Digital organ for school auditorium
  • sjcschaplain
    Posts: 3
    I’m the chaplain at a Catholic HS/MS in the Greenville, SC area and looking for recommendations on a digital organ. It would need to be large enough to accommodate our chapel/auditorium which seats around 750. I was looking at the Roland c-330 but I’m not certain that it would be sufficient. I’m also at a loss to find a dealer near us.

    Any suggestions on instruments and external needs in terms of amps / speakers would be greatly appreciated.
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,934
    I can tell you about durability. You can keep an Allen for years and it will hold up to steady and not always kind use.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    Is Hauptwerk an option?

    https://www.midiworks.ca
  • Marc Cerisier
    Posts: 517
    For durability, Allen certainly holds up—couldn’t kill mine as hard as I tried...

    I too would recommend a Hauptwerk console—and would suggest you contact Arnold Organ. They build self contained consoles that feel great to play, and are priced much less than commercial organs. I ended up getting a three manual console for less than the Roland you mentioned. It’s also all solid wood (though plywood is also an option) and will probably outlive me.
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    SJCSChaplain,

    Is there a pressing reason to choose a digital instrument? (There might very well be.)
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Get a pipe organ if you possibly can. Otherwise the C-330 would be plenty of organ for any situation. It's the speakers that will need to be substantial however. I would take a Roland C-330 over ANY size Allen or Rodgers hands down. The sound is as close to pipes as you will ever get.
  • sjcschaplain
    Posts: 3
    Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I have some experience with Hauptwerk since my last parish was a mission and we used my own laptop and digital keyboard to do a bare bones HW setup.

    In the school situation I would worrry about the reliability of software and would much prefer something essentially turnkey for the organist who comes to the school each week.

    Re a real pipe organ I’m afraid the space limitations make that impossible.

    On the question of the c-330 is that even still being made by Roland? I’ve found some used but can’t seem to find a new one.
    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • francis
    Posts: 10,668
    Yes, the production, I believe, is in transition, but I think you can still buy them. Noel Jones might be better able to answer your questions. His contact info is on this forum.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,694
    If you shout "frogman" three times he usually shows up.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    In January 2016 Rodgers was purchased from Roland by the GOG Group.

    Roland stopped production of the C-330 at that time.

    There are used ones floating around. They are quite reliable and had a 10 year parts warranty - which does not transfer to a new owner.

    Roland still builds and sells the C-30 harpsichord which has a flute 8' and Principals 8' & 4'.

    My C-30 harpsichord left last week for 6 weeks with the Cincinnati Opera, being used as a simple continuo organ by the conductor (who has one in NY himself) as a very fine early music ensemble (whose keyboard player is playing their excellent harpsichord) and members of the Cincinnati Orchestra join in performing Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea.*

    I miss it.

    FROGMAN



    * to be followed by:

    U.S. Premiere of Another Brick in the Wall.

    PS: If you do get a C-330 one or better, two BOSE L1 systems will cover the room very nicely.


    Thanked by 1eft94530
  • melofluentmelofluent
    Posts: 4,160
    In my relative youth we used an Ahlborn-Galanti "Parvus" keyboard with success.
    http://www.ahlborn-galanti.com/Welcome.html
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