Pedalboards and long legs

[hartleymartin]

Report:

At my parish church I found that placing a disused congregation hymnal under each of the 4 legs boosted the height of the organ bench put me at or close enough to the perfect height for pedalling. I suddenly found playing pedal accompaniment to hymns much easier. It also helps to know the manual part well enough to focus attention to the pedalling. I'm looking forward to developing my pedal technique, and experiencing the identity crisis of the left hand! LOL!

[Cymbell]

I have used a set of blocks for many years now. I have one set that stays at the church and another set for supply work and another set on my home organ bench.
They are 2 x 4 of which I had to add another 3/4 inch board on top. I have stained and finished them so they look ok in places where the console bench is exposed to the congregation. I also have a bag for easy carrying.
Just make sure they are long enough to handle most bench sizes as some bench feet can be wider apart than others. I also have one very large set for one organ bench (Aeolian) where the bench feet are really splayed out.

[twnelson]

Sounds like a homemade version of a Howard seat :-).

--- Tom

[bnelson218]

Johhny Seng was a terrific organist back in the late 60's and early 70's. He was well known in the theater organ circles and was also an occasional product artist for Thomas and Yamaha. Johnny stoof 6'7" tall and would typically cross his legs when he played, using his left foot on the expression pedal and right on the pedals. It was a strange thing to watch.
I am 6' tall and find most benches too low for comfortable playing, so I went out and scouted bar stools. I prefer the vintage barstools that have the padded seat and back, and also swivel, but they're getting hard to find. I just bought one from Target that does a pretty good job. You have to cut roughly 4 inches off the front legs so that they can rest on the back of the pedalboard assembly. I play mostly Hammonds and this works well with their sturdily built pedalboards. I usually also add the heavier rubber feet to the sawed off legs and also put a rubber pad on the pedalboard back (like the ones you place under sofa feet to protect the carpet). Anyway, barstools have worked great for me for 30-some years now.
Bruce

[myorgan]

I placed blocks underneath the organ bench on both organs at the Church where I work. Problem solved! I boosted myself about two inches, and it's nearly perfect.

Word of caution, though. Just be careful not to make the blocks too high, as that will put your knees into the bottom manual on most AGO organ consoles.

My professor at college also provided a set of blocks on all organs with two levels on all of them. I'll see if I can use my CAD program to draw up a diagram of them. They were in an "L" shape with the lower height being about 1" off the floor, while the higher side was about 2" off the floor. They did have a hollowed area for the legs of the bench to fit.

When the low side was used, the higher side was toward the outside, and when the high side was used, the lower side was toward the outside, lending stability to the blocks as the weight shifted on the bench.

Michael

All this talk about too short benches and long legs and here I am who stands 5'1" on a good day who wishes more benches are shorter. On some organ I've played I was hoping I would not fall off the edge while playing some pedal lines because I was sitting right on the edge just so I can reach CC. I just figure it is always easier to and height than take height away for us shorter people.

Ungern

[jskumro]

I placed blocks underneath the organ bench on both organs at the Church where I work. Problem solved! I boosted myself about two inches, and it's nearly perfect.

[trompette en chamade]

I once had to use a double stack of 2 x 4 lumber to raise a bench high enough. My current adjustable bench sits on a single 2 x 4 riser.

My problem is that my knees hit the lowest manual when the bench is high enough! I have plans to make risers for my manuals here at home, removable in case someone shorter wants to play.

[hartleymartin]

Good idea with the router! I'll see if I can get that done when I make up the wood blocks. I have a friend with a well kitted-out workshop.

[RayE]

Yes wood blocks under the bench are the way to go, I had made some out of 2 X 4 s for our church organ. I took my router and routed a 1/4" deep groove in them that the bench sits it so it doesn't slip off the blocks.

[Menschenstimme]

Perhaps this is an uplifting experience?

[Westminster]

I've seen many organists do so. Some carry the blocks with them in their kit with shoes.

[hartleymartin]

Looks like I'm going to have to supply my own wood blocks then.

[[email protected]]

Simple solution for organ bench heighth

There are many ways and methods to adjust the bench from very cheap to the expensive mechanical method. If the bench is too tall, then simply cut the base the requisite height and that's it, if multiple people use the organ or if it is too short, here is what we did at the university to accommodate all students, men women etc. Our organ professor used two pairs of different sizes of wooden blocks, i.e., one 1"X4" and one 2"x4", each were cut so at least an inch overlapped the width of the bench foot. The bench was too short for most men because the bench was sized to be short enough to accommodate short women. Each taller student simply placed the correct block/blocks under the ends of the bench and the problem was solved. The tall guys used both blocks, I had to use the 2"x4". The blocks can be left plain wood color or stained to the organ finish. This may not be the pretty solution, but it works and is cheap. Oh, BTW, if you need to shorten the bench, if you're not a good wood worker get a qualified individual to insure each side is even and match.

[cantoris]

A full music edition of the (awful) Mission Praise hynm book is usually enough height gain. It's good to have found another use for this book - the only other use is to burn them in winter to heat the church!

Nigel