If you’re planning a church wedding, organ is an instrument you should learn. Okay, maybe not learn. But definitely learn a little about. The organ has been called the “King of Instruments”. It’s a well-deserved title. You many not know very much about this instrument. The pipe organ is a very common instrument in churches, so it will help you to know a little about it for planning your wedding ceremony music. Just a little.

A common instrument for a wedding: organ If you’re getting married in a church, chances are that you’ll be having an organ involved in your wedding music. Of course, you don’t have to. You can choose a piano or bring in other instruments. But the organ is what most couples choose, partly because it’s an extremely convenient choice.

This is why so many of my music suggestions are organ pieces. It’s simply the most commonly-used instrument.

How it works The pipe organ was essentially the world’s first synthesizer. This is because it can make a wide variety of sounds, thanks to its stops. These stops control air going to different sets of pipes (each set makes a different sound). “Pulling out a stop” means more pipes will play when a key is pressed.

Some churches have electronic organs rather than pipe organs. The sound can be but is not always similar. The concept is still the same. For you, thinking about a wedding, organs are organs. There’s no real difference to be concerned about.

The organ can play many different styles of music because of these stops and the variety of sounds they play. Being able to play multiple keyboards and pedals at the same time only increases this capability.

But it’s not for all music But some music isn’t at all suited for the organ. Just like a harp can technically play notes from any piece of music doesn’t mean it’s going to sound good. A harp playing something written for an electric guitar is not going to be pretty.

Such is also true for the organ. Some music just won’t work.

I once heard a story from an organist friend in Germany. A bride gave him a CD of yoga music that featured chirping birds and even a zither and asked him to play this for her processional. He said he’d do his best. He spent many hours trying to simulate various sounds he heard from the CD on the organ and made a valiant attempt.

But it turned out the bride was expecting it to sound exactly like the CD and she was terribly disappointed. The sounds she wanted just weren’t possible on the organ.

What you also need to know It’s also important for you to know that not only are organs very expensive instruments, but the technique for playing one is far different than for other instruments such as pianos and even electronic jazz- or rock-type organs (or keyboards). It’s just completely different.

For both of these reasons, churches tend to keep a close eye on who gets to play their instrument. For weddings, guest organists will need to be cleared with the church.

Ask the church for permission if you want to use your own musician. Be prepared to be asked whether your musician knows how to play such an organ.

Points to remember 1. The organ is a very flexible instrument and can play a variety of music. There’s an abundance of music already written for it.

2. But even this instruments has its limits. Don’t assume any music will be handled well.

3. Playing an organ is different than other keyboard instruments. Don’t assume that anybody who can play a keyboard can play a church organ well.

Wedding Music Unveiled ( http://weddingmusicunveiled.com ) has a goal to help you plan your church wedding ceremony music, giving you music ideas and guiding you through what can be a confusing process. We want to help you choose exciting, memorable music that will make your wedding ceremony distinctive and a perfect reflection of you!

We are church musicians with lots of church wedding experience. We are a wedding guide that will not write about what we don’t know. We know that your experience with classical and church music is probably very limited. But ours isn’t and we’ll share our experience to help you!

Author: David E H
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Hammond organ and lead synth sounds can be used in a highly effective way in a worship context, however the use of both of these sounds is heavily dependent on the role of the keyboard player within the band. These types of sound will tend to be used where there is already a reasonably full band to start with. This means that they will be most appropriate when there is already a full rhythm section. In practice this is likely to mean a group with drums, bass, rhythm guitar and either another guitar (electric) or someone playing first keys (who is likely to use mainly piano and electric piano sounds). As a rule of thumb it would be unwise to overuse either type of sound in a much smaller band.

Hammond organs (and synthesised emulations of their sound) are commonplace in many styles of modern music from rock to R&B. Originally intended as a cheaper alternative to the pipe organ, the Hammond organ was taken up by gospel and jazz artists because of its distinctive sound and the many possible variations in tone. These variations are selected using nine drawbars (per manual) each of which triggers a different note in the harmonic series for every key. Each drawbar has eight volume settings and it is the combination of these plus vibrato, percussion, overdrive and reverb effects which make up the overall sound of the Hammond organ.

