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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ *
jOrgan successor
jOrgan successor
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-18 03:44
Hello everyone,
As I mentioned before, I’m currently working on a new implementation of a virtual organ software.
You can now download the first alpha version here (Windows, Linux x64, and Raspi Arm):
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/b3y8h96vrurpackbv821x/AP0n9n6vSotOgatQ_uKqpXo?rlkey=
4ky7kswpfezh7jprhlv4vxqsc&st=8b3e3lje&dl=0
At the moment, the software doesn’t support all features and tries to keep things simple.
The biggest advantages are good performance and easy installation.
This version is mainly for the hardcore users, but I think some jOrgan pros should be able to
handle it. Feel free to try it out, and I’m happy to provide explanations on request.
Have fun!
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-06-18 04:44
I tried installing windows version... nothing happens. Now new software installs.
Log shows this:
[2025-06-17T18:38:43Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-17T18:38:43Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-17T18:38:43Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-17T18:38:43Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input
from #console1 to port '^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$'
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-18 05:10
I got very similar log messages. See below:
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-17T19:05:33Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-18 16:03
Hi,
Thanks for chiming in so quickly.
By default, the application loads a file named disposition.json from the current directory.
For experts familiar with jOrgan's XML format, the contents of this file should look somewhat familiar.
The example disposition included in the ZIP archives represents a small organ with just five elements
and uses FluidSynth as usual to generate sound.
The first thing you'll need to do is adjust the port attributes in the JSON file - these define where
input is read from.
You can find a list of available ports in the anabeeb.log file. Note that you can use regular
expressions for port names, as long as the value starts with ^ and ends with $.
Best,
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-06-18 16:12
Hi Sven,
How do I sort the error I encountered?
[2025-06-17T18:38:43Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input
from #console1 to port '^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$'
Mark
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-06-18 16:13
Sven, after unzipping the download of the Windows version of the new software, I created a
shortcut to the anabeeb.exe file and tried to run the software and it, immediately, created
a text file with the following log information:
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'Creative MIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'Creative MIDI Port II'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'LoopBe Internal MIDI'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Creative MIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Creative MIDI Port II'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Creative Synth A'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Creative Synth B'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'LoopBe Internal MIDI'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-18T05:01:02Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input
from #console1 to port '^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$'
From the log results of Mark, Lynn and me, the common failure is
" failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input from #console1 to port '^.*Midi
Through Port-0.*$' "
Does this represent a difference in hardware configuration in the case of each of us, causing
the failure to initialize by the disposition?
"Midi Through" is a specifiable "Option" in my MIDI sequencer program, for example, and is
not enumerated with input and output ports and program function is not dependent on "Midi
Thru" being checked (On) as an Option. Should the disposition.json file allow for
initialization before a specification of Input and Output Ports, such as jOrgan does?
The Virtual Midi Cable (option) determines which other applications run concurrently or
simultaneously. It is not specified as "midi thru".
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-18 16:29
Hi Mark and John,
this is a port I have on my Linux machine. You will have to adjust it to one of your available
ports, e.g. 'LoopBe Internal MIDI' or whatever port represents your keyboard.
Note the application does not contains any user interface:
Please start it in a CMD console, there you can control it via key presses.
In the folder ./examples/ui you can find what I envision for future visual organ consoles - if
you open it in your browser you can immediately control the running disposition from there.
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-06-18 16:39
I think I will step back for the time being and wait for further developments and feedbacks which
I can understand better and learn from.
I did open the console but I don't know what one is supposed to do with what there is.
Regards,
Mark
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-06-18 17:04
Sven, in attempting to change the "^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$", entry to "LoopBe Internal MIDI"
I get the message "You do not have permission to change" the entry and I could not save the
change I attempted to make. Also, what is the exact syntax for an entry change?
Thanks.
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-06-18 17:07
For a piece of software to be usable to me at least, there needs to be some basic elements that
one is familiar with (Windows):
open/ load,
save, save as,
configure..... etc
Mark
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-18 17:25
Yes, the entry can just be exactly what you see in the log file, i.e. "LoopBe Internal MIDI"
in your case.
For starters it would be the easiest to extract the zip to your home folder, and start the
program from there.
You'll have to start the software from the command line CMD, it has no user interface.
Once the program runs, you can start an experimental user interface by launching
examples/ui/index.hml in your browser
Sven
On 18.06.25 09:04, John Beach wrote:
Sven, in attempting to change the "^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$", entry to "LoopBe Internal
MIDI" I get the message "You do not have permission to change" the entry and I could not
save the change I attempted to make. Also, what is the exact syntax for an entry change?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-06-18 17:46
Sven, the Anabeeb.ui works perfectly in my browser. Stops activate and Cancel and Set elements
function as well.
Wondering about the significance to two palindromes "Ana" and "beeb" with respect to virtual
organ name?
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-18 19:25
Thanks, John, for staying on top of this!
I understand this change may feel quite radical to some of you, though perhaps not to everyone.
Here's a bit of context to help frame it:
The new implementation is significantly faster—by an order of magnitude. I was able to eliminate
the issue of hanging notes on my Raspberry Pi and completely remove any latency.
By using HTML/CSS in the browser as the frontend, users gain much more flexibility in building
their graphical consoles. The downloaded zip includes an example that connects to the locally
running application—generated with a little help from ChatGPT.
Once everything is finalized, we can package it into a clean installer with auto-start
functionality and some customization options. That said, there won't be any Open/Save
buttons—sorry! 😉
Best,
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-18 20:18
... of course, you don't need to run the organ core and the HTML frontend on the same machine.
For example, you could easily control the organ core running on a Raspberry Pi using your
smartphone to display the console.
Modern browsers can render far more impressive console interfaces than jOrgan ever supported —
think shadows, transitions, and rich visual effects.
- Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-06-18 21:05
I liked the way jOrgan handled graphics and often tried to get GrandOrgue to adopt the same...
so I cannot honestly say that the new software will have some significant competitive edge over
jOrgan or GrandOrgue. Besides, although graphics are nice to have in simulating 3D, emulating
shadows etc, ultimately a VPO is mostly about the purity and authenticity of sound.
Also, and I am writing in complete ignorance as I fail to understand how this software is
supposed to work, I cannot see how sample-set creators like myself will be processing VPO for it
if there is no conventional user interface. The sole limitation of jOrgan was always that it never
had its own sound driver and relied largely on fluidsynth. This is where GO and more so HW
excelled in the opinion of the vast majority of professional organists.
I cannot deny that there may be advantages as declared by Sven, but I'm feel like I'm groping
in the dark at the moment! I am eager to learn more hoping that everything will make a bit more
sense. Eventually, I would need to understand also how a VPO can be voiced with this software,
how it would be able to record and playback music, etc etc.
Two areas need to be made clear (i) how to use the software to work as a VPO (ii) what's needed
to create sample-sets.
Mark
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-06-18 22:51
Sven, my present jOrgan setup consists of 3 Nektar midi keyboards and a midified Hammond 25-note
pedalboard.
The PC is 13 years old desktop with a 3.0 GHz CPU, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD, running Windows 10.
In all the years of running jOrgan 4 64-bit, I have never had a latency issue or hanging notes.
My homemade disposition has five manual divisions and pedal with 504 stops. It has 11 soundfont
banks totaling just under 1 GB in size, having one wave file assigned per note. I output audio
through Creative Labs Audigy 5 RX soundcard for earphones, but used both onboard Realtek and
Creative when using stereo speakers. I have never found that the speed of jOrgan was a problem.
I have never had a polyphony issue with the comparatively small amount of RAM that I have, even
with full plenums with mixtures.
Since support for Win 10 ends in October, I have installed Linux on an alternate HDD and have
jOrgan running well on it.
Have thought about upgrading to a mini PC, but have not persuaded myself that it would give me
any advantage except familiarity with Windows.
Thanks for a great program. I think I have been with jOrgan and this forum for about 22 years
and have had many many hours of enjoyment, plus the value of learning experience.
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Pascal Collet on 2025-06-19 00:48
Hi,
Running on windows jO 4.0 and interested to test this new development and approach.
sorry but I have a basic question. Which assignment do I have to change in the json file (see below) ?
Thanks for your help.
Pascal (BE)
-------------- log file -----
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'USB2.0-MIDI'
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'USB2.0-MIDI'
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'MIDIOUT2 (USB2.0-MIDI)'
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-18T14:37:14Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input from
#console1 to port '^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$'
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 01:08
Pascal,
1. Text-edit the file "disposition.json" that was extracted from the anabeeb .zip
2. find the line containing "console1" ( "console1": { )
3. Two lines down is a line containing:
"port": "^.*Midi Through Port-0.*$",
4. Change this line to look like:
"port": "^.*USB2.0-MIDI.*$",
5. Re-launch anabeeb, and expect a different error message.
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Pascal Collet on 2025-06-19 01:16
was busy with the schema.json
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Pascal Collet on 2025-06-19 01:18
was trying to change the schema.json.
as you foreseen next error message
--------------------------
[2025-06-18T15:14:28Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #console1 to 'USB2.0-MIDI'
[2025-06-18T15:14:28Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not create Windows
MM MIDI input port (MMSYSERR_ALLOCATED)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-19 01:43
That error means that the input port is busy already by another application - or did you enter that
port name twice in the json?
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 02:19
Sven,
The port is NOT busy by another application. However, the same MIDI device is indeed specified
for both "console1" and "keyboard1". The new program should accommodate sharings of the SAME MIDI
device among more than one element. For example differentiation between console and keyboard
MIDI actions arriving from the SAME MIDI device should be handled by MIDI channel and MIDI message
screening alone...console and keyboard MIDI controls should be allowed to be intermixed from a
common MIDI device.
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Pascal Collet on 2025-06-19 02:20
That was the case. So with only one connected #console1 to 'USB2.0-MIDI'
the following error occurs " failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input from
#keyboard1 to port '^Virtual Keyboard.*$'"
Which port have i to assign or did i need an other component( ?
----------- log --------------
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'USB2.0-MIDI'
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'USB2.0-MIDI'
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'MIDIOUT2 (USB2.0-MIDI)'
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #console1 to 'USB2.0-MIDI'
[2025-06-18T16:16:34Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input
from #keyboard1 to port '^Virtual Keyboard.*$'
Le mer. 18 juin 2025 à 17:44, Sven Meier a écrit : "That error means that the input port is busy
already by another application - or did you enter that port name twice in the json?"
