Pedal organ for KONTAKT.
Pedal-driven reed organs (often called pumping organs) were once the most popular instruments in the U.S. Manufactured by Estey Organ since 1860, they were often housed in decorative and complex furnishings.
The organ we recorded is a high-class grand salon organ, created around the turn of the XIX century. As you might expect, it alternately presses both foot pedals to pump air through the reed mechanism. This requires some technique and considerable effort to maintain a strong, even tone of the instrument.
We recorded the Estey Organ by removing the back panel, which gave a more direct sound and minimized significant pedal noise. We’ve included a separate pedal noise that can be mixed (or not) for realism.
The dashboard has authentic controls for each organ stop, as well as realistic strokes such as adjustable pedal sounds and clunky keystrokes. Sound can be further generated using Attack/Release controls, bike city and filters. A customizable convolutional reverberation processor completes the set.
