Rodgers 770: Query on how Hauptwerk sound can use the current amp speakers?

[wsaviers]

I have a Rodgers 770 with modified Walker pipe enhanced chiff and Midi .

I've read about Hauptwerk using a midi interface. Does this only deliver sound to a separate amplifier and speakers OTHER than the amplifiers and speakers hooked directly to the Rodgers 770? If there are explanations about this elsewhere I'd appreciate links to them. Thanks.

Bill

[toodles]

I'm not an expert on Hauptwerk nor MIDI, but I believe MIDI only provides the information required to drive a sound generator, not the sound itself. I don't think MIDI can incorporate an audio signal. It is, after all, a digital interface, not an audio one. That is handled through an audio output on your Hauptwerk computer which would connect to separate amplifiers and speakers as you suggest.

The 770 does not, as a standard feature, incorporate spare inputs.

[rjsilva]

On a side note, I'd be really interested in hearing your Walker modified sounds. Any chance you could do some demo recordings and post on SoundCloud (it's relatively easy)?

I don't know anything about the 770 in particular, but as toodles pointed out it's the computer which generates the sound rather than MIDI. MIDI would send messages (note on/off, etc) from the organ to the computer running whatever VPO, and then that VPO would generate the sound. So you'd need some means to take the computer output and connect it to the Rodgers amplifiers, and I can't say whether or not that's possible.

[Silken Path]

I've read about Hauptwerk using a midi interface. Does this only deliver sound to a separate amplifier and speakers OTHER than the amplifiers and speakers hooked directly to the Rodgers 770? If there are explanations about this elsewhere I'd appreciate links to them. Thanks. Bill

Hi, Bill - Hauptwerk runs on a separate Mac or Windows computer and outputs two or more channels. Two channels can be accessed through the external speaker jacks on a laptop or desktop PC. If your 770 has aux inputs like my little W5000, you could run the output of the laptop back into the organ... but it's probably just as easy to put a set of studio monitors to use for it.

And sure - do you have anything on YouTube or SoundCloud?

[quantum]

The signal path could be something like this:

Rodgers 770 > MIDI out > [MIDI data] > Computer Interface MIDI in > VPO software > (optional reverb) > Computer Interface audio out > [audio signal] > speakers / headphones / 770 line input (if present).

You could have additional audio processing after the computer interface audio out, such as an external reverb processor or an amp to drive speakers or headphones.

MIDI contains only the instructions for key presses, stop changes, swell pedal movements, etc. there is no audio there. The MIDI data travels to your VPO software where the instructions tell the software when and how to play samples.


I've played the output of VPOs using the line input and Rodgers speakers of my 760. However, I much prefer the sound in headphones. I would recommend Rodgers speakers for playing the native Rodgers sounds, headphones or a separate set of speakers or studio monitors for playing VPOs.

[LTDan]

I've played the output of VPOs using the line input and Rodgers speakers of my 760. However, I much prefer the sound in headphones. I would recommend Rodgers speakers for playing the native Rodgers sounds, headphones or a separate set of speakers or studio monitors for playing VPOs.

I agree as the best sound from Hauptwerk is through a quality audio interface and active studio monitors. Yes, you can take the stereo output (headphone jack) from your computer and run it into the Rodgers audio inputs (if that even exists). Electronic organs are designed as a system where the tone generation, amplification, and speakers are designed to work together to get the desired sound. Hauptwerk which runs on a PC or Mac follows the DAW (digital audio workstation) design where you have a high quality samples (sometime 3 or 4 per individual pipe!) and therefore needs a professional quality or pro-sumer grade audio interface to faithfully perform the digital to audio conversion with low latency. Macs come standard with a pro quality D/A circuitry, which is why you see most DJs only using Macs. They are a good choice if you just want 2 channels. For a PC or multichannel output (also recommended) the an audio interface is required.

Danny B.