In reality many of us will rely on preset sounds and patches rather than being able to create our own using dedicated hardware or software. A number of keyboards now offer the ability to alter drawbar and effects settings but there are still a great many which do not. Most general purpose synthesizers have Hammond organ sounds on their ranks but these may be known by different names. They could be B3, rock organ, jazz organ, full bars, soft organ and other similar names.
There are a number of different ways to use Hammond organ sounds which I shall outline briefly. The first is similar to the way one would use a pad sound – playing chords to support the harmonic movement of a song. This is a very common way of using the sound as it can be much more immediate than a pad sound and also cuts through the mix lot better. You can use this style of playing in both fast, powerful songs and more ballad-like settings. Be careful when selecting sounds for different songs and make sure that the power of the sound matches the feel of the music.

With any style of Hammond organ playing it is extremely important to keep everything in the correct register. The lower parts of this kind of sound can muddy up the lower and middle parts of the overall mix so these are best avoided for all but fleeting moments – it is better to keep most playing more than an octave above middle C for comfort.

One time when a lower register may be used is when utilising a common playing technique. Hammond organ players often use long glissandos up to a held note (or chord) in the higher register of the instrument. These can sometimes even be played with the forearm (and often with the palm of the hand). These can be used to great effect when building from a verse into the chorus of a song where the feel wants to be built up greatly. Smaller glissandos can also be used between different chords and this is a very common playing effect.

Another technique which is often used is to play melodic figures (around chord notes) underneath a held higher note. To use this technique it is important to find a note which will fit with a number of chords in a row so that this can be held over the top of the movement underneath it.
It is also possible to use Hammond organ sounds to play lead line melodies maybe in an introduction. If this is going to be used along with any of the other styles of playing outlined above it is important to change the volume of the keyboard carefully so that this line is loud enough without chordal playing becoming too dominant in the mix.

The last important point to make about Hammond organ sounds is the possible use of a Leslie speaker effect. Many keyboards and all good Hammond organ emulators now include the option for adding this ’swirling’ effect to the sound. To gain the best effect from the use of a Leslie simulator it is necessary to turn it on and off (or from fast to slow) whilst playing. This often necessitates playing mainly with one hand and keeping the other free to push the button or turn the modulation wheel. Some of these techniques are demonstrated on the Musicademy Intermediate Worship Keyboard Intermediate DVDs. http://musicademy.com/wd_keyboard.html

Lead synth sounds are much quicker and easier to deal with than Hammond organs. This is partly because they are only used infrequently in a worship setting. You will find different lead sounds in many keyboards and these include Saw leads, Sine leads and Square leads along with numerous others. Most of the names relate to the shape of the wave which creates the sound. By their nature lead sounds will often be quite harsh so that they cut through the mix. The best use for these sounds is to create lead melody lines for introductions and links. It is very easy for these sounds to conflict with a lead guitar part if they are playing different things. However, if both instruments play the same riff or melody a very effective sound can result.

When dealing with any new sound one of the best things we can do is to listen widely and try to hear the application of these voices in different styles of music. Try to imitate or emulate these uses, even playing along with the track at home if possible. Try things out in rehearsals and see if it works but don’t go ahead and use new ideas in a live environment until you are comfortable with them.

Andy Chamberlain (andy@musicademy.com) is co-founder of Musicademy, a music school that produces DVDs, online lessons and practical training in contemporary instruments particularly for church based musicians. Go to the website for DVD and online instruction in worship guitar, keyboards, bass, drums and singing.

Read the article in context and other related topics on the Musicademy newsletter archive http://musicademy.com/news.html

Author: Andy Chamberlain
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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One moment you are happy and relaxed playing the hymns and choruses on the piano, the next minute you find yourself on the organ after being approached by the Vicar. Well, he or she did say some nice things and it is your Christian duty – right! Now that your arms and legs are flying in all directions, the pressure is on and although you are working very hard at every opportunity, you are still finding it difficult to keep up with the requirements of the job.

So what do you do next – how can you make the transition to the organ, keep your sanity and still give a good account of yourself on a Sunday?

