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Virtual Band Organ
By Bill Nunn

Hi,  Jerry Vitale asks about sound fonts for a virtual band organ.
We have used virtual organs when editing old music before re-cutting
as well as when arranging new songs.  Rich Olsen did make a virtual
Marenghi organ using sound fonts that Dick Lokemoen recorded.  Dick
used two good microphones placed in front of the organ.

You don't need a special roll or book since most organs can be
manipulated manually to sound pipes.  Most percussion sounds are
generic and can be found on the internet.  There are theater organ
fonts available on the Internet also.  Rich used this virtual organ
when arranging music for the organ.

We also used the same process to create a virtual Hooghuys when he
edited and arranged music for that organ.  The mp3 files can be
previewed by the arranger as well as others providing instant feedback
about the arrangement.

The arranger I have now, Alexey Romashkov, now has the Marenghi and
Hooghuys virtual organs.  He has also built a 57 Gavioli virtual organ
using fonts from an organ and an 89 Gavioli and 52 Bruder using fonts
found on the Internet.  He also just completed a 69 Marenghi street
organ using fonts that were recorded from the organ.  He will be
arranging new music for that organ in the future.

In the days before this was all possible the arranger had to 'listen'
to a newly arranged song in his head.  Using a virtual organ, Alexey
can listen to a song many times.  He likes to listen with a "fresh ear"
so he often previews the song again the next day.  Alexey will be doing
a workshop at the 2016 Minneapolis MBSI Convention.

I remember listening to a virtual theater organ at a large Florida
collection.  I think it was built by a Japanese firm using fonts
recorded from other theater organs.  It was impressive.  Many pipe
organs use sound generators for the large pipes since very few rooms
can handle 32-foot pipes.  Technically these are not recordings but it
shows how modern technology can augment our 'old' hobby.

Virtual organs are fairly easy to make and are a great tool for the
arranger.

Bill Nunn - feeling like spring in Minnesota
http://www.skyrockfarm.com/ 


(Message sent Wed 24 Feb 2016, 14:50:31 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Band, Organ, Virtual

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