jOrgan query

[greatcyber]

Hi Mark,

I have the same sf2 file. I don't remember how or where I got it but I think you need the soundfont archive programme to extract it. Check out this page: http://www.personalcopy.com/sfarkfonts1.htm

There are loads of soundfonts avilable free of charge online.

Apparently the .ea* extension refers to creative hardware as seen here: http://www.jacobsm.com/mjmidi.htm

Gothic pipe organ here: http://soundfonts.homemusician.net/organ_soundfonts/gothic_pipe_organ.html

A good SF2 link: http://www.peaceloveproductions.com/freesoundfonts.html

and this one: http://www.minostudio.com/blog/2009/06/excelent-free-soundfonts/

Stefans Cathedral soundfont and other organs are here: http://www.hammersound.com/cgi-bin/...ory&category=Organ&ListStart=15&ListLength=15

Also check out my collection (all were free) and google to find them by name. You'll probably really like the papalmedia ones.

John_Beach_PipeOrganSoundfont.sf2
SF Patcher
Sound Packager
stefans_cathedral_pipe_organ.sf2
tg_pipeorgan2.sf2
WST2FStein_00Sep22.sf2 (steinway)
sfark_setup.exe
SFPack-Setup-exe
Allman_SymphIV-4CHj.sf2
animals.sf2
Blanchet-1720 (harpsichord)
CarillondeGand.sf2
churchorgan2xi.sf2
cinema_organ_c102.sf2
corg_c111.sf2
corg_w111.sf2
CT2MGM.sf2
CT4MGM.sf2
eorg104.sf2
Fazioli Grand Piano v1.3.sf2
gothorgan.sf2
jeuxdorgues1.sf2
jeuxdorgues21.sf2
jr_church.sf2
kurzweil full organ.sf2
Matni Organs.sf2
mideorg042SP.sf2
miditzer260.sf2
miditzer.sf2
open_diampason_pipe_organ.sf2
papalmedia_ahh-choir.sf2
papalmedia_irina-brochin.sf2
ppe organ flutes a to z.sf2
pipe organ principals a to z.sf2
pipe organ reeds a to z.sf2
pipe organ strings a to z.sf2
pipe_org.sf2
pipeorgan.sf2
SaxBJhrJj.sf2
Splendid_72M.sf2
Stefans Cathedral Pipe Organ.sf2
Steinway Grand Piano 1.2.sf2
Symph IV Alt Ranks.sf2
Synthgms.sf2
theattrorg.sf2
USF_RM_Violin57.sf2
Vox_Metamorphosis(2).sf2
WST25Stein_00Sep22.sf2
wurlitzer.sf2

 

[Mark B]

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for that! Sorry for having taken so long to reply but I got carried away checking out the links you provided!!

I have a number of instruments you listed. My difficulty is how to configure jOrgan to the sf2 fonts since I would need to pair each up with an appropriate skin particularly in the case of an organ sf2. I am using sfz-sf2 player for instruments like pianos, harpsichords etc as these have no stops like organs so a skin is not required in almost all cases. Organs not only have various stops but they vary in the number of manuals they have, besides the pedalboard.

Any guidance on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

Mark

 

[greatcyber]

Hi Mark,

You are correct that some degree of work is involved in "constructing" an organ to include the stops but there are 2 very simple and basic programmes you can use with SF2 files that do not involve the use of skins. They don't look like much on the screen except perhaps like an MS table with boxes that you tick to enable the different sounds. You can't use every stop at the same time, but you can use about 20 or so per manual. The programmes are called organtool.exe and organizer.exe and don't have to be installed, either. Simply copy them to a root directory and insert any soundfont and play about with them. Here's the link: http://www.organtool.nl
See if you find these helpful and let us know.

Here's a screen shot of both proggies:
This is a screenshot of Organizer:

and this is a screenshot of OrganTool:

 

[greatcyber]

I wasn't sure if this site was mentioned anywhere else but it is well worth perusing: http://www.sonusparadisi.cz/organs.0.asp.

I also realized that you can export organ definitions from the above programmes to jOrgan. This should get you going in a more appropriate direction.

 

[Mark B]

Thanks Stephen.

I still have to look into these programs. I am not at home at the present time but I did not want you to wait too long for my response.

Am I correct in saying that these programs seem to be alternatives to jOrgan? Or does one still need jOrgan? Please excuse my ignorance in this field. I am very new to all this and considering that I have successfully built an organ at home, one that I can play using jOrgan / GrandOrgue etc is a massive achievement that took place over the past 9 months. So I still consider myself at the early stages of the learning curve.

I have just taken a look at the organtool website. I do not have a soundblaster card but I note that a disposition file can be created for jOrgan using organizer. That is Great! I think these two programs should help solve my difficulties very nicely. I will report back once I had time to experiment. This week I shall be very busy, so just keep an eye on this space.

Regards
Mark

 

[greatcyber]

Hey Mark,

Yes, the one programme is for Soundblaster, but you may be able to work around that by using Fluidsynth. I haven't tried. but you are correct that you can create a disposition file to use with jOrgan.

Before I got all of the other software organs, I had found that site (I think a referral from organ-man.com when I was searching for virtual organs) and since I didn't understand squat about any of these softwares, it was an easy way to get started. Of course, you can get a usb creative card (even used on Craig's List or Ebay) for not very much money...I have an X-fi that was under $100 new (and I don't even use it now).

