Rusty Pipes is a digital organ instrument compatible with GrandOrgue sample sets. It features both graphical and text-based user interface, can be controlled via MIDI and play back MIDI files. Rusty Pipes can stream samples from disk instead of load them into RAM, though a RAM precache mode similar to GrandOrgue and Hauptwerk is available too.
Music sample: Vierne Organ Symphony No2 - Cantabile - Frisach organ (FLAC)
(Click to play video)
- GrandOrgue Sample Set support
- Hauptwerk Sample Set support (Experimental)
- Streaming-based sample playback
- RAM based sample playback (optional)
- Extremely low memory requirements (in streaming mode)
- Polyphony limited only by CPU power
- MIDI controlled
- On-the-fly configurable MIDI channel mapping
- MIDI mappings can be quickly saved into one of 10 slots and recalled
- MIDI mappings are saved to disk for each organ (by name)
- MIDI file playback
- Graphical and text mode (TUI) user interface
- Streaming mode will not work well on HDDs or slow SSDs (use precaching in such cases)
- No support for split manuals and switches
- Does not work as a plugin in DAWs
- No support for percussive sound effects
Contributions to add the above or other features are welcome!
Downloads are available here: https://github.com/dividebysandwich/rusty-pipes/releases
On Arch linux, just run yay -S rusty-pipes or paru -S rusty-pipes to install from the AUR.
RustyPipes starts up with a configuration dialog when started without any parameters. This UI allows for the changing of all available options. All settings except for the Midi file option are saved to disk. Press "Start Rusty Pipes" to begin playing with the options you've configured.
There's two main modes of operation: MIDI control, and MIDI file playback. If you select a MIDI file to play back, MIDI control is not available.
By default, RustyPipes will stream samples from disk in real time. This works great with modern SSDs. See the configuration options below for alternatives for PCs with traditional hard disks.
Note: RustyPipes will create pitch-corrected samples of all pipes that have a pitch factor configured on startup. It will not overwrite the original files, but create new files with the pitch shift in the filename. This step is done automatically and only done the first time a particular organ is loaded.
Apple's OS prevents users from running unsigned programs. To bypass this mechanism you have to perform the following steps:
- Attempt to Open the App: Double-click the RustyPipes app. You will see a warning message.
- Access System Settings: Go to Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Allow the App: Scroll down to find RustyPipes and click "Open Anyway." You may need to enter your password to confirm.
The configuration dialog is shown on startup in both text and graphical mode, the settings are the same for both.
This setting needs to point to a GrandOrgue ".organ" or Hauptwerk ".Organ_Hauptwerk_xml" file that is part of an organ sample set. The configuration dialog allows the user to browse for the organ they want to load.
Note
Hauptwerk support is experimental and known to still have pitch issues with some sample sets Some Hauptwerk organs are mixed completely dry on purpose and may require the use of the convolutional reverb setting to be used.
Select the audio output device. Note that if your device has more than 2 channels (professional multichannel audio interfaces, etc) then only the first 2 channels will be used for the left and right channel respectively.
This option allows for the selection of a MIDI file to play back. When this is used, MIDI control with input devices is not available.
Command line example: rusty-pipes /path/to/name.organ /path/to/file.mid
When not selecting a MIDI file, it is assumed that some form of MIDI input device shall be used. This is the main mode of operation for RustyPipes, and you can either select a midi device from the list that's shown, or specify one as a command line parameter.
Instead of having to manually choose the MIDI input device from a list everytime the program starts, you can pass the desired input device via the command line. To do this, first use --list-midi-devices to display a list, and then pass it as parameter with --midi-device like so:
$ rusty-pipes --list-midi-devices
Available MIDI Input Devices:
0: Midi Through:Midi Through Port-0 14:0
1: Scarlett 2i4 USB:Scarlett 2i4 USB MIDI 1 24:0
2: LUMI Keys Block 80FR:LUMI Keys Block 80FR Bluetooth 129:0
$ rusty-pipes --midi-device "LUMI Keys Block 80FR:LUMI Keys Block 80FR Bluetooth 129:0" Organs/Friesach/Friesach.organ
Loading organ definition...
Loading organ from: "/home/user/Organs/Friesach/Friesach.organ"
Found 335 sections in INI.
Parsing complete. Stops found: 158. Stops filtered (noise/empty): 114. Stops added: 44.
Successfully loaded organ: Friesach
Found 44 stops.
Starting audio engine...
Note
Don't use "2: LUMI...", only use the part after "2: "
This option lets you select a file containing the impulse response of the desired room/church. RustyPipes will look in the user's config directory, subdirectory "reverb", for .wav files. If you don't know where that directory is on your system, you can click on the folder icon next to the dropdown to open a file browser at that location.
This parameter defines how much reverb vs the original sample is used. 0.0 = no reverb, 1.0 = oops it's all reverb
The overall output gain. This is a value between 0.0 and 1.0 which is used to scale the organ sample amplitude. 0.4 is a relatively safe value, excessive gain can lead to distortion with a lot of stops playing.
The maximum number of pipes playing. This actually works a bit differently that one might expect: It doesn't prevent notes from being played - but when you release a key, the release of any pipe exceeding that limit will be shortened. This is done in order of keys released, i.e. oldest voices are faded out first, so only the latest configured number of voices has their release play out in full.
