Fundamental Acoustics of Electronic Organ Tone Radiation

Abstract

The acoustical effects achieved and the techniques used in the radiation of organ tone are quite different from the conventional effects and practices of public-address sound systems. For the latter, point-source radiation with high uniform directivity and a minimum of reverberation are sought, in general, for the creation of the illusion of “presence” of the original sound source. However in organ music the sound sources and their images are widely distributed in space. This is especially true in those typical cases where the tone sources are enclosed in an organ chamber, or are installed in a highly reverberant environment. Another distinctive feature of organ tone radiation systems is the relative importance of the octave below 60 cps. This paper contains design principles for electronic organ tone chambers and describes several types of organ tone cabinets now in use. Examples of the application of organ installation principles are given.