The pipe organ, an instrument whose origins date to ancient Greece, is prominent in the development of secular and church music, and its builders were as artistic as the composers like Bach, Pachelbel and Handel who played them. This book describes the mechanics, fabrication, and acoustics of all types of pipe organs. Although it is technical in nature, its design, descriptions, and language are directed to organ students, their teachers, and all persons who love the organ. The book covers the construction of several types of pipe organ, with chapters on actions, chests, pipe work, wind supply, electrical circuitry, mechanics, registration, organ placement, acoustics, and repairs.

For a pianist or organist new to playing the organ.This book has been written for the pianist who has never played an organ or an organist unfamiliar with the Roland, Rodgers or Infinity organs, but may be used by an experienced organist as well. Designed to be used for self-teaching but also useful when studying with a teacher.The Playing the Church Organ series is also useful for the experienced organist as it quickly introduces you to using all the stops on the organ, ones named on the stop tablets or drawknobs, and all that are waiting inside for you to call on them to more perfectly match the stops you choose to the music you are playing.This innovative teaching system works backwards - the goal is not to teach you all about playing the organ, it's to get you playing the organ with confidence and sounding professional from the first day you play, even if you have never had an organ lesson and just know how to play piano or a keyboard.Technique:We achieve this by starting you off with preset sounds, just as a teacher does, but here you control them yourself, right from the beginning. All that you need to learn to get started are three things:• Pressing Piston Buttons.When you press a piston button, the organ is ready for you to play. We have picked music for you that only uses the keyboards. This isn't simplified music - there has been a lot of organ music written for organs without pedals - in fact, even during the time of Handel, many organs only had keyboards. You will find the number of the piston to push at the top of the music - then you just begin to play. • Which Keyboard to Play?We mark every piece for you so you know which keyboard you [play.• The Expression Pedal Sets the Volume.You'll be surprised when you find out that the organ is not as difficult as you are able to focus more on playing the notes instead of also making them loud or soft or somewhere in between. • What happens then?“But...do I have to play the pedals?” You will find organ music written without pedals in books 1-4 that is easy to medium difficulty. As you play through the music you will be using 10 preset sound combinations that are enough to play services, including weddings and memorial services. This book also hows you how to use the Bass Coupler to play the pedals for you automatically on some of the music - we do this to get you excited and interested in playing them yourself.• This first book contains 33 pieces of useful music for you to enjoy playing the voices you are learning about. • The first four books in this series are a complete course in music for the organ, as well as exploring the stops of the organ.• Careful attention to encouraging you through lots of interesting music that is playable and that your congregation will appreciate. • These books may be used with or without a teacher.• Book 13 - A Playing Guide to the Roland, Rodgers and Infinity Organs is a good companion guide to this series qof instruments.

Assist Our Song combines accessible teaching about the theology and shape of worship with essential information about the forms of music used, including congregational hymns, songs, canticles and psalm chant, and music performed by choirs and musicians. It explores the range of resources available, how to extend repertoire, blending the old with the new, changing patterns of church life, and other practical issues. Its aims are the heightening of the profile of music within the church, increasing the skills and understanding on the part of musicians and choirs, assisting leaders of worship and empowering congregations to see themselves also as ‘ministers of music’ It offers practical assistance for the ‘delivery’ of music – choosing music, making the most of choirs and working with musicians. It will be welcomed by all who lead, provide or curate music in worship, as well as clergy and ordinands who lack musical expertise or confidence.