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 02:27
OK...Success! After specifying DIFFERENT MIDI devices for "console1" and "keyboard1", the program
started. Clicking on various "buttons" on the UI produced the following log:
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #console1 to 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #keyboard1 to 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::fluidsynth] loaded soundfont for #sound1 from
'./examples/disposition.sf2'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb] processing disposition
[2025-06-18T16:21:25Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::rest] connected from websocket client
'81aca5ab-9539-4538-9374-63adf0d2d4c6'
[2025-06-18T16:21:28Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:21:33Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:21:34Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:21:38Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:21:41Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] captor #captor activated true
[2025-06-18T16:21:43Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] captor #captor activated false
[2025-06-18T16:21:43Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::general] combination capture #combination
[2025-06-18T16:21:48Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:21:49Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] action #filter2 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:21:51Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::general] combination recall #combination
[2025-06-18T16:21:51Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:00Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:02Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] action #filter2 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:03Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:03Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:04Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::general] combination recall #combination
[2025-06-18T16:22:04Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:12Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:13Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:14Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::general] combination recall #combination
[2025-06-18T16:22:14Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:14Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:18Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] action #filter2 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:20Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated true
[2025-06-18T16:22:21Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:23Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::general] combination recall #combination
[2025-06-18T16:22:23Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler2 activated false
[2025-06-18T16:22:23Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::term] coupler #coupler1 activated true
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 02:38
Pascal,
You have to specify a valid MIDI device for BOTH "console1" and "Keyboard1". Unfortunately,
you cannot specify the SAME MIDI device for both. You have to specify a DIFFERENT MIDI device
for your "keyboard1" port.
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-19 02:50
That looks good - did you get some sound too ;)
On 18.06.25 18:27, Lynn Walls wrote:
OK...Success! After specifying DIFFERENT MIDI devices for "console1" and "keyboard1", the program
started. Clicking on various "buttons" on the UI produced the following log ...
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 02:51
Sven,
After sending some MIDI Note-on and Note-off messages to the anabeeb engine, the correct notes
were played and silenced correctly as expected. HOWEVER, some MIDI keyboards send "Note-on :
velocity zero" messages instead of Note-off in order to silence sample.
I tried to add another item to the "keyboard1" element, like so:
"midi_binding": {
"key_down": [
144,
255,
255
],
"key_up": [
128,
255,
255
],
"key_up": [
144,
0,
0
]
},
But this resulted in an error message disallowing the duplicate "key_up". So how to I specify
that BOTH types of MIDI-off formats are to be accepted?
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-19 03:02
This is not possible at the moment, for now you have to choose the one that fits your keyboard :)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 05:17
Pascal,
I think you are stuck, since you don't have more than one MIDI input device. If you want to try
sending note-on and note-off MIDI messages to "keyboard1", you could completely remove the
"console1": { ... }, element (since there are no references to it in "disposition.json").
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 05:36
Sven,
The "set" and "c1" combo on the UI works for saving "coupler1", "coupler2", and "filter1", but
it does not save the state of "filter1" even though "filter1" is specified as a reference of
element "combination".
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-19 05:56
Sven,
The "set" and "c1" combo on the UI works for saving "coupler1", "coupler2", and "filter1", but it
does not save the state of "filter2" even though "filter2" is specified as a reference of element
"combination".
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-19 07:39
Thanks Lynn, that's a bug.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Pascal Collet on 2025-06-21 23:21
After removing the "console", it succeeds and sounds. As I have only one USB to midi converter
for 3 manuals and a pedal, I had to investigate for more understanding.
regards
Pascal
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-06-22 01:39
After spending a couple of hours looking at "anabeeb", my observations are as follows:
1. "anabeeb" is not anywhere near being a jOrgan replacement today. It is, rather, a "proof of
concept" that jOrgan CAN be replaced with a Rust based MIDI and Sound engine (core) that be run
as a server that supports a web browser based graphical human interface (GUI console). This GUI
could be run on any device that supports a modern web browser, and would be connected to the core
server by conventional LAN (or WAN) internet. The core server, that interfaces to the MIDI and
audio/synth devices, and the browser GUI console may be on physically different devices, connected
only via standard internet protocols (ethernet, WiFi).
2. For this new concept to be a practical replacement for jOrgan, a "construct" app or apps will
have to be developed for both the JSON configuration file as well as the browser GUI. To manually
edit the JSON disposition file and the HTML components of the GUI (css, javascript, html, and
image files) would be a monumental task that most (if not all) virtual organ developers would
never attempt.
3. Some fundamental features of jOrgan would have yet to be developed, including:
a.) the sharing of a single MIDI device among multiple elements (e.g., console, keyboard, sound
source),
b.) the support of MPL,
c.) the need for "midi_binding" properties (both for MIDI input and MIDI output) to support
multiple alternate options (e.g., both Note-off and Note-on/velocity-0 for "key_up", such as
"key_up": [[128,255,255],[144,0,0]] )
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Chester Berry on 2025-06-23 06:38
Sven,
Glad to hear from you; more glad to hear of a new version of the software you created. It is
particularly interesting to me to hear that this new version will be available for the Raspberry
Pi Single-Board Computers. I assume versions will appear for the audiophile-quality sound cards
available for the Pi.
Very best wishes!
/s/Chester H Berry
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Damiano Sansoldo on 2025-06-23 18:19
installed on windows 10 with roland um-one
[2025-06-23T07:59:32Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-23T07:59:32Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-23T07:59:32Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-23T07:59:32Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not connect input
from #console1 to port 'LoopBe Internal MIDI'
what does it mean the last error?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Damiano Sansoldo on 2025-06-23 18:31
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #console1 to 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T08:13:29Z ERROR anabeeb] failed to initialize disposition: could not create Windows MM
MIDI input port (MMSYSERR_ALLOCATED)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Damiano Sansoldo on 2025-06-23 19:16
as suggested i eliminate the console.
now the program is stuck:
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #keyboard1 to 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::fluidsynth] loaded soundfont for #sound1
from './examples/disposition.sf2'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb] processing disposition
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-25 08:17
Hi Lynn,
Thank you for your feedback.
I've uploaded a new version that now allows connecting to the same MIDI port multiple times
on Windows.
Anabeeb is currently in its alpha stage, but it's already meeting all my requirements for my
personal organ project. I’ll continue developing it at my own pace, and anyone is welcome to
join in.
There won’t be a graphical UI for configuring dispositions, editing the disposition as a text
file is much faster and more efficient, similar to how jOrgan skins worked in the past. Also,
there are no plans to support MPL in the foreseeable future - at least until I find a more
elegant and efficient implementation.
If Anabeeb doesn’t meet your needs, feel free to continue using jOrgan—its code will remain
available on GitHub. However, please note that I plan to delete the SourceForge project in the
near future.
Best regards,
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-25 16:51
I just realized the importance of keeping the old 'customizer' feature, allowing users
(not the creators) of a disposition to adjust its configuration to suit their local setup.
Ideally, these custom settings should be stored in a separate file, making it easier to
update the original disposition in the future.
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From RickW on 2025-06-25 18:44
Hi Sven
Yes, this is something I have thought to be important in jOrgan.
I do understand it can become quite complex when a large MIDI console is involved, but updating
an "instrument" shouldn't require resetting all MIDI inputs to the Disposition creators "defaults".
From the comments regarding your new software implementation, I don't think it is a replacement
for my uses of jOrgan?
Regards
Rick
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-06-25 19:28
Sven, I think I proposed the idea of a kind of "modular" construction for jOrgan, many years ago.
It seemed that, given the individuality of ability or need or want to have a particular audio/
soundcard capability, for example, that a module unit with the information included in the
"customizer" which consisted of the hardware elements of the physical console setup that a person
or organization had, was something that would be valid in the longer term and applicable to
every disposition that might be used with a virtual organ application with very minor alterations.
With regard to eliminating the jOrgan Sourceforge, will there be the possibility for new users to
continue to download jOrgan and its associated elements from the users' forum or links from it?
(JohnR.??) jOrgan is about as good as it gets with respect to free, virtual organ programs.
The fact is that Praise and Worship teams with keyboards and bands, groups of guitars, etc., have,
largely, replaced traditional use of organ and piano in worship services, in the USA. This is a
cultural phenomenon, whether we like it or agree with it or not.
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-06-26 01:31
Anabeeb is a small project I created to meet my own requirements for a virtual organ. It's a
way for me to apply what I've learned over 30 years in software development. There's no fixed
limit to what Anabeeb might eventually do, but this time, some things will be different.
Whether Anabeeb suits your needs will depend on how you use jOrgan. I'll be archiving the code
on GitHub so that anyone can use it freely, for as long as they like.
As I'm leaving SourceForge for good, the jOrgan community will only need a new place to host
program binaries and the mailing list going forward.
Best regards,
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-06-26 06:53
On 2025-06-26 01:31, Sven Meier wrote:"the jOrgan community will only need
a new place to host program binaries and the mailing list going forward."
Hi Sven,
We already have a place to host data (my "jOrgan Discovery" website and the jOrgan InfoBase,
along with the jOrgan User Archive Link web-page) due to the generosity of Jonathan Acquilina.
The Mailing List with its Archive going back many years, tracing the gradual development of
jOrgan, is another matter. I don't find that archive very user-friendly, but it does work.
Is there a way to conserve all that information?
Regarding the Mailing List itself, I think most users would prefer that we use a free Discussion
Forum platform, which would require some suitable person to administer it. It would need to
provide an archive.
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-06-27 12:05
On 2025-06-23 19:16, Damiano Sansoldo wrote: "as suggested i eliminate the console.
now the program is stuck:
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition
'disposition.json'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #keyboard1 to 'UM-ONE'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::fluidsynth] loaded soundfont for
#sound1 from './examples/disposition.sf2'
[2025-06-23T09:14:01Z INFO anabeeb] processing disposition "
Hi Damiano,
Welcome to the jOrgan Mailing List. Let me congratulate you for your partial success with Sven's
new program!
You had more success than I did. I tried to install it on my Raspberry Pi 4B computer, but got a
message stating that a package was missing (or something like that - this was all some days ago).
Perhaps I shall have more success with the modified version of "anabeet", but I have been too busy,
mainly with other jOrgan commitments, to try that.
