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NPR had a story about a NEW pipe organ album: https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/nx-s1-5232116/james-mcvinnie-pipe-organ-review https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/nx-s

by ynac 2y ago

NPR had a story about a NEW pipe organ album: https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/nx-s1-5232116/james-mcvinnie-pipe-organ-review https://www.npr.org/2025/01/17/nx-s1-5232116/james-mcvinnie-... I enjoy modular synths and always felt they were essentially pipe organs - with some zzt zzt.

tgv 2y ago
I've heard that quite often, but it isn't really, is it? You can't plug the flue rank into the diapason for frequency modulation, or change the envelope, etc. The sound isn't even synthetic, which --to me-- is the key meaning of the word synthesizer. A pipe organ combines sounds, but so does a brass band. The one thing it does have in common with a modular, is that it is a beast of an instrument, and requires much more understanding of the working than e.g. a piano. BTW, if you like "new" organ music, you might like Anna Lapwood's album "Luna," although it's more conventional than your link.
- codemixture 2y ago
  I suppose one could say that an pipe organ and a typical synth setup may have somewhat similar interfaces, but wildly different implementations.
- organsnyder 2y ago
  > You can't plug the flue rank into the diapason for frequency modulation, or change the envelope, etc. "String" sounds are implemented by having two ranks tuned slightly different from each other. They're not plugged "into" each other, but they're definitely working together to produce a certain sound. Anna Lapwood is a very exciting organist. She has the social media skills to build a huge following, enjoys exploring all facets of the instrument in both traditional and non-traditional contexts, and is an exceptional musician.
  - tgv 2y ago
    Piano strings are also detuned. The ensemble sound of a string section also comes from small detunings (and timing differences). I don't see that as a characteristic feature of a synthesizer. Totally agree on Anna Lapwood.
  - mrob 2y ago
    >"String" sounds are implemented by having two ranks tuned slightly different from each other. The effect you describe is called "voix celeste" (or just "celeste") on pipe organs. But it's common to have "string" stops without the detuning. These are just open flue pipes with unusually narrow scaling, which causes them to produce lots of upper harmonics and weak fundamentals, like real bowed string instruments.

by ynac 2y ago

tgv 2y ago

I've heard that quite often, but it isn't really, is it? You can't plug the flue rank into the diapason for frequency modulation, or change the envelope, etc. The sound isn't even synthetic, which --to me-- is the key meaning of the word synthesizer. A pipe organ combines sounds, but so does a brass band. The one thing it does have in common with a modular, is that it is a beast of an instrument, and requires much more understanding of the working than e.g. a piano. BTW, if you like "new" organ music, you might like Anna Lapwood's album "Luna," although it's more conventional than your link.

codemixture 2y ago
I suppose one could say that an pipe organ and a typical synth setup may have somewhat similar interfaces, but wildly different implementations.
organsnyder 2y ago
> You can't plug the flue rank into the diapason for frequency modulation, or change the envelope, etc. "String" sounds are implemented by having two ranks tuned slightly different from each other. They're not plugged "into" each other, but they're definitely working together to produce a certain sound. Anna Lapwood is a very exciting organist. She has the social media skills to build a huge following, enjoys exploring all facets of the instrument in both traditional and non-traditional contexts, and is an exceptional musician.
- tgv 2y ago
  Piano strings are also detuned. The ensemble sound of a string section also comes from small detunings (and timing differences). I don't see that as a characteristic feature of a synthesizer. Totally agree on Anna Lapwood.
- mrob 2y ago
  >"String" sounds are implemented by having two ranks tuned slightly different from each other. The effect you describe is called "voix celeste" (or just "celeste") on pipe organs. But it's common to have "string" stops without the detuning. These are just open flue pipes with unusually narrow scaling, which causes them to produce lots of upper harmonics and weak fundamentals, like real bowed string instruments.