Organ Software - Controller Round Up

[stoken6]

I searched for a manual for this keyboard - on page 9 I saw "2.5.6 MASTER VOLUME It sends GM Master Volume messageï¼F0 7F 7F 04 01 00 xx F7)". So I think not assignable.

 

Don't expect too much from this keyboard. You get what you pay for!

 

Cheers, Mike.

[AlexJer]

Dear friends! Tell me if there is such a set available that allows you to make a midi keyboard from any keyboard. I found nearby a practically free Viscount Vintage Organs (80 Dollars). I am attaching a photo. Is it worth doing such needlework?

[ElmerJFudd]

It looks like this electric organ does have midi. Please share the model number and/or take a photo of the rear panel so we can see if it has MIDI in out thru as 5pin din sockets.

[AlexJer]

This organ is called the viscount bx20 midi. The owner of the instrument did not find a panel with sockets. She only photographed what I am sending. If there is a midi, then you need to take it without hesitation. Right?

[ElmerJFudd]

Well, I"m guessing it has 5pin midi out - the picture you shared doesn"t show it, but look for it on the back.

 

What this model doesnt have is drawbars - but you can add a set or two with a product like:

https://www.studiologic-music.com/products/mixface/

 

Without the manual, what is unknown is if the buttons on the front panel send midi messages for other organ functions. But the mix SL would cover that also. So - if it"s dirt cheap or free, I"d give it a try. It looks good. And worst case scenario you use it as a shell and drop other controllers into it. If you"re using a laptop or iPad with B-3X you"re going to need a midi interface. 5 pin to lightening or USB-C depending what ports your computing device has.

[AnotherScott]

google tells me that the manuals send MIDI, the bass pedals don't... http://www.miditzer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3225 - but you still have limitations of 44 keys per manual (instead of 61) and no drawbars (nor waterfall keys)... so don't think you're getting a Crumar/Nord/Hammond calibre controller here. But it may serve your needs, at least for a while.

[AlexJer]

I will use a desktop with only usb2 and usb3. I hope there are adapters for all the necessary cases. If adapters are possible in principle, I can solder myself ...

 

Last photo from Viscount bx20 midi

[ElmerJFudd]

Unfortunately a USB midi device needs drivers - either class compliant (included in the operating system) or provided by the manufacturer. It won"t be just a matter of soldering pins from the din to wires in the USB cable.

 

Here is one for $39 new.

iConnectivity mio 1x1 USB-MIDI, DIN-MIDI Interface

 

You may also find one on eBay for less. But make sure it is either class compliant or has drivers for your version of Windows.

[LX88]

I am still a bit curious about putting midi contacts into Hammond manuals.

 

I have some manuals from a CV. We took the keys out to see if midi contacts could go under there someplace.

 

Just curious if I could take some contacts and controls fro a midi controller and have tonewheel Hammond keys.

 

??????

[mate stubb]

I am still a bit curious about putting midi contacts into Hammond manuals.

 

I have some manuals from a CV. We took the keys out to see if midi contacts could go under there someplace.

 

Just curious if I could take some contacts and controls fro a midi controller and have tonewheel Hammond keys.

 

??????

 

Yes you can. Not as straightforward as one might hope. Hammonds have a full length bus bar system for contacts and most midi controllers have a diode matrix which has bus bars in sections, so it would require some electronics skills.

[AlexJer]

Dear friends! Sorry for the illiteracy. Please tell me why seemingly similar devices have a price difference of 4 times.

 

SL MIXFACE - $ 230,

 

Worlde EasyControl $ 54.55

[LX88]

Would I need busbars to trigger midi?

 

I was thinking the Hammond keys could push down the row of midi contacts. Then there would be the controls left from the midi controller that could hopefully be somewhere near the keys.

 

I have some thing like an M audio controller...could use the midi contacts from those.

 

There is nothing quite like a good Hammond key bed

[AnotherScott]

Please tell me why seemingly similar devices have a price difference of 4 times.

I don't have personal experience with them, but off-hand, Studiologic advantages over Worlde looks like:

 

... name brand

... informative OLED display

... built in programmability vs. having to program it via computer

... 12 user presets (sets of control definitions) vs. 4

... 4 zones (vs. 1?)

