Pipework

The basic sound of the Theatre Organ is produced by organ pipes located in each chamber.

Pipework
Pipework

The selection and layout of pipes is part of the musical design of the instrument; although each organ builder will have their own approach to the details of pipe construction, the basic principles are common with the pipework dividing into the three families of reeds, flues and (rather a speciality of the theatre organ) diaphones.

Organ pipes come in sets – in classical organs called a ‘stop’, or in theatre organs called a ‘rank’. Each pipe in a particular rank or a stop produces a note of the same tone colour, with a pipe for every note. The section on Extension and Unit organs explains this further.

Diapason

Flute

Tibia

Strings

Chorus & Solo Reeds

English Horn

Tromba

Trumpet

Tuba

Posaune

Colour imitative reeds

Clarinet

French Horn

Kinura

Krumet

Musette

Muted Trumpet

Oboe Horn

Orchestral Oboe

Saxophone

Vox Humana

Diaphone

John Compton on Diaphones

Pipe Construction

Reed

Shallot

Open Flue pipe

Pipe Metal

Stopped Flue pipe

Diaphone

Mitre

Knuckle

Hooded reeds

Tone production

Voicing

Regulation

Tuning

Pitch

Timbre

Scale

Cut-Up

Temperament