I compared your log with that of Lynn Walls' post, part of which I quote here, along with his
introduction (the post was sent on 19th June):
'OK...Success! After specifying DIFFERENT MIDI devices for "console1" and "keyboard1", the program
started. Clicking on various "buttons" on the UI produced the following log:
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Input Port 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'loopMIDI Port'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::midi] Output Port 'loopMIDI Port 1'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb] loaded disposition 'disposition.json'
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb] initializing disposition
[2025-06-18T16:20:53Z INFO anabeeb::disposition::midi_in] connected #console1 to 'loopMIDI Port 1' '
I stopped there because that last line is missing from your log. That suggests to me that you were
not supposed to "eliminate the console", but I may be quite wrong, and it is up to someone with more
knowledge of these things to point us in the right direction.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Peter Hanlon on 2025-07-02 15:21
Hi All,
I downloaded the Anabeeb zip for interest. I didn't get especially far but it did reply to
my Anabeeb command line, and I could look at the UI via the Raspberry PI browser.
I am best described as a jOrgan consumer. I rely on other perennials like JohnR, RickW, and
CLW to help me over the understanding humps, and I have never been disappointed in the advice
received.
My question is what next?
Could existing dispositions be machine/manually translated into json or whatever, and what is
the interest in doing that?
Peter Hanlon
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-02 22:30
Peter,
Existing dispositions may be mechanically translated into JSON very easily. That is not the
critical issue with anabeeb. In order to represent all the functionality of an original jOrgan
disposition, the resulting JSON file would contain many structures that represent jOrgan
features that the present anabeeb program does not (yet) support (MPL, for example).
jOrgan is a fully functional virtual organ relay. anabeeb is a rather rudimentary MIDI router
and soundfont selector/player via fluidsynth.
The jOrgan program is written in the java language, and anabeeb is written in the rust language.
In order for anabeeb to be able to seamlessly run an existing jOrgan disposition Sven would
have to re-develop the entire functionality of jOrgan into the rust language. And additionally,
he would have to develop programming to convert existing jOrgan graphical display specifications
into internet browser based formats (html, javascript, style-sheets, etc.).
Not a trivial amount of work!
And while Sven is obviously capable of doing this, I'm not convinced that he is likely to
undertake such a task, only to achieve a faster and more portable jOrgan equivalent.
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-02 23:44
Out of curiosity, I converted one of the example jOrgan dispositions (fluidsynth-
example.disposition) to JSON. It was a no-brainer.
Here is the fluidsynth-example.disposition in its original XML format:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tff2b10h16saeo9znlizj/fluidsynth-example.
disposition?rlkey=dtwdf8608cy55rp3eo0kk0wkm&dl=0
Here is that same disposition file translated to its JSON equivalent:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lxjz2tf8ig4i9qq8ku89f/fluidsynth-example.
disposition.json?rlkey=efhppu9mnwhh8oo5j45rm1vi1&dl=0
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
jOrgan for Mac OS Fluidsynth version?
jOrgan for Mac OS Fluidsynth version?
From Marc-Paul on 2025-06-30 14:53
Greetings to all:
On the Mac OS X and beyond we have jOrgan 3.20, 3.21 and 3.21.1. I can’t seem to figure out
a way to know the version of fluidsynth. The View/Configuration does not show fluidsynth.
Does anyone know?
Thanks
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-06-30 16:25
Marc-Paul, unless you have manually changed the default fluidsynth (that comes with the
jOrgan version you installed) to one of the backends that are provided separately by Graham
Goode, those older versions, likely, have fluidsynth 1.x packaged with them. I am not
certain of this, but fluidsynth 2.x versions are much more recent and were released after
jOrgan 4.0 and betas. Perhaps, JohnR. knows if and where those backends can be downloaded.
John Beach
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-06-30 17:57
The latest FS version that worked, thanks to Graham, is 2.3.4
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sj31AmWwi4jKiW07yBFpMjLe8ORa7vse/view?usp=sharing
The update to that is 2.4.2 but I don't recall Graham having done anything to this to make it work.
Regards
Mark
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Graham Goode on 2025-06-30 18:20
If I recall correctly, MacOS handles Fluidsynth differently to the Windows installation, it is
installed separately as a dependency, much like the Linux version.
To find the FluidSynth version on macOS, you can use the command line. Open Terminal and type
fluidsynth --version. This command will output the FluidSynth version currently installed on
your system. For example, you might see "FluidSynth runtime version 2.0.8" or similar,
indicating the specific version number.
To install the latest Fluidsynth you can use something like MacPorts -
https://ports.macports.org/port/fluidsynth/
GrahamG
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-06-30 21:02
Marc-Paul's initial post to this thread makes it clear he was asking about using jOrgan
with macOS computers. So any mention of backends is off-topic. Backends are needed only
with Windows computers.
For years I was under the impression that Windows users were the only ones who did NOT need
to install Fluidsynth separately. When I became a Linux user quite some time ago, using
Ubuntu and then more recently Raspberry Pi, I sometimes had the impression that jOrgan
worked even if I didn't install Fluidsynth. It may be, of course, that both those Linux OS's
installed Fluidsynth already as a matter of course. At some point I came to the belief that
macOS users likewise did not have to install Fluidsynth separately. I think that is what I
have written in my jOrgan Discovery website, and also on the "mac" page in the jOrgan
InfoBase. No-one has ever challenged those entries. I am sure that Marc-Paul knows what the
truth is on this particular matter regarding macOS users, and this would be a good time for
him to let us know. I will be very glad to correct those entries, if needed.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-01 00:33
Thanks to everyone that replied!
1) Fluidsynth installs with jOrgan 3.20, 3.21 and 3.21.1. 3.21.1 is the
latest version available for the Mac OS. The program files are in the "lib"
folder. When using "get info" on these files I cannot determine the version
of fluidsynth.
2) Any disposition I have tried I can make work in Mac OS, old or new.
3) Fluidsynth does not show up in "Preferences".
Older aluminum body Mac Mini's may have Core 2 Duo, i5 or i7 Intel
processors. They can be upgraded to SSD and 16 gig of memory. One must be
knowledgeable about which OS X to use... but even a older Mac Mini will run
jOrgan well. I have also tried Hauptwerk 4 which works fine.
Thanks to everyone.... but I believe that Sven is the only person that knows
the answer to my question.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-07-01 21:19
On 2025-06-30 16:25, John Beach wrote: "Perhaps, JohnR knows if and where those backends can
be downloaded."
Put "jorgan files" in a search engine and click on the SourceForge jOrgan page. Click on
"Files". The "fluidsynth" link leads not to Fluidsynth downloads, but to the backends downloads.
It remains to be seen how long the jOrgan versions and the backends versions can be downloaded
from that site. The word, "Abandoned" has recently appeared. It doesn't look good. I have
downloaded the files and shall upload them to the server Jonathan uses. I shall also create a
new page for the jOrgan InfoBase so that downloads can still be made, once Google indexes the page.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Graham Goode on 2025-07-02 00:01
Thanks for continuing this thread. I was mistaken in thinking that jOrgan for MacOS used an
external fluidsynth - I just had a look through the sourcecode that builds the dmg package
for MacOS. It looks like the fluidsynth library (libfluidsynth.dylib) used in the build is
fluidsynth 1.1.6. (see https://github.com/svenmeier/jorgan/tree/master/jorgan-fluidsynth/lib/mac).
I don't have a mac, so I can't help with seeing this updated at any point.
GrahamG
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-02 01:31
Thank you GrahamG:
I am not so much looking to update fluidsynth... as to know what I am working with.
The Mac OS jOrgan development seems to have ceased long ago. I get it... there are fewer
Mac users out there... and it is constantly changing. I don't use Mac's exclusively...
I use all the platforms that jOrgan is available for, PC, Mac, Ubuntu and RPi.
The Mac OS has some available software that allows multi-channel output in jOrgan. I am
working with 6 stereo pairs at the moment. This seems more reliable than Jack.
Thanks for checking...
Cheers
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-07-02 02:36
JohnR., thanks for the clarification and the fact that jOrgan and fluidsynth versions and
backends will be available for the foreseeable future.
Anabeeb, obviously, has a ways to go before it will be as useful a virtual organ program
as jOrgan. jOrgan is a spectacular achievement in a quality software. Sven should always
be proud of this fact. At my age, I will be reluctant to tackle as large a disposition
creation with Anabeeb as I have with jOrgan.
jOrgan has been hundreds of hours of useful fun. I played my own father's funeral service
using a jOrgan disposition and many of our church's youtube-channel, Sunday services during
the Covid pandemic. It has proven to be reliable in every situation.
Best wishes,
John Beach
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Ethernet Midi issue
Ethernet Midi issue
From phil on 2025-07-01 02:23
I have midi output from my console using ipMIDI.
This happens when I press a key and release it:
If I examine the incoming message via an ethernet packet sniffer, there will be single note
on and a single note off message.
But jOrgan will show that incoming note on / off over 200 times in the message monitor ( 200+
note on, then 200+ note off ).
I believe these are actually occurring within jOrgan because if you play enough keys (two
full chords and pedal) you can get jOrgan to bog down and then crash.
Has anyone had this issue?
And is there any way to determine where these messages are echoing from?
Regards,
Phil
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-01 03:04
Hi Phil…
…I did have that happen once a number of years ago. I discovered it was “midi feedback”.
I had setup my midi interface incorrectly. Check that there isn’t any odd setting in midi merger.
Others may have other ideas.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From phil on 2025-07-01 10:27
Aha! Had a connector linked to the wrong thing which was making trouble.
I think I have it sorted now.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
END OF THREAD
Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation to Sven and all.
Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation to Sven and all.
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-02 06:41
Greetings to friends across this world:
If we are indeed nearing the end of development to jOrgan… I think it is important to
remember how much time and talent Sven has given to jOrgan. Certainly there are also
others who have developed technology and definitions… all taking time and talent to a
fantastic project… jOrgan.
John Beach said “jOrgan is a spectacular achievement in a quality software. jOrgan has
been hundreds of hours of useful fun.”
So as the expression goes… “Hats off” to Sven and everyone who has participated in jOrgan!
May we continue to develop.
Heartfelt Thanks
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From RickW on 2025-07-02 22:26
Marc-Paul
I whole heartedly agree with your words of thanks to Sven and to this jOrgan community.
jOrgan for me, has been the enabler to create a "virtual organ" with a very specific specification.
