Midi Technology

[contrabordun]

Does anybody have any experience of using MIDI out/in sockets to record music for later playback through the organ? In my case there is a toaster involved, but I guess many recent pipe organ consoles with electric action will also have MIDI facilities.

 

I'm thinking of two main situations

 

1 - so I can pre-record the items for a service when I'm on holiday

2 - for accompanied anthems where I really need to be in front of the choir

 

The obvious pitfall is the inflexibility of a pre-recorded accompaniment - is this horrendous, or manageable? What other problems might crop up?

 

What equipment will I need? I've found something on the web with a USB plug at one end and 2 MIDI connectors (presumably in and out?) at the other, so I guess that connects me to a laptop. I assume one can get record/playback software for the laptop?

 

thanks

 

Paul

[David Coram]

The biggest problem you're likely to find is the lack of Swell box control. This has certainly been the case on all installations I have seen on toasters or pipe organs.

[DHM]

The biggest problem you're likely to find is the lack of Swell box control. This has certainly been the case on all installations I have seen on toasters or pipe organs.

A system which we have previously discussed has a built-in record/playback facility which would include swell box control as well as all your registration changes etc - it simply plays back what you played, exactly as you played it.

[innate]

I'm thinking of two main situations

 

2 - for accompanied anthems where I really need to be in front of the choir

 

The obvious pitfall is the inflexibility of a pre-recorded accompaniment - is this horrendous, or manageable? What other problems might crop up?

A significant factor is what kind of musician you are. If you are able to be extremely consistent, particularly rhythmically, then it is possible that the technology will work for you. If, however, you are susceptible to inspiration, to the sense of the moment, then it is likely that your pre-recorded accompaniment will be like a straitjacket. Particular problems will occur at the end of unaccompanied sections and the pull-ups at big climax moments. You could record the accompaniment to a pre-defined "click track" and then wear headphones when you conduct, listening to the same "click track", but you might look (and feel) a bit conspicuous. Session musicians record to "click" more often than not, for films and other commercial music, and it is pretty soul-destroying, in my opinion.

 

My advice, which you should feel free to poo-poo (!), would be to do accompanied anthems which require minimal conducting and get one or two of the adults to act as "beaters", and vary the diet with some unaccompanied pieces.

[AJJ]

The obvious pitfall is the inflexibility of a pre-recorded accompaniment - is this horrendous, or manageable? What other problems might crop up?

 

I use this sort of thing at school quite often and it works really well in the appropriate situation.

 

A