Homemade Pipe Organ

[acoustics101]

During the early part of the 20th century. innovative builders advanced the art of organ building to a level that it has never equalled to this day, culminating in a class of instruments known as municipal pipe organs.

With a current knowledge of the physics behind the sound of organ pipes we could easily design organs where even a 30 rank instrument would easily fill a venue the size of the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis and reintroduce the pipe organ to a whole new generation.

[norxcontacts]

How much weed can you put in that thing?

[JokinJoe]

Big pipe organ fan

LOLOLOL

[kode1303]

So ... christian!

[derusername123]

Pipe organs are freaking absurd... Seriously, have you ever seen the ones that have like 5000 stops and 2000 keys and 1000 pedals? Just completely crazy... I have infinite respect for people who know how to play these things well. Maybe a bit less this one, since it's rather small, but it's cool too.

[ssngai]

I'm honored that you liked my series of videos! Your toroidal whistle website was one of the sources I drew from when I embarked upon my own pipe organ project.

[mortson978]

I think it's mostly the audio quality, not the organ itself, but the guy could have avoided long sustains.

[ifxman]

Hi, just thought I'd reply?!

It may look like a keyboard and use the same notation but the true ADSR of a Pipe Organ is High Sustain and requires a completely different technique.

Just like synthesizing a wind, bowed, pluked...etc, etc...instrument.

That's what synthesizes do. So if you play a Flute sound like a Piano...then it doesn't sound like a Flute anymore. One must learn the ADSR of the instrument it's simulating...I'm into it if you couldn't tell? lol

Peace

[mortson978]

But this is not a pipe organ simulation, so I'm not sure what you're getting at.

[ifxman]

Exactly...that being said, you said..."but the guy could have avoided long sustains." - That's like saying, you can get more sustain from a Harpsichord. haha

The natural ADSR of any Pipe Organ is Longer Sustain...ever wonder why you never hear staccato or arpeggios on a Pipe Organ? It's an entirely different playing technique...

I just used synthesis to explain the ADSR's of different instruments. That's what synthesize means, to simulate?! Sorry, can't make it any plainer...Ciao =]]

[mortson978]

But he was playing it like a calliope, and sustains are rarely used in calliope playing. At any rate I was referring to the quality of the video, and how long sustains tend to peak more.

[Lifecomesfromwithin]

for ifxman, you're right, there is a technique unique to the organ, but it is still only one way of playing. I've heard staccato and arpeggios on the organ numerous times. It's not outside it's nature. It's just another thing that can be done with it. It's necessary at times in very resonant situations. G. van Reenen plays Scarlatti very nicely on pipe organ, and Bachs' toccata in Dmin has stac. and arpeg. at the end.

[fr0z3nf3ar]

oooh! muchas flautas en un organo!

sorprendente!! xD

[emeraldvenus]

LOL! Reminds me of that cute little organ grinder monkey, 'Louigi', in the Shirley Temple movie, 'Heidi'.

[1stab]

I'll never forget the pipe organ as a kid in Radio City Music Hall.

[riverscuomo06]

cameron carpenter will be the man to bring back the organ, whether it be M&O or actual pipe organs. he's got all my friends who like nothing but rock and other crap OBSESSED with organ because of his new telarc CD. did i mention he's been nominated for a grammy? probably the first organist...

[acoustics101]

I got hooked on the pipe organ in 1968 at age 18 when I saw the Harrison & Harrison organ being installed at Corbett Auditorium at the University of Cincinnati. When I started donating Saturdays morkings to be part of the restoration crew of the former RKO Albee WurliTzer between 1974-1982 at Emery Theatre I was totally addicted. I was totally blown away seeing Virgil Fox perform at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus sometime during the 1970s.

[riverscuomo06]

that's awesome, i really wish i could understand how it all worked. i understand the concepts, but not how it actually works.  my teacher had the priveledge of studying organ with virgil fox for many years, i feel like i know virgil now from studying with him. it's awesome.

[Envergure]

lol "this scientific age"

[AFNYOAQIS]

i live in Kentucky!

[ChrisRhymins]

what is that song that guy plays on organ.

[acoustics101]

The song is O Susannah. The organist is my friend, Jim Dickman of Delhi, OH. Jim was also the organist at our wedding the following year (1982).

[FourFootFagott]

While it may be fun (but out-dated) to build a novelty pipe organ, with todays advanced sampling technology, why bother? You can download a virtual pipe organ for your computer. A lot of them are free. The most popular is the midizer. Just google "virtual pipe organ" or "midizer" for the differing varieties available.

[acoustics101]

Take a look at my home page. The reason I built it should become obvious. The reseach that led me to this little organ also led me to US Patents 4429656 and 4686928 on high power outdoor warning devices as replacements for today's ineffective warning sirens. You'll see a video of the original prototype.

[7sevenout7]

Every instrument, even seemingly identical instruments produce different sounds per their construction. I would go so far to say that each instrument has it's own "soul." That is the problem with music and people today, there is no soul present in music anymore. This guy built a pipe organ by hand, and it exists in the real world and no other organ sounds like it. Yes, I know the video was from early 80's, but there is no reason why he could not build another one today.

[BayAreaBiker2001]

The Stanford Theater in Downtown Palo Alto has a pipe organ, which is still in use.

[stevenseed]

Anyone know how how or where I can subscribe to Theatre Organ Magazine?

[acoustics101]

Theatre Organ magazine is the journal of the American Theatre Organ Society. You can easily find more information by doing a websearch. I tried to post the link, but it won't let me use html here.

[witexdaw]

awsome

[scooterbugs25]

it would be nice to see this organ played with an updated video quality :)

[acoustics101]

The video is from a 1981 newsclip.

[Tyfon2003]

Great job! Wasn't it very lavishly to built? But the result is pretty.

[acoustics101]

It wasn't cheap, but the results were sure worth it!

[jommy99]

Very Nice!

[jvollmar]

The news reporters mentioned the Emery theater. Is that the one that used to be in Cincinnati, OH?

[acoustics101]

That's the one. I spent every Saturday working with a number of other volunteers helping to restore this instrument between 1974-1978. I got to meet Gaylord Carter at the dedicatory concert. He also paid me a visit at the house and played the little organ I designed.

[acoustics101]

The organ was one of the early results of four years of independent research which led to several Patents on two entirely new classes of whistles suitable as replacements for current warning sirens. These are known as toroidal whistles and operate on the principle of a large phased array of about 30 steam whistles within a single ring shaped chamber. Click on my name to see my Youtube channel. It also has a link to my research.

[ccoraxfan]

No, not bad for what it is! Still, I've seen how pipe organ builders do this, and they work mainly for the sound... which means sometimes they throw out the math and just start experimenting until it sounds right. Have you built anything else?

[acoustics101]

I did this 26 years ago. Not too bad for only 3/5 of a rank would you say? That's why it sounds like a calliope.

[ccoraxfan]

Man, I'm sure glad we don't have mathematicians designing all our pipe organs today! Even the news people thought it sounded like a caliope! ;)

Still, my hat's off to you for designing and building your own pipe organ, such as it is!

[badon20]

Neat