Organ Builder Notes on iPhone: Pipe Scaling Records, Voicing Observations & Wind System Notes

Organ building is perhaps the longest-horizon craft in existence. An organ built today will be serviced, modified, and restored for the next century. The scaling decisions, wind pressures, toe hole diameters, and voicing approaches documented at construction become the essential reference for every subsequent service intervention. Nemos gives organ builders and service technicians a field-ready place to capture these specifications in real time.

Why Organ Builders Need Structured Documentation

A pipe organ contains thousands of individual components — pipes, pallets, magnets, windchests, slider bars, reservoirs, bellows — each with specific dimensions and adjustments that must be within specification for the instrument to function. A service visit to correct an unsteady wind supply requires knowing the original reservoir spring tension and dimensions. A revoicing project requires knowing the original flue widths and toe hole diameters. Without documented specifications, every service is a reverse-engineering exercise.

What to Capture in Nemos

Pipe Scaling Records For each stop: - Stop name and pitch - Pipe type (open, stopped, flute, string, reed) - Scaling system reference (Töpfer, Skinner, Baroque) - Mouth width and height to foot circumference ratio - Flue width (for flue pipes) - Toe hole diameter at design wind pressure - Number of pipes and range

Scaling records are the acoustic DNA of the instrument — the reference for any future tonal revision or pipe replacement.

Voicing Observations During initial voicing and revoicing: - Wind pressure at the soundboard (measured) - Nicking approach: depth, spacing, character (for flue pipes) - Cut-up height as measured and as adjusted - Mouth width adjustments (if any) - Languid position and toe pressure - Achieved character: tone quality, speech, chiff characteristics - Comparison to voicing goal

Voicing notes document the adjustments that shape the instrument's musical character — essentially irreproducible without them.

Wind System Specifications - Main and secondary wind pressures (measured at multiple points) - Reservoir spring tensions and loaded weight - Bellows tremulant frequency and depth settings - Any wind loss points identified and corrected - Trunking dimensions and routing

Wind system notes explain any steadiness or pressure variance issues that emerge in subsequent service.

Electrical Action Regulation (for pipe organs with electric action) - Magnet coil resistance ranges (by division) - Tracker touch and travel (where applicable) - Any slow or hesitant valve response noted - Relay and combination action settings

Installation Site Assessment At installation: - Building dimensions and acoustic characteristics (RT estimate) - Humidity and temperature range (seasonal) - Dust and air quality observations - Floor and wall construction (for mechanical mounting) - Organ case positioning relative to reverberant surfaces

Site assessment notes explain instrument-specific tonal decisions made in response to the building's acoustics.

Service Visit Notes For service visits: - Symptoms reported by client or organist - Findings at inspection - Work performed - Wind pressure confirmed or adjusted - Any pipes reseated, re-voiced, or cleaned - Known issues deferred for next visit

Service notes accumulate the instrument's lifetime service history — invaluable for the next technician and for the builder's own understanding of how the instrument ages.

FAQ

Can I use Nemos offline at remote church or concert hall installations? Yes. Full offline functionality. Notes sync to iCloud when connectivity is restored — often after returning to the vehicle or arriving back at the shop.

How do I handle a large instrument with thousands of pipes? Organize notes by division (Great, Swell, Choir, Pedal) and stop. A top-level instrument note links to division notes, which link to individual stop scaling entries. Search finds any stop by name or specification instantly.

Can I attach photos of pipe racks or chest layouts? Yes. Attach photos at each stage of construction and service. Visual documentation of chest layouts, pipe configurations, and wind system components supplements written specifications.

Is Nemos useful during the initial consultation and specification process? Yes — capture client priorities, acoustic goals, budget parameters, and preliminary specifications during consultation meetings. These notes become the foundation for the formal specification document.

What about electronic action schematics — where do those go? Reference your formal drawing archives in notes (drawing number, revision). Nemos captures field measurements and observations; schematics stay in the technical drawing archive.

Why not just rely on the original specification document? Specification documents capture the design intent. Nemos captures what was actually built, adjusted during installation, and observed during service — the gap between spec and reality that only field documentation reveals.

Related Reading

• /blog/piano-technician-notes-iphone — keyboard instrument service and voicing documentation
• /blog/luthier-notes-iphone — acoustic instrument building and client instrument history
• /blog/acoustic-engineer-notes-iphone — room acoustic assessment and measurement documentation
• /blog/clockmaker-notes-iphone — precision craft service and mechanical system documentation

Sources

• Organ building technical standards: American Institute of Organ Builders (AIOBI) technical resources and Organ Historical Society documentation
• Pipe scaling methodology: Töpfer, Lehrbuch der Orgelbaukunst (foundational scaling reference) and Audsley, The Art of Organ Building

Download Nemos free on the App Store.