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Building a MIDI-controlled "Indoor Calliope"
By Pat DeWitt

Hi MMDers,  Thanks for the responses to my posting about an "indoor
calliope".  You have opened my eyes to greater opportunities with an
"A" roll than just 43 notes.  Since I have the following component
choices, I have some more questions.  I have:

- 3 full ranks of organ pipes (1 metal, 2 wooden) from which to choose,
either 2' or 4'.

- A 1/4 hp Spencer "Orgoblo" blower (maybe overkill for a single rank
of pipes?)

- Enough direct electric magnets (Klann DM5043: 120 ohm, 12 volt,
0.1 amp) to operate an entire rank of pipes.

With that in mind, I read in Art Reblitz' player piano book that
a typical "A" roll has 58 playing notes (C through A).

1) What frequency is the low C on the "A" roll typically intended
to be?

2) Without transposing, is this frequency range typically what would
expected for an authentic "calliope sound"?

3) Do all the available "A" MIDI files have the 58-note music?

4) Could someone confirm if my understanding of how a MIDI operated
organ is connected is correct -- is it really this simple?

- MIDI files are available for downloading onto my computer.

- The computer is connected to a driver module (How, by USB?)

- The driver module is connected to the organ magnets.

- If I use a MIDI keyboard (which seems like the most logical choice)
  how is it connected into the system to be operated in parallel with
  the computer files?

Thanks again!  (Now when I finish my Duo-Art Player restoration, I can
start on the calliope project.)

Pat DeWitt
Fort Wayne, Indiana

 [ Hmmm...  What, exactly, is the authentic "calliope sound"?
 [ -- Robbie


(Message sent Fri 26 Mar 2010, 15:31:33 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Building, Calliope, Indoor, MIDI-controlled

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