Hi to all:

My name is Andy LaTorre.  I've been reading the digest for the past
several months.  I wanted to get the feel of the digest before I
introduced myself.  Because of various trips (AMICA St. Louis) etc., I
always seem to have a backlog of digests to read and that prevented me
from communicating earlier.

I teach various industrial subjects at Western Carolina University,
North Carolina.  I moved here 13 years ago from Long Island.  Being here
in this mountainous wonderland has done wonders for my creativity.

Three years ago I suddenly realized that I could put all my life's
experiences to work and build a MIDI-controlled Fairground Organ.  I
did.  Synthetic pipes, live 25-note glock, and other  percussions (snare,
cymbal, triangle, block, maracas, and tambourine).  I was so encouraged
at the success of the organ that I improved it to the point now that I
am in the  business of selling them.  Professional cabinetmakers,
welders, machinists, pc board makers, etc. are used to build the
various components.  It is portable and can be transported by van.  I
had it at the AMICA convention band organ rally but I was up on a side
street and very few members were able to appreciate its sound.
(Besides  my own arrangements and compositions, it also plays Wurlitzer
165 roll MIDI files.) A flyer is available if anyone is interested.

Mechanical music has always interested me.  I suppose I was imprinted
by the sights and sounds of an old player piano down in my cousin's
damp basement 45 years ago.  I suppose it was also the wonderful sound
of the carousel organ at Coney Island.  Anyway, it is a great hobby.
My organ was at the Waynesville, NC street fair yesterday, July 4th.
It  makes people smile when my organ plays and that makes me happy.

I have an upright Duo-Art electric player which I no longer want.  Also
a 3-manual Allen, circa 1955, electronic organ.  Also for sale.  I want
to be in MIDI.  I am now  right in the middle of a roll-to-MIDI output
project for a friend who wants to play Wurlitzer 125 rolls directly
through a synthesizer and have live percussion only.  It's a roll
scanner and the digest discussion of scanners was fascinating to me.
For doing this project, my friend will give me a 125 roll player (with
contacts, motor drive, etc.) which I will then use to scan rolls for my
Fairground Organ.  I am quite excited about that.

What else do I do? Pastries, Italian pastries, that is.  None available
here so I bake them.  Cannolis, Napoleons, Baba Rum, Bakalava,
Sfogiatella, etc.)  I tried converting this mountain town by opening up
a European Pastry shop (Italian Gelato, Italian Ices, etc.)  but I only
lasted 2 years.  I couldn't afford to support the town for longer than
that!  I kept the essential cookware and now have a commercial kitchen
in my home.  I also bake Italian bread for my family and others which
makes my friends salivate.  My price per loaf: PWYM  (pay what you
may).  I'm not a businessman.

Anymay, the Fairground Organ has opened up new areas for me.  I found
out that I can arrange for the organ.  I suppose I absorbed something
after 50 years of listening and enjoying the music.  I seem to enjoy
arranging more than the building of the organs.

I have MIDI files of my arrangements and of others which I would not
mind sharing  (some of Scott Joplin rags, Treemonisha, etc. and
Jellyroll Morton) but, you know, even after building my own computer in
1976, I still can't, for the life of me,  send or receive MIDI files.
(Yes, I've read the previous digest explanations but - There is a
saying somewhere about 'old dogs'; what is it?) The concepts are
incomprehensible to me and the steps too many, along with the cryptic
nomenclature which has no attachment to reality or everyday definitions
of words.  I'm out of that until someone can take me by the hand, in
person, and show me the mechanical steps involved in transferring a
MIDI file on my Mac so that it can be played by my Mastertracks 5
sequencing software.

Keep up the sharing of information.  You will get back more than you
give.

Andy LaTorre
111 Mistletoe Lane
Sylva, NC  28779
(704) 586-6686

Orgue Mecanique
POB 1479
Cullowhee, NC  28723