New organ!

[Max Walker]

Our old Allen organ from 25-30 years ago was replaced last week with a new Allen LD-34 LDS model. I thought I'd post so that you know it really does happen eventually! After a couple of years needing to call in technicians to fix problems, the new organ was put into the budget for 2015. It was ordered in January, and installed last week. 

There was no notice, however, so two of the ward organists had quite a surprise when they showed up to play Sunday! One organist found out Saturday because he husband was cleaning the chapel and noticed the new organ. That's how the bishoprics also found out. She got to come over Saturday to practice a bit, so she wasn't completely at a loss on Sunday. I found found Saturday evening, so I made sure to show up before each Sacrament meeting to help the organists along. One of the organists was just called and has never played before. He's a trooper, digging in to learn, but I knew he'd be thrown by the new organ. 

Last night, I hosted a "meet and greet" to get the organists acquainted with the new organ. Most are not trained organists, and many have only played our older order. There are important differences: the old organ had one expression pedal, and this one has three. The old organ had no extra memory banks and only 7 pistons, and the new one has 16 memory banks and a predictable spread of general and divisional pistons and toe studs. And for some reason, the factory's captured presents are on memory banks 16 (congregational) and 15 (preludes), but that's not what comes up when you turn it on, so organists who don't know how to set their own presets or how to use the memory banks are at a bit of a loss when they first sit down at the new organ. But it's a good chance to encourage them to learn just a bit more, eh! 

We're enjoying the much broader palette of sounds; we've been so limited for so long. 

Anyway, I thought I'd share that development. 

[John Feik]

Would anyone consider watching a football game on a TV made in the 1960s?  But that is what organist have to do by playing organs today that are 50-60 years old.  I'm happy that you finally got a new organ.  Does anyone have any clout to try to persuade the church to keep our organs updated?  My ward building has a recent new Allen but I get asked to play in other buildings in my area where the organs are 50-60 years old. 

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[Harold Stuart]

Congratulations on getting a new organ. A new AP-22 (predecessor to the LD-34) was installed in our building almost 10 years ago and it made a huge difference in the quality of the music in our congregation and my own motivation to improve as an organist.

As for getting organs replaced, it is my understanding that organs can be typically replaced after about 20 years. However, there are cost considerations that affect these decisions. If the organ is getting expensive to repair it will be considered for replacement sooner rather than later. Another thing that can really help is if your stake president requests a new organ, which is a completely reasonable request if an instrument is 50+ years old. I’m really surprised that an organ made in the 1960’s still functions.

I help our FM group by giving orientation classes when a new organ is installed. Here are some of the things I cover for a new Allen:

1. Proper use of the organ gadgets: expression shoes, combination pistons, stop tablets, crescendo pedals, and so forth.
2. Use of the Acoustic Portrait. I consider the Acoustic Portrait to be a significant improvement in the sound of the organs, but it can be a real problem if it isn’t used properly.
3. Registration techniques: I cover the families of organ sound and the appropriate uses of each. I also have handouts which I give out that cover this subject.
4. Use of the hymn player.

The reason why the preset combinations are on 15 and 16 is because memory banks 1 and 2 cannot be locked on an Allen instrument. This allows guest organists to be able to set combinations. It’s cool to copy the settings on banks 15 and 16 to 1 and 2, but understand that they are likely going to “mutate” over time.

Harold Stuart

Cambrian Park Ward

San Jose California South Stake

[Max Walker]

Thanks, Harold. 

The LD-34 came with memory banks 2, 15, and 16 locked. 1 and 2 were duplicates of 15 and 16, but only 2, 15, 16 were locked. I opted to unlock #2 using the unlock code in the owners manual, leaving 1-14 open for organist us. I suppose I could have locked 1 and 2 and unlocked 15 and 16, but I'd already started making changes before I discovered the duplication, and I figured that there's an advantage to keeping things configured in a predictable way for organs across the church. Besides, it's time for even the least skilled organists to learn to roll the memory dial, eh.