... can work wirelessly (via bluetooth)

[AlexJer]

For a semi-literate amateur 70 ++ who does not yet understand anything about midi subtleties - whether or not I need to have an informative OLED display

... built-in programmability versus the need for computer programming

... 12 custom presets (sets of control definitions) versus 4

... 4 zones (versus 1?)

... can work wirelessly (via bluetooth) ...

 

Do I need all these amenities? If you say that I need it, I will buy it at a higher price.

[AnotherScott]

If you're just looking to use the 9 sliders as drawbars you don't need any of those things. If you have other plans for it, then whether you need any of those things depends on what you intend to do with it.

[ElmerJFudd]

I find the biggest issue with no name brands is they can order the device to be built, charge you for it and ship it to you. But they have little to no staff - so no customer service, no tech support, no service center. They also typically have no budget for software and drivers to support the product on operating systems that are updated often.

[AlexJer]

...use Windows 10LTSC. Don"t think about changing it ...

[AlexJer]

Found on the Internet a manual for a Viscount BX20 MIDI organ. Understood nothing at all. Couldn't even find a mono or stereo output available.

 

http://www.viscount.at/Downloads/PhysisEU_ReferenceManual_-EN-_v115.pdf

[AnotherScott]

That's a manual for some Viscount organs, but not BX20. But at any rate, since you're only using it as a controller for B3X, whether it has mono or stereo (or any) output jacks doesn't matter. The sound will come out of whatever device you're running B3X on.

 

Do you own any keyboard at all at the moment?

[AlexJer]

Now I am looking for an opportunity to move the Viscount BX20 MIDI Organ from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This is not an easy task for me as I ride a motorcycle. I don't have a car.

 

Midi is a heavy topic. Moreover, my English is bad.

 

Mono or Stereo? I was hoping that the Viscount BX20 MIDI Organ's internal sound device is stereo so that I can use it as a sound monitor.

[ElmerJFudd]

The viscount has no speaker system. You"ll be using headphones on your PC or whatever desktop speakers you have wired to your PC.

[AlexJer]

...the owner of the organ swears that the instrument has a sound system and offered to play for me on the phone...

 

An autopsy will show!

[AnotherScott]

The viscount has no speaker system.

BX20 is a console style organ, with speakers. It is not impossible that it could have line inputs, but I certainly wouldn't count on it.

[ElmerJFudd]

Ah I couldn"t tell from the photos, no back panel shots or a look at where they house the speakers. Does it have audio in?

[AlexJer]

...the owner of the Viscount BX20 MIDI Organ convinces me that the instrument is not put into transport state. Could this be? I'll go see how to disassemble it and prepare it for transportation...

[AnotherScott]

...the owner of the Viscount BX20 MIDI Organ convinces me that the instrument is not put into transport state. Could this be? I'll go see how to disassemble it and prepare it for transportation...

Thos kinds of organs are not designed for disassembly, they move in one piece. You'd need to rent (or have a friend with) a van. It will also take two people to move.

[AlexJer]

...even a person whose hands grow properly will not be able to take it apart? For example, with a heavy hammer or, as a last resort, a saw? And glue back at home...

[mate stubb]

To the OP:

 

What's your driving force for pursuing this? Spirit of adventure? Economy?

 

What's your skill level with soldering electronics and metal or wood fabrication? Shoehorning modern electronics into a vintage organ is an involved process. If you seek an authentic Hammond style key action, I don't know how close something like this would get you.

 

It took me 4 years and several thousand dollars to build mine before all was done.

[AnotherScott]

...even a person whose hands grow properly will not be able to take it apart? For example, with a heavy hammer or, as a last resort, a saw? And glue back at home...

Well, pretty much anything is possible, with time/tools/determination. People took their B3 organs and created "chopped" versions so they could be more reasonably transported (albeit still just barely). So yes, I imagine you could open it up, disconnect various wires between the top and and bottom, saw the cabinetry in half, and eventually do some woodworking to make it reassemblable and wire it back up, but really, why would you bother? Essentially just to get a pair of 44-key MIDI manuals? It's not sensible.

[AlexJer]

mate stubb, if you think that the Viscount BX20 MIDI Organ is a bad candidate for working through the Hammond B-3X, why? There seems to be a midi, but the keyboard is shorter - so I saw on the Internet a YouTube video with a short keyboard for the Hammond B-3X.

 

Do you have a better candidate for 2 floors of a $80 keyboard?