The number of frames used in the internal audio buffer. Higher numbers work on slower computers, but introduce more latency. Fast PCs can use lower values like 256. If you get distorted or choppy audio, raise that number. When using reverb, it is recommended to use a value that is a power of 2, like 256, 512 or 1024.
Loads all samples into RAM on startup, just like other virtual pipe organ programs. Use this if your disk is too slow or you are not happy with the latency of streaming samples.
Creates 16-bit versions of all samples and stores them in the same directories as the original samples. This may be useful for slower PCs to reduce overall workload
Some sample sets provide tuning information that is just perfect, as the required tuning was measured after sampling. However, this is not how the organ sounds in real life. This parameter ignores all tuning information as long as the pitch shift is not greater than +/- 20 cents. Any tuning greater than 20 cents is applied as normal, since this is often done for reusing samples of a different key.
All options can also be set via command line parameters:
Usage: rusty-pipes [OPTIONS] [ORGAN_DEFINITION]
Arguments:
[ORGAN_DEFINITION] Path to organ definition file (e.g., friesach/friesach.organ or friesach/OrganDefinitions/Friesach.Organ_Hauptwerk_xml)
Options:
--midi-file <MIDI_FILE>
Optional path to a MIDI file to play
--precache
Pre-cache all samples on startup (uses more memory, reduces latency)
--convert-to-16bit
Convert all samples to 16-bit PCM on load (saves memory, may reduce quality)
--log-level <LEVEL>
Set the application log level [default: info] [possible values: error, warn, info, debug, trace]
--ir-file <IR_FILE>
Optional path to a convolution reverb Impulse Response (IR) file
--reverb-mix <REVERB_MIX>
Reverb mix level (0.0 = dry, 1.0 = fully wet) [default: 0.5]
--original-tuning
Preserve original (de)tuning of recorded samples up to +/- 20 cents to preserve organ character
--list-midi-devices
List all available MIDI input devices and exit
--midi-device <DEVICE_NAME>
Select a MIDI device by name
--audio-device <AUDIO_DEVICE>
Select an audio device by name
--audio-buffer-frames <NUM_FRAMES>
Audio buffer size in frames (lower values reduce latency but may cause glitches) [default: 512]
--tui
Run in terminal UI (TUI) mode as a fallback
-h, --help
Print help
-V, --version
Print versionThis example loads the Hauptwerk sample set "GreenPositiv", using convolutional reverb at a 70% wet, 30% dry mix, and using an impulse response file from Lars Virtual Pipe Organ Site
rusty-pipes --ir-file BureaChurchRev1at24-48.wav --reverb-mix 0.7 /home/user/Hauptwerk/Organs/GreenPositiv/OrganDefinitions/GreenPositiv.Organ_Hauptwerk_xml
RustyPipes defaults to a graphical user interface, but it also supports a text-based console user interface. Both work the same: You assign MIDI channels to individual stops, and you can store those in one of 10 presets and recall them at any time. When you start the program for the first time, no stop will have any MIDI channel assigned so no sound will be heard until this is done.
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Cursor keys | Select organ stop / register |
| Z,S,X,D,C... | Play notes on keyboard |
| 1,2,3...0 | Map MIDI channel to selected stop |
| Shift+F1..Shift+F10 | Save current MIDI mapping into one of 10 slots |
| F1..F10 | Load MIDI mapping of given slot |
| Shift-A | Enable all MIDI channels on selected stop |
| Shift-N | Disable all MIDI channels on selected stop |
| - + | Decrease/Increase gain |
| [ ] | Decrease/Increase polyphony |
| P | Panic (All notes turn off) |
| Q | Quit |
cargo build --release
A: Make sure you selected a MIDI input device on the config screen. Also note that if you have a MIDI file selected for playing, manual MIDI input is disabled.
A: You need to assign MIDI channels to one or more stops. Click on the "1" next to a stop to assign it to MIDI channel 1, and you should hear something when playing notes on that channel. Note that some stops might not have pipes at the octave you're playing, so be sure to check across the octave range.
A: This can happen either due to a too high gain, or your CPU being overstressed. If a red "Buffer underrun" warning appears, then you need to reduce polyphony with the [-Key (or the controls on the GUI), or select fewer stops. If no warning appears, reduce gain.
A: There's plenty of places where you can find sample sets for GrandOrgue. Some are paid, but there's free ones available too. Here's two sources:
A: IR files are just .wav files that tell the system how a room reacts to a single, discrete impulse. Here are some sources:
-
Lars Virtual Pipe Organ Site has a few recordings. Be sure to take the 24 bit 48kHz mono ones.
-
Go to a concert hall or church and pop a balloon or do a single loud clap.
Please be reasonable and ask for permission before popping balloons in churches.
Q: I have reduced my polyphony but my PC still cannot handle the amount of stops I want to use, what can I do?
A: Enable precaching on the config dialog. Precaching takes more RAM but reduces stress on the CPU because it doesn't have to deal with disk IO all the time.
A: As a first step, reduce the buffer size on the config dialog. If the audio starts to crackle, increase it a bit. 256 should work on most modern systems. Second, enable precaching. On systems with slow SSDs or hard disks this can help a lot, while on fast SSDs the improvement is often not noticeable. Third, use a wired MIDI controller, not Bluetooth. Same for headphones, bluetooth usually adds a lot of delay. Finally, make sure you enable the "Pro Audio" mode on your device, and if you're on Linux don't use native ALSA. Instead use PulseAudio or Jack.