Permit me to add some more data to Mr. Nigel Perry's request for
information about automating a 6l-key harmonium he saved from the
scrap-heap.  About three years ago, I added a set of 6l Pianocorder
System key solenoids to depress the keys of a Bridgeport Cottage
organ.  The solenoids were positioned above the keys and just behind
the celluloid key-faces, having first removed the stopboard assembly.
I used a small vacuum motor to provide the necessary vacuum to the
reed assembly.

The cottage organs original key-return springs were too stiff for
the Pianocorder System solenoids except when the "volume" was turned
up quite high, which was unacceptable.  The original acrylic solenoid
mounting "rail" was broken when the unit was moved from storage to the
home site.

While automating a cottage organ seemed to be a great idea, its
execution was more than a little difficult.  On a typical 1880-1915
cottage reed organ, solenoid installation is thwarted first by the
stop-boards location immediately behind the keys.

The various wooden baffles used to mute or soften the reed assembly's
output make it impossible to place the solenoids beneath the keys as
does the vacuum chamber which is normally found beneath the organs
keyframe.

If one wishes to dispense with the feature of seeing the organs keys
move, then one can disassemble Aeolian Orchestrelle reedbanks and
replace each leather "motor" above each reed pallet with a Peterson
ElectroMusical Products chest magnet, each of which has enough strength
to open the typical Orchestrelle reed pallet if the chest magnets
armature has been properly regulated.  However, in the case of Mr.
Perry's harmonium, using an Orchestrelle is really sidestepping the
issue.

Years ago, I came across a Pianocorder System Vorsetzer assembly which
had been butchered down to 6l solenoids.  If a harmoniums key spacing
was similar to that of modern pianos' key-spacing, then one could roll
up a chopped-down P-200 Vorsetzer.  Then, the only problem would be how
to obtain suitable music, since Pianocorder System music (that is,
piano repertoire) is unsuitable for an organ.

One could use our MC-2 MIDI Converter in conjunction with suitable MIDI
editing software such as "Cakewalk" and then create suitable organ
music.  Of course, having only 6l notes to use means that "The Ride
of the Valkyries" is going to be somewhat less than outstanding.  The
comic possibilities are there...

Also, I had thought that one might use band organ transcriptions, but
such Wurlitzer music is not chromatic and the tonal resources of a
harmonium are not similar to those of an actual military band organ.
So, that music resource is not practical.

So, from an actual experiment, it turns out that, at least in my
experience, automating a typical cottage reed organ is not easy to
do because of the instruments architecture.  Music would have to be
transcribed from organ rolls or created anew.  Finally, the instruments
limited compass would make all of the effort somewhat less than
rewarding.

A more facile approach would be to buy an existing solenoid player
piano with MIDI capabilities and simply add a multitimbral synthesizer
module with a good stereo system.  One could use an older (1987) Roland
D-50 synthesizer or its modular equivalent and drive the synthesizer
from the MIDI solenoid players output using a MIDI through box.  From
actual experience, the results are interesting but musically limited by
the "slaving" of notes--the organ "voice" of the synthesizer passively
imitates the pianos notes.  One can readily MIDIfy a Pianocorder System
P-200 Vorsetzer with our MC-2 MIDI Converter.  Choose QRS' Pianomation
MIDI CDs or any of the Yamaha PianoSoft programs as source-material,
and slave the synthesizer to the MC-2 MIDI Converters MIDI Out port.

It is more than a little sobering to discover that such great amalgams
as automated pianos and synth modules are still dependent upon the
music programming.  Even such superb multitimbral program-sources as
Weber Maesto MIDI files require a Weber Maesto (or its synthetic
equivalent) to do justice to those arrangements.  By the same token,
Ernest M. Skinner Automatic Pipe Organ rolls need a certain minimum
number of different pipe organ ranks to do justice to their
arrangements.

 I should also mention that certain M. P. Moeller "Artiste" rolls
arranged for even their modest 2-1/2 rank stock pipe organs sound
magnificent, BUT these small pipe organs were very highly "unified"
which means that a goodly number of couplers were employed to make
each rank of pipes do the work of several ranks.

In summary, I think it would be easier to go out and find a six-rank
electrified pipe chest, get a reservoir, a small blower, a 12 volt DC
rectifier, six ranks of discarded organ pipes in workable shape and
hook the ensemble up to an Aeolian pneumatic to electric player and
play your favorite Aeolian 112-note narrow organ rolls.  These days,
used pipe organs are very affordable although they do require some
space.

Years ago, Jesse Macartney even added an acoustic reverb unit to his
unit pipe organ and the ensemble effect was very good.  Superb
technicians can work such wonders.

Regards,
Bob Baker