Rodgers 535.....

[Nullifier]

After a lot of years not playing anywhere, one evening I opened my big mouth at dinner with some of the staff of this moderately sized church with multible Sunday services where we attend now and stated that I would be glad to do an occasional piece for a prelude/postlude/offertory to help out and keep some of the pressure off the music department. This proposal was accepted but when I checked out the organ I was disappointed. The organ doesn't sound all that good.

This organ has midi inputs but no one uses them and I am not sure what midi box to look for to use with this instrument. I'll have to foot the bill for a midi box until someone there decides they like the additional sound.

Someone wired the organ into the sound system that has 8 speakers about 8x12 inches on EACH SIDE of the sanctuary and the organ sound level can be controlled by the main sound console upstairs as well as the swell pedal. The only real sense of sound volume is a monitor that is on the console top and one must use this to sense sound levels as the organ console also has internal speakers. There are NO separate organ speakers to sing out.

My questions are what type of midi box should I look for and how does one control that midi sound from the console??

Thanks,

AL

[tucsondave]

If you have access to a laptop computer I suggest trying J-organ (free) with one of the many classical organs available for it. (also free)
The down side is if you don't have a touch screen you have to use a mouse to select stops or pistons. Aside from the computer you would need a MIDI to USB interface cable ($40) and a stereo audio cable to connect to the organ's external inputs.
It's possible the 535's pistons send out program change. If that's the case some of them could be used to control presets on a virtual organ.
Most of the J-organ instruments have recorders built in and example tunes so you can listen to it without investing in a MIDI cable.

td

[jbird604]

That must be quite a disappointing situation, with the organ volume level under someone else's control, and sounding through speakers that you can't even hear!

[Nullifier]

That's not the whole story to this sound system mess. There is a Master pot I found on the console that control the sound level of the swell shoe as well. In addition, the console has a slider which varies the volume between the keyboards. I think it makes the great louder than the swell which explains why one of the organists always plays her right hand on the swell keyboard. I wish they would spend the same money they just spent on a grand piano to get a decent organ.

I'll have to download the jorgan program see what perks.

Thanks,

Al