A New Virtual Residence Organ in Central Virginia |
DeMajo Organ Works of Richmond, VA, recently completed a project to convert a three manual Casavant pipe organ console for use as a Hauptwerk Virtual Organ. This instrument was commissioned in 2011 by a resident of Central Virginia for his home. The console originally was attached to a notable Casavant instrument in a Richmond area church. It was removed some years ago and was acquired by the present owner from the surplus market. DeMajo Organ Works designed and installed an Artisan UMIDI system into the existing console to provide a digital interface between the organ's keys and controls, and a Hauptwerk computer sound production system. This was accomplished without disabling the console's ability to be returned to pipe organ service at some point in the future. All of the existing stops and controls were left in their original state, with all wiring now terminating at the UMIDI input boards instead of the organ's original relay. The organ's original stops and pistons now control the functions of the Hauptwerk IV computer system. Additionally, touch-screen monitors have been added which allow the owner to make use of the additional ranks and features that are available through Hauptwerk. |
Console placement in the client's music room |
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Above, the Artisan UMIDI control system, assembled and wired by DeMajo Organ Works, interfaces the console keys and controls with the Hauptwerk computer. In the future, additional Artisan modules could be easily added to this instrument in order to allow the use of real pipes as well as the virtual digital sound production system. |
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This photo shows the method used for connecting the UMIDI system to the console's original pin-out terminal board. |
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Modification of the swell shoe to allow digital expression operation through the use of a specially designed potentiometer connected to the Artisan control system. |