a mess.... my British teacher was loughing enjoyably...I was giving her a happy hour.
This was good for me 'cause she, with her loughing, kept me on.
Another thing was my infinite love of the King of all Instruments. I wasn't thinking of giving up...ever.

I never surrender. In whatever situation. So keep up the good work with the organ.
Don't let any difficulty draw you back...ever ! You're gonna win unspeakable pleasures for your body and soul.

Cheers
Panos
 

BethWagner

New member
Thanks so much, guys! It looks like the biggest challenge of the pedals is yet to come. Although I've had almost six years of self-taught piano, I'm reaping the benefits of not learning timing properly and ignoring the fingering. How long did it take before playing with hands and feet came easily for you? I started the pedals about a week ago and am working on basic things--my teacher thought it best to start them right away.
I'm trying to perservere with practice, but technical exersizes get quite annoying! Have any of you ever played (or do you know of an online recording) of "Sanctify us with Thy Goodness" by Bach?
 

greatcyber

New member
Learning/Playing the Organ

Firstly, I'd like to also welcome you to the forum (you'll simply LOVE it here) and echo what everyone above has stated.

For me, the most challenging thing was with sight-reading. Since I never really kept at it over the past 30 plus years, when the notes are off the clef, be it very high or very low notes, I really struggle to figure out which notes they are. In a strange way, tho, many times my fingers just "go" to the keys and they happen to be the correct ones in many cases. Luckily, I have a good ear and can usually tell if I am off the mark.

I hope that you enjoy your experience with the wonderful organ and that by reading some of these others' problems you don't subconsciously have some of the same problems. I have a feeling that you will do very well and find as much enjoyment as other organists have. We do tend to "get lost" in our own world whilst playing.

piano-man-1.gif
Code:
[URL="http://www.thesmilies.com"][IMG]http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/musical/keyboard.gif[/IMG][/URL]
piano-man-1-0255
piano-man-1.gif
image
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
.............Something which still is pretty chalenging for me is Prima Vistas in pieces that have a pedal line.

Nick I'll add something to this : Prima vistas of bux (and some others) works with three keys : Sol/Do/Fa......Luckilly Bux use the 3 of them mostly on Chorale works with slower tempo...imagine what happens if they appear in a fast Praelude (& Fugue)!!!!!:nut::whistle:
Have a try:grin:

Cheers
Panos:crazy:
 

rmaryman

New member
the BEST advice I got as a young (9 year-old beginner) was to USE YOUR EARS! the technical things take time to acquire (some faster than others). Learn pieces s-l-o-w-l-y and don't be worried about being perfect quickly...and learn to memorize while you're younger...it's a skill you will be glad you developed. it's great to have a good teacher, one that will steer you around the many pitfalls that lie in wait for all learning organists. and MOST of all.....HAVE FUN!!!

Rick in VA
 

jvhldb

New member
After playing chord organ for 20+ years (self taught) I decided to take lessons. 3 Years later I'm still in trouble at every lesson because of my fingering (why can't I use any finger to press a key, as long is it is the right key?:p) and my tempo is all over the place. The pedals were easy as well as holding 2/3 notes and playing the other notes with the remaining fingers.

My bigest problem is playing staccato, it feels completely "wrong" and then there is the problem of playing something written for the right hand (say alto line) with the left hand or swapping the left and right hand.

Maybe I shouldn't have waited until age 37 before starting music lessons!:grin:
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
After playing chord organ for 20+ years (self taught) I decided to take lessons. 3 Years later I'm still in trouble at every lesson because of my fingering (why can't I use any finger to press a key, as long is it is the right key?:p) and my tempo is all over the place. The pedals were easy as well as holding 2/3 notes and playing the other notes with the remaining fingers.

My bigest problem is playing staccato, it feels completely "wrong" and then there is the problem of playing something written for the right hand (say alto line) with the left hand or swapping the left and right hand.

Maybe I shouldn't have waited until age 37 before starting music lessons!:grin:

Sounds like you're doin' a great job Johan. No matter the age is the will that counts and you have a great amount of !:)
We 'll talk on this again in one year from now and I'm sure the things will be completely different :eek:

Panos:cool:
 

BethWagner

New member
I have exactly the same fingering problem, jvhldb. I asked my teacher, "Why can't you teach all your fingers to totally dexterous and be able to play any key you want instead of laboriously memorizing fingering?!" I am really glad, though, that I'm getting down good habits while first starting out and not getting a teacher five years into it when I've learned wrong techniques. One thing that feels completely weird is crossing the third finger over the top of the forth. I still haven't figured out why that is necessary.
 

jvhldb

New member
I think my teacher is drinking tranqualisers by the handful. She has the inenviable job of breaking 20 years of bad habbits.
 
Nick I'll add something to this : Prima vistas of bux (and some others) works with three keys : Sol/Do/Fa......Luckilly Bux use the 3 of them mostly on Chorale works with slower tempo...imagine what happens if they appear in a fast Praelude (& Fugue)!!!!!:nut::whistle:
Have a try:grin:

Cheers
Panos:crazy:

Hehe!
Complete comfusion :S :S :S
My brain would probably start burning fuses :p :p
But, I will give it a shot just out of curiosity.

Regards,
Nick
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Hehe!
Complete comfusion :S :S :S
My brain would probably start burning fuses :p :p
But, I will give it a shot just out of curiosity.

Regards,
Nick

On the other hand it's a matter of "use to it"....and how often one involves with.
The first time I encountered such a confusion I went in full...body through the first 5 bars until stoped my feet in F key to see what's goin' on on my left hand in C key....:grin:

Cheers
Panos
 

AllanP

New member
After playing chord organ for 20+ years (self taught) I decided to take lessons. 3 Years later I'm still in trouble at every lesson because of my fingering (why can't I use any finger to press a key, as long is it is the right key?:p) and my tempo is all over the place.

I started playing the organ when in my 30's as well. A couple of comments
1. Rhythm has been very hard for me - however getting rhythm and spacing between notes correct is the biggest help in making the music interesting
2. Using the right fingers helps the musical flow from note to note.
3. The pedal line tends to create the rhythm and flow of the music.

The three issues have been the hardest for me. Getting it right really, really makes the music sound good and is its own reward.

Allan
 
Top