digital Vs real reply

[pianoman]

Hi Ralph,
	What size Wicks and what Chicago theatre?
James Grebe
R.P.T. of the P.T.G. from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com
"I'm on my way to the mighty light of knowledge".

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> From: ralph m martin <rmartin30@juno.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: digital Vs real
> Date: Friday, February 13, 1998 10:48 PM
> 
> Hi Jim
> Many years ago the Conn Organ company put on a demo with their electronic
> (tubes) organ pitted against a pipe organ. They were smart enough to play
> a single chord on each with only one rank sounding. Surprisingly
> enough....none of us could tell the difference.
> 
> When I played my old ABC show I used a Conn and 251 Leslie (also tubed).
> It was recorded with an Altec mike 6' from the Leslie on a level with the
> top of the cabinett. The recorder was a huge Ampex recording at 30" per
> second. It sounded so much like a pipe organ that people around the
> country used to write in and ask what theater we were broadcasting from.
> 
> I THINK the point I'm trying to make is that the tube or analog organ
> sounded more realistic than the digital variety that followed. I'd
> certainly enjoy your Allen...but I sure would prefer what you had before
> that.
> 
> Even the Wicks self-contained theater wasn't bad that I played many years
> ago in Chicago. Wouldn't mind having one of those either.
> 
> Ralph Martin
> On Fri, 13 Feb 1998 21:01:49 -0600 "pianoman" <pianoman@inlink.com>
> writes:
> >Hi All,
> >	I didn't really mean for the digital discussion to go this way 
> > but so be
> >it.  Over on the pipe organ list 
> >(piporg-l@cnsibm.albany.edu) this digital versus pipes goes on and on 
> >with
> >members being insulted, flamed , and sometimes driven off the list.  
> >If you
> >think we are opinionated, you should read what the pipe purists go on 
> >and
> >on about.  We are hopefully not going to go in the same direction.
> >	The digital organ makers do very well at imitating individual 
> >stops
> >(ranks).  It is when the stops are combined into ensembles that the
> >differences between pipes and electronic start showing up.  It is kind 
> >of
> >the effect of playing individual notes and listening and then playing
> >chords with the sustain pedal and listening.  A lot depends on the 
> >number
> >of separate channels of amplification, the number and size of 
> >speakers, and
> >the placement of these speakers which give more or less the feeling of
> >realism.  Remember the first digital pianos were mono and now they are 
> >in
> >stereo first in 8 note polyphony and now in 16 note polyphony and next 
> >on
> >to 32 note polyphony. 
> >	Hopefully we will not resort to these sharp distinctions of 
> >opinion.  The
> >pipe organ tuners and techs are growing fewer and fewer each year as 
> >the
> >prices of new pipe organ is soaring, sometimes as high as $10,000 per 
> >rank.
> > I wonder if the same will happen to pianos.  I used to have an 8 rank
> >theatre organ (circa 1921) in my home and now I have an Allen TO.  Not 
> >the
> >same, but it all fits in 1 cabinet and sounds exactly the same as when 
> >I
> >bought it in 1986 with just a couple of service calls.  How long will 
> >it
> >last, who knows.
> >What will be our future in this depends on how well you younger techs 
> >can
> >adapt to changing times, develop complimentary skills around the 
> >piano, and
> >sharp business no-how.  In many ways I wish I was just getting 
> >started.
> >James Grebe
> >R.P.T. of the P.T.G. from St. Louis
> >pianoman@inlink.com
> >"I'm on my way to the mighty light of knowledge".
> >
> 
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