Imitate a Harmonium on a PX-350 ?

[cpcohen]

I'm playing with a chant group.  We used to have a harmonium player, and I'm trying to figure out a good substitute.

 

For those benighted souls who say "What's that?":

 

. . . a harmonium is a small, one-hand-pumped reed organ.  It's common in Indian music.

 

I tried the GM "Reed Organ" tone on the PX-350, but it's lacking in three areas:

 

1.  It's not "reedy" enough;

 

2.  It doesn't have the "breathing" -- caused by variations in air pressure -- of a real harmonium.

 

3.  I can't fade it out gradually, without lifting a hand from the keyboard.

 

It sounds a lot like a reed-based, perfectly-pedal-pumped church organ -- close, but no cigar.

 

I am solving number 3 -- I have a "MIDI Solutions" pedal adapter on order.  That will let me use a standard synth "expression pedal" on the PX-350.   [i _think_ it will, anyway . . . ]

 

I'm stuck on numbers 1 and 2.  Perhaps another MIDI feed for a very slight, slowly-changing pitch-bend and velocity variation?

 

Any ideas will be welcome.  The answer may be to put my Korg X5D back into service, and tweak one of its patches. 

 

Thanks --

 

.               Charles

 

[Display Name]

Hi Charles. That's a tricky one. The PX-5S would allow for a lot more flexibility using multiple layers, velocity switching and release velocity. I don't think the 350 allows for that deep of programming. I'll peruse the manual a bit and see if I can offer anything.. sounds like a good challenge though. Happy New Year!  

[pmf32608]

The PX-350 has a harmonium tone: group number 042 under the "VARIOUS" group name.

[cpcohen]

>>>

The PX-350 has a harmonium tone: group number 042 under the "VARIOUS" group name.

<<<

 

Yes. there is a tone with that name. Two problems -- one really serious:

 

1.  A _real_ harmonium doesn't decay.   It keeps sounding continuously, at the same volume, as long as you hold down the key and pump the bellows.

 

. . . the PX-350 tone decays, like a piano!

 

That (IMHO) was a design error.  The "Reed Organ" patch behaves properly -- hold down a key, the note stays on forever.

 

2.  A _real_ harmonium sounds a lot richer than the tone on the PX-350.   Listen here for examples:

 

http://www.cryptocipher.in/?wpsc-product=bollywood-harmoniums

 

And that's a sample library -- not the "real thing".   [it's a pretty good sample library, though . . . ]

 

.       Charles

 

PS -- Actually, the sample library is good, and cheap.  Using it (and lugging my laptop, and using up another mixer input, and risking "high-tech shunning") might be a good way to skin this cat.   I hadn't found it until I needed an example of what the "Harmonium" voice _should_ sound like.   So, thank you!

[cpcohen]

Unfortunately, you need the _full_ Kontakt (not the "free Kontakt player") to use that library.  Add $400.

 

. . . Ouch!

[cpcohen]

I don't want to bump the thread, but I did find a solution:

 

. . . I bought a MicroKorg XL+ (on sale, $350).

 

There's a huge amount of customizability for _every_ patch.  The "Duo Sign" (two sine-wave oscillators) patch, with the MOD wheel up just past midway, give a pretty effective reed-organ / harmonium sound.  Nice and rich in harmonics, good for drones.

 

A very different playing experience from the PX-350!<G>  And the "effects" section can be used stand-alone -- so with both running, I could have things like "flanged grand piano".   You can waste a lot of time (= have a lot of fun) with stuff like that.

 

.          Charles