Theatre Organ 101 – Registration

Welcome

By Don Springer All Rights Reserved.

Overview of Course

• The Primary Topic is REGISTRATION

• Musical Tastes

• General Advice on Registrations

• Learn by Listening

• Warn on Some Pitfalls

• Some Words to the Wise

• Inspiration Does not Come From Worrying

• No One Has a Monopoly on Creativity

• It is Easy to be a Critic

• Do YOU Enjoy It

Paint Your Own Picture

• George Wright

• Jesse Crawford

• Leon Berry

• Sidney Torch

• Kay McAbee

• Al Melgard

GW Quote “Less is More”

• Use Stops Like Spending Money

• Save as Much as You Can

• Shutters Mostly Open – Fewer Ranks

• The Loudest Organist Does Not Win –

The Cleverest One Does!

• Plan Your Arrangements

• Record Yourself and LISTEN

• LISTEN to GW, Jessie and Compare to

Your Arrangement

• LISTEN to EVERY RANK on an Organ

• Never Use Tuba Mirabilis or Solo

• Never Use Glockenspiel in Chords with

Full Organ

• Save Post Horn for Accents, 2

and single note melody w/ full organ

• On Organs with 2 Tibias, Reserve the Use

of “Both at Once” for Special Occasions

Good Ideas

• Wood Harp in Accompaniment

• Fewer Stops, Shutters More Open

• Plan Your Program - Vary Between Bright -

Melo, Loud – Soft, Novelty - Ballad

• Imagine That You Are Trying to “Sell” the

• Electronic Organs Start with a Tone

• Makes a Broad Sound – Many Harmonics

• Each Stop “Filters” Unneeded Sound

• Turn On All Stops, You Hear the Tone