When I first started to play the organ at church, my biggest worry was that I would make myself look stupid. Surrounded by people who would tell me how brilliant the organist was in the church down the road, and how if they had a bit more time, would take on the job themselves, I thought I was playing to a congregation of retired organists!

After a time, I realized that some people do tend to exaggerate and that I was the most eligible candidate for the job because I was the only person who could play the piano to any degree of proficiency. However, I also realized that I would only accomplish the transition from pianist to organist if I could play to my own expectation, which at the beginning was higher than was practical.

The first tip I would give to someone in a similar position is to play easy music well – not difficult music badly. People listening to organ music, or any music for that matter, cannot usually tell if the music is hard or easy to play, but most people do know if there are any mistakes. Playing easier pieces will also make the transition easier.

The next tip I would give is to learn to play the bass pedals. It may seem very difficult at first, but organ playing, especially hymn playing, becomes easier when the feet can contribute to the sound and you don’t have to rely solely on the hands and manuals. The pedals are often the most difficult hurdle when changing from piano to organ and it can feel like playing two instruments at the same time! Hymn playing is harmonic – based on chords – so if you can think of your feet as an extension of your hands so that your mind gets used to including the bass pedals in the chord structure, playing pedals in hymns should become a more natural process.

Lastly, be realistic about what is achievable, from yourself and the choir, and set yourself a practice schedule that you can stick to. Being too ambitious about the time you can give or the level of music you can play will probably result in disappointment. It is also encouragement that you need if you are to make the transition from pianist to church organist.

Nick Chenhall has been a musician and teacher for over thirty years and runs his own Reluctant Organist website with practical advice on how to survive the post.

Author: Nick Chenhall
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Even non-musicians are familiar with keyboard instruments. Few people reach adulthood without having had at least one opportunity to bang on a keyboard of some type. However, many people (including musicians) aren’t aware of the history behind keyboard instruments. Their evolution is both fascinating and surprising.Many people mistakenly believe that the harpsichord was the earliest keyboard instrument. Harpsichords were undoubtedly a precursor to the piano. However, the pipe organ actually predates the harpsichord by some 1100 years. In fact, the pipe organ was the only keyboard instrument until the invention of the clavichord and the harpsichord.

The earliest pipe organs were massive structures. Upon their emergence, few companies actually made pipe organs. Even fewer people were trained to install and repair them. Their size and complexity made them difficult to work with, although the sound they produced was magnificent. Pipe organs often contained multiple keyboards to operate the many pipes and produce the rich sounds that the instrument is associated with. Naturally, this was not the type of instrument that the average person played at home. Most pipe organs were located in churches and concert halls.

Eventually, more compact versions were invented. Pipe organs evolved into regular organs, which most people of today are familiar with. They were more easily afforded by smaller parishes and even private owners. They were also much more compact and easier to repair.

The clavichord entered the scene in the early 15th century. It first emerged as a “practice instrument.” Since not all musicians could afford or had easy access to an organ, the clavichord became a convenient alternative. It provided organists a means for practicing at home without having to go to a church or other location to find an organ. Clavichords were smaller than today’s piano and may be compared to today’s smaller keyboard synthesizers, minus the need for electricity.

It was likely very shortly after that the harpsichord was invented. The harpsichord more closely resembled today’s piano. This may be part of the reason that people believe the harpsichord was the first keyboard instrument. Modern pianos are based on a very similar design to its predecessors. Harpsichords, however, were much smaller (though larger than the clavichord). The harpsichord had many variations that operated on the same basic musical principles. Some of these include the virginal, the spinet and the clavicytherium.

Like music trends always do, the harpsichord fell out of fashion upon the advent of the piano. The piano, though usually a bit larger, produced a cleaner sound. Harpsichords became all but obsolete within just a few decades. Ironically, harpsichords have come back into fashion in recent years because of their unique and distinctive sound. They are often heard as part of the backup for many contemporary songs, though relatively few people actually own a genuine harpsichord.

The piano is by far the most common keyboard instrument today. They are found in nearly every school and church in North America, as well as in millions of private homes. Most every music student has at least some piano training. They are one of the easiest instruments to learn to play and provide a good musical basis for learning other instruments.

