# Help with a haunted organ please



## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

I'm trying to create a keyboard that plays on its own. I've seen it done with a organ keyboard but I am using 2 casio electronic ones. They pivot differently. I have thought of placing metal washes under the keys and using sometype of electromagnet to pull the keys down, but then how could I get different chords to drop at different times? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

There's QRS Pianomation but I suspect they will cost megabucks. 

You will have to have a solenoid or electromagnet for each key. Pulling chords down is just a matter of activating 2 or more electromagnets at the same time. 

There used to be devices you could buy that fitted over a typewriter keyboard and they actually presed the keys for you based on what the computer was trying to print (this was before computer printers got reasonably priced). If you could find one of these I'm sure they could be hacked to do what you want.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Are you trying to make it actually play or just have keys appear to be being played? 

Any pics of how the keys pivot on the keyboards?


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Would something like this work?









Attach L shaped rods (or similar) to the under side of keys near the outer edge and run the rods through the body of the keyboard. Under neath the keyboard use a cam type system connected to a motor that would rotate and push down on the L part of the rods depressing the keys on the keyboard.


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## asterix0 (Nov 5, 2008)

Have you consider pneumatic cylinders attached from beneath to the keys you want to play?

http://monsterguts.com/prop-pneumatics/air-cylinders-for-props/single-acting/cat_22.html

You could use small compression springs to return the keys to off when a note is not being played.

A controller (e.g., PROP-1) would allow you to program a short sequence of notes or chords.


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

Jokers idea seams very good might be the way I go. The keyboard is hacked just using the keys, will have a soundtrack playing actual music. I was just thinking that the motion of an electromagnet might seem more spooky.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Creep Cringle said:


> Jokers idea seams very good might be the way I go. The keyboard is hacked just using the keys, will have a soundtrack playing actual music. I was just thinking that the motion of an electromagnet might seem more spooky.


I was thinking you could put something in front and below the keyboard to the hide the L rods and cam. You may need to put rubber bands or springs on the L rods to help return them back up, but that shouldn't be that big of a deal.


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## The Watcher (Sep 13, 2008)

Most of the ones I have seen The cam returns the keys. When the cam doesn't hold them up, that is the ones that give the playing effect. Nails in a dowel rod works as good as anything. Unless you do want to spent the money to do individual keys. Then I would do air cylinders.


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## Creep Cringle (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks for the help. Just figured out how to post pics. so I'll try to document my progress.


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## Xpendable (Sep 19, 2006)

I just acquired a 1960 ElectroVoice 6200 organ for $20 and I'm planning on doing the cam-operated keys myself. My cam will be behind the keys instead of underneath. Hmm, some of these vacuum tubes say "Made in the U.S.S.R.". You don't see that too often.


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