Working through the detail needed to create the "Christie" disposition, required me to learn the
intricacies of the real Christie organ to a level I don't think I would ever have understood
without building it in jOrgan.
There are other virtual organ software platforms, both licensed and open source, each with various
strengths.
I believe the greatest strength of jOrgan is it's graphical user interface giving a WYSIWYG drag
and drop environment to build and edit a virtual organ.
It must be remembered that jOrgan is only a MIDI manipulator. MIDI In to MIDI Out, that includes
the adjustments made to the MIDI stream by user interaction with the computer screen "console".
jOrgan organ doesn't make any sound, it simply alters a stream of MIDI messages as needed and
sends them to a third-party sound generator.
The third-party sound generator could be real pipes, an external hardware MIDI synthesiser, or any
number of software "Sample" players.
Many of the publicly circulated jOrgan dispositions use the third-party "Fluidsynth" open source
software synthesiser, because this offers the only distributable "package" of a start-to-finish
playable virtual organ.
My personal involvement with jOrgan is approaching 20 years. It has been a very rewarding time of
learning. Some of it has been tedious, but it is an ongoing opportunity for creativity and making
music.
There are others here that have been involved longer than me and I am always grateful there are
others who will chime in with ideas when I am working through something new to me.
I think the longevity of this group is testament to the work of Sven for first creating this
virtual organ building tool.
I believe jOrgan is a very mature platform and does what it does very well. There are still new
projects that I want to work through that will use jOrgan as the core.
Regards
Rick
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
END OF THREAD
jOrgan compared with HW and GO
jOrgan compared with HW and GO
From John Beach on 2025-07-05 22:35
There are quite a few organist/promoters of pipe organ and virtual pipe organ, albeit most of
the latter are Hauptwerk users. I know that Hauptwerk has a huge selection of sample sets
that cost. Is the sound engine of Hauptwerk far superior to fluidsynth with soundfonts??
Is it merely a recorded wave file of each individual pipe that makes it "superior"?
That question is for any members who are familiar with or have used both.
Thanks.
John Beach
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-06 01:02
Hello to interested folks:
I have been using jOrgan almost since the beginning and Hauptwerk since version 3. There are
a number of free sample sets for both jOrgan and Hauptwerk. If I am not mistaken... Hauptwerk
used Fluidsynth in the past but not now.
Hauptwerk is a huge memory hog... however there are more samples. Does that make it better....
My answer is not always.
I have worked... on many pipe organs in my area... both classical/church and theater. I was on
the original installation crew of the Paramount Wurlitzer and helped maintain and convert the
relays to digital. I served that instrument for many years. I have seen a number of
installations in my area. Etc., etc., etc.
Hauptwerk is easier to customize... or it used to be. Hauptwerk 4 is what I still use mostly for
Theater Organ. I learned many things from the Paramount Wurlitzer that I can apply to customize
the Hauptwerk sample sets. For instance... individual note regulation on the fly. The tremulant
models seem to sound better for theater organ... and then there are the percussion instruments.
Beyond Hauptwerk 4 the system gets so complicated that we have to study it make it work well.
On a Mac mini 7,1 intel i5 with 16gig of ram running Mac OS X 10.14.6 Mojave I run jOrgan and
Hauptwerk 4. I do the same on a newer PC with Windows 11.
Anything that works well in jOrgan works on PC, Mac, Linux and RPi. Hauptwerk is PC and Mac.
I use jOrgan everyday... Hauptwerk not so much.
If anyone has specific questions... please ask.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ron on 2025-07-06 02:32
I too have Hauptwerk 4 running the free version on my laptop computer. But as far as I know,
when my laptop dies I will have no way to load HW4 on a new computer, and the price and
complexity of the new version of HW does not encourage me to go that route.
Ron Biddle
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-12 08:55
On 7/11/2025 6:00 PM, Les wrote:
"Thank you. I have always felt that jOrgan assumes that users are techy folks and therefore it
isn't all that important to be user-friendly. Rather than another techy application, I would far
rather see the effort put into making jOrgan at least as user-friendly as HW and, better yet,
more so. Blessings."
Les,
jOrgan is indeed oriented more towards the virtual organ "developer" than towards the virtual
organ end "user". With Hauptwerk, the "development" of virtual organs is entirely the domain
of the techy "experts". Most Hauptwerk users see only the "configuration" aspect of a
"canned" app. You buy Hauptwerk and you buy a pre-developed virtual organ for it, and then
you, the user, merely go through all the configuration option selections to adapt it to your
particular collection of MIDI devices (keyboards, expression pedals, etc.) and audio devices.
That's it! You never tinker with a Hauptwerk console display or the organ samples. They are
too far removed and hidden from the typical user to be modified.
But with jOrgan the "user" may easily become a real virtual organ "developer" given a good
understanding of MIDI principles and soundfont concepts. Everything in jOrgan is exposed via
the data structure of the disposition and the view of it as presented by "construct" mode.
However, if the jOrgan user merely wants to be only a "user" in the Hauptwerk sense, he may
certainly configure a variety of freely-shared pre-built jOrgan "dispositions" developed by
others. But as you say, configuring those pre-developed jOrgan dispositions requires some
ability to use the same jOrgan development tool (construct mode) that the disposition
developers use. There is no extensive array of drop-down menus and option panels for
adapting the user's particular hardware to the pre-developed jOrgan disposition as there is
for Hauptwerk.
Whereas Hauptwerk was designed as an app to be sold to primarily musicians who want to have
the glorious sound of a pipe organ played on their own, home audio systems with their own MIDI
controllers, jOrgan, on the other hand, was designed for people who want to actually BUILD
virtual organs of their own design for the same kind of personal performances on their own
systems. Thus: the more "techy" developer-oriented nature of jOrgan versus the more
performance-oriented nature of Hauptwerk!
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Anabeeb Update – New Features andImprovements
Anabeeb Update – New Features and Improvements
From Sven Meier on 2025-07-06 08:16
Hi all,
I've uploaded an updated version of the Anabeeb packages for Windows, Linux, and Raspberry Pi:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/b3y8h96vrurpackbv821x/AP0n9n6vSotOgatQ_uKqpXo?
rlkey=fhity8n6bskynnuf7f2roi915&st=8m55if2b&dl=0
What's New:
Memory Element Restored
The memory element is back - working similarly to how we know it from jOrgan.
Disposition Override Files
Local changes to a disposition can now be saved in an override file. This allows for easier sharing
and updating of dispositions between users while keeping your personal adjustments intact.
Coming Soon:
I'm starting to develop a concept for a Customizer UI (as in jOrgan) which will allow users to easily
adapt dispositions to their local setup.
Bonus:
I just realized - with Anabeeb dispositions can now also be played on iOS devices, potentially
controlled via a browser from any other device. Exciting times!
Have fun,
Sven
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-07-06 08:50
Thank you Sven for striving towards creating a more user-friendly version and moving in the
direction most of us seem to expect.
Whilst I shall not be downloading these earlier versions, I do look forward to something I
can understand, use and eventually support both as a user as well as a sample-set creator.
So far I cannot, in all honesty and fairness, state that I understand enough to appreciate
the excitement surrounding this new software. I trust I will be able to eventually and that's
when my own excitement can take off.
Even jOrgan that has been around for over 10 years is a complex software to work with to the
extent that I have had to rely on others to create jOrgan versions of my VPOs and I do have
one such VPO under development as we speak. Credit goes to John Maher (USA) and John Reimer
(Australia).... not to mention that John Reimer has been compiling a website to facilitate and
explain the use of the program and Bill Skees hopefully will be adding information from a
technical aspect. And we are no where nearing completion of these tasks - and that's for a
software that's been around for so long.
Regards,
Mark
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
jOrgan Downloads page
jOrgan Downloads page
From JohnR on 2025-07-05 08:39
Hi all,
I have made a provisional Downloads web-page for use if and when the pages on the SourceForge
site are no longer accessible. It includes a bit more information about the versions, but I need
your help to examine and correct the entries regarding Java versions. I have had to guess a bit.
https://jorgan.info/dl/jOrgan_Downloads.html (Corrected by admin)
Only the first file has been uploaded at this stage, if you click on it. It should download for
you, but the rest will not.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-07-05 22:34
JohnR., Thanks. That link works well and glad to see that jOrgan versions for all those platforms
will be available for years to come.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-07-10 12:03
Hi all,
I have now uploaded all the jOrgan version files to the back-up location.
Let me remind you that the correct link is now:
https://jorgan.info/dl/jOrgan_Downloads.html
I have not received any responses to my request for reports on any errors in the Java version
details, so I am asking for anyone who has checked the list and agrees with the details to let
me know. At least this will give me a degree of confidence that I have not misled people. There
was certainly a bit of guessing involved in compiling the Downloads page.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Mickey Sadler on 2025-07-11 01:33
John I think it be a good idea to add the 32bit version for Raspberry Pi (if it's still
available somewhere) for historical purposes - and for others who, like me, have older models.
I have model B rev 2 which would be good for my use for a small organ.
( see https://www.pololu.com/product/2750 for pictures and information. )
Mickey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-07-11 06:59
Hi Mickey,
Thanks. Shall do. I should be able to locate it with no trouble.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-07-11 09:13
Hi Mickey,
That RAM of 512 MB for a Raspberry Pi 4B is surprising. The RPi 4B normally starts with
1 GB RAM. The one I use for a Desktop has 4 GB. I think it will be very limiting on how
large a jOrgan disposition you can run. I mention this to warn any others planning to buy one.
Best wishes,
JohnR
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Mickey Sadler on 2025-07-12 00:01
Hi John,
The Pi I have is obsolete so I don’t think anyone will be able to get one. It’s 32 bit and
can’t load the latest operating system. It also has 26 gpio pins and the physical layout won’t
let hats be installed.
I normally use a iMac with a 49 key midi keyboard and at 87 years old with limited funds I may
not be able to make a large organ. (The hard drive in the iMac died so I need to get it replaced
and hope I can recover my data.)
With the hardware limitations I plan on using the Pi, keyboard and a small audio amplifier to
make dispositions for a steam calliope, reed organ and busker/street organs.
