Joyce Brite wrote:

> Thanks to Ingmar Krause for his fine discourse on the
> attributes of different types of organs.

Thank you!

> After taking my turn with several types of hand-cranked organs
> at the recent organ rally, I noticed that some were easier to
> operate than others.  When performing in public, the operator
> is turning the crank for a long, long time.  The first-time
> owner needs to consider ease of operation and his or her own
> endurance for cranking.  Some cranks or wheels, especially on
> larger organs, are harder to turn than others.  Your arm will
> wear out long before the day is over, causing you to quit early
> or recruit back-up operators.

Now I'm confused.  First, what is a "larger" organ?  Second, do you
crank _all_ of the time?

When choosing an organ, the ease of play should not be important.  My
reasons are:  If you like your organ, then you will practice, until you
are able to play all day long if you really have to.  If you aren't able
to play all day, then I hope you are so reasonable as to take some rests
in between.  For example, take a little walk and watch the other
performers, go to the toilet, have something to eat, or just take some
time talking to the people around your organ.

> Some cranks turn a smaller circumference while others turn a
> larger one.  Again, you'll be cranking all day.  What size
> circumference is the most comfortable to your arm?

Do you know what leverage is?  If you have a larger crank, then you will
need less power, but you will have much more movement with your arm.  If
you have a small crank, then you will need more power, but you will have
less movement.  It's as simple as cycling: Take a high gear or a low
gear.  If you have a wheel (to be more precise, a flywheel), then the
wheel will always keep some energy if you decrease the power to it for
a moment.

From my own experience, I warn others not to select cranks that are too
big or organs that have heavy wheels.  The shaft may cause damage to its
own suspension with too much weight on just one side of it.

> Also, I noted that most (all?) hand-cranked organs have the
> crank on the right side.  If you're left-handed, are you able
> to crank right-handed?  (Robbie Rhodes is a lefty, but he is
> not available to comment.  Any other lefties out there care to
> comment?)  Myself, I am right-handed, but I can comfortably
> crank either right- or left-handed.  It certainly helps
> increase my endurance when one hand becomes tired.

We do own a left-hand-cranked-organ, so you can strike the "all."  My
mother is a lefty, too.  (Myself as well if you're talking about writing,
but my "power-arm" is the right one, for doing all the hard work such as
cranking).  My mother never felt comfortable with cranking right-handed,
but she is able to do so.  The other way round: Are you able to crank
left-handed? :-)

Lots of people tried to crank the left-hand-organ before we bought it and
of course, they used their right hand and in "clock-wise direction."
They caused quite a lot of damage to it this way.  (It was a
barrel-organ; we had to fix lots of nails).  The owners wanted to get
rid of it. We had been watching the situation and my father told them
to let my mother have a try.  They were amazed!  I have to say, though,
that my father has never been able to play this organ well.

With our big organ ("`t Leeuwtje") it is not really possible to say "I
play it with my left/right arm" because you more or less crank it with
the whole body.  When I was smaller, I always had to crank it with both
hands.  Now, I'd have to make a larger handle for the wheel to be able
to put both hands on it.  Today, I have lots of ways to crank it left-
or right-handed.  Meanwhile, I crank just about every small instrument
with only two fingers, having the handle in between the middle and
forefinger of the right hand.

Although I tried playing a small organ that is supposed to be for right
handers with my left hand, I'd rather stop playing it instead of doing so
again.  It just doesn't look good, and, do you really want to hold your
instrument that way?  Its wobbling around.

Back to you -- can you crank in "clock-wise direction" _and_ in "counter
clock-wise direction?"

Greetings by(e)
Ingmar Krause
ERlanger drehORGEL-Trio, Familie Krause, erorgelt@erlangen.franken.de