"Be it digital or hybrid, Clarity has an organ solution for you."
Clarity’s digital organ services brings Director Mark’s passion for the organ, as a renowned player, and audio technology expertise together. Clarity can source the digital organ most suited for client needs from the Makin, Rodgers, Johannus or Copeman Hart ranges or create custom designs for overseas manufacturers to make.
Clarity can provide consultation, installation, voicing and servicing. We have provided demonstrations to help clients make choices.
Clarity can provide consultation, installation, voicing and servicing. We have provided demonstrations to help clients make choices.
Hybrid Organs
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Clarity is especially excited to be offering consultation and design services for digital hybrid organs as there are many traditional pipe organs in NZ that can not be repaired due to incredibly high costs. The option to turn them into a hybrid in essence saves the instrument from demolition, giving it a new lease of life for many more years to come.
A hybrid organ unites a new or existing pipe organ with a digital organ in a brilliant partnership enjoyed by thousands of houses of worship worldwide. The marriage of acoustic winded pipes with state-of-the-art digital sound transforms aging or limited pipe organs into instruments of great beauty and flexibility. Scroll down for more product information. |
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Case Study: St Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin
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A grand organ deserves a grand console, and the Makin Custom range fitted well with the specification of St Paul's mighty Willis Organ.
The organ was ordered from Henry Willis & Co and was opened in 1921. At the time the organ was considered as having too many solo stops. With the new chancel being built the organ was dismantled and rebuilt to its present position as a 4 manual instrument with over 3500 pipes. In 2020 a fire in the roof of the chancel caused considerable damage, however the organ was restored and a new movable 4 Manual console was fitted in 2022. This new console, designed by Mark from Clarity, is connected to the organ pipes, maintaining it as a traditional pipe organ, but a few extra digital 32ft pedal stops were included, and they make a massive improvement to this impressive instrument |
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Case Study: Baring Square Methodist, Ashburton
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When facing a complete rebuild of the Church, the South Island Organ Company was tasked with an overhaul of the Hele pipe organ, and finding a way to bring the instrument to life. Clarity was approached to find a creative solution to digitally enhance the existing organ as there was no room to expand the instrument with traditional pipes.
Tasked with maintaining the existing specification, and finding suitable digital additions, the Makin Thirlmere was an off the shelf Digital solution that met the requirements with precision. Pipe drivers were connected to the instrument, and a 14.2 Sound system installed within the organ to provide a Digital Choir division, while a few extra digital colours of the Great and Swell were voiced to compliment the existing organ. This instrument was opened to the public in April 2024, and is a wonderful example of the tonal blend of Pipe and Digital technology |
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Case study : Nelson Boys College Pipe/digital hybrid Organ.
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For over 11 years Clarity Director Mark has been assisting with Nelson Boys College pipe organ, which has now been transformed into a pipe digital hybrid, in 2022.
At the end of 2021 the pipe organ was vandalised, and all the antiquated electromechanical action was damaged and needed to be replaced. In conjunction with Keyboard Music Systems, Clarity provided an option not just to repair but to rejuvenate the organ into the latest modern digital hybrid, Makin Thirlmere. The 1950’s pipes provide the sound in addition to new digital stops and sounds, resulting in reliable playability and enhanced features. Nelson Cathedral Organist, Paul Chan, was the first to play the new console and was impressed by how the digital sound was so pipe-like, to the point of not being sure which was which! |
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Case study : St Paul’s Presbyterian, digital organ, Oamaru.
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A Johannus T370 digital organ was installed at St Paul’s in 2021, as their previous 30-year-old instrument literally blew up! This is a sizable three keyboard and pedals instrument with traditional pipe organ and orchestral sounds, such as trumpet, piano, harpsichord, chimes and strings. The congregation are thrilled with how the sound fills the space and the organists, with the special features. |
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Clarity's organ specialist
Clarity Director, Mark Patterson, has enjoyed a life long love affair with the pipe, digital and now the new hybrid organs also! Mark began playing the pipe organ from six years of age and from age 11 to 17 he built a full pipe organ in his home! At 12 he was awarded a music scholarship to Christs College Canterbury, and later became the organ scholar at Christchurch Cathedral.
As an adult who has toured nationally and played for many years in many church venues Mark has got up close and personal with the workings of the organ. This has been though working with the South Island Organ Company over many years on organ repairs, tuning and more. Due to Mark's specialist skills he was recently tasked with his most unusual project to date - bringing down the remnants of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament's 1878 organ, which was damaged during the earthquakes.
Mark is now able to combine his intimate knowledge of the instrument as a player and technician, and his niche understanding of church acoustics, to lead his team in providing his customers with the expertise they need to make the right choice in purchasing their organ solution.
As an adult who has toured nationally and played for many years in many church venues Mark has got up close and personal with the workings of the organ. This has been though working with the South Island Organ Company over many years on organ repairs, tuning and more. Due to Mark's specialist skills he was recently tasked with his most unusual project to date - bringing down the remnants of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament's 1878 organ, which was damaged during the earthquakes.
Mark is now able to combine his intimate knowledge of the instrument as a player and technician, and his niche understanding of church acoustics, to lead his team in providing his customers with the expertise they need to make the right choice in purchasing their organ solution.
