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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Make a Digital Piano Sound Like an Organ

Veronica Brandt · January 30, 2016

Kawai CA97 HERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY a parish might choose to buy a digital piano in favour of an organ. The instruments are much more widely available, pianists much more plentiful than organists. The machines themselves are generally simpler with only one keyboard and without all those fiddly stops all over the place.

They may not be my favourite reasons, but for whatever reason you may find yourself in the situation of trying to make a digital piano sound like an organ.

Many digital pianos come with an “organ” setting – even a “church organ” sound, but I don’t know who chooses these sounds. The few I have heard are quite brash. For accompanying singing, especially chant, you probably want something a bit more mellow. Our parish piano (a Kawai CA97) has a sound called “chiffy tibias” which is passable.

The really frustrating thing is the touch sensitivity, which is nothing like an organ. The volume of each note depends on how hard it is struck and there is no expression or swell pedal to soften the blow. If you accidentally play an extra verse there is no easy way to smoothly reduce the volume and finish quietly without removing a hand from the keyboard to adjust a very sensitive volume knob.

However, you can by-pass the piano’s piano-ness and use software like Hauptwerk or Grand Orgue to bring a much more believable organ sound into your choir loft.

You will need :

  • a midi controller 49-61 keys with usb interface
  • an expression pedal to suit the midi controller
  • a music stand
  • a laptop with Hauptwerk or Grand Orgue installed
  • a 3.5mm Stereo Audio Cable, Male to Male

organ setup
Fold down the piano’s music stand and rest the midi controller on top.

Place the laptop on the piano bench and plug the headphone socket to the piano’s line-in socket. Plug the midi controller into the laptop via the usb cable.

Plug the expression pedal into the midi controller and arrange for easy access.

Fire up your laptop and adjust the software and various volume controls to a good level.

Enjoy your organ!

Note, this pretty much reduces the use of the digital piano down to a pair of speakers. You could have this sort of set up with an amplifier – rather like an electric guitarist would.

Next time you see someone lugging various gig bags into a church, perhaps this is another organ enthusiast.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Pipe Organ Last Updated: October 29, 2020

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About Veronica Brandt

Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. She lives near Sydney, Australia, with her husband and six children.—(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ regarding the 1960s switch to a wider use (amplior locus) of vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

By far, the event that caused the biggest increase in requests for indults from the morning Mass requirement was the Second World War. The unusual requirements of providing Mass during wartime led to some unique legislation accommodating the time of Mass. Already in 1940, Pope Pius XII issued a motu proprio addressing the situation of holding Mass in countries where a “Black-out” had been ordered.

— Father Shawn P. Tunink

Recent Posts

  • “Three Reasons To Shun Bad Hymns” • Daniel B. Marshall
  • “Puzzling Comment” • By A Respected FSSP Priest
  • New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
  • “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
  • “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)

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