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Welcome to the South African Virtual Pipe Organ Project
The Pipe Organ is the King of instruments, able to create a symphony of sound through
the playing of a single organist. It has inspired incredible works of music, from
the time before Bach to our present day. The Pipe Organ is also central to the worship
experience of many churches, leading centuries of believers to a closer experience
of God and of community.
While it is undoubtably the King of instruments, the modern Pipe Organ is probably
also one of the most expensive instruments to purchase. A new Pipe Organ will cost millions
of rands to manufacture and install. Electronic Pipe Organs come closer
to dream of allowing an individual or a Church congregation to own a Pipe Organ,
but the best of these instruments are also prohibitively expensive. Many compormise
on the dream of a Pipe Organ and use a keyboard with a Pipe Organ sound to simulate
an Organ experience. Some of these simulations are quite good, most are not. Nearly
all of them don't offer an Organist the same type of Ranks and Stops that a typical
Pipe Organ would have, leaving many of the registrations used in Classical and Church
music unavailable.
The Virtual Pipe Organ Project hopes to meet this need by providing a more authentic
alternative to a full Pipe Organ. By using advanced computer technology and MIDI
(Music Instrument Digital Interface) interfaces, a Virtual Pipe Organ (VPO) is able
to be
built in South Africa that reproduces an authentic Pipe Organ experience, both for
the Organist and for the congregation/audience.
Virtual Pipe Organs are now being used in Churches around the globe. Some recent
examples are:
The Zion Lutheran Church (ECLA) in Spokane, Washinington - USA
http://zionorgan.com/Organs/ZionOrganOpus1.htm
The Papal Mass of the Catholic Church at
the 49th Eucharistic Congress in Quebec City - Canada
http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/2075/854/
For further information please see:
Technology behind the Virtual Pipe Organ
Specifications of the Virtual Pipe Organs we offer
Listen to samples of the Virtual Pipe Organs being played
View some Videos of the Prototype
Organs
Contact Us
Links to VPO Sample Sets
Get involved - Get your Pipe Organ Digitally Sampled!
This project is a collaboration between Organists, Organ sales and repair
personnel, computer specialists, and electrical engineers.
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