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VOLUME SIX - ISSUE SEVEN |
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Walnut Hill Gazette
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ORGAN OF THE MONTH
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Opening MessageWelcome to the Walnut Hill Gazette. The month of July sees the site reaching over 80,300 visitors, the average now being around 600 visits per month. During 2007, we broke an attendance record with 26,442 viewers. Many of these folks are young people from the large art communities in cyberspace, where we have built portal pages such as those at YouTube, Last.FM, deviantART and Renderosity, just to name a few. In 2008, visits dropped off to just over 5,000.
In This Issue Of The Gazette...News is still late along with updates to the site. I hope to remedy this soon but space is limited at the MOJO Ranch even though I have the rig set up to do recording at last. In this issue of the Gazette, I am featuring the early takes from these recordings now in progress. I am featuring them because there is a Hammond organ in there. Though not a TPO, it IS an organ. For this purpose, it is the right choice for the sound it contributes to the mix. What is special about the Hammond organ is this: it is not a Hammond at all! Rather, a set of well-crafted Hammond samples played on a Kurzweil K-2000 synthesizer vintage 2001. The analogue output of the unit was fed to the line input jack on the computer running recording software. The Hammond was only one of the many sounds I used on this wonderful keyboard to build up entire rhythm sections, one instrument at a time.
Closing MessageI want to thank each and every person who visits this site as Summer gets into full swing for the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Without you, our loyal patrons, there would be no Walnut Hill. We are indeed making a difference in the Land of the King, preserving a wonderful and important slice of American and World History. Blessings be to one and all.
Richard Mogridge |
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HEADLINE NEWS |
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New Music From The Power Guppies!
Holy Mackerel and the Power Guppies are back in the recording studio. You know these guys. My buddy Eel-Rem, Queen of Pacifica, has mentioned them in her Journal. She is the one who looks like a mermaid with big red wings and shockers on her breasts. She sent them to Earth as data bits in a computer. Inside this box they virtually played all night. It will take weeks to get all the stuff ready to share with all those Guppy fans out there. Serious finnage...
What you are about to hear was recorded on a PC. I used a Kurzweil K-2000 synthesizer to generate each instrument, one at a time, each on its own track. The Power Guppies are thus a virtual band that is made possible by playing many instruments, one at a time, and then mixing the resulting tracks down to stereo for transmission as WMA files on the internet. The K-2000, provided on loan from Murlin's Music World in Maryville, Tennessee, did an excellent job of modelling the instruments described below. The actual session took place at MOJO Ranch. The computer enabled me to do all the production work with no assistance during the rhythm track overdubs.
I mixed down some preliminary soundtrack demos from a few of the Guppy tunes. The tracks are not complete, as they are still in the rhythm construction phase without lead instruments or vocal work. On the first tune are an acoustic nylon string classical guitar, a synthesizer patch that is making lush strings and voices play together with the classical guitar, a concert grand piano, a vintage Hammond B3 with 147RV Leslie, an electric fretless five string bass guitar, a pair of LP congas, and a Ludwig standard jazz drum kit with extra floor toms and Turkish Zildjian cymbals. The second cut has a Fender Rhodes Stage Piano, an upright five string bass viola, a steel string auditorium guitar, a Hammond B3 with 147RV Leslie, two trumpets, a small Ludwig rock and roll drum kit with Turkish Zildjian cymbals, and a pair of LP congas. This tune was directly inspired by the love my Rain Woman and I share and how much I am lonely for her and cannot wait to be where she is. The third song has a honky tonk piano, bass viola, Ludwig power drum kit with Turkish Zildjian cymbals, LP congas, timbales, tamborine, a Hammond B3 with 147RV Leslie, and a muted Fender Telecaster electric guitar ran direct. This song is about good times with the Guppies and dancing in the sky. The beat will make you dance in your seat. The fourth tune has a small grand piano, string section, Hammond B3 with 147RV Leslie, Fender Telecaster electric guitar, electric bass guitar of unknown vintage, a set of rock style Ludwig Drums with Turkish Zildjian cymbals, LP congas and timbales, a marimba, several ethnic Regelian instruments known only to the Power Guppies, a tamborine and claves. The fifth song is writen for my lovely Rain Woman. It is called the Evening Song. This tune came to me in a dream about her and I knew it would need a big production. Horns and percussions were called in to play behind a real 12-string guitar, along with synthesized piano, bass and drums. Some of the percussion instruments are ethnic, from all over the world.
Several effects generators were plugged in to the virtual mixing desk. There was Maxx Bass on the drums, three different reverbs on several instruments, compressors on the drums and bass, spatial imaging on the cymbals, and a graphic EQ on the piano to make it brighter. If those had been actual analogue toys, the electric bill would have been enormous, not to speak of the rental fee on the gear and paying a couple engineers to set all that stuff up and make it work..
