Regrettably both the Yamaha MDF-3 and Viscount RD-70 have been discontinued. The RD-70 has been supplanted by the RD-80, which is a module that also has audio. My guess is with the prevalence of software based sequencing, the market has shrunk to the point where units like this are not supportable. I had to procure an RD-70 for a current project and it took some doing to track one down.</p>
This is a shame, as these units were, to my knowledge, the only widely manufactured, discrete, stand-alone MIDI data recorders around. If anyone has knowledgeof a comparable unit from another manufacturer, I would like to hear about it.</p>
In retrospect, neither unit was completely perfect, but both did their jobs well. The MDF-3 was compact, had simple, intuitive controls, and a side-loading drive. The RD-70 was a half-rack mount unit with controls on the front. They shared a common medium for data files: 3.5" floppy disks.</p>
I believe some of the control system manufacturers have their own sequencer units in development with plans to utilize solid state storage media for data storage. </p>
maybe ebay would have one of those for sale? my organ tec got me a MDF3 used on ebay for 50 bucks about a year ago (or something like that). I only use it whenever a guest organist comes to record on the organ......I use it to record them..then play the organ back with no one around so all the extraneous noises of switching pistons/bench creaks etc don't record.
Another advantage of recording this way is that I can chat with the organist while they are playing ...they can yell at me to change a page etc while playing and it won't be recorded........and this way I get to keep a "live" copy of their performance for as long as the disk holds up!
Other than that I never use it...I use a laptop computer with Sibelius software to operate my home pipe organ 99.9999999999999% of the time, but that is only with MIDI files I download off the intraweb from various sources..........unfortunately I have never been able to figure out how to make it record what I was playing so I do rely on that old Yamaha unit for "live" playback of myself or other organists.
I believe you can use your laptop to record MIDI files by installing a free program called Cantabile12 Lite. (The full version costs $25, I think). I have both versions on my computer, and I just used the Lite version to make some MIDi files from a MIDI keyboard (my Audigy soundcard has a MIDI In port).</P>
If your laptop is a Macintosh, check out Jeremy Sagan's Metro software (formerly the Macintosh version of Cakewalk). I use it for all my MIDI sequencing. It's a bit clunky, but once you're used to it, it works like a charm!!!</P>
Yes, it is unfortunate that the Yamaha and Viscount units have been discontinued. The Yamaha, especially was nice as it was reliable, and easy to use. However, the organ market is such that it is not worth while putting resources into units that don't sell in quantity. By and large, electronic organ manufacturers and now incorporating sequences into their console control systems. Even pipe organ control systems are now offering built-in sequencers.</p>
There is one stand alone unit available though and it is by Johannus. It is very compact, has an LCD screen, alpha dial and about 5 buttons to do the menu thing. Storage is onto a SD card. It is not however intuitive. You have to learn how to use it, by studying the users manual.</p>
I would also consider using a laptop with sequencing software. Often a used laptop can be found on Ebay for under $250 and using a free program like Anvil Studio keeps the cost down, here: http://www.anvilstudio.com/</p>
Oh, and I forgot--if you wish, you can also record digital audio (live recording) with Sagan's Metro sequencer. It imports and exports MIDI files too!</P>
Nothing beats a professional sequencer!</P>
Michael</P>
Way too many organs to list, but I do have 5 Allens:
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