The Innovation Continues
The evolution of theatre organs continued as the years passed by. While it allowed the model to do its job, it enables the successful use of a combination of several innovations within just a single organ aesthetic. One of the most important developments includes the use of electro-pneumatic action, which makes good use of low-voltage electricity in transmitting the action of the keys to the pipes.
With this feature, the key-desk, or the console, can be placed at any distance from the pipes, thus showing portability. Also, an electrical cable, and a flexible wind line is connected to the console together with the rest of the other parts of the organ. This flexibility allows for a theatre organ to be placed in special places, such as an elevated platform, as well as other heights while performing organ solos.
The innovations also allowed for the unification of the keyboards. Previously, each of the pipe ranks can be played with just one manual at a single pitch level. With unification, however, ranks were enhanced with the addition of more pipes, which can be played at various pitch levels, on different manuals. Therefore, more combinations and pitch levels can be played simultaneously.
The horseshoe console is another innovation seen on many theatre organs. With traditional organs, the console uses draw knobs that are placed on panels that are located on each side of the manuals. With the use of electricity on modern organs, the tongue-shaped tabs are set in place while arranged on a curved panel above and around the manuals. These served as stop tabs that can be easily and quickly flipped up and down in order to choose or deactivate pipe ranks.
With theatre organs in Melbourne, there is an obvious increase in pipe placement, wind pressure, as well as volume control. This allows the production of louder and clearer sounds. The tremulants were also refined and eventually updated with new capabilities. The new tremulants for a theatre organ is broader and smoother. As a matter of fact, the modern options have ultimately become the standard characteristics of a well-defined organ sound.