I've taken a break right now. My kids just started school, then Labor Day weekend hit. I have stake conference this coming weekend, then I hope to resume posting regularly.
I have a fun prelude "Call to Worship" piece to share with you soon.
I am so enjoying your blog. Not LDS, but a pianist trying to learn to play the organ. Thanks for all the helpful information and teaching you provide. It is wonderful.
So... I have a gigantic request. Feel free to roll your eyes and call me crazy, but I'm at least going to ask anyway. SO, I am a pianist trying my darndest to learn to play the organ for church. I have improved a lot because of your website and I have since ordered the organ tutor materials. That said, I am really having a hard time figuring out how to use the registrations. Every Sunday I push pre-set #5 which every "organist" before me has done. This is Principal 8, Diapason 4, and some 2, and I think another one called Fornuture XI (?!?!). Either way, it's a basic 8' 4' 2' registration. I use it for prelude (at a softer volume) as well as congregational singing. Here is my problem -- This is the first time I have ever been in a ward or branch that used the organ. I honestly have no concept of how to use the different registrations. Anything outside of that basic pre-set sounds weird and distracting to me. I can't tell if it sounds weird because it IS weird, or if it's because it's just different from what I'm used to hearing. So my big request is, could you maybe pick some general prelude hymns AND hymns sung with the congregation and literally tell me what registration to push? I know a lot of organs are different, but anything would greatly help. If you are able to do this, THANK YOU SO MUCH! If this is just too much to ask, I totally understand.
Ollie, what organ are you playing? Email me a copy of your stop list to: ldsorganistblog at gmail dot com and I'll help you out. The fourniture is actually a compound stop and pulls as many stops as the Roman numeral says, so you are probably using mutations as well. Try playing prelude on just the 8' Principal and 4' Diapason and see how that sounds. Consider using that combination for the Sacrament hymn as well. Once I get your stop list we can go through it and figure out some good registrations.
I also recommend going back and listening to all of the Sunday Songs http://organlessons.blogspot.com/search/label/sunday%20song to get a feel for the different sounds organs make.
I am so enjoying your blog. Not LDS, but a pianist trying to learn to play the organ. Thanks for all the helpful information and teaching you provide. It is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteSo... I have a gigantic request. Feel free to roll your eyes and call me crazy, but I'm at least going to ask anyway. SO, I am a pianist trying my darndest to learn to play the organ for church. I have improved a lot because of your website and I have since ordered the organ tutor materials. That said, I am really having a hard time figuring out how to use the registrations. Every Sunday I push pre-set #5 which every "organist" before me has done. This is Principal 8, Diapason 4, and some 2, and I think another one called Fornuture XI (?!?!). Either way, it's a basic 8' 4' 2' registration. I use it for prelude (at a softer volume) as well as congregational singing. Here is my problem -- This is the first time I have ever been in a ward or branch that used the organ. I honestly have no concept of how to use the different registrations. Anything outside of that basic pre-set sounds weird and distracting to me. I can't tell if it sounds weird because it IS weird, or if it's because it's just different from what I'm used to hearing. So my big request is, could you maybe pick some general prelude hymns AND hymns sung with the congregation and literally tell me what registration to push? I know a lot of organs are different, but anything would greatly help. If you are able to do this, THANK YOU SO MUCH! If this is just too much to ask, I totally understand.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I am so glad this blog is helping you!
ReplyDeleteOllie, what organ are you playing? Email me a copy of your stop list to: ldsorganistblog at gmail dot com and I'll help you out. The fourniture is actually a compound stop and pulls as many stops as the Roman numeral says, so you are probably using mutations as well. Try playing prelude on just the 8' Principal and 4' Diapason and see how that sounds. Consider using that combination for the Sacrament hymn as well. Once I get your stop list we can go through it and figure out some good registrations.
I also recommend going back and listening to all of the Sunday Songs http://organlessons.blogspot.com/search/label/sunday%20song to get a feel for the different sounds organs make.