Sound Design

Although Wersi instruments provide a good range of playing features and effects for all their sounds, we can significantly increase this provision by using the many adjustable parameters available in the Sound Factory. For example, we could add a delayed vibrato, or a pitch bend, or a portamento, or a wah-wah effect, or a continuous repeat function. Also by combining several different types of samples together we can create many new composite sounds, with individually customised characteristics for their constituent components. This is a much more flexible and effective approach than simply layering them together in the OAS selectors.

In this second piece we design a composite sound to re-create the unique warm, lush playing style of the George Shearing quintet. The sound comprises three components that are activated together by playing a chord. The top note of the chord plays the vibraphone, the bottom note plays the guitar and the piano plays the whole chord. Bass is provided by the pedals, and a style provides the drums.

Most of the sounds that we hear on Wersi instruments have been created from a library of sound samples by a sound designer using audio processing software. Typically there will be two or three of these samples for each sound on the organ, and this software enables these to be combined together and manipulated to produce the sounds we see in the organ’s Sound Database. The Sound Controls menu in the OAS provides the player with a facility for adjusting a small number of parameters for each of these sounds, but the Sound Factory optional activation package enables a far greater range of adjustments to be made. There are three very useful applications for this package. Firstly, we can design a set of completely new sounds that have not been included in the Sound Database. Secondly, we can create a range of new and innovative playing features and effects that have not been made available in the OAS. Thirdly, if a particular sound is not entirely to our liking, we can make extensive tonal adjustments to it and also create new variants.

In this first piece we take a number of existing sounds from the Sound Database and manipulate these in the Sound Factory to create a set of entirely new sounds that are not present in the Sound Database. The sounds featured are a Vocal Whistle, a Celtic Harp, a Balalaika (with built-in repeat function), a Concertina, a Celtic Flute (with velocity controlled pitch bend) and a Bagpipe Chorus.

The wave, seagull and wind chime effects are taken from the organ’s Special Effects unit.

The Skye Boat Song

WERSI ORGAN SHOWCASE

SOUND DESIGN

The extensive sound controls available in the Sound Factory make it possible to make comprehensive adjustments to the tonal characteristics of a sound. This enables us not only to customise an existing sound to our own particular requirements, but also to create different variants of that sound.

In this final piece by Joaquín Rodrigo we modify a number of existing sounds from the Sound Database to create a Peruvian Pan Flute, a Spanish Guitar and an Ethereal String Section.

Concierto De Aranjuez

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Lullaby Of Birdland