A description of the various types of organ pipes, their historical roots, and a demonstration of their tone quality using a set of actual pipes that all sound the same pitch.
I have listened to organ music for years and I didn't know most of this info. Many thanks indeed. I will be sharing this video with my organ music friends.
The most common pipes: Principal, Diapason, Octave, Super Octave, Mixtures, Scharf, and Tierce. Principal and Diapason pipes range from 32' 16' 8' 4' and 2'. Octave pipe are 4'. Super Octave is 2'. Mixtures are 2-2/3'. Scharf are 2-2/3'. Tierce is 1-3/5'. Scharf, Tierce and Mixtures are mutation stops. Mixture II, Mixture III, Mixture IV, Mixture V, Scharf II, Scharf III, Mixture II means one key plays 2 pipes at once. Mixture III means one key plays 3 pipes at once, Mixture IV means that one key plays 4 pipes at once, Mixture V means that one key plays 5 pipes at once. Tht Mixtures, Scharf, and Tierce pipes are the size of either a #2 pencil or a straw and not to be played by themselves, they're only used to be a topping for other main sounds, while the 32' 16' 8' 4' and 2' pipes can be played on their own without the pencil or straw sized pipes added.
"Tierce pipes are the size of either a #2 pencil or a straw and not to be played by themselves, they're only used to be a topping for other main sounds," I call those the dog whistle pipes
One of best presentation of organ sounds on youtube. I love organs, but from books and churches. This was wonderful. I's sad, that there is only 2 videos there.
Thanks for that, from Yorkshire England. I live a few hundred yards away from an organ pipe makers. I found your video very interesting as I have made about 9 wooden pipes of various sizes, all of which speak at various pitches. I've even made a working blower. Who knows, one day I may even get them to make music. ha ha. Best wishes.
Thank you from Brazil. I'm a designer and someday I want a studio to built harpsichords and organs. Thank you for samples and demonstrations. You really helped for the knowledge, please continue. Nice new year, darling!
Very nice video! From an aspiring organist, I am learning the various parts of the organ and it's really interesting. I didn't know for example that a gedeckt was a stopped flute or that a gemshorn was a hybrid
I get that the tapered flute pipe has a sound half way between the wider pipe and the narrower one, but how does the tapering affect the sound compared to a pipe of constant average width? For example how does the sound of a pipe that starts 3 inches in diameter and tapers to 1 inch in diameter compare to the sound of a pipe that is a constant 2 inches in diameter?
This is very good! though I hope the lead toes have some kind of clear coating on them so bare lead isn't being applied to your lips! What would be really good is to construct a small pallet box that air can be introduced into with a small blower to sound each pipe with exactly the same pressure and temperature. Blowing air from lungs into a pipe changes in both pressure and temperature which affects speech and pitch.
Professional organ builders do this all the time and there are no problems, the only time you should not is if there is corrosion (sugar lead) on the pipe tips.
@@holmespianotuning Given oxygen, lead will form an oxide later, which is subject to rubbing off in your mouth, and slightly water soluble. The problems may not be visible for a long time, but since the biological half life of lead is best measured in years or maybe even decades, it will accumulate. Edit: A report just came out (heard on BBC, original source The Lancet) indicating that lead is a LOT worse than had previously been believed, both for brain cells and cardiovascular health.
Professional organ builders also get lead poisoning, it's still LEAD, and breathing in hot MOIST air into a pipe while holding it with bare hands that have sweat or oils on them is not good, especially for reeds. One shouldnt touch pipes with anything other than gloves, and instead of putting a dirty lead toe tip in your mouth you can cup the toe in your closed fist sticking out from the pinky and blow thru the opening created by your thumb and forefinger and not get lead on your lips. @@holmespianotuning
Shame on you for blowing into these pipes. A renowned organ builder once told me NEVER blow into an organ pipe, as the humidity in your breath will distort and/or possibly detune a pipe. Use a small air supply next time.
Professional organ tuner here. I’m afraid you are mostly completely incorrect. Flue pipes are often blown during the voicing process to see what point they will overblow and will not be damaged in any way, shape or form by being blown or the moisture from breath. It is only reeds which should not be blown as the moisture can encourage the formation of verdigris on the brass, having said that there is no harm in blowing one only used for demonstration purposes. Reeds are not blown by mouth during the voicing process as it would not tell you anything useful.
