How to Setup Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ Using MIDI Keyboards and a Computer

!±8± How to Setup Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ Using MIDI Keyboards and a Computer

In this article, I will tell you how to setup a functioning Hauptwerk system, using MIDI controller keyboards.

Introduction
Many home organists often dream of playing a wurlitzer theatre organ or a church organ to elevate their playing to another level, and for personal enjoyment. At one time this would be very difficult as you would have to have physical access to the instruments in order to play them. Not so anymore! Through the use of modern computing technology, samples and MIDI, the home organist/enthusiast can now play either a Wurlitzer theatre organ, or a church/pipe organ without leaving home using a computer running Hauptwerk virtual pipe organ software, controlled from either MIDI keyboards with pedals or practically any decent Electronic/digital home organ that has MIDI out.

Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ Software
Hauptwerk is software distributed by Milan Digital Audio and available from Hauptwerk's website. It is available in three versions Free edition, basic and FUll edition. We will be using the FREE edition, version 4 for the purposes of this article. Version 4 is around 2.2GB download, so I would recommend downloading on a fast-ish internet connection. Once you have downloaded Hauptwerk v4, it needs to be installed on your desktop PC, Laptop PC, MAC or MacBook laptop.

Requirements and Prerequisites
Desktop PC requirements
I will assume that you have a decent, relatively modern PC that you can use for running Hauptwerk. Hauptwerk recommend a minimum of an Intel Core2Duo system with 2GB RAM installed at least. For this article Minimum recommended is an Intel Core 2 Duo system, I will use my existing E7500 Core2Duo based system here, as I have it available. This is considered low to mid-range spec these days, as the Intel Core 2 Duos have been replaced by the Core i series processors. Hauptwerk recommend these Core I CPUs for best performance, although I can assure you that my setup runs fine, using the FREE St. Annes Mosely organ that is supplied with Hauptwerk. If you want to use larger sample sets, I recommend using either a Core i5 or i7, but as I will be only concentrating on the FREE edition of Hauptwerk, then the Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 is more than capable of doing the job.

If you are intending to run Hauptwerk on a grander scale, and use either the Basic or Full version for running much larger samplesets, then Hauptwerk really recommend that you use an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor with 8-16GB RAM. This will require a 64bit operating system, such as Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. If you already have a PC with 32 bit windows, it will be restricted to 3.5GB RAM as that is a limitation of 32bit software.

AMD processors will also be OK for Hauptwerk, I have tested Hauptwerk on an AMD Athlon II x2 250 CPU, with 2GB ram and it runs well. AMD are considerably cheaper than Intel, and a good alternative for someone on a budget.

Laptop PC requirements
I run Hauptwerk 4 on my aging DELL Inspiron 640m laptop. This laptop still has life in it yet, as it is based on a Core2Duo CPU running at 2.0ghz, with 2.5GB DDR2 ram. I upgraded it a while ago, so if you have a DELL Inspiron 640m or 6400 with an older Core Duo CPU, it maybe worth swapping it out to a Core2Duo, which will upgrade the performance somewhat.

To achieve MIDI connectivity on my laptop, I use a 11 USB MIDI interface, available for a few pounds via eBay. These aren't really recommended by Hauptwerk, but I can tell you that they do the job just fine, and are easy to setup. Windows automatically installs the drivers for these MIDI devices.

Regarding the soundcard on a laptop, I use the on-board sound using the Asio4all driver, which works brilliantly on my DELL's SigmaTel on-board soundcard. Ideally a USB or FireWire solution would be better, such as the external M-Audio 2496 or the M-Audio FireWire 410 interface. The EMU 0404 USB would also be a good choice. I would avoid the Soundblaster external Audigy USB NX as it has no ASIO!

MIDI Keyboard Controllers
If you don't already poses a digital or electronic home organ with MIDI then M-audio keystation Es series controllers are good for Hauptwerk controllers.
I have sucessfully played Hauptwerk using my Wersi Arcus as a controller, although I cannot use a full pedalboard with this. I will have to be satisfied with 13 notes for now.