Mickey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-12 02:28
Mickey
Depending on what Mac OS you are using, you may be able to install a Mac OS on an external
SSD from USB3. (Internet Recovery) Then you could see if the internal drive can be repaired
and/or recovered.
Please let me know if you need detailed instructions.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Mickey Sadler on 2025-07-12 07:44
Marc-Paul I am using Catalina OS 10.15.7 on my 2012 iMac. I was planning on either your
solution or getting the internal drive replaced with a SSD and trying to recover the data
from the old drive. IFixit has the how-to information and the screen replacement adhesive
kit. Also I live about 6 miles from the original Micro Center (headquarters store) so I
could have them do the drive install or pick up the new drive there.
I was a computer technician for around 40 years but most of it was mainframes and
peripherals but have not done much with hardware repair since I retired in 2001.
Thanks for the offer of help.
Mickey
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-12 09:03_________
Mickey
Another thought... you could boot up in Internet recovery mode and use the drive repair section
in that. Might be worth a try.
I have put SSD's in a lot of older Mac's and with enough RAM they work extremely well.
Best of luck!!!
Marc-Paul
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Anabeeb installs
Anabeeb installs
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-11 09:42
Greetings to all:
While I have been repairing and supporting computers and users for many years… I am not a
programmer. So here is a Windows install procedure that works… and then questions about
other OS install procedures. I have only had complete success with Windows. Limited
success with Ubuntu and Rpi… and no success with Mac so far… as there are no files for Mac
as of yet.
Install: Download and Unpack. (I put them in the Root of C: )
Start Anabeeb.exe
Look at Anabeeb.log to find your Midi Input.
Copy the Input Port file name between the quotes.
Open disposition.override.json
Look for console1. On the line below it between the ^ and $ place your Midi Interface text
copied from Anabeeb.log. Leave the “ on either side of the ^ and $.
Go down and look for Keyboard1 and do the same noting the text goes between the ^ and $. Leave
the “ on either side of the ^ and $.
Save the file.
When you start anabeeb.exe a dos window will appear and show processing disposition and your
midi interface.
I was successful in hearing sound upon keypress and pulling and pushing stops once I opened
the ui.html in examples/ui. The file opens in your default browser.
Questions:
How is the output sound card selected? I assume it is the default… however I have had no
success in Ubuntu or Rpi in creating sound even though everything on the screen seems to work.
In Windows… the browser does not have to be open for the disposition to function… it that correct?
How are the stops on the UI created… it that in the XML of one of these files?
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-07-11 22:23
Hi Marc-Paul,
Thanks for your experiments and feedback!
> How is the output sound card selected?
By default, FluidSynth uses the system's default sound card.
> No success in Ubuntu or RPi in creating sound
That's odd—it should work with the default sound card. I've tested it successfully on both
Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi devices.
> The browser does not have to be open for the disposition to function... is that correct?
Yes, that's correct. The browser UI is just an optional add-on.
> How are the stops on the UI created... is that defined in the XML of one of these files?
The UI elements are defined in the HTML file. It's a very basic HTML markup, with styling
handled via CSS.
Note to all:
I'm currently working on the first official release, which will include two major improvements:
- a small setup tool for convenient MIDI device configuration at program startup via the command line.
- during disposition processing, you'll be able to bind elements to MIDI messages and keyboard keys.
These features should make it much easier for users to adapt a disposition to their system - similar
to the jOrgan customizer.
Stay tuned!
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-14 08:16
Greetings to all:
I am getting this error on command line install of anabeeb....deb:
sudo dpkg -i anabeeb_0.1.0-1_arm64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package anabeeb.
(Reading database ... 100808 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack anabeeb_0.1.0-1_arm64.deb ...
Unpacking anabeeb (0.1.0-1) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of anabeeb:
anabeeb depends on libfluidsynth3 (>= 2.0.0); however:
Package libfluidsynth3 is not installed.
So far as I can tell there is no libfluidsynth3. So I need some help in determining the right
thing to do on the RPi 4 running Bullseye 11.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-14 09:09
Greetings to all:
This post is about RPi 5.
I was unable to get sound even though the UI seemed to work fine. So I hooked up a direct midi
interface to the RPi instead of relying on my network midi interface with works perfectly with jOrgan.
Sound appeared and I could play all I wanted.
So even though the log showed the network midi interface and anabeeb showed connected... it was
not receiving midi.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-07-15 00:00
Hi,
you can use the following to automatically install the dependencies:
sudo apt -f install anabeeb*.deb
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-07-15 06:53
On 2025-07-15 00:00, Sven Meier wrote:"you can use the following to automatically install
the dependencies:
sudo apt -f install anabeeb*.deb "
Hi Sven,
Thanks. I tried this, and things started as they should have, but finally I got this error message:
"Unable to locate package anabeeb*.deb
Couldn't find any package by glob 'anabeeb*.deb' "
This was using an RPi 4B.
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-07-15 07:21
Hi John,
extract the downloaded zip file, and then in that directory you have to call:
sudo apt -f install ./anabeeb*.deb
Sven
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-15 07:23
JohnR,
I got it to install like this:
1. Use cd to change directory to the directory where the anabeeb*.deb file is located.
2. Enter the command: sudo apt -f install ./anabeeb*.deb
NOTE!!! the "./" before "anabeeb".
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-07-15 12:30
Hi Lynn and Sven,
Thank you for your advice. I followed it, but I seem to be in Marc-Paul's situation.
The error message was that "libfluidsynth3 (>= 2.0.0) is not installable. Unable to correct
problems, you have held broken packages." (That has been copied accurately.)
I am using RPi 4B (64 bit), and the command line was executed in the correct directory. It was:
sudo apt -f install ./anabeeb*.deb
The terminal message included this:
"Note, selecting 'anabeeb' instead of 'anabeeb_0.1.0-1_arm64.deb' ".
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-15 13:54
My results are the same as JohnR. No joy on the burn.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul 2025-07-27 00:36
Greetings to all:
I am finally back to testing the RPi. I had to take a week off as my car
was stolen right out of my driveway.
It didn't make any sense to me that the RPi 4B would not work with Anabeeb.
Of course the solution was simple: It needs Bookworm. I made a microSD of
Bookworm and used a USB midi interface and after editing the
disposition.override.jason with the correct midi interface it worked the
first time. However... I don't understand much about the XML.
Here is an oddity. Usually when I use a SSD thru the USB3 it improves
performance. However the RPi 4B became unusable. When I went back to the
microSD it was slow but usable. Maybe the USB3 interface is an older
version than I think.
I look forward to understanding how to create a little Organ with Anabeeb.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Sven Meier on 2025-07-27 04:57
Thanks Marc-Paul,
I will be providing more information about the details in the following weeks.
Sven
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
anabeeb
anabeeb
From Les Knoll on 2025-07-12 05:26
I apparently have been living under a rock for a while, happy and content with jOrgan as it
is serving me! So what is this "anabeeb.exe", what does it do and how can it benefit a
jOrgan user. How can I get it? Google searches do not show it as any type of organ related software.
Les Knoll
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-12 07:48
Les,
Don't get too excited over anabeeb at this point in time. I believe that anabeeb is Sven's
latest adventure into the use of the "rust" programming language to explore its potential for
implementing some of the functionality of jOrgan with a faster and more system independent
solution. So far he has demonstrated that it can process MIDI input and route it to
fluidsynth to play the musical notes of a soundfont. Beyond that, it does not come close to
replicating all the features of jOrgan.
I do believe that with a lot of work on Sven's part, this new "rust" technology embodied in
anabeeb could eventually be expanded to replace jOrgan. But at this point, the present
community of jOrgan developers and users would not have much use for it beyond a certain
academic curiosity.
Of course, Google searches will not turn up anything about "anabeeb" because as far as I know
it has no internet presence anywhere but right here on the jOrgan list.
Oh...I almost forgot to mention a very significant aspect of anabeeb -- its graphical interface,
the console display, is entirely separated from its rust-based MIDI "relay" engine. The MIDI
relay runs as a separate "server" apart from the console display. And its console display now
runs as a standard html/css/javascript browser page. You bring up the console with its stops
and switches and filter graphics in your standard web browser, and it communicates all your
console actions over standard internet protocols and connections with the MIDI Relay server.
The Console display and the MIDI Relay server may even be on different devices/computers connected
only by a standard internet/LAN network.
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Les Sinclair on 2025-07-12 08:00
Thank you. I have always felt that jOrgan assumes that users are techy folks and therefore it
isn't all that important to be user-friendly. Rather than another techy application, I would far
rather see the effort put into making jOrgan at least as user-friendly as HW and, better yet,
more so. Blessings.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Switches
Switches
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-07-19 01:13
Hi,
How can one bring about the activation of just one selector switch from a choice of 3?
Each switch should be linked to a specific celeste stop; there are three different celestes.
Each switch activates it's own celeste at the exclusion of the other two - the one selected
turns its celeste on but the other two go off automatically so only one celeste is allowed
at any one time.
