is organ similar to piano??

[anastazia]

hi everyone,

i know that organ is a different instrument and everything, but is it maybe a little similar to the piano? i was thinking of starting up the organ, and i've been playing piano for a long time.

thanks,

anastazia

[ramseytheii]

The organ has slightly smaller keys, which creates a lot of problems with pianist who sub for churches, thinking it will be the same.   Also, the organ doesn't have a huge variety in action.  It is not true to say that there is no variety, because in true pipe organs with mechanical action, you can subtly control the amount of air that is released through the pipes, and how fast it is released.  Not as many organs these days have mechanical actions.

Are you planning to learn the pedals also?

Walter Ramsey

[amanfang]

The similarity is that they are both keyboard instruments.  Organ technique is surprisingly different from piano (at least, in my opinion it is), and the added coordination of the pedals makes it more difficult, as does reading 3 lines.

[anastazia]

hey walter ramsey!
i really don't know very much about the organ, but i went to a concert of handel in a cathedral and was really inspired. so yeah, i guess i would want to learn the pedals, why not? 

can you learn to play the organ without the pedals?

best,

anastazia

[ramseytheii]

hey walter ramsey!
i really don't know very much about the organ, but i went to a concert of handel in a cathedral and was really inspired. so yeah, i guess i would want to learn the pedals, why not? 

can you learn to play the organ without the pedals?

best,

anastazia

There's a lot of good music for organ that doesn't require pedals, but you can do more interesting things with it if you do play the pedals.  If you do play organ, learn the pedals - one should avoid the cliche of a pianist who "plays organ," but only half of it!

Walter Ramsey

[anastazia]

 

There's a lot of good music for organ that doesn't require pedals, but you can do more interesting things with it if you do play the pedals.  If you do play organ, learn the pedals - one should avoid the cliche of a pianist who "plays organ," but only half of it!

Walter Ramsey

definitely, i'll keep that in mind. 

[tompilk]

dupre op 7 is something I love... my teacher played a bit of it, but i got the rest of the pieces and love them.
I've started the organ after learning the piano now, but I play in a church where their organ is being restored for a year, so hopefully I will be better at the pedals by the time they have it fixed.
Apparently the tuners had been puncturing the bellows with a screwdriver rather than tuning it properly. *tuts*
Tom

[Bob]

I've heard a pianist can cheat and play the bass notes in the pedal.  Not really using the pedals fully, but enough to get the pedal color in there.

[danny elfboy]

Well consider this: half the studies/grades involved in getting an organ diploma are at the piano and away from the organ.
In a conservatory where 10 years or levels are necessary to get a diploma in piano or organ the first 5 years of organ classes are identical to the first 5 years of piano classes.

The difference then will be in action and mechanics of playing, facing smaller keys and less octaves in the keyboard, facing an additional keyboard, pedals, third staff and learning registers ... and of course building repertory.

Although the action is different the coordinative foundation regarding fingers, hand, wrist, arm, contradition, relaxation, loose joints, hips motions at the piano applies to the organ as well.

[timothy42b]

When you are beginning, the first thing you will notice is the notes do not sustain if you lift your finger, not even a little.  (except for the echo if the church is very live acoustically)  And you don't have  a sustain pedal.  So playing legato is considerably different. 

The second problem for beginners is that brushing the wrong key lightly (catching the black one just slightly, for example) plays the note just as loudly as if you crashed down on it.  Some people play lots of wrong notes at first for this reason. 

But conceptually, the biggest problem for me is trying to figure out what sound I want, and what stops to use to get it.  Piano just has one sound, piano.  (loud and soft)  Organ has thousands of possible combinations of stops, all sounding different. 

[richard black]

Playing a bit of organ is damn fine practice for pianists. You seriously learn about finger legato for a start! I would strongly recommend a few organ lessons, and while you're at it a few harpsichord lessons, for any pianist. Anyway, one day when you're a jobbing professional someone is _bound_ to ask you to play for a wedding or funeral, or on the harpsichord a bit of continuo or something....