Keep us informed and that way if you need more help we can all perhaps find other forums that have work arounds. Be forewarned...you'd better like to read A LOT. But the pay off is well worth it.

Cheers.

 

[greatcyber]

I think I'm about ready to take the plunge and fork over some dough for the Advanced Hauptwerk. Now that I have successfully gotten about 8 different sample sets to work on my newly built music computer I really like the sounds quite a bit. I'm looking forward to having that triangle in the background go away; but I am amazed at the quality of sound and I haven't even added a decent audio system to it yet. I currently only use a pair of sound sticks with a small subwoofer and 2 other speakers attached to a crappy all-in-one stereo that I used to have on the porch in Florida (glad I didn't throw it away). And with playing around inside my Hammond, I got all of the pedals to work. Now if I could just get the great manual to work correctly (a few bad C notes) I could start with playing at a real console. But I never said that I was very patient.

I have taken all of the sample sets (wave files) and put them in one directory for jOrgan and MyOrgan and have started to "build" what would probably make a purist shudder, but I love having access to all of these sounds.

Have you also looked into Native Instruments? PM or email me (check my profile) and I can give you some more info.

 

[Mark B]

Hi, Just sent you a private message.

Mark

 

[LastCorpseStanding]

Greetings all. I had a conversation yesterday with Don Anderson from Phoenix Organs in Peterborough. The church I'm at is saddled with a Viscount DK800 that will need to be replaced in the next few years. I talked to Don about running Hauptwerk, and he mentioned that he runs a similar setup, but uses jOrgan to front his own samples. The real appeal of this type system to me is that it's free, and the church is going to be on a very limited budget. That, and a HW style setup is also expandable, and upgradeable. fHe mentioned that it boots far more quickly, and takes considerably less computer power than HW. Having never seen the jOrgan program running, I'm looking for feedback from users on their experiences - the good and the bad. Thanks.

 

[Analogicus]

I am an organ obsessive from way back, retired and currently 70 years of age. I learnt to play the organ as a late teenager, on a small tracker pipe organ in my local church. My university electrical engineering thesis was on developing an electronic organ to simulate pipe organ tone. I am very fussy about what constitutes satisfying organ sound, but I recognise that this is a highly subjective thing, and that there are people who are even fussier, along with those who will be satisfied only with pipes. I do have some experience with MyOrgan, and regard the sound as very good. It does, of course, depend on the quality of the samples. For me, the virtual organ, properly set up, is the future for home installations at least.
Now regarding jOrgan. I am well into it, and I regard it as the best thing since sliced bread. Its great attraction for me is that it makes such low demands on computer resources for what it delivers. I recently midified my old analogue electronic and am running jOrgan using a 1.6 GHz laptop with RAM of only 512 MB and its onboard sound system, the audio output going to some cheap powered speakers. A subwoofer is waiting to be added. In my case I am using 2 samples per octave (which I synthesized using the free Klangsynth program), but it could have been 12 samples per octave, had I made that choice and had I been prepared to spend more time on it. It could even have been recorded samples, but I wanted to demonstrate that totally satisfying organ samples can be made using a synthesizer program. I am fully satisfied with the results, and so are others who have heard/played it and passed on their comments.
jOrgan has many enthusiasts, and the program, in addition to being well-tried, is under constant development. And it's FREE!
The downside is that for the non-technical person, the process of getting to understand it is quite challenging and even daunting. But I have to say that it has been well worth it. Another downside for the very fussy, is that there is very little available in terms of high quality recorded samples. Perhaps that will change, but jOrgan enthusiasts are busy creating organs, and I expect continued progress to be made in what comes of all this. Mind you, HW1-type sample sets can certainly be incorporated into jOrgan designs quite easily, and the choice is up to you how many samples you use per octave.
Analogicus

 

[ggoode.sa]

Hi,
I would definitely recommend jOrgan for a Church with a small budget. It has the best MIDI options available in a virtual pipe organ program, and is easier to customize than the other VPO programs too. I am currently working with a Project in South Africa that helps low income churches whose older electronic organ consoles are now failing to MIDIfy their console and pop a computer in, running GrandOrgue controlled by jOrgan. I'm currently creating a website that will have more details, but I'd be very willing to share everything that I know with you for your project.
My philosophy is this: If you want a great sounding VPO at ultra low cost, use GrandOrgue/jOrgan. If you are able to spend money on the best, get Hauptwerk. I fully support Churches and individuals going the GrandOrgue/jOrgan route, and can even advise you on what sample sets might work best for you.
For the Project that I'm involved in, we run GrandOrgue and jOrgan in Puppy Linux, which means that we don't even have to pay for the Windows license. I'm very willing to help you set this up too.
GrahamG
Johannesburg, South Africa

 

[drwilx]

LastCorpseStanding,

Check out the ACO organ disposition here http://ftp.pwp.att.net/p/a/pastorstratman/

I have been using it for a long time and simply love it. All free so should fit your church's budget.

Regards,

Dennis

 

[LastCorpseStanding]

Graham and Dennis, thanks both for the info. I'm not the most technical person in the world, so I probably will still recommend having Phoenix supply and set up the system, and I have no problem using their samples. Once the system is in place, I suppose it would be little trouble to put a copy of GO on the system, and then download new samples. Don might even be willing to do the setup for us, for a fee of course.

Baby is crying so I have to go, but thanks for the feedback.

Steve