Mark
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-19 02:41
Mark,
Copy the following text (between the ================== ) into a text file named something like:
"1-of-3.disposition", and then open it in jOrgan. It illustrates how to use combo pistons to
alternate between three stops (e.g., your 3 celeste stops):
==============================
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<organ version="4.0 Beta 1 (64-bit)">
<elements>
<recorder.recorder id="1">
<name></name>
<description></description>
<references/>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
</recorder.recorder>
<memory.memory id="2">
<name></name>
<description></description>
<references/>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<duration>-1</duration>
<threshold>0.05</threshold>
<value>0.0</value>
<size>64</size>
</memory.memory>
<console id="3">
<name></name>
<description></description>
<references>
<console-locationReference id="4">
<x>120</x>
<y>40</y>
</console-locationReference>
<console-locationReference id="5">
<x>10</x>
<y>40</y>
</console-locationReference>
<console-locationReference id="6">
<x>240</x>
<y>40</y>
</console-locationReference>
<console-locationReference id="16">
<x>10</x>
<y>140</y>
</console-locationReference>
<console-locationReference id="17">
<x>110</x>
<y>90</y>
</console-locationReference>
<console-locationReference id="18">
<x>10</x>
<y>170</y>
</console-locationReference>
<console-locationReference id="19">
<x>10</x>
<y>200</y>
</console-locationReference>
</references>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
</console>
<stop id="4">
<name>Celeste 2 Stop</name>
<description></description>
<references/>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>false</active>
<duration>-1</duration>
<action>0</action>
<from>0</from>
<to>127</to>
<transpose>0</transpose>
<velocity>0</velocity>
</stop>
<stop id="5">
<name>Celeste 1 Stop</name>
<description></description>
<references/>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>false</active>
<duration>-1</duration>
<action>0</action>
<from>0</from>
<to>127</to>
<transpose>0</transpose>
<velocity>0</velocity>
</stop>
<stop id="6">
<name>Celeste 3 Stop</name>
<description></description>
<references/>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>true</active>
<duration>-1</duration>
<action>0</action>
<from>0</from>
<to>127</to>
<transpose>0</transpose>
<velocity>0</velocity>
</stop>
<combination id="16">
<name>combo 1 on 2,3 off</name>
<description></description>
<references>
<combination-switchReference id="5">
<active>true</active>
</combination-switchReference>
<combination-switchReference id="4">
<active>false</active>
</combination-switchReference>
<combination-switchReference id="6">
<active>false</active>
</combination-switchReference>
</references>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>false</active>
<duration>0</duration>
</combination>
<captor id="17">
<name></name>
<description></description>
<references>
<reference id="16"/>
<reference id="18"/>
<reference id="19"/>
</references>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>false</active>
<duration>-1</duration>
</captor>
<combination id="18">
<name>combo 2 on 1,3 off</name>
<description></description>
<references>
<combination-switchReference id="5">
<active>false</active>
</combination-switchReference>
<combination-switchReference id="4">
<active>true</active>
</combination-switchReference>
<combination-switchReference id="6">
<active>false</active>
</combination-switchReference>
</references>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>false</active>
<duration>0</duration>
</combination>
<combination id="19">
<name>combo 3 on 1,2 off</name>
<description></description>
<references>
<combination-switchReference id="5">
<active>false</active>
</combination-switchReference>
<combination-switchReference id="4">
<active>false</active>
</combination-switchReference>
<combination-switchReference id="6">
<active>true</active>
</combination-switchReference>
</references>
<messages/>
<zoom>1.0</zoom>
<active>false</active>
<duration>0</duration>
</combination>
</elements>
</organ>
=================================================
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Allman jOrgan User Manual
Allman jOrgan User Manual
From William Skees on 2025-07-28 20:59
Here's the User Manual I promised. Let me know what you think,
Bill
The Allman jOrgan User Manual
This manual explains how to use and play what is probably one of the greatest electronic
4-manual theater organs of all time.
First step, plug in the power cable and turn on both power strips. This organ is irreplace-
able in the event of some kind of a power surge that would destroy any of its wires or
circuit boards. All the people involved in its physical construction have passed away.
Second step, start up the Mac Air computer and enter the password I have provided.
Third step, wait for jOrgan to start up. If you always follow the shut down procedures I
show below, then jOrgan will be the only app that is activated automatically by the start
up process.
Fourth step, have patience. A blank window with the jOrgan title will show up almost
immediately. After that it will take about 5 to 10 minutes for a disposition to show up in
that window. This gives you plenty of time to get your music sheets together and to put on
your organ shoes. After all these years I still feel funny about moving about the room in
(high heeled) organ shoes.
I don't know why it takes so long for jOrgan to get the disposition loaded. It wasn't
always that way.
Fifth step, stare in awe at the disposition when it finally appears. It's title is
bsburdAllman...cx, the "bs" part shows it was modified by me (Bill Skees) as it also
was by a Mr. Burd.
You will see that you are actually looking at a 4-manual organ — reading from the top:
Solo, Orchestral, Primary and Accompaniment — plus the pedals.
An aside about the pedal board: it was built for me by a friend who has since passed away.
Apparently, because the frame is a tight fit, I may have mounted it a little bit askew,
because the upper pedals do not sound. That's not really a problem though, because almost
none of the music I play requires playing notes above the second E-note.
Sixth step, rejoice that your Mac's second monitor is a 24 inch touch screen monitor. All
of the voice tabs—and there are about 100 of them—can be accessed with the touch of a
finger, no need to use a computer "mouse."
Seventh step, lament that none of the presets work (more about that later). No matter what
I try I can't get the combinations buttons for any of the manuals or the keyboard to work,
so you have to selectively change any of the voices or couplers you want by touching them
directly. Neither will such buttons as "set" or "cancel" work, so you have to make those
sorts of changes by hand.
Eighth step, rejoice again that the modifying tabs, such as additive 4' or 16' stops, all
work as do the couplers from one manual to another. Rejoice also that the special sounds on
the pedal board's right side all work, even though the pedals combination pistons on the left
side don't work.
Ninth step, enjoy playing to your heart's content. The two expression pedals and the crescendo
pedal all work beautifully so you can give your playing all the dynamic intensity you wish.
Tenth step, play close attention to shutting down when you are finished. The jOrgan "Save"
command, under the "File" parameter doesn't work, so you will have to use the operating system
itself to save the version of your jOrgan disposition you are working with so that it will
still exist when you restart:
a. give the Mac OS "shut down" command. You will get a message telling you that your file has
been changed and do you want to save it that way, to which you will answer "yes."
b. the computer will give you a second message saying your app has interrupted shut down, but
it will go ahead and shut down anyway. Note: if you have been using automatic backup, which is
what I do, you will want to verify that you have already gotten at least one backup in this
session before you shut down. If not, you can always use the backup up system button to force
an early backup.
Final step, use the preceding to build happy memories.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-07-30 07:54
Bill:
It's cute... I am sure it will encourage new users.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ron on 2025-07-30 06:25
Did I miss a link?
Ron Biddle
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-04 21:11
On 2025-07-30 06:25, Ron wrote, "Did I miss a link?"
Hi Ron,
It seems that Bill Skees' post to the Mailing List did not come into your Inbox. This is not
all that unusual. Bill's post did not come into HIS Inbox, and he sent me an email asking if
it went to the members. And for the record, this short post of yours did not come into MY Inbox.
So how did I know about it?
The answer is that quite some time ago, I realised that I was not receiving every post sent to
the Mailing List. This was important to me, because I had started a read-only web-page which
displays the posts sent to the jOrgan User Mailing List. It's called "jOrgan-User Link", and I
don't like to miss out on any posts. So I took out a second registration to the Mailing List,
with an email address which I normally use for other purposes. It seems to be more reliable in
receiving posts than my original email address!
So if a member sends a post to the Mailing List and it doesn't turn up in their Inbox, to find
out if (most) members received it, they can email me, or consult the jOrgan-User Link at
https://jorgan.info/link.html . But bear in mind that it sometimes takes me at least a week
before I have found time to get it up to date!
Best wishes,
JohnR
P.S. On the Link I have renamed the "Just Asking" thread to "Allman jOrgan User Manual".
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Using the Launchpad
Using the Launchpad to control stops
From Ron on 2025-07-29 04:13
I am looking for help is using Launchpads with jOrgan. In Customizer I have set General pistons
by "learning" each piston. That successfully allows LP to change the combination but I would
like to illuminate the LP when the piston is pressed. I have no idea how to do that. I can also
"learn" a LP button to turn on a stop, but I can not deactivate it with another press of the LP.
I would appreciate any help to use LP to turn stops on and off, and to turn LEDs on LP on/off to
show status of stops and pistons. So far I do not know what midi messages to send and how to
program them to control LEDs. My search results only deal with LP used with Live or other DAW.
I only want to use with jOrgan and MidiOx and Loopmidi. If I can eliminate MidiOx that is fine
once things are working. It does let me see what messages are being sent, and the monitor in
jOrgan can do that.
Ron Biddle
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-29 10:09
Ron,
I could go into a very long description of how to do what you want, but instead I'm going to make
it easy on myself by just sending you a link to a rather complex disposition that is configured
to activate PISTONS (not stops) from a LaunchPad MINI, and also turn on and off the lamp in the
LP button that was pressed. When you bring up this disposition in jOrgan, locate the ACTIVATOR
element named "Activator - Piston Light G 01", and follow its REFERENCES to the various other
elements that it needs.
I have also included the Skin file so that you may better visualize the various switches, buttons
and lamps on its Console display.
Here's the link to the disposition:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2udwkr5jcgqq7s6uj3k98/SC-88VL.disposition?rlkey=
zxr1xbfh254n8clavojct995n&dl=1
And here's the link to its Skin file:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a6oxtmzznawd8v5gdejct/theatre_CLW_1.4.7.zip?rlkey=
10yptbx2txm3v7racapw7kmuz&dl=1
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ron on 2025-07-29 10:15
Thanks for the links! I will check them out tomorrow and see what I can learn. Do I understand
correctly that you only dealt with pistons with the LP, and didn't do any direct on / off for
particular stops?
Ron Biddle
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-29 10:50
Yes...I have not found a way to make the LP buttons behave like a "toggle". Therefore, I do not
know how to make a LP button push once to toggle ON a STOP, and push again to toggle OFF the STOP.
I suppose it could be done with a very UGLY configuration where you would use TWO LP buttons for
each STOP -- one to turn ON the STOP and the other one to turn OFF the STOP. Each of those two
LP buttons would activate one of two unique PISTONS (COMBOs), One of those two PISTONs would be
configured to turn the STOP on, and the other PISTON would be configured to turn the STOP OFF.
A very clunky arrangement, especially if you wanted to set a large number STOPs ON and OFF with
LP buttons.
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-07-29 11:10
Ron,
Which version of LP do you have? Older versions have momentary-only buttons. But newer models such
as the "Pro MK3" and the "Mini MK3" may be configured to have buttons behave as "toggles" (i.e.,
push once to turn on [latch], and push again to turn off [unlatch]). I would assume the toggle-ON
push would send a unique MIDI message such as Note-ON and the toggle-OFF push would send a different
MIDI message such as Note-OFF. If so it would be very easy to accommodate this behavior in jOrgan
to turn a STOP on and off.
CLW
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ron on 2025-07-29 11:16
Mine as S which I think was the original. I am using the toggle successfully with pistons using the
learn action in Customizer.
