Greetings from Atlanta! Any recommendations?

Apprentice

New member
I am very interested in learning to play the organ, in particular sacred music. I am a classical pianist and would like to purchase a good starter instrument. Any recommendations? Do you have to spend over $3000 or more USD for a decent instrument? I saw a used B3 for $3900. :eek:
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
hey apprentice - you'll not get a decent digital pipe organ for under $15K I'm afraid. However, one CAN improvise. Beware that "hammond" style organs don't necessarily come with full pedal board (30 notes or more), this can be an issue.

Good on you for playing the pipe organ, it's wonderful. See your local church and see if there's a pipe organ you might be able to engratiate yourself with the clergy and get practice time. Pierced nose isn't good when hunting down prospective pipe organs. the more conservative you look the better your chances as not being deemed "feral" and, hence, denied access ...!!
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Hello Apprentice :wave:

Welcome to MIMF.
Hey, great that you desire to further your keyboard skills in learning to play the organ. I can only echo the great advice given by CT64 in the post above.

You might consider also getting a tutor for the organ ... there are too many pitfalls that a beginner can fall into without knowing what is happening. The tutor knows these pitfalls and can really help the new student during the first years of study. I took 6 years of private piano lessons and another 8 years of private & college organ study, and all during those 14 cummulative years, I practiced, practiced and then practice some more ... about 3 hours minimal each and every day. It was a pain then, but looking back on it now, it was well worth all my efforts.

There is a book by John Stainer, Complete Organ Method that I would highly recommend. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg like the Gleason Method of Organ Playing, and the end results will be comparable.

Cheap organs ... under $3k? Be careful about what you are looking at. You are going to need a full 32 note concave pedalboard, and at least two identical 61 note manuals. It doesn't really matter what the sound is like as one never practices the sounds ... no, we practice the notes - the playing of the notes - the repetition of playing all the notes - never mind (for now) how the organ sounds or looks like.

Keep up posted on your progress ... and ask away any questions you have along your journey.
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Aloha Apprentice,

Welcome aboard! Please do make yourself feel right at home and stay for a spell. I can only humbly echo my highly esteemed colleague Master Krummhorn. Exercise caution when looking at used instruments - sometimes one can find a sweetheart of a bargain.

Cheerio,

Corno Dolce :):):)
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
There is a book by John Stainer, Complete Organ Method that I would highly recommend. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg like the Gleason Method of Organ Playing, and the end results will be comparable.

I think, as the Stainer is out of copyright (well and truely) I'm going to scan it and supply it as a PDF. I have an ancient edition that's perfectly suitable for the job (reprints ARE in copyright, at least the typesetting, not the notes).
 

Apprentice

New member
Thank you for all the very kind and helpful advice. I agree I'll need to find a tutor soon, in the meantime for good preparation I am listening as much as I can and will be reading and studying. Hopefully then I will not be too clumsy when I undergo my first lesson. And yes of course trying to imagine playing a few octaves with my feet!
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
Apprentice - take a look at the top (I think) thread in the Pipe Organ forum here. I've prepared some Bach (from the "little organ book"). Some of it is just about playable, most requires considerable skill. BWV 619 is quite playable.
 

Apprentice

New member
That is absolutely wonderful. My first piece, BWV 619! I like the scale in the pedals and it will be fun to do.

We will see how many days it will take until I can master BWV 639.

Thank you again for the warm welcome and the generosity.
 

Apprentice

New member
Just wanted to share this link with recordings of Bach - Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599-644:

Bach - Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599-644

http://pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=98

The organist is Chris Breemer from the Netherlands. At the bottom is a .pdf containing the sheetmusic, however I have yet to be able to open it, so I was glad to find the music here.

Thanks again.
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Aloha Apprentice,

Have you downloaded the latest .pdf reader from Acrobat? Its free - just Google it.

Cheerio,

Corno Dolce :):):)
 

Contratrombone64

Admiral of Fugues
That is absolutely wonderful. My first piece, BWV 619! I like the scale in the pedals and it will be fun to do.

We will see how many days it will take until I can master BWV 639.

Thank you again for the warm welcome and the generosity.

You are welcome ... just remember this: J.S. Bach wrote the little organ book as a teaching method (primarily for one of his sons). So it's a teaching aid in ensuring new organists develop independence of feet and hands.
 
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