Current Events > The organ as an instrument still totally blows my mind

(+) Yeah! (+)

Such an incredibly complicated instrument. I knew you used your feet to play the instrument, but had no idea you could play entire melodies with your feet. The coordination required to play that instrument is so insanely demanding.

No wonder most organists are so damn smart.

https://youtu.be/TzK-tYFGQx4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-zXfkV90fM

Played from memory. Just astounding, but it's his day job - organist at a cathedral.

threetimes posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-zXfkV90fM

Played from memory. Just astounding, but it's his day job - organist at a cathedral.

haha Im a musician and a pianist, playing from memory is very common. It becomes muscle memory, especially for a piece as popular as Toccata and Fugue.

But I love those behind the shoulder camera views of organists playing. What a wild instrument. Nothing else like it

I want to see this played live on an organ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YTGz9e4Ksw

My dad has keys to the church that he lives next to, and hes a bit of a night owl so sometimes he would go over in the night and play the pipe organ for a few hours.

He can play piano/harpsichord well enough though he usually uses sheet music there, rather than memorizing the songs, so he wasnt like a professional organist or anything, but even as an amateur he was still pretty good.

I can remember a few times being able to faintly hear him playing while falling asleep in my bed. Most people might find it spooky to hear an organ playing in the night but I always found it comforting, knowing it was just my dad over there rocking out.

Watch Cory Henry absolutely fucking blaze it. (watch the footwork 20 seconds in):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCV7XOXzHjw

Unreal player

jcmason posted...

My dad has keys to the church that he lives next to, and hes a bit of a night owl so sometimes he would go over in the night and play the pipe organ for a few hours.

He can play piano/harpsichord well enough though he usually uses sheet music there, rather than memorizing the songs, so he wasnt like a professional organist or anything, but even as an amateur he was still pretty good.

I can remember a few times being able to faintly hear him playing while falling asleep in my bed. Most people might find it spooky to hear an organ playing in the night but I always found it comforting, knowing it was just my dad over there rocking out.

man thats awesome. Ive played in orchestras with an organ player, and those experiences are some of the most satisfying musical experiences of my life. Sounds like your dad has figured life out!

I think at some point you just develop a feel for it, like I remember our organist t church would sometimes not necessarily hit the right note at first but he'd just feel around until he found it and it never really sounded off somehow

Honestly always thought it was essentially a giant loud AF piano.

That's fucking insane and awesome.

DipDipDiver posted...

I think at some point you just develop a feel for it, like I remember our organist t church would sometimes not necessarily hit the right note at first but he'd just feel around until he found it and it never really sounded off somehow

oh god, thatd bother the crap out of me lol. But then again I have a music degree and wrong notes are always blatantly obvious and painful to me

Lokison posted...

Honestly always thought it was essentially a giant loud AF piano.

That's fucking insane and awesome.

oh ya man, theyre amazing instruments. Literally built into concert halls. Each one is unique to the space it was made for.

our concert hall in college once found a GIANT 40 ft Python snake in one of the larger pipes when they were restoring and cleaning out the organ one year. Was insane lol

MFBKBass5 posted...

oh god, thatd bother the crap out of me lol. But then again I have a music degree and wrong notes are always blatantly obvious and painful to me

I don't know man, somehow it just blended in and sounded organic

pinky0926 posted...

Watch Cory Henry absolutely fucking blaze it. (watch the footwork 20 seconds in):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCV7XOXzHjw

Unreal player

Jesussssss Christ! Thats insane. And jammin af. Dude makes the organ sound like a funk machine haha

It's interesting that she's wearing shoes with the organ. Most organists kick off their shoes and play in their socks or stockings.

BB_mofo posted...

It's interesting that she's wearing shoes with the organ. Most organists kick off their shoes and play in their socks or stockings.

Those look like special shoes with heel circles for using the back of the foot to play the natural keys.

BB_mofo posted...

It's interesting that she's wearing shoes with the organ. Most organists kick off their shoes and play in their socks or stockings.

there are shoes that are specifically designed for playing the organ

MFBKBass5 posted...

Jesussssss Christ! Thats insane. And jammin af. Dude makes the organ sound like a funk machine haha

This is honestly just him messing around for an instructional video. If you're interested in seeing him shred in a performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7iVpEwmuRo

Obligatory
https://youtu.be/ulDC1w1ydLI

Growing up there was a pizza place near me called the organ piper.

they had the giant organ built in there and you could request any song for the organ player to play

as a kid I never appreciated how crazy it was but it was a lot of fun to go there

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/8/7/AAW8UqAAEKD7.jpg