THE SWELL PEDAL, Models A and B.
The swell pedal, or expression pedal, is located in the customary position
and with it the volume of the organ may be controlled over a wide range.
It operates on the two manuals and pedal clavier equally; that is to say,
once the manuals and pedals are balanced, they retain their relative balance
over the entire swell pedal range.
The dynamic range of the swell unit is stupendous. Technically, the power
ratio of the swell pedal fully open to fully closed, is 50 decibels. In the
most carefully constructed pipe organ swell shades, the power ratio seldom
exceeds 15 decibels and is usually considerably less. The range of 50
decibels would correspond to approximately 32 points on a pipe organ,
only a very few of which are constructed with a range in excess of 12
points.
The volume increase effected through the swell pedal is dynamically
equivalent to a pipe organ crescendo build-up. One noticeable and
very desirable difference is the absence of sudden tone quality changes
characteristic of the build-up of the pipe organ to orchestral crescendos.
HOW TO MAKE ONE MANUAL LOUDER THAN THE OTHER
Models A and B.
Since the swell pedal operates equally on both manuals and on the pedals,
this balance is maintained throughout the entire dynamic range of the swell
unit. When it is desired to make one manual louder than the other, it is
necessary only to select a tone colour which is softer than the one being
used on the other manual, whether the softer tone colour be identical in
character or different.
To select an identical but softer tone colour, it is necessary only to see that
the harmonic controller for that manual is set with the drawbars in the
same relationship to each other, but not pulled out so far. For example,
tone number 23,6444,222 is of the same quality as 34,7555,333, but softer.
You have simply pushed each drawbar in by one position.
This ability to make the same tone colour louder or softer on one manual
than on the other is of great advantage musically. The swell pedal,
operating equally on both manuals changes the volume of both equally
without destroying the balance between them.
The volume of the pedals can be controlled over quite a wide range by
the use of the harmonic controls associated with the pedals, in addition
to the volume change of the swell pedal.
THE SWELL PEDALS , Model E (Figure 4).
The Model E Console has the added advantage of ind~pendent swell
pedals, each of which affects its respective manual over the wide dynamic
range for which the Hammond Organ is noted. The pedal controlling
the Great manual also controls the pedal clavier.
The position of each pedal at any time is clearly shown by indicators
situated on the right, above the upper manual (Figure lb).
Page Twelve
To Next Page
Loading...
Need help?
General
