Music Pad Pro by Freehand

I finally got my Musicpad Pro by Freehand. It is a touch screen "e-book" for printed music. I have have been busy scanning and loading a bunch of my favorite music sheets on it and and very pleased with it once I finally figured out how to use it. The unit is a great idea except it is way overpriced! At least now I will not have to figure out which sheets or books of music I will have to bring when I go try out an organ somewhere.

Waiting for LL324

I am still waiting for the Allen factory to finish the LL324. I have been reading the Strony book on registration and Jelani Eddington book on arranging so I will be ready. Have also prepared a page to set up the pistons on the LL324. My memory of pistons will be patterned after the piston set up I have on the 311.. although it will take advantage of the extra ranks on the 324. Am having trouble sleeping because I am excited about it coming and how it will sound in the 40x40 room at Bristol Glen. I hope it will not take months to get Walter Strony here to voice both the 324 and the 311. He said it would take about 2.5 days to do the 324 and less for the 311..... still waiting.

MusicPad Pro

I just purchased a MusicPad Pro (from Freehand) which is like a Kindle for printed music. Supposedly one can store over 30,000 sheets of music on it. I have been busily scanning music to put on it and getting used to using it. It has a touch screen so to turn a page you just have to touch the screen. You can set up the repeats and whatever so you can go to pgs, 3,4,1,2,3,4 with a simple touch. You can also make play lists so you can put together a concert. It is cool.. but quite pricey.

Almost here!

I just got word today that the Allen Theatre organ LL324 that I will be purchasing in memory of my mom for Bristol Glen (the retirement community where she spent the last years of her life) is almost finished being constructed at the factory. It will be an exciting instrument with 10 external speakers and will sound great in the large "Town Hall" meeting room there. I have not been sleeping well, thinking about the various piston set ups I will use on it and the music I will play on it. It will be GREAT! I have a web page describing all the specs.

www.mullersreviews.com/or_324.htm

After it is set up, I will take pictures of the actual installation.

Heitz Wurlitzer - 2nd time round

I was really looking forward to the GTOS meeting at the Heitz home with her wonderful Wurlitzer. I played it last year (before I purchased my Allen) and it was my first shot at theatre pipes in close to 10 years. To say the least... it was not memorable. I was all ready this year but I had forgotten that the Wurlitzer had been fried by lightening in January. The poor guy who played the concert had to really struggle with it. I was all pumped when it was my time for open console. What a mess! Registrations changed indiscriminately, the swell shades would open wide suddenly and then close up. The trems would turn off when the stop tabs were still down. Because the meeting lasted so long, I was worried that I would not be able to play it. Well, they let me go first, but I finally gave up! Nothing happened at the instrument as I expected it to. The professional who played the concert was able to adjust mid stream... I finally gave up. It was a waste of the 1.5 hour trip each way. Oh well... better luck next time.

LL324 memorial organ

If things go as expected, I should be purchasing an Allen LL324Q theatre organ in memory of my mother for Bristol Glen, where she spent her last years. The Helen Muller Memorial Organ will go in their large meeting room, called "The Town Hall." It would have been great for me to purchase it for my home but it is just too much for my condo. It requires 10 speakers and the console is bigger than mine. It will be wonderful to have frequent access to playing such a wonderful instrument. It has 24 ranks... two tibias and two voxs.. WOW.

If you want to see it:
http://www.allenorgan.com/www/products/ll324qsp/ll324qsp.asp

Listen to a visitor

I am a friend come over today who plays theatre organ and I listened while he played. One thing I noticed that he used much heavier accompaniment and pedal registrations than I do. The other thing I realized is that I think it would be a good idea to change my speaker placement. One of the smaller speakers was speaking right to where I was sitting and it sounded great.. I can not really hear it it from the console. I will play around with speaker placement tonight.