Smecno sample set for Hauptwerk

Revision 2.0 now available!

• The organ was recorded pipe by pipe.
• The sample set can be described as almost dry as relatively close-up recording was used. In this way the sample set is usable also in revertebrant and acoustically difficult conditions. Also, the original stereo "panning" of the divided windchest is best heard. The pipes are positioned in even more complex way than the usual C-C# side division.
• The tuning to the even temperament was done (a=440 Hz) and some defective pipes were repitched from other good pipes. However, a Smecno tuning chart was created and added to the family of Hauptwerk tuning schemes, so you can load it any time and use it in conjunction with the Smecno samples to get the true medieval meantone experience. The Smecno tuning chart will be installed together with the Smecno sample set.
• All the processing was done in 24 bit depth and 48kHz resolution.
• The sample set is prepared and available for Hauptwerk in 24 bit depth and 48kHz resolution.
• The RAM consupmtion when loaded in 16 bit depth: 719 MB (extended version). Compressed: 611 MB.
• Requires 845 x 845 px screen resolution
• You can load the organ in 24 bit depth to take the advantage of 24 bit depth of samples. The RAM consumption in that case would double.
• The individual ranks of the instrument can be used to form custom user organs.

Updates

Organ definition files 2.01: the initial chiff of pipes may be controlled via velocity sensitive MIDI keyboard. The voicing sliders "remember" their position when organ is reloaded.

The Revision additional 2.0 features: new sample denoising technique used to increase the realism of the sound. All samples were newly processed. Some bad samples were repitched from good neighbors. New sample set voicing applied to produce more compact sound of the sample set plenum.

Smecno - screenshots

the console - extended version	the wind control	the voicing control

This sample set is the digital document featuring the current state of the organ with a high degree of fidelity. The stops are divided into three windchest groups as shown in the table. It has one manual (keyboard) plus pedal with the lowest octave short (the keys C#, D#, F#, G# are missing). A pedal coupler was added which is not present on the original. You have to engage the drawstop named "Choro primo" to hear the sound of the Principal choir and you have to engage the drawstop named "Choro secondo" to hear the flutes. This facility imitates the ventils and may be used to quickly change the timbre of the sound to imitate the performance on two manuals.

Smecno - Revision 2.0 for Hauptwerk 1

The recording details are the same as above. Only at the very end the result was converted to the 16 bits to meet the Hauptwerk (v. 1.21) requirements.

Present state, organ definition file: Smecno.organ

This sample set is the digital document representing the current state of the organ with a high degree of fidelity. The stops are divided into three windchest groups as shown in the table. It has one manual (keyboard) plus pedal with the lowest octave short (the keys C#, D#, F#, G# are missing). A pedal coupler was added which is not present on the original. You must engage the drawstop named "Choro primo" to hear the sound of the Principal choir and you must engage the drawstop named "Choro secondo" to hear the flutes. These two stops imitate the ventils and may be used to quickly change the timbre of the sound to simulate performance on two manuals. The mixtures in this sample set were recorded key by key so that 1 sample = 2 or 3 pipes sounding simultaneously. Compass: C1-C5, short low octave. Pedal: C1-a2, short octave.

Smecno Extended Set (organ definition file: SmecnoExt.organ)

It is the same set as the Smecno Current Set except that the lowest octave was chromaticised (keys C#, D#, F#, G# added). The organ definition file of this option is SmecnoExtNewMixt.organ. Compass: C1-C5. Pedal: C1-a2.

Smecno Baroque Set (organ definition file: SmecnoBaroq.organ)

The stops were divided into two manuals according to the state of the instrument after it was rebuilt by Jan Rusch in 1775. The mixtura was lowered to 1 1/3' and some new stops were derived from the sample material. Compass: manuals: C1-C5, pedal: C1-A2.

Smecno Italian Set (organ definition file: SmecnoItal.organ)

The italian naming of the stops inspired me to release also a fictious italian organ from the Smecno samples. There is a second Principal 8 which is divided (it. spezzato) into bas and discant parts. One other stop was derived digitally - Biffera. That is another Principal tuned slightly above than the rest of the organ. This gives the special celeste-like quality used by old italian composers. Compass: C1-C5. Pedal: C1-A2.The organ has this specification:

The pedal board is hard-coupled to manual. The organ was modeled according to the well-known organ of Baldassare Malamini in the Basilica of St. Petronio in Bologna (1596). However, to make it sound like that masterpiece you would have to add some reverb, because the Smecno original acoustics are not as great as those of St. Petronio. Holy Trinity in Smecno is quite a small church while St. Petronio is a cathedral. More ODF's for Smecno organ were supplied by James Pressler and are available for a free download.

Smecno MINI sample set for Hauptwerk 1

I have decided to release a small sample set derived from the Smecno sample material for free, so that anyone can taste the Renaissance sound of its stops. I am sure that after listening to the Copula maior and Copula minor together with the Octava Principale, you will want to stay with the Smecno sample set for the rest of your life! The MINI sample set is available in the Hauptwerk 1 version only (but it can be imported into Hauptwerk 2 and higher or to MyOrgan).

I advice to listen carefully to the expressive speaking of pipes, to enjoy the complex stereo panning of the windchest layout -it is original!- and to admire the mastery of the anonymous Renaissance organbuilder and that of the modern restaurateur: Dusan Doubek.

!Download here!

The installer of the Smecno MINI sample set is packed into a RAR self-extracting archive, hence the .exe extension.

I am looking for live recorded demo pieces using the Smecno sample set. If you would like to share your recordings made with the Smecno sample set, you can submit them and I will post them on the mp3 demo page here.