The faders were not automated, so the mixdown is a wee tad rough. What I wanted was to get this material in the can enough to share the progress of this rare recording session featuring the Power Guppies with my circle of friends here on dA and at Walnut Hill. If you have read this far, you are ready to listen. Click one of the the song titles below, which are linked to open in Windows Media Player. The files are variable bitrate CD quality stereo audio streams that play back at an average transfer of 128KB/sec. The peaks are at around -0.3dB, so check your volume control setting before playing. If the files fail to load, simply close the player and right-click a link, choosing Save As from the fly-out menu. After saving, the file can be opened locally in the player. Enjoy!
- rhythm track demo The first song does not yet have a name and the lyrics are not written. There is room to add more tracks such as lead instruments and vocals. It is mearly a basic rhythm track to work from, a demo only.
- rhythm track demo The second song, a rollicking little blues number with a world beat, is a bit further along in developement, having a title and some of the lyrics, which will remain unposted so that when you here the Guppies belt out the words, it will be a surprise, indeed. However, the title says it all to the one I love and she knows who she is, aye.
- rhythm track demo The third number is sort of a theme song for the Guppies but it really lets the drummer, Moon Dawgie, shine with aplomb as he guides his percussionists through some intricate gyrations that make you want to bump and grind urban style. Flash Cadillac, the multi-keyboardist, holds down a groove with Holy Mackerel's bass that is unstoppable. There are awks about.
- rhythm track demo The fourth song is from the Ricky Boston APSCO Records catalogue. The lyrics were written by him in 1979 and I put the music to it that same year. The recording was eventually lost so I thought it needed redone using modern technology. Ricky and I worked together at APSCO back in 1979. He is from Santa Barbara, California. This song is about losing love and still being able to get on with life and be happy in the face of adversity.
- rhythm track demo The fifth cut started out using a real Yamaha 12-string acoustic guitar that was mic'ed. Then, a piano, bass, drums, lots of percussion and horns provided by the Kurzweil K-2000 were added. This is the music to a poem Erika wrote that sits next to her picture in my dA gallery with the same title as this song. When she hears this number, she is sure to understand many things.
Thank you for reading and listening, from all the Power Guppies, inhabitants of Regelia Prime, the Rain Woman, myself, and the fellow musician and great friend who is making all this possible to do, the MOJO Man himself, Al Owrutzky.
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Second Relocation Fund Drive
The Second Relocation Fund Drive, is much more ambitious than the first since the distance is far greater. There remains the matter of shipping the production equipment and my belongings overseas to Ĺkersberga, Sweden. The conputers along with a collection of mics, recorders, cameras and a reference speaker system are worth thousands if replacements are purchased overseas. The systems can be switched to 240VAC@50Hz via toggles on the power supplies, so proper AC cables will be all that are needed to get them plugged into the local power grid.
Walnut Hill Productions must raise a lot of money in order to relocate to Sweden, there is no doubt. It has already cost the company over twenty-five hundred dollars to get to Tennessee, which represents only one third of the eventual 9,000-mile trek from California to Scandinavia. Airfare alone for a round-trip ticket from Knoxville to Stockholm bought in advance will sell for $1,500 to $2,000 if I travel light. The Swedish Permanent Residency Permit will cost around $200. Shipping equipment could be incredibly expensive, perhaps over $3,000, bringing the total cost of the move to a conservatively estimated minumum of $5,000. Returning to the United States to await permanent residency and replacing gear that could not be feasably shipped could push the cost even higher, perhaps doubling the total budget for the move.
I plan to get married during my first 90-day visit which, at this time, is unknown as to the actual date of my journey. The main reasons for the delay are finances and local situations for both of us. For me, there is the matter of some much needed catching up in completing several recording projects sitting on the back burner far too long. The Power Guppies are in the studio once again. For my Lady in the Land of the Vikings, there are the matters of getting her own place and dealing with her three sons as she persues a steady career that will earn her enough money to keep her family going while prepairing her children for the impending divorce of the parents and my eventual arrival. This could take a grat deal of time. But for my dearest Erika, I will gladly wait until the time is right. This will give me plenty of opportunities to raise money for the first visit and it will also give her the time to get her affares in order.
The folks who run Walnut Hill Productions wish for this website to grow and become the best TPO site on the internet. It has been that way since the site went up over five years ago. To that end, we need your help. Not only are funds needed, but material to add as well in order to keep the site fresh and interesting. Walnut Hill Productions will be relocating to Sweden next year. We intend to do for the organs of Europe what we did for those in the United States. However, we are expanding our scope to include TPO's wherever we find them, all over the world, along with various classical installations of note in the churches of Scandanavia.
How To Make A Donation
As before, the original Pay Pal account which Doc and Tom Hoehn created for the first fund drive is still active. Here, you can make a donation to help us relocate Walnut Hill Productions to Sweden. The Second Relocation Fund Drive will run all the way to the time Doc actually arrives at his new home in the Northland and operations return to normal once again.