Ron Biddle
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Fluidsynth Software Synthesizer
Fluidsynth Software Synthesizer
From John Beach on 2025-07-29 17:04
I am being, speciously, technical here with regard to what Fluidsynth software "synthesizer,"
actually, is or does. This was prompted by Marc-Paul's mention of the fact that Hauptwerk had
used fluidsynth at some earlier point. AI gives the explanation that the "sound engine" for
Hauptwerk is now the combination of memory, CPU and storage to "load, manage and play back the
sampled sounds of real pipes."
I know from experience with GrandOrgue and Sample Set Creator that the wave files for Hauptwerk
are stored as complete sets of sampled notes, in folders with the names of the stops, from real
pipe organs.
This is different from the soundfont format in which each instrument is constructed from wave
files of recorded or synthesized sound and that instrument is used for a preset or program change
in the numbered soundbank. Fluidsynth manages the parameters relative to the playback of the
wave files in the preset. If a soundfont contained wave files of the recorded pipes of real
pipe organs in the instruments and presets of it, wouldn't it be equal to Hauptwerk, in principle,
if not sound quality?
Isn't it true that the term "synthesizer" is somewhat of a misnomer since the synthesis of the
sound, at that level, would only occur if layering (two different instruments) were present in
the preset, or multiple stops of different footages were engaged simultaneously?
Synthesis occurs when different pitches are, purposefully, commixed at specific amplitudes to
create a timber or tonal quality. Synthesis is effectuated in the original generation of the
pitches that are commixed by a synthesizer in order to create a specific tone quality. The final
product, the recorded wave file of the synthesized sound, is the activating element of the
instrument in the instrument pool of the soundfont.
My question would be, what makes fluidsynth a "synthesizer?" It does not generate tone without a
soundfont or a generic soundbank containing wave files.
I constructed an additive synthesizer using jOrgan and a soundfont with the same footages as those
of a Hammond Organ for purposes of generating wave files which I recorded with Audacity. I used a
MIDI sequencer program with a .mid file of six-second-long, held pitches to activate the jOrgan
synthesizer disposition via virtual midi cable. I did not use the reverb function of jOrgan in
doing so. Each wave file was edited in Audacity and imported into Polyphone for the creation of
the instruments and presets.
Other than managing the playback of the wave files within the soundfont, what does Fluidsynth do
that qualifies it as a "software synthesizer?"
Thanks.
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Freeman Gilmore on 2025-07-29 22:26
Well it is a sound font manipulator but it does have some limited filtering capability of fonts,
that would be it. So I would say the synthesizing is done by the sound font editor. So I agree!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
System crash
System crash
From Ton- Gle on 2025-08-09 04:32
Hi folks,
Had the usual tech disaster of a complete system crash meaning a re-install of all my music apps.
Good news.
I reinstalled JOrgan and a few Dispositions which play fine on the on screen keyboard.
However? I've completely forgotten how to link up to an external midi keyboard though I do have
loopMIDI installed too!
I use a Presonus Studio 2/6 USB interface which has midi in and out. Also various keyboards with midi.
I also have Studio One DAW which connects to my keyboards via USB.
I feel I'm missing something obvious here.
Any suggestions?
Many thanks,
Tony
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-10 01:12
Hi Tony:
Each keyboard in jOrgan can recognize a midi interface. So selecting the particular midi
input for each keyboard there and then using the Customizer to set the Range of keys is the
most basic step.
With your setup as you have described it there are several ways to route the midi data…
I think you might be using the DAW to record and playback midi data… which means you would
be using loopMIDI to get from the DAW to jOrgan.
I hope this helps a little bit. I would be helpful to know better how you use your system.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ton- Gle on 2025-08-10 01:34
Many thanks for that.
I use a range of keyboards including a Roland KX88, Yamaha SY55 and Arturia Keystep37.
You're right that the DAW records the midi from usb via an Interface (Presonus 2 inputs). This
also has midi in/out using the old style cables.
I stripped everything back, restarted everything and HEY PRESTO it worked.
I've still some exploring to do but can play the St Stephen's organ which is brilliant.
Just need to try linking the other keyboards now but at least it's a start and I have something
usable (though the Keystep is only a tiny keyboard).
Thanks again,
Tony
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
St Stephens disposition of John Dubery
St Stephens disposition of John Dubery
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-10 14:21
Greetings to All:
I am scratching my head about the St Stephens definition of John Dubery. After I downloaded it
and tried to load the Organ I got this message: This disposition requires the johnstools.jar
extension. I tried both 32 bit and 64 bit jOrgan and got the same message. The file is in the
directory. The definition won’t load.
What do I do now? Internet search returned no results.
Cheers and Thanks
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-10 14:40
On 2025-08-10 14:21, Marc-Paul wrote: "The file is in the directory."
Hi Marc-Paul,
Which directory?
When you used the word, "definition", did you mean "disposition"?
Best wishes,
John R
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-10 15:00
Hi JohnR:
Thanks. Yes disposition. It was a zipped file and extracted together in
what looks to be correct. I have no idea how to get the johnstools.jar to
load as an "extension"... which is what the error calls johnstools.jar.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-10 19:12
Hi Marc-Paul,
I think it's supposed to be placed in the /jorgan/lib/ along with the other .jar files.
(In Windows this would be in the Program Files Directory.) In your own mac set-up it would
be in your "public" folder?
Best wishes,
John R
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-10 23:57
Thanks JohnR:
That was indeed the solution.
You are correct in assuming I use the "Public" folder on Mac and Ubuntu. On
PC I usually put jOrgan program files in the Root and Organ in a separate
folder.
I have been trying Organs that I have never downloaded.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From RickW on 2025-08-11 06:52
Hi John
Placing jOrgan files in Windows Program Files area is not a good idea. It is best to place
them in the My Documents folder, or any other place in the drive.
Windows monitors the Program Files folder to be read only, and treats any writing of files
(other than the install process) as Malicious activity.
jOrgan needs to update a few of it's files every time you use the program. There are ways
to turn off the Write blocking, but the best practice is to simply put all jOrgan in My
Documents where writing files is allowed.
Regards
Rick.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-11 07:49
Hi Rick,
Thank you for the warning. That is normally the case where re-writing of the file is
contemplated. But in this case it is a .jar file, which is meant to take its place
within (or as part of) the jOrgan program operation.
There are precedents: I think you will find that jOrgan version 3.21 is the same as 3.20 but
with one of its .jar files replaced by an updated version,,by Sven. (Or perhaps it was 3.21.1
and 3.21.) Unless my memory is leading me astray, the use of Fluidsynth backends is another
example.
John Kuhns has written at least two .jar files which have to be placed in the /jorgan/lib/
directory by the user. One is "keystroke.jar", and the other is a special version of the
recorder.jar file, which has to replace the standard recorder.jar file. I have used both of
them successfully.
Marc-Paul discovered quite some time ago that recent mac OS's would not run jOrgan. His
solution was to move the jOrgan program to the mac Public folder. I had private doubts about
that move on the issue of security. I kept my doubts to myself, because I don't have a good
enough understanding of the issues. We almost lost a knowledgeable Continental jOrgan user
over the matter of moving the jOrgan program files OUT OF a secure area. (We did lose him
eventually, at least as a member of the Mailing List, but it was not on the issue of jOrgan
security, about which he seems to have become confident, but on an altogether different issue.)
Both Sven and Graham Goode insisted in posts at the time that the security of jOrgan was not
in question, but they never gave any reason explicitly, as far as I can recall. I subsequently
approached each of them by email about jOrgan security and that person's initial concerns, but
neither of them responded.
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From RickW on 2025-08-11 08:01
Hi John
I probably didn't make myself clear in my previous response.
You are correct, this .jar file must go in the correct folder relative to the jOrgan installation.
My recomendation is that jOrgan itself should not be installed in Windows Program Files because of
the reason I previously explained.
jOrgan and specifically it's installer program was written for Windows XP or maybe even earlier.
It doesn't work properly in more modern versions of Windows due to attempts to tighten security.
The position of jOrgan Files in Windows after a default installation is not workable. jOrgan needs
to "write" to files that are installed in "write" protected folders. Then users get errors and can't
save Configuration settings.
Regards
Rick
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-11 08:11
Hi Rick,
Thanks, Rick.
I don't think I have experienced that, and will need to leave a response to those who know
more about it.
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-11 08:27
John and Rick:
Very interesting guys. In my opinion there is always a conflict between access v/s security.
Where is the balance in the ever changing worlds of OS's.
The last version of jOrgan for Mac OS was 3.21.1. I have that running comfortably on
Mac OS 15.6 Sequoia (on an M1 processor)... but it is quite a chore to install and make work.
But it works well. I am just going to say It isn't about security. It's about the fact that
the Java that it was intended to work with is much older... but there are work arounds.
With Windows, in my opinion as a support specialist for 30 years, Rick is correct. However
there are plenty of work arounds when using Windows.
Regardless of OS, the idea of harm to jOrgan is minimal. If jOrgan is harmed... you have much
bigger problems.
The default install on RPi seems to work good... but I have all my dispositions in Public.
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Dubery on 2025-08-16 06:36
Evening all,
I've been a bit busy so just caught up with the thread.
From what I've read the original problem with St. Stephen's has been fixed -
I'm pleased that that is fixed. Hope you like it - it's an interesting instrument.
As to choice of folder, as far as I can tell (I'm not a Java expert) there is
no choice where to put johnstools for a given jorgan install. I work on linux
and include it in my standard install - can't comment about other systems; my
dispoositions are in a separate writeable part of the filesystem.
I'm interested to hear that there are other jar files people have written;
some time it might be worth getting a list of them, even adding them into the
standard install??
Any more questions I'll happily answer - though for the moment it's unlikely
to be immediate.
cheers
John
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-08-16 12:05
I downloaded the St. Stephens and placed the johnstools.jar file in the jOrgan folder (not
the lib folder, but in main folder where the jOrgan.jar file is) and tried starting the
disposition in jOrgan 4.0 beta 1. It advised that the disposition had been created with an
earlier version but accepted the change in version and loaded it with no problem. I keep
all the VPOs in the Documents folder. After choosing the audio as direct sound and the
output as Speakers, I was able to load the SF.2 file and the organ played perfectly.
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ross Willson on 2025-08-16 18:09
Hi,
I'm using Windows XP and jOrgan 20.1. This is my first post to the forum.
I put the St Stephens definition in the folder where I keep other dispositions including
John R's Kogarah II and Rick W's Christie which work fine.
