About my organ project. I built my own house around the organ and have a sizable room to work with. I have bought two organs and combined them, along with pipes and parts from other places. I had 28 ranks playing and was ready to hook up 36 ranks. Just before Christmas I acquired a 4 manual Moller drawknob console and am making plans to computerize it with an Artisan control system.

Just after I committed to buying the console our car gave out and we had to replace that, and about a week after Christmas the blower quit and I will have to replace that, or at least the motor. So that's the adventure of it.

The objective of my organ is to have as large and versatile an instrument as possible on the budget. Second to that has been to get something playing with what I have to work with. I have told myself many times, just get it working, we'll worry about how it sounds later. But I had some requirements in what I acquired. I didn't want any direct electric chests, nor any open toe voiced pipes. I wanted pipework from before about 1960. That is not to say I don't appreciate the more classical approaches, they just didn't fit my plans or my budget.

I wasn't looking for a practise instrument, because I had nothing to practise for unless I had an instrument of my own worth performing on.

On the organist side, I have a master's degree in organ performance, and like Mike Ohman, have played recitals at the Salt Lake Tabernacle as a guest organist.

Kelvin Smith

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