MIDI stop selection

[John Bittner]

What sort of schemes can be employed to implement stop selection on a MIDI based instrument?

Since a basic MIDI stream is limited to 16 channels, that would seem to limit you to 16 stops.

:~

[mdyde]

I believe that the convention on digital organs is to use MIDI note on/off messages for each console switch (stop, coupler, ...), all sent on a common MIDI channel. That gives room for 128 switches and leaves the remaining fifteen channels free for the manual and pedals. Some hardware modules like Ahlborn use MIDI controller messages - value=1 for on, 0 for off. I don't know if there are any other conventions.

Martin Dyde
http://www.hauptwerk.co.uk/

[John Bittner]

Aha, never thought of that. I take it from your description of Hauptwerk 83 that the software has a provision for some sort of stop switching from non-virtual consoles?

[mdyde]

Yep - MIDI note on/off messages for the draw-stops (switches), MIDI program change message messages for the pistons (buttons) and MIDI continuous controller messages for the expression pedals.

[John Bittner]

So the console would have to a MIDI black box to convert stop switch closures, pistons, and expression pedals into MIDI messages that are then processed by Hauptwerk?

As you might have gathered, my plan is to retrofit an existing console that currently lacks any MIDI capability whatsoever.

[mdyde]

Yes. There is a variety of MIDI encoders available commercially. The links page on my website has quite a few under the 'pedalboards and MIDI organ controls' section, including one from the MIDI Gadgets Boutique that is designed specifically for Hauptwerk. I haven't tried any of them personally, but all those listed look like they should work perfectly well.

In the current version, Hauptwerk receives MIDI input but produces no MIDI output. Hence if you have MIDI stop switches and combination piston buttons, and trigger a combination with a piston, you will see the stops change on the screen, but Hauptwerk cannot physically change the position of your MIDI switches on the console, meaning that the position of the physical stop switches would not correspond to their state in Hauptwerk as shown on the screen. The next version of Hauptwerk, which is under development presently, will provide MIDI output to control solenoid-operated/motorised/illuminated switches, thus avoiding the problem. So if you wanted to implement it, it would be worth using switches of those types in preparation.

[rkmag]

Pete:

Have you tried out Hauptwerk on a pipe organ console using MIDI input / output boards? I am building a 3/whatever TO and am wondering if going this route is worth a try compared to pricey commercial relays. Also note the Shober Organ Orphans group has detailed plans for making MIDI output boards.

[al]

Hello
Check out Micromidi on the Artisan web site. I am using their system to run 6 ranks plus synthesizers and like it. Stop tab control also. Very capable and not too expensive.
Regards,
Al Johnson

[fuguebwv582]

rkmag asked:
"Have you tried out Hauptwerk on a pipe organ console using MIDI input / output boards?"

Until I bought my MIDIfied pipe organ console (3 manual with pedal), I was working to MIDIfy an older pedalboard. I decided to work without help from anyone as I was embarrassed to let anyone know how little I knew! Don't ask me where my head was because I'd probably have to tell you that it was somewhere in my nether region.

Anyway, I worked through the spring and summer of 2003 on the project. I bought a cheap keyboard on ebay and gutted it. I figured out how to wire it and tested my concept without doing the whole project. It worked and would have led to a cost-effective solution to my need for a MIDI pedalboard. Before I got very far into the project, I found the console I subsequently purchased on one of the used organ lists. It uses InterMIDI boards to convert ordinary key contacts to MIDI. They work flawlessly! Together with Hauptwerk and the console and InterMIDI stuff, I regularly enjoy the sound of a pipe organ in my own house.

My console was already wired with MIDI output boards and now there are many less expensive ways to MIDIfy consoles. The original MIDIfication was accomplished by the previous owner of a 24 rank Casavant with many Musicom synthetic voices. The cost for this equipment less than 10 years ago was upwards of U$30,000 or more. The same conversion now would be much less.

Since my false start and obtaining my console, I have learned of many sources for MIDI info. The best one is a compilation of all that are worthwhile on the web. It's at http://habanerosoftware.com/midiorgan/.

[PeteKnobloch]

I did try Hauptwerk on the organ but the PC that I have is very slow (500Mhz). There was such a long delay from the time the key was hit and when the pipe would sound, it made the organ unplayable. When you played with too many stops, then the sound would also break up.

Both of these problems can be fixed with a newer PC (fast) and lots of memory. I didn’t go any further with the project.

All you need is the MIDI inputs to get the keyboard data to the Hauptwerk software. The output doesn’t use MIDI at all. The software sends .WAV file data directly to the sound card. You can even send MIDI commands to change the stops on Hauptwerk. I believe that I used Program Change messages to do this but I don't remember completely. I did this about 1 year ago.