# Why do stadium organs sound different than regular organs? ARE they different? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 14, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507 "2021-07-14T21:39:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/21 "2021-07-15T22:27:22Z")
> [@Kzbre5m](#): > > > [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > > > Or try Keith Emerson of ELP. Get past his synths, and ELP was driven by a Hammond. > > Usually by [stabbing it with a knife and riding it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xggFzkyd288). Honest, he did know how to play classical music! That’s Keith’s Hammond L100, which in the ELP days he used strictly for tossing around the stage. The C3 in his regular keyboard stack was the workhorse and, as @Francis_Vaughan said, was the heart of ELPs sound. The synths (except maybe the Yahama GX1 of later years) added color. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2021, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/22 "2021-07-15T22:35:41Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > Not sure about temperament, but an organ should not need a [stretched tuning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stretched_tuning) to counteract the inharmonicity which exists in pianos. Correct, they don’t. (Retired Piano Technician speaking.) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/23 "2021-07-16T00:00:49Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Pipe organ building is a remarkably active business. If a church can afford one, and aspire to one, they will get one. Many aspire, and many find the money. Sure, there are lots of poor churches, and many that don’t have the desire for the music that comes with a traditional organ. But there are a lot of pipe organs out there, and a lot being built. You’re not wrong. A friend of mine used to work for [Bedient](https://bedientorgan.com/) and is still in regular contact with them, and they have more requests for pipe organs than they can possibly fill. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/24 "2021-07-16T00:30:35Z")
There’s a beautiful modern [pipe organ](http://wdch10.laphil.com/wdch/organ.html) at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, in L.A., designed by Frank Gehry, the building’s architect. So they are definitely still being built. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/25 "2021-07-16T01:35:04Z")
A flue pipe on a pipe organ (as opposed to a reed pipe) has the remarkable property that its overtones are exact, despite the pipe itself having width, which one would expect to cause the overtones to sound at slightly enharmonic frequencies. Reed pipes only use the pipe proper to shape the sound and are not the primary source of the tuning (that is done by tweaking the reed.) So their overtones are no affected by pipe width either. Pianos need stretch tuning to cope with the problem of the harmonics sounding sharper than the fundamental. Pipe organs, very surprisingly (to me anyway), thus don’t need stretch tuning. When it comes to temperament, it is pretty interesting. Historical organs were carefully tuned to specific temperaments, and this practice continues. Modern organs may eschew equal temperament as well. Depends on the music to be played. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/26 "2021-07-16T02:13:59Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > But there are a lot of pipe organs out there, and a lot being built. How about a custom-made organ built into a house? « Into », not « in ». There was a fellow in our city who was enthusiastic about organ music and custom built a pipe organ into the basement, walls, and ground floor of his house. Did it over several years, constantly tinkering and installing new, old, and custom parts. > **[Regina resident's passing leaves behind hidden musical legacy](https://leaderpost.com/entertainment/local-arts/regina-residents-passing-leaves-behind-hidden-musical-legacy)** > > Don Murdoch passed away at the age of 91 on April 2, leaving behind an eclectic pipe organ that he built and assembled himself. (@74westy , did you see this article?) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/27 "2021-07-16T02:22:45Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > (@74westy , did you see this article?) Not 'til now. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/28 "2021-07-16T02:58:49Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > How about a custom-made organ built into a house? « Into », not « in ». Wow, I’ll remember this the next time I’m thinking about buying a bulky instrument (like an actual B-3 or Porta-B). “Hey, at least I’m not turning the house into an instrument!” Because, yeah, that’s totally something I’d do if given a free hand. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/29 "2021-07-16T03:02:00Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Because, yeah, that’s totally something I’d do if given a free hand. First question I asked Mrs P as she was reading the article to me : « Was he married? » « No, why? » she said. « Cause very few spouses would let you get away with that. » ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/30 "2021-07-16T03:22:50Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > First question I asked Mrs P as she was reading the article to me : « Was he married? » « No, why? » she said. « Cause very few spouses would let you get away with that. » Heheh, in this case, it’s a gradual escalation. She has a printing press, tools, cabinets for them, easels and some flat files. I have a bunch of instruments and their associated equipment. I’m not going to push my luck until we need to alter the building to accommodate larger canvases. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2021, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/31 "2021-07-16T03:27:39Z")
The official residence of the Master of Student Houses at Caltech has a pipe organ built into it. I’ve seen it personally. It s pretty amazing: It looks like an ordinary house but tucked into some back rooms are a huge number of pipes. ETA: Apparently it’s now used as the admissions office, no longer as a residence. ---
**Author:** ![LauderdaleFort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@LauderdaleFort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LauderdaleFort)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/32 "2021-07-17T16:49:06Z")
Next time my wife complains about my bass rig, I’ll show her that article. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/33 "2021-07-17T17:25:25Z")
> [@Kzbre5m](#): > > A [wiki list of pipe organ builders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pipe_organ_builders) worldwide. My neighbor’s company is on that list. They do a lot of renovation work, as pipe organs need more than yearly (or even twice yearly) tuning. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/34 "2021-07-17T17:30:54Z")
Damn, @Francis_Vaughan, this was your time to shine. Great posts. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2021, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/35 "2021-07-17T17:43:50Z")
Obligatory _I Think You Should Leave_ clip: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/T7f9xTPI9eo/hqdefault.jpg "He Layeth on High") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7f9xTPI9eo) ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/36 "2021-07-29T00:59:38Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > The biggest organs being the Boardwalk Hall organ in Atlantic City and the Wanamaker Store organ (which is the largest in the world depends upon how you define it.) What’s billed as the [world’s largest hybrid organ](https://www.castroorgan.org/CastroOrgan/Home.html) is being built in San Francisco. “Hybrid” means it’s a blend of traditional pipes and electronics. I don’t know how many pipes it has but it does have seven manuals and ALL the stops. Seriously - 837 stops in this beast. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/37 "2021-07-29T01:18:06Z")
Maybe 837 was the plan for the Castro Theatre organ, but the [maker’s site](https://www.racolby.com/instruments/The-Castro-Theater/Opus-477) says 789 stops. Still a lot - the Wannamaker has “only” [464 stops.](https://wanamakerorgan.com/stoplist/) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/38 "2021-07-29T01:18:55Z")
Will it have some of those 128’ pipes? Can’t have enough bass. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/39 "2021-07-29T01:27:13Z")
The building isn’t that tall. I don’t think they’d even be able to fit 32’ pipes in the building, so that would be left to subwoofers on the electronic side of the organ. And 4 Hz might be dangerous to the neighborhood. AFAIK, there’s only one organ on the planet with 128’ pipes. ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507/40 "2021-07-29T18:30:04Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > The building isn’t that tall. I don’t think they’d even be able to fit 32’ pipes in the building, so that would be left to subwoofers on the electronic side of the organ. You can get twice the length in half the pipe by closing the end. It affects the sound, but a 32’ pipe may not actually be 32’ long. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-stadium-organs-sound-different-than-regular-organs-are-they-different/946507.md?page=3)