You can also send checks via standard mail to the following address, should you choose to not use the Pay Pal account. Please make checks payable to Richard Mogridge, with the words "Relocation Fund" in the memo line. The address is:
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Richard Mogridge |
If you have questions about the relocation fund, you can call the Bone Doctor at the Walnut Hill Office of Operations to learn more. That telephone number is 1-727-230-2610.
Become a part of history by making your donation today. Please help us to continue the work we are doing as we steadily grow and evolve, adding new features and more services such as broadcasting audio and video for all to enjoy. You'll be glad you did, knowing you will be helping to keep the King of Instruments in the public eye so that it will not be lost to future generations as many today are predicting. Together, we can keep the King alive.
You can also take an active role by volunteering your time and talents as a member of this growing team of hard working Theatre Pipe Organ enthusiasts. We need the help of all those who can send in pictures, documents and recordings as audio and video clips for use in future Featured Organ and Artists articles. Get your name in lights on our site. Call the Walnut Hill Office of Operations to learn more and get started.
Second Fund Drive
Raises $1,145.00 To Date
These most kind and generous folks have earned memberships in the Walnut Hill Organ Club and will be notified of their membership status when the club goes official once the move to Sweden is complete. We have decided to push forward with the organization while awaiting an ATOS charter. We will post our progress in the Gazette during the fledgeling phase of this project which must still undergo much planning. You can also check our club's page for more information. Click here to learn more.
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This is yet another major move forward for Walnut Hill Productions, one of the fastest growing and most visited TPO sites on the internet. We are trying to keep the Walnut Hill Productions website a free place for all who love the Mighty King of Instruments. We are also trying to keep it vibrant and ever changing. We do this to preserve a very important slice of history, but we need your help to keep it going. This move will allow Walnut Hill Productions to continue making major strides forward for the King of Instruments, doing the same thing for the organs of Europe that was done for those in the United States. We are thanking you in advance. The best is yet to come!
Save The Mighty WurliTzer and Grande Barton
Theatre Pipe Organs At Ceder Rapids, Iowa
CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids' two original theatre organs, rare treasures that were damaged by the flood, are being stored at The History Center, 615 First Ave. SE, while their caretakers determine whether they can be restored.
The two organs are among about 40 in the country that remain in the theatres they were built for. They were once used to accompany and provide sound effects for silent movies.
The Paramount Theatre's 3/12 Mighty WurliTzer Balaban 1A was installed when the Paramount opened in 1928. The Mighty WurliTzer organ was removed from the Paramount Theatre on June 18. The Grande Barton organ was removed from the Iowa Theatre on Tuesday. That removal was sponsored by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. What happens next for the Mighty WurliTzer depends on what happens with the Paramount. The city of Cedar Rapids owns the theatre and the organ.
The Iowa Theatre's 3/14 Grande Barton console was damaged by the floodwaters, but the impact to the organ was not as visible and dramatic as the Paramount's Mighty WurliTzer. The Barton console, hit with 4 feet of floodwater, remained standing on the 4-post Barton lift unlike it’s sister at the Paramount which was toppled over and tossed around, subjected to 8.5 feet of water and weakened significantly by the experience.
The 3/14 Grande Barton organ is owned by Cedar Rapids Barton Inc., a non-profit group formed exclusively for the maintenance and preservation of the organ. That organization and the Cedar Rapids Theatre Organ Society have set up an organ restoration fund. Gifts are tax deductible, and donations can be submitted by visiting www.cr-atos.com. You can also send a donation via Pay Pal by clicking the "Donate" button below:
To see a complete photodocumentary of the damage to these instruments and the movie palaces they once lived in, click here. Be warned. The images are very graphic, enough to make any TPO buff cry like a baby.
EDITORIAL ARTICLES
- Richard Mogridge - The Control Room
All about recording the King of Instruments - Tom Hoehn - Console Up!
How to play the Mighty Theatre Pipe Organ - Per Olof Schultz - Skandia WurliTzer
The last WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ in Sweden - Russ Ashworth - Mighty MidiTzer
Playing the Theatre Organ virtualy every day! - Jim Reid - Hauptwerk
Martyn Dyde's highly accurate virtual organ from Crumhorn Labs
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Mighty MidiTzer Style 216
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Download MidiTzer Version 0.881 Did you ever imagine you could put a Theatre Pipe Organ inside your computer? Well, now you can, with the Mighty MidiTzer by Jim Henry and Crew Glazjev. Best of all, it is absolutely free! Just click the picture to the left to get started on your way to playing the Style 216 2/10 Mighty WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ virtually every day! Listen to the Mighty MidiTzer! Below are some cuts from various Featured Artists here at Walnut Hill that will give you an idea of what the Mighty MidiTzer sounds like.
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Mighty MidiTzer Style 260 Special
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