What is required to set up a system and where do I find help?

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Introduction

How can you be sure that you can set everything up the day the courier drops off the package from Classic MIDI Works? A good start might be to download and review the contents of the product's user manual (available from the product detail page). How does it look?

This article provides an overview of the background knowledge and skills required to set up a home organ. Potential resources are identified to assist you in the construction of your organ.

Console and Audio Products

Assembly

Our keyboards and pedalboards are shipped assembled. However, in some common configurations, minor assembly is required. For example, to arrange keyboards in a typical "stack" configuration, they must be fastened to metal brackets. This is comparable to assembling other goods such as collapsible furniture or barbecues.

Installation

Installation of our Classic MIDI Keyboard and Pedalboard is comparable in level of difficulty to most electronic devices, such as computers, stereos or DVD players. Power, input, and output cables must be connected in a specific fashion.

If you encountered no difficulties setting up your last stereo, our console products are no different. If you're terrified by the thought of getting the sound of your DVD player to come through your home theatre system, some patience will be required! But don't worry - with our printed, illustrated manuals, prompt email response, and over the phone technical support, we have been able to get all of our customers up and running.

Configuring Virtual Organ Software

The most difficult aspect of building a home, hobby or practice organ, is getting the Virtual Organ Software (such as Hauptwerk) to work with your keyboards and pedalboards. There are so many configuration options that the whole idea just seems overwhelming.

The important things to remember are:

the goal is to get the keyboard and pedalboard settings to match the software settings
with some patience, planning, basic understanding, and attention to detail, everyone is capable assembling their own home organ

Where to go for help?

Concerned? Stumped? It seems that everyone has a technically-gifted friend or neighbour always willing to lend a hand. And nothing ever seems to stump your teenager or teenaged grandchild. This might be a good time to give them a call. Getting your home organ working might be a great way to spend an afternoon together.

Here are some resources building organs with our products:

The product user manual
The Hauptwerk user's manual, http://www.Crumhorn-Labs.com/
Classic MIDI Works sales and technical support
The Hauptwerk forum http://www.crumhorn-labs.com/forum/
The "Organ Building and Restoration: MIDI & Sound Modules" group of the Organ Forum http://www.organforum.com/

For assistance connecting devices and setting up software with your home computer, it is often possible to find computer technicians who make house calls ("on-site" service). Try calling firms listed in your local Yellow Pages under "Computer Sales and Service".

MIDI Interface Products

If you are looking at our MIDI Interface products, such as our key scanners, chimes driver or MIDI OUT boards, some basic wiring skills are required. The manuals provided with our MIDI Interface products include detailed wiring schematics to assist you with installation.

If you are unable to read electrical schematics or wiring a circuit board, we recommend finding a technician. To find a technician in your area, try calling firms listed in your local Yellow Pages under "Organ". You may also want to find a local member of the Musical Instrument Technicians Association. The association maintains a member list on their website, http://www.mitatechs.com/.

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