From "Bach" to "Bock." The Green Acres Baptist Church Allen organ is designed to go from "Bach to Bock," being able to sound classical, baroque, romantic, theatrical and, yes, like a Hammond or Wurlitzer if desired! This design reflects the diversity of music presented in GABC worship services and special musical presentations. The "nuts and bolts" of the organ are somewhat detailed in the specs printed below.

Five Manuals, One Slipped Disc. I've never had a five-manual organ of "my own" before, and at times I wondered about the practicality of it. Well, I've quickly been reminded that an organist hardly can have too much of a good thing, and five manual divisions are a good thing! The fifth manual comprises the "Celestial" divisions of the organ and speaks from speakers located not only in the main chambers but elsewhere, so as to create a sort of non-specific sound source for its softer strings and flutes. It is so wonderfully sweet behind prayers, devotional moments and such. It's true that when actually playing that manual and the pedals, one might should also schedule a meeting with a chiropractor, but in many cases it's practical to couple it down to a more, shall we say, "reachable" manual.

Christopher Reeds. (Sorry...I couldn't resist that.) There are numerous reeds all over this organ. Not only are the festive reeds duplicated in five of the six divisions (incl. pedal)--so as to enable lots of flexibility in drawing up registrations--but there are division-specific lesser reeds as well, including several trumpets and a Double Trumpet 16'

Tremulant Stimulant. The organ is outfitted not only with the tremulants you might expect but also with a Full Trem button for each manual, located on the thingy at the end of the keys (I know it has a name but I don't know what it is). If that button is pushed, the trems transform into theatrical tremulants worthy of the Wurlitzer name. This is useful when having some fun with hymns such as "Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul" (my favorite hymn for theatrical playing) or whenever a baseball game is held inside the worship center.

MIDI, and I don't mean fashion! (MIDI = Musical Instrument Digital Interface, a technology that allows electronic musical instruments, as well as MIDI software on computers, to "speak" to one another.) This organ is equipped with Allen's MIDI module, which is like a synthesizer without a keyboard. Approximately 160 sounds such as might be found on a typical electronic keyboard are accessible through this box, and can be added to any of the organ registrations as captured on the 20 general pistons. In other words, the organist can select a MIDI sound that he wants to be heard along with one of his usual organ stops and can call that sound up using a piston. In addition to the Allen module, any keyboard that has MIDI ports on it can be cabled to the organ and its sounds accessed and played using the organ's keyboards.

Switched at birth.The organ also has a footswitch which acts as a sustain "pedal" for the MIDI stuff that needs one (such as electric piano and a few others). It's a footswitch on the left of the leftmost expression show, activated by moving one's foot to the left. I must say that this is awkward and I don't expect to use it very often, but at least they thought of it.

Voice therapy. Another interesting thing: every stop on the organ can be voiced generally as to volume, treble and bass, using a built-in function available to the organist (if the salesman chooses to show him how, which mine did!). But also the sales team can bring a laptop to the organ---on which is stored software that also is stored on the organ-- and connect it to the organ, thereby to further contour each and every stop and on each and every individual note, if desired! Not only that, but entire stops can be replaced with better samples. For example, Dale did not particularly like the Principal 8' on the Great, so he will re-program it with a different sample, still a principal 8' but a different one. This means the organ is virtually limitless in its ability to be updated.

My friends, Dale and Tom. I have known Dale Johnson and Tom Branch since buying a four-manual Allen from them in 1980 for Quail Springs Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, when they were associated with a dealer there. For many years they have owned their own Allen dealership, one which covers most of Texas. Dale and Tom may be the best sales and installation team that Allen has anywhere.

Dale is passionate about the organ's initial concept, as well as achieving pipe-organ realism and purity of sound in the final voicing. He achieves that not only by having educated himself in classic, historical organ designs of many types, but also by thoroughly understanding and utilizing Allen's cutting-edge technology to the max and by making sure the organ has an more-than-adequate audio system (speakers).

Tom makes certain that the organ is installed correctly and reliably. I've always suspected Tom secretly to be a chamber rat whose "cheese" is a reliable organ installation. It's rumored that he is legally changing his middle name to "Conduit." But seriously he is a nice guy who is highly capable as well.

The Allen Organ Company.The Allen Organ Company is renowned for its Research and Development, which has produced technology that enables the highest degree of realism of its digital organ sounds, making them comparable to pipe organ sounds. Their Renaissance series is the pinnacle of their current technology. These organs are not limited to large versions only; the Renaissance technology is available in organs of various sizes and budgets. Their web site has pictures, organ models, a factory tour, the works!