I copied johnstools.jar to C:\Program Files\jOrgan3.21 but still get the message about
needing the johnstools extension.
Ross Willson
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-16 20:17
Hi Ross,
Welcome to the jOrgan Mailing List!
A Windows install of jOrgan (64-bit) normally installs in C:\Program Files\jOrgan\ . It looks
as if you have renamed that folder. As far as I know, that's quite O.K.
You need to look in that folder for a sub-folder called "lib" (that is, Library). Please try
copying the johnstools.jar file into that lib folder. Windows will probably require a password
from you. The lib folder is the recommended location for .jar files.
Then report back.
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-08-16 22:45
JohnR., I did put the johnstools.jar file in the lib folder, first. When that did not work,
I copied the johnstools.jar into the main folder of jOrgan where the jOrgan.jar file is located.
I proceeded to open the St. Stephen's disposition and it worked. I cannot say positively which
location of the johnstools.jar file made opening possible, and there is a copy of it in both the
main and lib folders.
John Beach.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Ross Willson on 2025-08-18 13:40
Hi JohnR and MarkB,
I copied johnstools.jar to the lib folder (thank you both) and now the organ opens. I have
connected the keyboards and pedals and I can see them working on the screen but there is no sound.
Also F11 does not give Full Screen with St Stephens. It does with Kogarah Two but not Romantic Harmony.
John: A special thanks for Kogarah Two. I've been using it to practice for Sunday Services for quite
a while. (I use Miditzer as my theatre organ.)
Ross
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-18 15:54
On 2025-08-18 13:40, Ross Willson wrote:"I copied johnstools.jar to the lib folder (thank you
both) and now the organ opens ... "
Ross,
That's good news!
Dealing with the second problem first, Open Customize (Click on File > click on Customize),
then click on "Next" to get to page 2. Doing it one at a time, click on the upper scroll icon
at the right, select what appears below it (but not on the empty line) by clicking on it, then
do the same for the lower scroll icon. Then click on "Finish". Try using F11. If it doesn't
work, do a (File > Save) and it should work then.
For the first problem, go into Construct mode (click on its icon at the top left of the screen,
situated below the space which is between Edit and View). If the Problems View is not showing,
click on (View > Problems). If it mentions "fluidsynth" or "soundfont", go to or bring up the
Elements View and look for "Sound" (or something else that's related). Click on its keyhole
icon at its far left (or double-click on "Sound") to list the whole Group. "Fluidsynth" or
"sound engine" or the like may appear listed last. Select it and look for its Properties View.
(Go to View > Properties if necessary.) If it is not located within a Group, look for it in the
list of Elements until you find it, then click on it and look for its Properties View.
If "dsound" is not showing as the Audio driver, click at the far right end of the line and
select dsound, and press ENTER.
Now look at the bottom entry of the Properties list ("Soundfont") and examine what you see at
the right. If the problem has been a failure to load the soundfont, you should click at the far
right of the line, and click on the small square with 3 dots. That may take you immediately to
the folder where the soundfont is located - otherwise you will have to navigate a search to find
it. Click on the soundfont entry and then on "Open". This should clear the problem, and you
should have sound. Make sure you save the disposition before or during Exit.
Please report back.
Best wishes,
JohnR
P.S. Thanks for the mention of Kogarah Two.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____NEWEST POST
From Ross Willson on 2025-08-18 21:37____NEWEST POST
Hi John,
Many thanks for the instructions. They worked.
I now have St Stephen's with sound and full screen.
I only had to change the audio driver from "alsa" to "dsound" to get sound. The sound font was
correct.
I also downloaded St Augustine's and gave it the same treatment.
Then I loaded Casson_IIP. There was no sound font in the disposition but in "Construct" it showed
St Augustine's sound font so I copied the S Augustine sound font to the Casson disposition and it
worked.
I also have Romantic Harmony working in full screen.
Many thanks once again. I'm really excited.
Ross
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD
Stratman Virtual Instruments Gone
Stratman Virtual Instruments Gone
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-17 00:41
Greetings to All:
Does anyone know what’s happened to Paul Stratman’s page? So many good instruments and helpful
instructions gone?
Cheers
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Chris Pearson on 2025-08-17 04:06
Hi,
The Wayback machine has made 23 captures of his site, Stratmaninstruments.wordpress.com.
From the 30th Oct 2020, I tried to download two dispositions, both ending in a blank wall.
I did manage to download the "Generic Dispostition" from the "Documents" page.
I haven't tried any of the other 22 captures or any other items from the 30th Oct 2020 capture.
The above from Stratman Virtual Instruments.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Chris Pearson
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Marc-Paul on 2025-08-17 05:10
Hi:
The mediafire files seem to be missing.
Thanks
Marc-Paul
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Dr. Mark Bugeja MD on 2025-08-17 05:30
The jOrgan.info website needs to be edited. The Stratman links are dead.
Like Panos Ghekas VPOs, we should be considering uploading the VPOs by Paul Stratman from
resources we already have. I think I should have most if not all of his VPOs myself.
Mark
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Howard A. Ashley on 2025-08-17 06:03
The Wayback Machine would only capture the links themselves, the actual source files were
hosted elsewhere, and someone (not me) might have success (or not) seeing whether or not the
author(s) have gone as far as to remove those files from mediafire and/or Github.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-08-17 06:26
The Wayback Machine only captures web sites and linked web pages. It NEVER captures the servers
where people store the downloadable files. The only reason that you can sometimes download
something from a defunct web page that you are able to find on Wayback is because the original
server for those downloads has not yet been taken down. Once the download server is gone, you
are totally out of luck -- unless someone you know (like someone on this list) previously
downloaded and saved the files you are interested in.
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-17 07:04
Hi all,
Paul Stratman's jOrgan VPO's are not lost. I archived his webpage and its contents years ago.
This raises the issue of an official archive and its administrator(s). I am the ad hoc
administrator, and John Maher is the Assistant Admin. He hasn't had anything to do so far.
I did have all the jOrgan material archived on a server in the U.S. That has been lost to us
for reasons I needn't go into. I am keen to get another way of achieving long-term security
for jOrgan, and seeing I have turned 86 (but "otherwise" seem to be quite well), this may be a
good time to do something about it at last.
I have all the material on three locations: my Google Drive, an external hard drive, and a
simple USB memory stick. I think it amounts to about 8 GB. My practice has been to put material
onto the jOrgan InfoBase server whenever it has become unavailable online. For whatever reason
that Paul's extensive and valuable material is no longer online and so is a candidate for
putting it there, I need an O.K. from Jonathan Acquilina, who hosts the InfoBase files. This
will be the first time I have had to do that, since all the material was gathered together
initially.
I shall try to make Paul's material available before long.
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-08-17 08:45
John,
What is known about Paul Stratman, the person? He used to participate on this list years ago...
then stopped. Is he still alive? or just retired? or just lost interest in jOrgan?
Lynn
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From John Beach on 2025-08-17 09:27
According to the St. Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin website,
Paul Stratman is still one of the ministers on staff. He has been inactive on the jOrgan
users forum for, perhaps, a decade. I still have several of his first-creation dispositions,
namely, the suite of American Classic Organs, ACO. His Soundfont Creation Tips And Tricks
and his writings on Flexible Wind, muffling swells for swell box emulation, MPL related to it
all.
I think he may still monitor some of our postings if questions are addressed directly, but I
am not positive of that.
John Beach
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From Lynn Walls on 2025-08-17 10:02
The St. Stephen's website does provide an email address for Paul Stratman
( [email protected] ).
So I guess that anyone interested in getting any of his jOrgan files that John R doesn't have
might want to contact him directly. He may still have all of them on a computer somewhere.
CLW
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From JohnR on 2025-08-17 22:05
On 2025-08-17 08:45, Lynn Walls wrote:"John, What is known about Paul Stratman, the person? He
used to participate ..."
Lynn,
I don't know the answer to any of your questions. He contributed so much, that he may simply have
run out of steam. He may also have felt that his efforts did not receive much acknowledgement, but
that is pure guesswork on my part.
What I can say is that he may have been a casualty of the Mailing List. Our last email
correspondence was that the Mailing List had excluded him - something which I know to be fairly
common, as I get the emails about it from those members. My advice is always to unsubscribe, wait
an hour or so, and subscribe again. It usually seems to work. There was no reply from Paul. (The
Mailing List can certainly try our patience. Very recently, I had further examples of posts not
coming into my Inbox, which I knew about because I had started that second subscription using
another email address, started for this very reason.)
Best wishes,
JohnR
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
T
From John Beach on 2025-08-18 18:27
Regarding Paul Stratman, I had a sense, at the time, that, Paul's being a pastor in what appears
to be a metropolitan area, he may have had conflicts in time devotable to the pursuit of the
creation of virtual pipe organ dispositions and sample sets and the duties associated with
pastoring. Those who have only downloaded a ready-made organ disposition with sample sets or
soundfonts have no idea of the tedious work that goes into editing them. There are, literally,
thousands of wave files for the soundfonts. The pursuit can become an addiction.
We discussed this, cursorily, many years ago, when the subject of reasons for which electronic
organs were, first, designed and their quality as compared to real pipe organs, or reed organ/
harmoniums which were substitutes for pipe organs in rural areas where financial capabilities
were far inferior to those of large city churches. The justification for the substitute was
based on the cost factor.
The fact is that, in comparison to Hauptwerk, which is almost exclusively actual recorded sample
sets of real pipe organs, extant in churches around the world, jOrgan is, often, the creative
efforts of originators having used synthesis techniques to emulate the sounds of pipes. Whether
this is a logical, let alone justifiable, pursuit is a reasonable question that each of us has to
decide for himself.
Our convictions, doubtless, vary in regard to answering this question. The mere value and
challenge of attempting to equal the sound quality of real pipes, given the concept that the
acoustic environment ("the most important stop in the organ") of the building in which
the organ is found, with the artificial reverberation parameters of fluidsynth in jOrgan, is
debatable and there are limitations, to a point of diminishing returns*. "What else or more can
be done to effectuate the necessary or desired result?"
I believe Paul had done that, given the state-of-the-art of technology allowing accurate
replication of pipe sound, and the purposes to which jOrgan dispositions are put (which will
never be known in most cases of users).
John Beach
* returns on the time investment.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________*
END OF THREAD