Stick to pianos, doing that during VOICING tests is not the same thing, and the pipes would be on the voicing machine in the shop for the most part and get cleaned afterwards before installation. Of course for DEMO purposes nobidy cares, those are junked pipes anyway, but trying to demo them by blowing in them is a poor way to do it, pressure and temperature varies widely. Much better to just construct a little pallet box or a box with Peterson valves, put some wind in it and the pressure and temperature is constant and the same. @@holmespianotuning
@@norahess5499besides the fact there is no harm whatsoever in blowing into flue pipes, I think this gentlemen is thinking of reeds which shouldn’t be blown normally, but of course there is no harm in blowing reed pipes exclusively used for a demo.
Well actually, the point of their existance is to demo the different types of pipes, but handling and mouthing the lead as well as variability of air pressure and temperature makes a demo harder, it would be better to get a little offset windchest or make one with holes and a rackboard for the pipes, and use some Peterson chest valves and a small blower. Ony need a little battery to run the valves, or use pallets and they can be depressed to sound each pipe with the same air pressure and temperature, and they could be demo'd sounding together as a chorus of 2 to 5 or more pipes. PS I'm a professional organ builder with 25 years in my belt. @@norahess5499
Thank you for the explanation of the various forms of pipes and how they work 😀
I have listened to organ music for years and I didn't know most of this info. Many thanks indeed. I will be sharing this video with my organ music friends.
Thank you so much for this entertaining lesson. Best youtube video i have ever watched
You could make this a ted talk. Nicely put together.
The most common pipes: Principal, Diapason, Octave, Super Octave, Mixtures, Scharf, and Tierce. Principal and Diapason pipes range from 32' 16' 8' 4' and 2'. Octave pipe are 4'. Super Octave is 2'. Mixtures are 2-2/3'. Scharf are 2-2/3'. Tierce is 1-3/5'. Scharf, Tierce and Mixtures are mutation stops. Mixture II, Mixture III, Mixture IV, Mixture V, Scharf II, Scharf III, Mixture II means one key plays 2 pipes at once. Mixture III means one key plays 3 pipes at once, Mixture IV means that one key plays 4 pipes at once, Mixture V means that one key plays 5 pipes at once. Tht Mixtures, Scharf, and Tierce pipes are the size of either a #2 pencil or a straw and not to be played by themselves, they're only used to be a topping for other main sounds, while the 32' 16' 8' 4' and 2' pipes can be played on their own without the pencil or straw sized pipes added.
"Tierce pipes are the size of either a #2 pencil or a straw and not to be played by themselves, they're only used to be a topping for other main sounds,"
I call those the dog whistle pipes
i was thinking you were dead
Clearest most concise demonstration of the 4 basic pipes I've ever seen.
One of best presentation of organ sounds on youtube. I love organs, but from books and churches. This was wonderful. I's sad, that there is only 2 videos there.
Excelllent lesson! I always wondered about pipe differences....now I know!
This is a very informative explanation of some basic organ facts. Thank you.
Very nice demo. Thanks.
Please continue this channel, this is very informative!!
Thanks for clear demo and basic lesson.
Merci beaucoup pour cette video très intéressante et très pédagogique.
Thanks for that, from Yorkshire England. I live a few hundred yards away from an organ pipe makers. I found your video very interesting as I have made about 9 wooden pipes of various sizes, all of which speak at various pitches. I've even made a working blower. Who knows, one day I may even get them to make music. ha ha. Best wishes.
tysm! I never knew this!
A superbly clear and well-structured presentation. Thank you!
Very informative and I learn a lot.
Great vid...thanks!!
Thank you from Brazil. I'm a designer and someday I want a studio to built harpsichords and organs. Thank you for samples and demonstrations. You really helped for the knowledge, please continue. Nice new year, darling!
Olá! Tudo bem contigo? Já chegou construir algum instrumento? Sou entusiasta no assunto.
@SYLVESTRIVS, How strong is your ambition?
I hope you have a strong ambition. Hi from USA
Great video! Thanks!
Informative, at present I am fascinated by by Paetzold Recorders, same technology but wood.
Very nice video! From an aspiring organist, I am learning the various parts of the organ and it's really interesting. I didn't know for example that a gedeckt was a stopped flute or that a gemshorn was a hybrid
So very informative--thank you!
Very helpful thank you.
Very didactic! Congrats!
