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John's Organ Works
USER GUIDE FOR "K" SERIES MIDI KEYBOARD STACKS
Last updated: 16/05/2017
INTRODUCTION
This document is intended as a generic user guide for our "K Series" MIDI keyboard stacks based on
the M-Audio 'Keystation 61es' (later renamed 'Keystation 61'). These units are intended for use with
virtual pipe organ software such as Hauptwerk, Miditzer or jorgan. They provide one, two, three
(shown below) or four 61-note keyboards. They are connected to the computer using multiple USB
connections. No external power supply is necessary. Standard stacks have eight pistons per
keyboard (sixteen on the one-keyboard stack) but more or fewer can be provided if required. Earlier
models had an additional piston with an LED at the LH end of each keyboard, which was used for
setting the MIDI output channel for that keyboard. As this is not necessary for Hauptwerk, channel
changing pistons are no longer fitted, unless they have been requested as an optional extra. The rear
panel of the stack provides two jack sockets for attaching standard keyboard expression pedals, and
one or two D-type sockets, to which up to eight additional switch inputs can be connected (eg toe
pistons). An optional music stand can be attached to the top of the stack.
If you have questions about your stack which aren't answered here, please get in touch using the
'Contact Us' section of the website.
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Summary of Contents for John's Organ Works K Series
- Page 1 Last updated: 16/05/2017 INTRODUCTION This document is intended as a generic user guide for our “K Series” MIDI keyboard stacks based on the M-Audio ‘Keystation 61es’ (later renamed ‘Keystation 61’). These units are intended for use with virtual pipe organ software such as Hauptwerk, Miditzer or jorgan. They provide one, two, three (shown below) or four 61-note keyboards.
- Page 2 UNPACKING THE MIDI KEYBOARD STACK If your stack has been delivered by courier, it will be packed in a cardboard carton, surrounded by sheets of polystyrene for protection. You will probably need the help of an assistant to lift it out of the carton, especially in the case of a 3-keyboard stack.
- Page 3 Where a pedalboard is being used, the table must obviously be long enough to straddle it. A 32 note pedalboard will probably be around 1.4m (55”) at its widest, so when you allow for the table legs being set in a certain distance from the end, the total length of table required will be around 1.6m (63”).
- Page 4 Once the upper part is in position, there are two cables with D-type connectors emerging from the lower part which need to be plugged into the corresponding sockets on the upper part. This allows the piston encoder in the upper part to process the pistons of the lower part. FITTING THE (OPTIONAL) MUSIC STAND Your stack may be supplied with the music stand already fitted.
- Page 5 SETTING THE MIDI OUTPUT CHANNEL NB Hauptwerk users can ignore this section. The channel-setting pistons are only required when using Miditzer or jorgan. For Hauptwerk, all keyboards can be left to output on the default channel (channel 1). If you need one or more keyboards to output on a different MIDI channel, proceed as follows: 1.
- Page 6 USING THE MIDI KEYBOARD STACK WITH HAUPTWERK The following sections describe how to use the stack with Hauptwerk v4. For other softwares, the procedure will be generally similar. Please consult your software instructions. Before using the stack with Hauptwerk, it is necessary to make sure it has been recognised and is enabled for MIDI input.
- Page 7 5. Confirm that there is an entry called ‘USB MIDI Keyboard’ for the piston encoder. For stacks built after May, 2017, the piston encoder will be listed as ‘J.O.W. 40’ 6. For each of the above entries, tick the ‘Console MIDI IN’ column (if not already ticked). 7.
- Page 8 ASSIGNING THE VIRTUAL KEYBOARDS The next step is to associate the physical keyboard(s) of the stack with the virtual keyboard(s) of an organ sample set. The ‘auto detect’ feature of Hauptwerk version 4 makes this easy, and saves the user from needing to be aware of the MIDI signals being sent. This procedure will need to be done once for each sample set you use.
- Page 9 USING A PISTON AS A COMBINATION PISTON The most common use for the pistons is to call up pre-defined combinations of stops, but this is by no means their only use. They can be used to do just about anything in Hauptwerk, including executing menu commands –...
- Page 10 USING A PISTON TO TRIGGER A MASTER GENERAL COMBINATION As a further example of setting up a piston, this is how to make the piston operate Master General Combination number “3”: 1. Left-click on the View menu command 2. Left-click on Mini control panels (for this organ) 3.
- Page 11 USING A PISTON FOR INDIVIDUAL STOP CONTROL Although pistons are mainly used for combinations, it is quite possible to use them to operate individual stops. The following example shows how to toggle the swell tremulant on or off using a piston.
- Page 12 ATTACHING ADDITIONAL PISTONS TO THE STACK Your stack will have one or two 9-way D-type sockets (rear panel, RHS as seen from playing position) which can optionally be used to attach additional pistons. Each socket provides for 8 pistons. This does not apply to the four-keyboard stack, because the two sockets of the upper part are already used to process the pistons of the lower part.
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