Of course, with an electronics-loving society came the natural evolution of the piano to a plug-in version. These are commonly referred to as synthesizers. Aside from the obvious difference from the piano in the requirement of electricity, synthesizers are capable of mimicking many different instruments. Even the most rudimentary of synthesizers usually have several different instrument modes.

The more complex the machine, the more sounds it is able to reproduce. More expensive models are extremely complex and technical. Their technology is of such quality that it can be difficult to distinguish their sound from the actual instrument they are mimicking.

New advances in technology, especially in computers, are being made every year. How this will affect the further evolution of keyboard instruments remains to be seen. It appears, though, that the good old fashioned piano is here to stay for awhile.

Author: Duane Shinn
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A Harmonium is a musical instrument, a self-standing musical keyboard, similar to a Reed Organ or Pipe Organ. It consists of free reeds and the notes are produced by air being blown through reeds that produce a sound similar to that of an accordion. The air is supplied by a hand-operated bellows alternately depressed by the player.

Description of the Harmonium

Harmoniums are in the family of free-reed aero phones. Harmoniums look like pipe organs, rectangular-sized box with key on the upper length. Each harmonium has a bellows at the back that is pumped with one hand while the other hand plays the keys. Inside they contain multiple compartments. There are different sections of free reeds in each compartment. The dimension of each reed in the bank produces a different pitch. Engaging Stops directs the pumpd air to various compartments. Each playing Key and each Drone controls the air through the reeds within a compartment. When the Drones are engaged, they provide a lasting harmony note and are played in unison with the keyboard.

They used to be popular in churches and chapels where a pipe organ could not be used due to being too large or too expensive. Harmoniums are lighter than similarly-sized pianos and are not as easily damaged in transportation, thus they were also preffered throughout the colonies of the European powers in this period- not only because it was easier to ship the instrument out to where it was needed, but it was also easier to transport overland in areas where proper roads and railways were not existent.

The British introduced harmoniums to India during their ruling period. The instrument quickly became popular there: it was portable, reliable and easy to mater. Its popularity has increased to the present day, and the harmonium is an important instrument in many types of Indian music. It is commonly found in Indian homes. Though derived from the designs developed in France, the harmonium was developed further in India in unique ways, such as the addition of drone stops and a scale changing mechanism. A popular usage is by practitioners of different faiths, who use it in the devotional singing of prayers, called bhajan or kirtan.

There is at least one harmonium in any mandir (Hindu temple) around the world. The harmonium is also commonly accompanied by a drum known as the tabla or by the mridanga. Many Hare Krishna devotees have mastered this instrument and offer their services by playing beautiful music during the kirtana services and ceremonies at the temples.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. You can find the best marketplace for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books at these sites for used harmoniums, harmoniums, and harmonium books.

Author: Victor Epand
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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So you’ve dug out that old accordion you had as a kid and have forgotten how to play. Or you’ve inherited one from a parent’s or grandparent’s attic or garage, and you want to give it a go. You’ve decided it’s an under-appreciated instrument (which it is) and you just might be able to have some fun and learn something. Maybe you have some musical experience and can read music; maybe not.; Whatever your level, it should be possible to find something to meet your needs. This article offers some tips.

1. Where are you starting from and where do you want to go?

This is a simple question, but important nonetheless. If you are a complete musical novice with no understanding of reading music, scales, time signatures musical clefs, and so on, then you may find yourself frustrated if the material makes assumptions about knowledge you do not have, regardless of skill level. Pick something more oriented to beginners. If you have musical knowledge and experience you may yourself getting frustrated if the material is too simple and takes too long to get to the “meat.” On the other hand, if you’re like a lot of people who learned music as a child and then stopped in your teens, the review that a decent beginners’ course can offer can be useful, even if you skip through it quickly after refreshing your memory.

That’s the past; what about the future? What do you want to accomplish by the end of the book or course? To have a solid grounding to be able to carry on learning alone? Play a few songs for family and friends, or yourself? Play in a pub or social club? Be grounded in basic technique so you can advance your skills with more books or learning later on? Do you already play and are looking for something to boost you to a new level? Are you just looking for a taste before you decide if you want private lessons or really take on the instrument?

