Festival Trumpet on Rodgers PD-Need to couple it-is there a way to override?

[Philip the organist]

Hi all!
I'm playing a recital on Sunday on a Rodgers pipe-augmented PDI organ from 1993. I don't have the model number, but it's two manuals, with a floating Positiv, and two ranks of pipes, if that helps ID. There is one 32 in the pedal, and lighted drawknobs, as well as MIDI on each division.

The question I have is about the Festival Trumpet. It is located in the Swell and is fantastic, really powerful, nice, and brassy. Evidently, to ensure its use as a solo reed, Rodgers has opted to keep it out of the Tutti, and to prevent you from sub/super-coupling it or coupling it to the Great. In theory it's a nice idea, BUT!

I AM 16 YEARS OLD, AND I'M FULLY CAPABLE OF DECIDING THAT I NEED A HUGE BOMBARDE-TYPE REED WHEN AND WHERE I WANT IT!! :D

I'm going crazy trying to register big French pieces with only the trompette and krummhorn on an already-feeble instrument. Is there a way I can over-ride the system and get the Festival Trumpet to couple to the Great?

Thank you for any help you can provide. I'm using the "LH-Full Swell with Festival Trumpet, RH-Full Great with swell coupled" trick on some really big chords but it's not entirely cutting it.

[Clarion]

The question I have is about the Festival Trumpet. It is located in the Swell and is fantastic, really powerful, nice, and brassy. Evidently, to ensure its use as a solo reed, Rodgers has opted to keep it out of the Tutti, and to prevent you from sub/super-coupling it or coupling it to the Great. In theory it's a nice idea, BUT!

Hi Philip!

There must be at least a couple other independently-tuned reeds on the SW that you can deploy simultaneously to breath a bit of extra life into the Festival Trumpets!

[Philip the organist]

Clarion, yes, there is a Trompette 8', Hautbois 8', Basson 16', and Clarion 4', but they are very lackluster and the Fourniture on the great is too huge and drowns out the Swell reeds. I NEED some sort of fiery French-ish sound...

[quantum]

The instrument has MIDI, so you could use an external sound source to give you the reeds you desire. I'm doing that with my Rodgers analogue practice instrument and jOrgan.

Do you have pistons labeled "Alt"? They are for an alternate mixture composition. Draw the Fourniture and press "Alt" and see if you like that sound better.

[Philip the organist]

Thanks quantum. Since it's not my home church and I don't have a ready-to-go sound module, the jOrgan fix would be a little too involved what with getting the back off for the audio connections, etc....

I will check tomorrow afternoon for the Alt pistons. I can't remember but I'll try that!

[Philip the organist]

Poked around during my practice slot today..it's an 885 and the MIDI/audio connexions are right under the key shelf. There is no ALT piston. In theory, I could make jOrgan work, if I could figure out the software!

Another good discovery was that the swell has 73-note chests (digitally speaking :rolleyes:) so I can use the sub/super couplers for a big sound up there with the Festival Trumpet. Problem more or less solved!
Thank you everyone.

[quantum]

Take a look here at some Rodgers owners manuals. The 885 isn't there but if you look at similar models, you will get a sense of the workings. You may have additional Voice Palette stops at your disposal!
http://www.lds.org/cm/display/0,17631,8549-1,00.html


I could help you out with jOrgan if your still thinking about that route. I find the ACO plays well along with my Rodgers, plus it has those big reeds you are looking for.
http://stratmaninstruments.comeze.co...canClassic.htm

There is even a C-C instrument available if you want more aggressive reeds, but the site seems to be down for maintenance at the moment.