Sharp organ

jolly roger baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca
Sun, 13 May 2001 17:13:29 -0500


Hi Joe,
            I did not intend to pick, as I know it's a perenial problem
with churches.  Communication is key, with the music people, pipe organ
tech, and piano tech.  Education has to go along with it.  other wise you
end up with the he said, she said game. A lose, lose, scenerio. I have been
in the middle of those kinds of things, and also part of the problem.  A
little older and some what wiser.  I insist on having the 3 parties meet.
So solutions can be found.  Many of the pipe organ techs will also lay down
a different bearing  (temperament)  than our standard  ET. Flue Work for
instance has a very strong fundamental and less harmonic development than
the principal chorus. And both are quite different than piano strings, in
any given register.
Team work is the answer if it can be fostered.   Bare in mind, that much of
the beauty of a pipe organ, is it's space, and out of tuneness.  Add reverb
time into the mix, and the game gets thicker. The big 16ft pipes are
usually a long way away from the piano.
For me, get rid of the pianos in churches, and let us make a Joyful noise
unto the Lord.  With a real pipe organ.  <G>
Just some thoughts on the subject.
Regards roger




At 02:24 PM 5/13/01 -0700, you wrote:
>Roger,
>Since you bi-directed this posting at me, I'll respond.
>I was not "after" the Organ Tech!, but his lack of analysis of this
>particular church situation. If he had ascertained the ambient temp/hum that
>the church is "normally" at and achieved that before the final tuning of the
>organ, I think that the organ would have been a little closer to A=440. Part
>of the equation hasn't been discussed. Where Jeannie is, is right on the
>ocean. I suspect that while the organ tech was installing, etc.  the hall
>was kept at a comfortable level for his benefit. Once he finished, the
>church went back to it's normal habit of not heating or cooling. IMHO the
>organ tech should have a long conversation with the powers that be, at the
>church, and emphasize the importance of constant temp/Humid conditions.
>There lies the problem. My original comment was too short.(for that I
>apologize) The best thing is IMHO to get the organ tech to retune the whole
>enchilada while the church is in it's normal temp/humid mode. Then, at least
>Jeannie won't have to tune the piano 12-15cents sharp and possibly more. If
>the organ "floats" a little sharp and a little flat, with the average at
>A=440, then it would be acceptable.
>Regards,
>Joe Garrett
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "jolly roger" <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2001 11:00 AM
>Subject: Re: Sharp organ




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