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PHOENIX ORGANS |
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The Phoenix Organ System - How it works
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Sound Generation The sound generation process in a Phoenix Organ
uses the sample replay technique. The basic building block within the organ is the Phoenix soundcard: the number of these will depend on the size and specification of the instrument. A Phoenix soundcard has 64 generators, each of which can replay one sample at a time. Each sound card has the option of software bass and treble controls on each of its four audio channel and when this option is implemented it reduces the number of generators by two per audio channel. If eight stops (ranks) are assigned to a single sound card without software bass and treble controls, then this will allow up to eight notes to be played with all stops drawn simultaneously. The sound samples to be used by a soundcard are
stored in We use high quality sound samples in our organs.
The starting point for creating the samples we use is a digital
recording of a pipe organ rank.
Stop lists can, at times, be pretty meaningless, and we have all experienced the disappointment when the sound emanating from the organ does not match one's expectations from the engraving on the stop knob. This applies as much to pipe organs as electronic organs. At Phoenix, when we are building an organ we can select, in consultation with the customer, the appropriate digital ranks (samples) that match their requirements and aspirations. We are also able to make changes to the samples after the organ has been installed should this be required or desired. When a Phoenix Organ is installed, our skilled staff will carry out fine regulation and voicing so that the instrument meets your expectations. Voicing is carried out using our own sophisticated voicing software. This gives us the added flexibility of being able to adjust the final sound of our samples on site to suit the space in which the organ is installed.
Voicing Software A pipe organ usually contains thousands of pipes. On a pipe organ, moving the expression pedal does not just vary the volume of the sound, it also changes the tone by damping higher frequencies. The Phoenix system software simulates this also, by attenuating these higher frequencies when the expression pedal is closed. The calibration curves of our expression can be set using the voicing software. The effect of wind variation on a pipe organ can have a significant effect on the sounds we hear. Our system software simulates this effect, and using our voicing software, each stop's loading on the bellows can be set across three of the keyboard. A large Open Diapason's bottom octave will use far more wind than say the top octave of a Larigot. Each stop’s response to bellows movement is also adjustable. Wind calculations are performed hundreds of times per second in the Phoenix control software to guarantee pipe-like response. A pipe organ tremulant changes the pitch and loudness of a stop. We have incorporated this into our design, plus a feature to provide some randomness in tremulant levels which occurs in pipe reed stops. Our voicing software provides full tremulant adjustment.
Organ Control One of the most important features in any organ is
its response to key presses. The The software for Phoenix organs has been developed using the Yourdon method. This is a modern structured analysis and design technique that is widely used in both business and computer control systems. Briefly, it involves the definition of the system requirements and then expands these into process tasks. By developing the control software using this formal method, the Phoenix Organ System software is much more likely to offer a reliable service than other systems.
The Phoenix Organ System can control wind blown ranks of organ pipes as well as digital ranks. Facilities are available within the control system for ranks of pipes to be attached to divisions of the organ and played through the console being managed by the Phoenix System. This enables the Phoenix System to be used to supplement an existing (or new) pipe organ by providing a new console system with up-to-date control facilities and some digital voices or for a principally digital Phoenix System to be supplemented by some ranks of real pipes. |
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© Phoenix Organs 2001-2005 Last updated 17th January 2005 |