MIDI Bass Pedal Board
If you are not looking for a full-blown church or theatre organ pedalboard, then there are a few alternatives available, either new or used.

Roland PK5-A 13 Note MIDI Pedalboard
Hammond XPK100 13 note MIDI pedalboard
Hammond XPK200 20 note MIDI pedalboard
Hammond PK25XKP 25 note MIDI pedalboard
Studiologic MP-113 13 note MIDI pedalboard
Studiologic MP-117 17 Note MIDI pedalboard

Soundcard - Audio Interface
Hauptwerk do not advise using Creative Audigy or Soundblaster cards, but I can confirm that the FREE sample set runs without problems on the Creative Audigy 2 Platinum card, so all is not lost if you have one of these cards.Hauptwerk recommend the M-Audio 2496 audio card, and as I have one of these to hand, this is what I will be using for this article. They are easy to buy second-hand now, and can be bought on ebay for around 25. Now is a good time to install the soundcard. As there are so many different types, I cannot cover all here as it's beyond the scope of this article, so please to refer to your soundcard manufacturers documentation.

Speakers
Hauptwerk recommend using a good Hi-Fi system or powered monitors will also be good. I use a Technics receiver with Wharfedale speakers with good results. I only use Stereo and not surround sound, however you can use surround sound if you wish, but this is not covered here in this article.

Controlling Hauptwerk
The most basic way of controlling Hauptwerk on the screen is with the PC mouse. If you are using Hauptwerk without a touch-screen, I recommend a Wireless mouse as the cable won't get in the way.
The most common practice is using a Touchscreen although these can bump the cost up a bit, but it is very intuitive and easy to use compared with a mouse

Assembling the Console and Situating the Components
I have my M-audio keystation 61ES on top of my Yamaha P-155 digital piano, on it's own stand. This is a good setup, as it allows for bass pedals underneath. Photo coming soon...
The PC base unit I position to the right or left side of the Piano and M-audio 61, with the monitor on an a suitable shelf.

Connecting it All Up
Make sure your soundcard is installed and fully functioning and your PC is all connected and setup. The M-Audio is easy to use as I only need to connect a USB cable to the PC and install the drivers. The keyboard is USB powered so it doesn't need a separate adapter. I connect the P-155 to MIDI-IN on the pedals, and MIDI out of the pedals to the MIDI cable of the M-Audio 2496. MIDI is connected 'out' of the pedals 'in' to the soundcard.

Installing Hauptwerk
For the purposes of this article, I will assume that we are using Microsoft Windows 7, as it's the current Windows version, and recommended by Hauptwerk. Download Hauptwerk 4 FREE edition from the Hauptwwerk website.

Run the setup file that you just downloaded, and click Done, when finished. Now you should have a system that is ready to go, aside from the finer points of setting up the MIDI hardware in Hauptwerk, i.e telling the software what hardware you are using and what MIDI channels everything is on. This is now much easier in Hauptwerk 4, as the Hauptwerk developers introduced a MIDI learn function, that automatically detects your MIDI settings, and takes the headache out of setting it up manually.

Stay tuned for part two of this article, setting up MIDI. Photos and videos to follow!

How to Setup Hauptwerk Virtual Pipe Organ Using MIDI Keyboards and a Computer

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Piano Brands And Review

!±8± Piano Brands And Review

So you want to buy a piano. What a great musical adventure you have before you. Starting out on the journey, however, can be overwhelming, what with so many types and brands of pianos to choose from. That's why I've provided this primer on piano types and brands for you, so that you can quickly and easily find the right piano for you and get on with enjoying a lifetime of making beautiful music together.

Types of Pianos

Grand pianos vs. Upright pianos: Grand pianos have an average of 10,000 moving parts and range in size from 4' 6" to over 9' long. They have a winged shape with a curved right side and flat left side. Grand pianos are generally owned by professional and more serious amateur pianists.

The two primary types of grand pianos are Concert Grand pianos, the largest of grands reaching 9' and over, and Baby Grand pianos, any grand piano that is smaller than 6' tall. Different sizes of grand piano differ in the potential volume of sound it is able to produce, the tonal quality of its lower register (the bass notes), and the overall sound quality.

