Hi Everyone,  Some of you may recall that I posted a video back in
July of the Artizan Style A band organ playing at Carousel Center
in Syracuse, N.Y. [110715 MMDigest].  I am pretty much finished with
it now and I shot a video of the organ playing here in the shop.
I didn't bring the facade to the shop so to see it with its facade
in place you'll have to look at the original video:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbSDd6MqtVo
 

I added an expression system to the organ which gives it a nice
variety of voices and a really nice soft function that kicks in when
the Style 150 music roll "swell shutter closed" signal comes along.
It's not exactly "by the book", since the Artizan Style A organ
doesn't have swell shutters, but I thought it made the organ more
pleasant and varied to listen to.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld4dgtClf3I
 

I also added a start and automatic shut-off system so the carousel
operator pushes a button and the organ will play one song and then shut
off for them.  They didn't have that before and had to go behind the
organ and turn it on and off manually, so I hope the new feature will
result in more plays of the organ during carousel rides.

The Carousel Center Mall is a great place to showcase a carousel and its
organ all year round.  Since we all seem to be interested in exposing
new people to mechanical music, this swell organ is doing its bit once
again.  Many of the responses I got when I first posted the video were
along these lines, so I'm sure the many of you who had some personal
experience with the organ will appreciate hearing it play again on your
next visit to the mall.

Best to all this holiday season,

Ben Gottfried - Ben's Player Piano Service
Richfield Springs, New York
http://www.bensplayerservice.com/