Hauptwerk: everything you want to know about Hauptwerk organs

What is a Hauptwerk organ? How does Hauptwerk work? And how does Hauptwerk cost? We answer these questions & more!

What is Hauptwerk?

Hauptwerk is an advanced software sampler for a virtual pipe organ, named after the German name of the main part of a pipe organ: ‘das hauptwerk’. The program was developed by the mathematician Martin Dyde, at that time owner of the company Crumhorn Labs Ltd. in Birmingham.

Thanks to Hauptwerk people can perform virtually on the world’s best classical and theatre organs. There is also a massive virtual instrument library with over 150 third-party instruments.

What is a Hauptwerk organ?

A Hauptwerk organ is an organ with the Hauptwerk software integrated. Check out our models. These organs fit into every living room.

Mixtuur’s technology ensures that you don’t need any knowledge of computers to enjoy your favourite organs. But if you want more? For you we also supply standard organs that allow you to take full control of Hauptwerk™ and adjust it to your liking. Whichever version you choose, our organs all come with the superior audio that you expect from Mixtuur Orgels.

We offer a range of unique options, allowing you to get everything you desire out of your instrument. You can choose your colorfinish, the bench, pedalboard, pistons and speaker sets.

How good is Hauptwerk?

Very good. Thomas Wichmann wrote the following review in The American Organist: “Hauptwerk can produce outstanding sound replicas of pipe organs. (..) Better yet, given the way this type of electronic organ system works, future hardware, software and sound improvements can be implemented at a very low cost. In addition, Hauptwerk may provide a means by which the sound of (often fragile) historic organs can be preserved, and be made available to a larger group of organ enthusiasts. (..) All of us can rejoice in improvements like this one to electronic organ reproduction technology.”

How does Hauptwerk work?

Hauptwerk is designed to take full advantage of current computer capabilities. Hauptwerk can support over 500 audio channels, which provide a more faithful rendering according to the duration of the note being played.

When you play on a Hauptwerk organ, it feels like you are playing on a (historic) church organ. The only thing missing is the medieval architecture.

How to use Hauptwerk?

There are several possibilities. You can connect a keyboard to a computer. This is a cheap way to start using Hauptwerk. Here you can see a video of Patrick Torsell, who build a Hauptwerk organ on a budget (not more than 1.800 dollar). But once you start playing, you want to play on a real organ.

Another possibility is to buy a organ with Hauptwerk integrated. The organs of Mixtuur look like normal pipe organs, but they are controlled by Hauptwerk. In addition, our organs look fantastic. They are an eye-catcher in every living room and in every church.

How much does Hauptwerk cost?

The Basic Edition of Hauptwerk will cost 249 dollar. The Advanced Edition of the Hauptwerk software costs 599 dollar. You can compare the editions on this page. We recommend the Advanced Edition if you want to use advanced functions, such as the wind model, multi-monitor, per-pice voicing and 512 channel output.

But that is not all. You have to buy at least one sample set. Prices vary from $ 100 to $ 1500 per set. In the Hauptwerk store you can find all sample sets.

How to install a Hauptwerk organ?

This is the best part. When you buy a Mixtuur organ with the Hauptwerk software, you don’t need to install the organ. We will do the work for you.

People who don’t know anything about computers, can still play a Mixtuur organ with a simplified Hauptwerk software. Just press the on/off-button, select the desired sample set and the organ can be operated via simple displays.

Do you want to install new organ sets? That is a piece of cake. Just contact Mixtuur. We can install a new sample set remotely, because all Mixtuur organs are connected to internet.

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