Once you’ve looked at those things it’s time to explore the value of the materials..

2. What is the quality?

Is enough information offered to assess the quality of the course? Not everyone who can play music is a good teacher; and not all teachers or players can write competent instruction materials. It’s sad to say, but those skills are not necessarily transferable. Have you ever bought a music instruction book that just doesn’t meet your expectations? If bought any your answer is probably yes.. Sometimes publishers seem to just throw music books together to have something in their catalogue.

 They are illogical in structure, and not systematic in presentation. It leaves you frustrated, usually throwing the book aside, and often even the instrument.

Look at the material. Is it well organized? Does it have a logical flow? Are new concepts adequately explained as they are introduced? Are there pictorial and/or audio supports? That is, can you see and hear what is being taught. People have different learning styles. Some are more visual; some auditory. Some are more analytical; some learn more from a feeling level. The material you select should appeal to your personal learning style, and if it is very well written, will be able to appeal to a multiplicity of learning styles without alienating anyone.

3.What kind of after sales support is offered?

This can be important if you have some question about the material, or technique, or if there is something about the book that is just not clear. If it is just a book from a publisher then there is no after sales support. The beauty of the internet is that skilled teachers can offer their own courses to the public on line, and the very author of the book or program is often available personally to address questions or concerns that might arise. Can you email the author directly with questions?

So, what level are you starting at and where do you want to end up? Is the material well-organized and systematic in it’s presentation? Is there adequate after-sales support? Answer those and you’ll be able to make an informed decision [http://accordion-course-for-beginnersreview.com] about online materials to learn accordion.

Steven Beck is an amateur musician and free-lance writer who loves to try new things. He figures if he gains enough skills he might be able to rub his head and pat his stomach at the same time. Music helps with that.

Author: Steven Beck
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Organ from the Greek Organon Organ instrument tool  is a device keyboard one or more districts, each playing its own keyboard did not cooperate with the hands or feet. The organ is a relatively old instrument of the Western musical tradition dating from the time of Alexandria, who credited the invention of the Hydraulisk. By the eighth century it was gradually overcome by associations gladiatorial and assumed a prominent place in the liturgy of the Western church.

The word “organic” is used quite a bit these days. We hear it in business as organic growth and now we hear it with regard to music recording and podcasting. The term “organic” has come to refer to something that is natural, authentic, and has core value. For example, the organic growth in business refers to true expansion in the central core of the company not inflated increases from outside venues or other sources.

According to the online urban dictionary, organic music is music that has a core sound and tone that is natural by use of acoustic instruments and vocals. This definition went on to elaborate about organic music resonating positive vibes or something to that effect. As musicians, the music industry cautions us to be “more organic.” However, in this digital age, recording music in a home studio on a PC via Audacity or Adobe Audition by its very definition is digital. The sound is stored in a system of ones and zeros. Musicians can record short segments and easily repeat these sections by copying and pasting multiple times. Drums can be manufactured on keyboards or can be made completely inside a computer by using software. Most indie musicians use electronic keyboards, drum machines, and software for instrumentation when recording. These resonating vibrations though, are merely recreations from a computer.

Indie musicians are branching out into selling their music to film and television (i.e. sync licensing or synchronization). This leads to wondering how modern indie recording musicians can obtain an organic music texture?

TROUBLE WITH QUANTIZATION

Quantizing is a digital software adjustment that can move beats to equal other beats. So if a beat is slightly off, it can be snapped perfectly into place. The same can be used for vocals that are slightly flat or sharp by adjusting the pitch. Anyone doing their own recording and mixing has their own techniques for editing and layering tracks. However, something that I noticed early on with quantizing beats in my instruments was when listening back, some instrumental sounds were canceled out. The aural threshold of human hearing is limited, so by aligning every single instrument to an exact beat meant that the listener wasn’t hearing everything that was intended. This aural phenomenon means that only a few sounds can exist in the same space at the same time. I also noticed that if two instruments had similar timbres or tones, one of them might be canceled out aurally.

Maybe this organic music direction has a slightly different meaning? Maybe it means less perfect?

