Organ Feature Overhaul

• Mar 24, 2024 - 10:10

This may be a bit of a long shot, but I think it's a necessary step for MuseScore: there needs to be an organ overhaul.

For one, I think that there should be some new MuseSounds for organ, including individual stops, combinations of stops, and various articulations/dynamics. I also think that said sounds should be easily switched through a new stops menu - which won't only make composing easier, but will prevent the inevitable "change instrument" then "hide text".

There may be some other associated features that could be helpful, like a new organ staff function, where different manual types can be used (choir, great, swell, etc.). I'm not sure about the specifics of such a system, but I think it's important to make organ writing more intuitive whilst using the software.

There has really been a push by organists to encourage the creation of new works for the organ. This especially goes for James Mitchell, who was collaborated with David Bruce and Inside The Score to promote the instrument extensively. I think that allowing more people access to a powerful organ-writing tool will allow for the increased production of quality organ repertoire, something which the instrument desperately needs.


Comments

This has indeed been brought up before. Some months back there was an extensive discussion in the Playback forum (I think it was). I think there are some free pipe organ VSTs and sf2 fonts. One of the sf2 fonts has different stops. But I don't think you can combine them on the same staff.

In reply to by bobjp

"But I don't think you can combine them on the same staff."

Correct. Making organ playback realistic is like assembling an orchestra of various instruments. Each organ stop may need a different soundfont.

So you would need a combination of Change instrument instructions and a number of hidden staves to allow several stops to play at once. It's not trivial to notate.

And the question remains... Who is going to fund this development? Where is the philanthropist with deep, deep pockets?

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