Also known as vertical pianos, upright pianos have an average of 5,000-6,000 moving parts. They typically cost less and take up less space than grand pianos, and are more commonly owned by amateur and hobbyist piano players.

Upright pianos come in various types depending on their size, the tallest reaching about 60" in height. The taller an upright piano is, the better the action.

* Spinet pianos - approx. 36" tall

* Console pianos - approx. 40" tall

* Studio pianos - approx. 45" tall

* Professional pianos - approx. 48" tall

It is entirely possible to achieve the same quality with an upright as with a grand piano and, in some cases, better quality of tone than certain baby grands.

Digital pianos vs. Acoustic pianos: In contrast to traditional grand pianos and upright pianos, digital pianos utilize the technologies of audio microchips and speakers to reproduce the sounds of a traditional piano as well as those of other keyboard instruments like organs and harpsichords. Digital pianos also offer players the ability to record their practice sessions and performances.

The following brands produce some of the best digital pianos available:

* Alesis;

* Casio;

* Daewoo;

* Kurzweil;

* Roland;

* Suzuki;

* Technics;

* and Yamaha

Brands of Pianos

Because of differences in materials and construction and design techniques, a piano's sound and action vary greatly depending on where in the world it is made.

American pianos: American piano manufacturers are reputed for producing pianos of top-quality construction and design and, as a consequence, are typically more costly than most European pianos. At the top of the list of major U.S. brands of pianos is Steinway. Steinway pianos are considered by many professional piano players to be the premiere pianos, as well as among the most expensive. Steinway is best known for their line of grand pianos;

Other major U.S. piano brands include:

* Baldwin (also produces the Chickering and Wurlitzer brands);

* Mason & Hamlin (limited production, high-end pianos);

* Hobart M. Cable

* Winter & Company.

Asian pianos: Asian-made pianos are also highly valued today, with the two premiere Asian brands of piano - Yamaha and Kawai - coming from Japan. Yamaha produces some of the world's most revered pianos, which explains why they must produce 200,000 pianos each year to keep up with demand. Kawai is renowned for having been the first to utilize plastic parts in their pianos.

Other major Asian brands of piano include:

* Daewoo;

* Hyundai.

* Nordiska;

* Pearl River;

* Samick;

* and Young Chang

European pianos: Many countries in Europe - the U.K., France, and the Czech Republic - also produce great pianos, though arguably the best European pianos come from Austria and Germany.

Among the finest of Austrian and German pianos are:

* Bechstein;

* Bluthner;

* Bosendorfer;

* Feurich;

* Forster;

* Grotrian;

* Hamburg Steinway;

* Ibach;

* Sauter;

* Schimmel;

* and Seiler.

How to Evaluate Pianos

To decide on what type of piano to get, first consider where you plan to keep it and how much you'd like to spend on it. That will help you hone in on what types and brands you can feasibly choose from. Then you can start looking at (or listening to, as the case may) such other factors as piano tone quality, tuning stability (or life expectancy), action (or piano touch), and piano finish (ie. clear or opaque).

Piano Brands And Review

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!±8± Roland RD-300nx Home Digital Piano Bundle with Speakers, Stands, Cables, and Pedal

Brand : Roland | Rate : | Price :
Post Date : Dec 15, 2011 03:48:22 | Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Roland RD-300nx Home Digital Piano Bundle with Speakers, Stands, Cables, and Pedal

• This package comes with the Roland RD-300nx Digita Piano and all items packaged with it by the manufacturer, PLUS...
• An Ultimate Support IQ2000 high quality keyboard stand
• An Ultimate Support JS-MB100 Keyboard bench
• Two KRK Rokit G2 Powered 2-Way Active Studio Monitors (speakers)
• Two Samson MS200 Speaker Stands and Two 15' Hosa 1/4" balanced TRS cables

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Roland RD-300nx Home Digital Piano Bundle with Speakers, Stands, Cables, and Pedal

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The Roland Digital Piano Factory USA

!±8± The Roland Digital Piano Factory USA

Follow, such as James guides you through Roland Portland, Oregon digital piano factory. You will see how many of their Roland digital pianos assembled by hand in the United States.

