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Kings Island Band Organ Work 2017 (Updated 6/21/17)


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Update (6/21/17)

Rolls playing: 6617 and 6627

I think I've finally got a temporary fix on the speed control. No more funeral march tempo!

(Original Post)

Hi Everyone!

Opening day is approaching and there's a BUNCH to be excited about. As a wooden coaster fan - I'm itching to ride the new coaster, and Winterfest is going to be truly specacular... Trust me, you won't want to miss it!

Anyways, I was at the park today and 2 weeks ago with a band organ restorer to diagnose some issues and between those two days - I'm pretty happy with the result. Today was a tuning day and I've now got all of the ranks of pipes playing, including the trombones which were not operating properly the past few years.

Update (4/12/17)

Take a look at the new lightbulbs on the organ! This pays homage to the way it looked in the Paul Eakins collection back in the 1960's. 

Attached below is a short audio file showing how it sounds as of today (3/24)

W157 2017.mp3

 

17492324_1733931546633854_4048295188638704785_o.jpg

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2 minutes ago, jcgoble3 said:

Great to hear that the work on the organ is continuing! :)

However, when I click on the MP3 file, I get an error message saying, "The page you are trying to access is not available for your account." :(

Uploaded it to Soundcloud - try this 

 

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2 minutes ago, jcgoble3 said:

That sounds incredibly awesome!!!! Great job!! :D

Thank you so much! I put 2 snappy rolls on and will put new music on at least monthly. There *may* even be a special roll for Halloween Haunt as I've been looking to arrange a Halloween roll. (Any tune requests?) The park already does have a Christmas roll for Winterfest from years past.

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1 hour ago, Magenta Lizard said:

Tocatta and Fugue in D minor! It may be obvious but I still love it. 

I am so excited to know you are still working with the park on the band organ! I'll definitely be stopping by to see what's playing. 

Nope - I'm not talking about music. I can tell you now that the two rolls I put on are: 6625 and 6621.

Something's different that hasn't been this way since at least the early 1980's. :D

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Thanks for posting your updates to the band organ!  It sounds amazing!  I am so happy that you continue to work on this wonderful piece of history that the park has.  It adds so much to the atmosphere!  

I can't wait to take my newborn son on the carousel when he is able to, just like my Dad took me on it when I was little. I always was mesmerized by the band organ when I was young, and still am today!

Hmm.  I don't know what you added.  Is it something visual that we will be able to see when we ride the carousel?

again thanks for all your hard work into restoring this for future generations to enjoy!

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Oh, it would definitely have to be a modified version. I am certain some brave translator has made it into a roll for band organs, at some point, tho. It's pretty much the best known non-religious piece for pipe organ, that I can think of. 

I just grabbed that video to show the song I was talking about, but it turned out that as I watched it, I got a deeper understanding of the construction of my favorite song. Bonus!

 

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18 hours ago, silver2005 said:

Does our carousel's music systems even have that kind of range?  Or be capable of such elaborate movements?

 

17 hours ago, Magenta Lizard said:

Oh, it would definitely have to be a modified version. I am certain some brave translator has made it into a roll for band organs, at some point, tho. It's pretty much the best known non-religious piece for pipe organ, that I can think of. 

I just grabbed that video to show the song I was talking about, but it turned out that as I watched it, I got a deeper understanding of the construction of my favorite song. Bonus!

 

You'd be surprised how versatile the band organ actually is. It can do quite a bit with the right arrangement. 6 bass notes covers 4 different keys the organ can play in comfortably.

Kind of a funny fact, but the recording that plays when the real organ isn't working is of a band organ about half the size (I've seen and heard that particular organ in person) and much more limited.

I've been arranging rolls for these, including quite a few for organs like at Kings Island for 5 years and that tune would work very nicely! A Phantom of the Opera medley is another that comes to my mind.

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On Sat Mar 25 2017 at 5:33 AM, CoastersRZ said:

Thanks for posting your updates to the band organ!  It sounds amazing!  I am so happy that you continue to work on this wonderful piece of history that the park has.  It adds so much to the atmosphere!  

I can't wait to take my newborn son on the carousel when he is able to, just like my Dad took me on it when I was little. I always was mesmerized by the band organ when I was young, and still am today!

Hmm.  I don't know what you added.  Is it something visual that we will be able to see when we ride the carousel?

again thanks for all your hard work into restoring this for future generations to enjoy!

Thank you! That truly means a lot to hear that. I've seen several kids and adults (including myself of course!) Just sit and listen to the organ for quite a while. There was one child in particular 2 years ago who's father told me he came "JUST to hear the organ".

As for what's new on the organ, you'll likely notice it before you even get on!

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That recording sounds fantastic and I look forward to hearing it in person.

Suddenly reminded of Westworld and wondering about rolls of modern music.  It would be interesting having the organ play popular music from the last 30-40 years.  I would hate for it to be done on a year round basis but might be fun for special events.

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6 hours ago, Kenban said:

That recording sounds fantastic and I look forward to hearing it in person.

Suddenly reminded of Westworld and wondering about rolls of modern music.  It would be interesting having the organ play popular music from the last 30-40 years.  I would hate for it to be done on a year round basis but might be fun for special events.

The organ in theory could play anything with a melody. Broadway tunes work very well - including recent ones. There's 2 rolls that were arranged a few years back with semi-modern tunes such as "Rock Around the Clock", "9 To 5", "Down at the Twist and Shout", and "Bad Moon Rising". Neither I or the park has a copy of those rolls though.

Here's an arrangement I just finished yesterday that the band organ could play. It's not on a roll yet, but it shows it can do a lot!

 

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Since you gave some examples I found 9 to 5 on YouTube.  This is a great example of the kind of music I was thinking about.  Looks like rolls 6852 and 6853.  Still have Paint it Black from The Rolling Stones stuck in my head since it sounds great on a Piano I bet it would be good on an organ.

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Any thoughts on the lights on the organ? The carousel had incandescent lights put in again to replace the... 'interesting' LEDs that were on the ride the past 2-3 seasons. (Those were never intended to be a permanent replacement for the record) It's a possibility that the carousel may be bulbed in the same warm white LEDs that are now on the organ in the not too distant future.

I also heard the organ wasn't playing Saturday -- must of simply been a miscommunication because it was playing well today. (Sunday)

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