Romsey Abbey

Existing and forthcoming Hauptwerk instruments, recommendations, ...
User avatar
ajt
Member
Posts: 870
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:40 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by ajt »

I really don't understand this thread at all. Can we not just be happy that there's another excellent sample set on the market, rather than complaining about all manner of things that are entirely up to the sampleset manufacturer to decide upon?

It's (from the youtube videos I've seen) fabulous; as someone who knows that organ well, playing it fairly regularly and singing in the choir there over a number of years, it sounds just as I expect it to do. The extended version is a bonus that makes it less "compromised" than the real instrument/more accessible as the real organ is quite hard to work with, with its lack of modern playing aids.
Adrian
User avatar
jerrymartin
Member
Posts: 113
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 1:01 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by jerrymartin »

marcus.reeves wrote: The presentation and recording is top notch. I’ve played the organ in Romsey on numerous occasions so I can vouch for the realism of the instrument: anyone who purchases and invests a little time in getting to know the instrument and how to work around any perceived shortcomings will not be disappointed. Bravo Jerry, bravo Richard!
Thank you SO much Marcus! I'm thrilled to hear that you are enjoying Romsey - I have been privileged to work on this project, and it has certainly been a learning oportunity!

I'm looking forward to hearing an upload from you! It's high praise indeed since you know the instrument!

Thank you also to Reiner for your insights and your cool robot-assisted sampling approach! That makes a lot of sense (and I'm a little envious!)
Jeremiah Martin,
Portsmouth, Ohio
tgv
Member
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2023 2:28 am

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by tgv »

Hi,

I've splurged a bit this month, and I bought Romsey Abbey, primarily based on Francesca Massey's playing. I must say: give that performer a raise! That was a great demo. And it was a true demo: the sample library sounds really good, almost straight out of the box. I did take out the keyboard sounds, because they're quite distracting at soft registrations (which is the kind I like), and set the tuning parameter to 4.

I have dabbled a bit in sampling myself (an old piano, a cheap guitar, some drums, sound effects, whistles and recorders, and synths, but nothing commercial), so I know from experience it's not a trivial undertaking, and I must say: for a first product, this is outstanding. The ambience feels so natural, like the main Laurenskerk Marcussen organ.
mnailor
Member
Posts: 1721
Joined: Sat Nov 30, 2013 5:57 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by mnailor »

Yes, it's beautifully done. I hope BIS might sample a cathedral Willis some day.
richmcveigh
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:05 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by richmcveigh »

Thank you - reading that makes me feel incredibly happy!

I’m so glad you’re enjoying it :)
I like organs. I like technology. This is why I like Hauptwerk.
- Richard McVeigh
Clavecin
Member
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2021 2:56 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by Clavecin »

Richard, I hope you might sample Lincoln sometime in the near future. I really want this organ having spent 4 happy years working there during my student days.
richmcveigh
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 05, 2011 7:05 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by richmcveigh »

Clavecin wrote:Richard, I hope you might sample Lincoln sometime in the near future. I really want this organ having spent 4 happy years working there during my student days.
I hope so too! It became my favourite organ when I recorded Jeff Makinson there just before Easter for BIS. An experience I'll ever forget! :D :mrgreen:
I like organs. I like technology. This is why I like Hauptwerk.
- Richard McVeigh
User avatar
JulianMoney-Kyrle
Member
Posts: 407
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:23 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by JulianMoney-Kyrle »

The main factor that determines how much I enjoy a sample set, and therefore how much I use it, is how realistic it sounds in my system, which comprises six pairs of Behringer active studio monitors arranged in three groups (in front, off to the side and behnd me) as well as a fairly large SVS sub-woofer. I have found in general that I can get a good sense of presence with multi-channel instruments recorded by some sample set producers, but not with others, and of course BIS as a new player is an unknown quantity here. This is not something that you can assess by watching YouTube videos (in my case usually on an iPhone using headphones), though I did very much enjoy Frances Massey's demonstration. I have previously found that being able to download and install a demo of some kind is very helpful here, as it gives an indication of how well that particular organ works in my system. The cut-down demo organs offered by Sonus Paradisi, for instance, are usable enough to play a selection of pieces, but have generally left me thirsty for more, and I have on several occasions ended up buying something that was never on my wish list, simply because I have found that I liked it so much after trying it.

I am not sure that I agree with Richard likening the process to borrowing a sports car on approval and then deciding not to buy it. He seems to be implying that he expects potential customers to get bored with Romsey after the first two weeks if they are allowed to try it first. Surely if that were the case they wouldn't really be customers in the first place, unless there is something that he isn't telling us.

I should also add that my experience of car dealers seems to be different from Richard's. I used to drive Fords, and a test drive would be half an hour or so, but when I was first considering getting a BMW the dealer suggested that I take one away for a few days to try out on a few familiar routes. I was hooked and I have been driving them ever since, so my conclusion is that this works quite well as a business model. BMW seem to think so, anyway.

I have been after a larger English cathedral-type organ for some time, as of the ones that I already have, Salisbury is showing its age, and Blackburn, Burton-Hill and Armley-Schultz aren't really that type of instrument. So after reading all the positive comments that people have been making, here and elsewhere on social media, I decided to take a punt. I was a little taken aback to find at the check-out that it was £75 more than I was expecting, as the BIS site didn't make it clear that the quoted price was without VAT, but having made the decision I didn't want to back out at the last moment.

I have now downloaded and installed it, and I am pleased to report that it sounds very well in my system, even without fiddling around too much with the various perspectives, and I think I will be playing it a lot. I look forward to seeing what Richard comes up with next.
User avatar
IainStinson
Member
Posts: 1417
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by IainStinson »

An update is coming
See https://www.facebook.com/groups/organis ... 333850639/
We are now working on a major update, and I thought I'd introduce some of the features you'll see in this update (due in December):
* Authentic stop heads in the Extended Edition
This will match the real stop heads in the Original Edition which is especially useful for the touch-screeners amongst you.
* Stop action delay
You've probably never even noticed, but in 'real' life there is a slight delay from pushing a piston and a stop coming out to that rank engaging and making a sound. In Hauptwerk it is unrealistically instantaneous. We are developing a system to allow the user to incorporate a slight delay to stops.
* Various loop fixes
* Tuning issues on several of the new extended ranks
* Several releases to be fixed
* Minor voicing adjustments
* And a small amount of other minor bugs

R
tgv
Member
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2023 2:28 am

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by tgv »

Nice to hear. But I'm a simple man, I always use the simple screen. Skeuomorphism is not my thing.

Now there's a word you might not have heard before: https://blog.hubspot.com/website/skeuomorphism
User avatar
IainStinson
Member
Posts: 1417
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by IainStinson »

“Every day is a school day…”

I am pleased that the ‘stop action” delay is included in the list. Some of the Lavender Audio sets include this and it really does enhance the illusion of playing a pipe organ.

I would like Great and Pedal combinations coupled to be included, but that would require the set to include a combination system. Probably a little too much work.

Iain
User avatar
IainStinson
Member
Posts: 1417
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by IainStinson »

The availability of v2 has been announced. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e3iEHN4MZo

It includes the stop delay and enhanced display along with updates to some samples.

According to the video, BIS will contact those who have bought the sample set about downloading the updates.

Iain
User avatar
IainStinson
Member
Posts: 1417
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:08 pm

Re: Romsey Abbey

Post by IainStinson »

I see from Facebook that the price of the Romsey sample set had been reduced by 25%.

Iain
Post Reply