The Roland Digital Piano Factory USA

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Yamaha P-85 Contemporary Digital Piano

!±8± Yamaha P-85 Contemporary Digital Piano

Brand : Yamaha | Rate : | Price : $499.99
Post Date : Sep 23, 2011 10:35:06 | Usually ships in 1-2 business days

The Yamaha P85 Contemporary Digital Piano features 88 keys with improved graded hammer action and improved multistrike piano sample/recordings for rich sound and play in a lightweight and portable keyboard. The P85 has 64 note polyphony; built-in song recorder and metronome; onboard speaker system; and a headphone jack so you can practice silently. Sleek contemporary design fits in any room decor.The P85S gives you realistic, acoustic-like touch response with Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) stereo-sampled piano voices in a compact digital piano with the high quality you expect from Yamaha.Exceptionally high-quality soundThe gorgeous piano sounds of the P-85 feature meticulous digital sampling of a full concert grand pianothat change in tone and volume depending on how you playthanks to Yamaha's sophisticated AWM stereo sampling.Realistic, acoustic-like touch responseEnjoy authentic, naturally expressive key touchmodeled after an actual acoustic piano, from the low notes to the highwith the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard.Ultra-compact, stylish designThe attractive, slim, lightweight design of the instrumentless than 25 lbs.suits virtually any room decor, while the built-in speaker system fills your room with luscious sound.Extensive voice selection and dual-voice functionThe versatile P-85 also gives you a variety of other high-quality instrument voices, including electric pianos, organs, strings, and harpsichordplus a Dual Voice feature for playing two voices at once.Record your performanceYou can capture your own playing with the song recording feature, then play it back for studying or accompaniment. There's even a built-in metronome for practicing and recording in perfect time.Expressive half-pedal controlFeatures a half-pedal effect that gives you greater acoustic-like expressive control over the sound (with optional FC3 Foot Controller or LP-5 Pedal Unit).Matching Stand (optional)The optional stands provide stability and optimum sound projection for the instr

• Improved multistrike piano sample/recordings Improved graded hammer action64-note polyphony Built-in song recorder and metronome
• Compatible with the L85 Wood Digital Piano Stand (sold separately)

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Yamaha DGX505-AD DGX505 88-key Electronic Piano Keyboard

!±8± Yamaha DGX505-AD DGX505 88-key Electronic Piano Keyboard

Brand : Yamaha | Rate : | Price :
Post Date : Sep 10, 2011 16:49:40 | N/A

Yamaha DGX505-AD DGX505 88-key Electronic Piano Keyboard - Includes AC Adapter, CD Software, Wood Stand, Sustain Pedal. Yamaha DGX505 is a piano-focused electronic keyboard with 88 piano-style keys, wooden stand and sustain pedal. Innovative features include notation display, USB for instant computer connectivity and a SmartMedia memory card slot for storing songs and styles (card optional). Features: large wave ROM with high quality stereo piano sample; backlit LCD (320 x 240) displays lyrics, chords and notation; Performance Assistant helps you play melody and chords like a pro; 6-track sequencer lets you record your own music; pitch bend wheel for more expressive playing of brass/guitar; split and layer; General MIDI port. Pitch bend wheel for more expressive playing of brass/guitar Yamaha XGlite/GM, 5 Sweet!, 3 Live!, 4 Cool!, Split & Layer voices Up to 494 Tones and combinations Up to 32 Note Polyphony Two 2-Way speakers built-in 6 Watt x 2 channels built-in amplification Has built-in USB port (and CD software) for easy connectivity with a PC computer Includes AC adapter / Portable use requires 6 D batteries (not included) Unit Dimensions - 54.2 x 19.1 x 31.7; 46.3 lbs

• 88 piano-style keys with Touch-Response
• Wooden stand and sustain pedal included
• 8MB Wave ROM features extra high quality stereo piano sample
• Built-in 6-track sequencer - record your own music (up to 10,000 note capacity (may vary according to use)
• Interactive Lessons - Your Tempo mode helps you learn to play

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