ORGANIC SYMPHONIC

Let’s compare this to a symphony orchestra or choir where you have multiple musicians playing together at the same time. The orchestra has a thick acoustic sound which fulfills the definition organic music. If all the musicians are playing at the same time how can we hear the various instruments? There are a few factors that make this possible. The musicians are playing at the same time, but no two people can place precisely note for note at the exact time like a computer can. This fraction of a millisecond difference when each musician puts their bow to the string can be multiplied by all the musicians playing. This produces a thickness to the sound texture of orchestras and choirs.

Another reason for being able to hear the various instruments is due to the timbre of the individual instruments or choir voices. No two violins or voices have the exact same tone or vibrato. This variance allows human hearing to differentiate between sounds.

An additional reason for variance is the use of multiple ranges of notes. Orchestras have first and second violins, violas, cellos, and multitude of other instruments playing different notes in different octaves.

The last reason is where the musicians reside in the linear plane of hearing. For example, violins are heard more to the left, cellos basses are heard more to the right, and woodwinds are more central. This is a result of where they are seated in the orchestra during a performance and where a listener would commonly hear them from the audience.

APPLYING THIS

Knowing this information can be vital in providing a more organic sound to recordings.

Instrumentation- If you are using more than one type of the same instruments like guitars from a keyboard or digital strings, try using completely two different textures. You can even adjust one to be more treble sounding than the other. If you are adding a digital woodwind or flute of some type, add in the vibrato. If you are using multiple instruments, use different octave ranges and divergent notes within the chord structure of the song.

Panning - Use the pan feature and place instruments left center, another center, another right center, etc. This allows the listener to hear the individual instruments. If you are a band but want to achieve a chamber orchestra sound, place the orchestra how you would hear them live– violins on the left, viola left center, cello/bass more to the right. Place these instruments more to the back by using reverb while placing your guitar, bass, and vocals more up front.

Quantizing – By all means, quantize your rhythm and drums and a few of the instruments. In other cases, play the instruments all the way through the song and allow for that millisecond variance, as if multiple musicians were playing at the same time.

Timbres – Add a real voice, real percussion, or real other instrument along with your recording. If you are using the digital ah’s in a song from a keyboard, get a real person to sing along with them. Adding in live actual sounds goes along way to making the recording more organic.

All the Way Through - I will use quantization to make drum tracks or basic percussion tracks and bass tracks. The rest I play live, all the way through. It is a challenge to do this and requires practice. The end result is that you can achieve a sound of multiple musicians even if you are recording by yourself.

“Music is a form of emotional communication, and when an instrument is played by a skilled performer, it can conduct that emotion from composer, through performer to listener. But when machines are allowed to have too much influence, then that emotional connection is broken. Yes, the notes, rhythms and timbres remain, but the subtleties that make music truly involving are lost. Non-organic music does often start with good DNA (to continue the analogy), but then it goes through the machine process and is liberally treated with pesticides (quantization) before being packaged and sold to the public.” Reference – Audio Masterclass

Author: Suzanna Reeves
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Today the descendants of a sort of early organ which uses the wind passing through the pipes produce sounds.During the  16 century various materials used in organ pipes, which can vary widely in tone and volume, divided into ranks and use hand stops or  combination pistons. The touch keyboard is not expressive and does not affect the dynamics.Some divisions can be locked in an elegant box, which allows the dynamics to be controlled shutters. These tools are a wide variety of sizes, ranging from the cubic yard, a five-floor height reached and build churches, synagogues, concert halls, and homes. Small bodies called positive and easily installed in different locations.Increasingly hybrid bodies, which require electronic tubes, add extensions, large economic space, as well as the potential cost especially when the smallest and largest of the tubes can be so changed.

Non-fixed organs include the harmonium or reed organ, which, like the accordion, accordion and harmonica reed worry free use of air.   Bodies in electronic or digital organs, which creates an electronically produced sound in one or more speakers. .

Include mechanical organs, such as the barrel organ, water organ, and Orchestrion, etc., these are controlled by mechanical means, such as barrel bartender or book music. Barrel organs waive the hands and feet and can be an organist  Powered by organ grinder, or by other means, such as an electric motor