I'm never going to touch an organ and yet this is deeply interesting to me lol
Thank you
I get that the tapered flute pipe has a sound half way between the wider pipe and the narrower one, but how does the tapering affect the sound compared to a pipe of constant average width? For example how does the sound of a pipe that starts 3 inches in diameter and tapers to 1 inch in diameter compare to the sound of a pipe that is a constant 2 inches in diameter?
P S. Happy new year 2024.
This is very good! though I hope the lead toes have some kind of clear coating on them so bare lead isn't being applied to your lips!
What would be really good is to construct a small pallet box that air can be introduced into with a small blower to sound each pipe with exactly the same pressure and temperature. Blowing air from lungs into a pipe changes in both pressure and temperature which affects speech and pitch.
There are 5 pipes?
Gamba is italian, not german.
After Viola da Gamba, literally a viola that you place on your leg. The predecessor of the modern Cello.
Viola da gamba = leg viol, viola da braccio = arm viol (what evolved into the violin)
Clear demonstration, but I wouldn't recommend putting lead pipes in your mouth.
Professional organ builders do this all the time and there are no problems, the only time you should not is if there is corrosion (sugar lead) on the pipe tips.
@@holmespianotuning Given oxygen, lead will form an oxide later, which is subject to rubbing off in your mouth, and slightly water soluble. The problems may not be visible for a long time, but since the biological half life of lead is best measured in years or maybe even decades, it will accumulate.
Edit: A report just came out (heard on BBC, original source The Lancet) indicating that lead is a LOT worse than had previously been believed, both for brain cells and cardiovascular health.
Professional organ builders also get lead poisoning, it's still LEAD, and breathing in hot MOIST air into a pipe while holding it with bare hands that have sweat or oils on them is not good, especially for reeds.
One shouldnt touch pipes with anything other than gloves, and instead of putting a dirty lead toe tip in your mouth you can cup the toe in your closed fist sticking out from the pinky and blow thru the opening created by your thumb and forefinger and not get lead on your lips.
@@holmespianotuning
Shame on you for blowing into these pipes. A renowned organ builder once told me NEVER blow into an organ pipe, as the humidity in your breath will distort and/or possibly detune a pipe. Use a small air supply next time.
Professional organ tuner here. I’m afraid you are mostly completely incorrect. Flue pipes are often blown during the voicing process to see what point they will overblow and will not be damaged in any way, shape or form by being blown or the moisture from breath. It is only reeds which should not be blown as the moisture can encourage the formation of verdigris on the brass, having said that there is no harm in blowing one only used for demonstration purposes. Reeds are not blown by mouth during the voicing process as it would not tell you anything useful.
😂😂😂😂😂
Stick to pianos, doing that during VOICING tests is not the same thing, and the pipes would be on the voicing machine in the shop for the most part and get cleaned afterwards before installation.
Of course for DEMO purposes nobidy cares, those are junked pipes anyway, but trying to demo them by blowing in them is a poor way to do it, pressure and temperature varies widely. Much better to just construct a little pallet box or a box with Peterson valves, put some wind in it and the pressure and temperature is constant and the same.
@@holmespianotuning
do you have dementia you commented this same thing two times on this video 3 months apart
do you have dementia you commented this same thing two times on this video 3 months apart
@@OdysseyABMS
Never blow into pipes with your breath. It ruins the pipe. I thought you were educated.
These pipes are used exclusively for organ pipe demos. The point of their existence is to be blown into.
@@norahess5499 ----Sorry, but a pipe organ builder told me that once. Something about the humidity in the breath. Ohterwise, for demo,,,,it's ok.
@@jrzzrjyou didn't have to insult her with the first comment. That's not educated!
@@norahess5499besides the fact there is no harm whatsoever in blowing into flue pipes, I think this gentlemen is thinking of reeds which shouldn’t be blown normally, but of course there is no harm in blowing reed pipes exclusively used for a demo.
Well actually, the point of their existance is to demo the different types of pipes, but handling and mouthing the lead as well as variability of air pressure and temperature makes a demo harder, it would be better to get a little offset windchest or make one with holes and a rackboard for the pipes, and use some Peterson chest valves and a small blower. Ony need a little battery to run the valves, or use pallets and they can be depressed to sound each pipe with the same air pressure and temperature, and they could be demo'd sounding together as a chorus of 2 to 5 or more pipes.
PS I'm a professional organ builder with 25 years in my belt.
@@norahess5499