For a pianist or organist new to playing the organ.This book has been written for the pianist who has never played an organ or an organist unfamiliar with the Roland, Rodgers or Infinity organs, but may be used by an experienced organist as well. Designed to be used for self-teaching but also useful when studying with a teacher.The Playing the Church Organ series is also useful for the experienced organist as it quickly introduces you to using all the stops on the organ, ones named on the stop tablets or drawknobs, and all that are waiting inside for you to call on them to more perfectly match the stops you choose to the music you are playing.This innovative teaching system works backwards - the goal is not to teach you all about playing the organ, it's to get you playing the organ with confidence and sounding professional from the first day you play, even if you have never had an organ lesson and just know how to play piano or a keyboard.Technique: We achieve this by starting you off with preset sounds, just as a teacher does, but here you control them yourself, right from the beginning. All that you need to learn to get started are three things: - Pressing Piston Buttons.When you press a piston button, the organ is ready for you to play. We have picked music for you that only uses the keyboards. This isn't simplified music - there has been a lot of organ music written for organs without pedals - in fact, even during the time of Handel, many organs only had keyboards. You will find the number of the piston to push at the top of the music - then you just begin to play. - Which Keyboard to Play?We mark every piece for you so you know which keyboard you [play.- The Expression Pedal Sets the Volume.You'll be surprised when you find out that the organ is not as difficult as you are able to focus more on playing the notes instead of also making them loud or soft or somewhere in between. - What happens then?"But...do I have to play the pedals?" You will find organ music written without pedals in books 1-4 that is easy to medium difficulty. As you play through the music you will be using 10 preset sound combinations that are enough to play services, including weddings and memorial services. This book also hows you how to use the Bass Coupler to play the pedals for you automatically on some of the music - we do this to get you excited and interested in playing them yourself.- This first book contains 33 pieces of useful music for you to enjoy playing the voices you are learning about. - The first four books in this series are a complete course in music for the organ, as well as exploring the stops of the organ.- Careful attention to encouraging you through lots of interesting music that is playable and that your congregation will appreciate. - These books may be used with or without a teacher.- Book 13 - A Playing Guide to the Roland, Rodgers and Infinity Organs is a good companion guide to this series qof instruments.
Noel Jones, AAGO has studied and worked as an organist in the United States, Germany and Italy. In a career that includes working as an opera coach, choral director and over the last 30] years designing and tonal finishing digital organs and organs that combine pipe and digital stops, he has trained more than 500 organists to play digital church organs. Known for his work writing beginner's guides to Gregorian chant, he applies the same skills in writing these books that have a special emphasis on taking pianists and keyboardists and turning them in organists quickly and effectively. His experience on the road working with organists makes him especially effective in helping organists make the connection between the organs they play and the genius of the designers of the instruments as they take the organ into the 21st century. Owner's manuals describing the features of the organs are well-supplemented by Jones' books that show the benefits of the features, often with music that is playable and can become part of a church organist's repertoire. His experience and enjoyment of the Roland & Rodgers church organs is an inspiration to pianists who want to become organists and organists who want to continue to improve their skills.
