[ Ref. Ron Schmuck in 250129 MMDigest ]

The links which Ron shared contain some good overall photos of MIDI
installations on both pneumatic and solenoid controlled accordions.
Thanks, Ron.

I've described the evolution of Erie Airs in the "Carousel Organ",
the COAA magazine, but haven't spread the word much wider. It started
with a Frei 20-note scale crank organ controlled with a proprietary
electronic system built by Organ Supply Industries (OSI) in Erie,
Pennsylvania. I have added a cart, a Klinger MIDI control system,
some percussion including a cajon and a 9 note glockenspiel, and most
recently a synthesizer, so now it is sort of a micro-sized dance organ.

In his page about the Titano accordion Ron shows the MIDIPlus miniature
synthesizer which he uses to add sounds to what visually is an accordion
on a stand. That's the same unit as I put in the box of our OSI crank
organ, powered by the organ's 12-volt battery and outputting through a
miniature 10-watt amplifier and an 8-inch bass loudspeaker in the bottom
of the cart. Basically I use it to provide "pipe organ" bass sounds
(8- to 16-foot equivalent) to enhance the 20-er melody pipes.

I can add an accordion voice to the synthesized sounds, and have on
a couple of polkas, but that invites knowledgeable listeners to say,
"I can't see where the accordion sounds come from." Hence my interest
in adding a visible keyboard with moving keys.

There was a time when I wanted a "full sized" instrument to take to
rallies, but I'm old enough now to appreciate having something which
comes apart to fit in a compact car.

I've got a good conceptual grasp of what I need to do to add the
keyboard side of a 25 key accordion to my assemblage, but there are
a lot of details to work out. This includes not only key springs in
the accordion, choice of solenoids, and linkage details, but how to
cut the bottom out of a plastic accordion case to get access.

I really appreciate the work done by Decap, Pell, and others, and
understand why the results sell for thousands of dollars.

Wallace Venable
West Virginia

[ photo of Wally Venable with Erie Airs, "the worlds first hybrid crank organ?"
[ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/25/02/01/250201_102648_Wally%20Venable%20&%20Erie%20Airs.jpg