Our story, our aesthetic
We started our sampling journey back in 2004, in the early days of Hauptwerk. Our first project was the 1966 Schantz, a 32 rank 2m organ. Some stops were added from other sources with similar acoustics to bring it to 3m and about 47 ranks, and in 2006 the set was prepared for the completely redesigned HW version 2.
- Today VOXUS Virtual Organs released a new sample set: Theater und Philharmonie (TUP) Essen. This sample set requires Hauptwerk™ V Advanced Edition. Further information about this sample set including screenshots of the.
- Augustine’s Virtual Organs offers some of their sample sets for free, though only Hauptwerk ODFs are provided. Jeux d’orgues 2: Stiehr-Mockers is a nice free sample set available for a Hauptwerk, GrandOrgue, and a vast array of other general purpose sampler software.
- Augustine’s Virtual Organs offers some of their sample sets for free, though only Hauptwerk ODFs are provided. Jeux d’orgues 2: Stiehr-Mockers is a nice free sample set available for a Hauptwerk, GrandOrgue, and a vast array of other general purpose sampler software.
Hauptwerk is a software package, for Mac or PC, that facilitates the playback of sample sets (A.K.A. Groups of pipe organ audio samples) taken from real and historic pipe organs. Hauptwerk acts as a host to an unlimited number of sample sets. One of the features that distinguishes Hauptwerk from most other organ technologies is that.
In intervening years, we had other projects for private use, the first of which was to ‘port the original Jeux d’orgues 2 from a soundfont to HW1, the creation of a Cavaille-Coll clone from existing ranks (there were no CC for Hauptwerk at the time).
It was not until 2011 when we decided to release another instrument. We were offered the opportunity to sample an historic 1926 Wangerin (mostly unaltered) in the Madison Masonic Center (Madison, WI). We also created a mini-set to emulate the organs found in the 2 lodges there, as they were not in good enough shape to sample, but being by the same maker, we could get a very close approximation by using stops from the Auditorium instrument.
In October 2016, we sampled a 1983 3/50 Schantz at St. Philip’s ELCA in Fridley, Minnesota. This is a neo-baroque/American Classic instrument in great condition and lots of fun to play. It was finished and released to the public in late January 2017.
In November of 2018, we merged with CLR Resources, now we are the sample producer offering the most American instruments for the Hauptwerk market. In the winter of 2020, we released a sample set of an historic American organ – the 1852 Simmons organ at Los Altos UMC, and Summer 2020 saw the release of the 1925 E.M. Skinner at Holy Trinity RC in Georgetown. Fall 2020 brings the release of the 1961 Aeolian Skinner at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, and Spring 2021 the 3 organs of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles.
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A little list of the best free hauptwerk sample sets based on various features, characteristics and overall quality (IMO). These sets require no prior purchase of any kind and are entirely free. Click on the sample names to be taken to their web pages.
A free composite based on the Grand-orgue of the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur.
Pipeloops offers full demos of all of their organs with periodic muting, meaning you can test the entire organ before buying, an extremely generous act. They also provide completely free sets like the Fuhrer organ with a limited number of stops.
Hauptwerk Sample Set - Marcussen Organization
A useful on its own demo of the Cavaillé-Coll organ in St Omer Cathedral offers the whole positif division with a select number of stops from the Recit and Grand-Orgue. The demo may be also extended to create a pedal division and large number of stops, which will be available from Organa Reginae Caeli in the near future.
Augustine’s Great Romantic Composite uses the best of Sonus Paradisi’s Romantic organ demos to create a large composite, freely available
A large symphonic organ beautifully captured by Piotr Grabowski, it offers versatility in its stops and a nice reverb to compliment it, offering a useful alternative to the more expensive Symphonic sample sets.
A large demo from the already large Casavant organ at Bellevue from Sonus Paradisi. It features three manuals and pedal with the required number of stops for many organ pieces, and the sample is fairly dry, making it great for practicing the more difficult symphonic works, such as Dupré’s Fugue in F or G Minor.
Hauptwerk Sample Set - Marcussen Organs
A small but very good set for practicing (dry acoustics) and its extended version enhances its capabilities to practice more of the organ repertoire.
A beautifully sounding sample set the offers intimate stops for colorful playing and at the same time a powerful tutti that is quite bright, making it great for works of Bach and other Baroque masters, while also providing a nice but not too long of a reverb.
An exquisite sound is produced by this pipe organ, whether it comes from its ecstatic foundation stops, to the grand tutti, in an environment which allows for clear sounds and yet great acoustics. A donation would be sincerely appreciated on their part.
Not only is this organ one of the most popular sample sets available (see contrebombarde statistics), it is also available in a demo that can be used by itself very usefully, and the extensions made by some (Al Morse) makes this instrument even more versatile and great knowing that it is free.