Philipps / Wurlitzer Orchestrions

Wurlitzer (Philipps) Paganini Tracker Scale

Standard Scale for All Paganini Styles/Models

General Notes for Expression Controls

Tracker Position 16. Piano Accent on (*momentary perforation): The piano expression control's crescendo-pneumatic moves quickly to attain the full loud piano vacuum level. This fast movement is accomplished by momentarily bypassing the crescendo-pneumatic's default adjustable air-flow regulating screw, which normally constricts air flow out of the crescendo-pneumatic. The full loud vacuum level is further modified by whether the mezzo-forte (half-loud) knife is active, or not, and the relative position of the crescendo-pneumatic when the mezzo-forte knife is activated (see mezzo-forte functions below).

Tracker Position 17. Piano Accent off (*momentary perforation): The piano expression control’s crescendo-pneumatic moves quickly to attain the soft piano vacuum level. This is accomplished by overriding the normal crescendo slow and controlled decay by using a small pneumatic to open a large vent hole into the crescendo-pneumatic, thereby quickly venting any vacuum within the pneumatic. The soft vacuum level is further modified by whether the mezzo-forte (half-loud) knife is active, or not, and the relative position of the crescendo-pneumatic when the mezzo-forte knife is activated (see mezzo-forte functions below).

Tracker Position 18. Crescendo slow to loud piano (register on-off controlled): The crescendo register on function slowly evacuates (collapses) the crescendo-pneumatic at a rate determined by an air-flow regulating screw.

Tracker Position 19. Diminuendo (crescendo-pneumatic) slow to soft piano (register on-off controlled): When the crescendo register is switched off the vacuum source for the crescendo-pneumatic is cut off and the pneumatic is then slowly vented by means of a tiny diminuendo bleed orifice.

Tracker Position 34. Tremolo (chain perforation activates tremolo function): The tremolo action begins with a relatively slow tremolo rate and then gradually increases speed to a maximum value. The tremolo assembly contains its own on-off valve, which is controlled by a small slide valve attached to the large tremolo pneumatic, thereby producing a reiterating tremolo action. However, the vent or re-fill rate of the large tremolo pneumatic is restricted, and the amount of restriction controls the tremolo rate. The speed change is accomplished by means of a small speed control pneumatic that is connected to the tremolo vacuum feed line. When the tremolo commences operation an air-flow regulating screw restricts the air flow out of the speed control pneumatic, which then gradually moves to enlarge a vent port that controls the atmospheric re-fill rate of the large tremolo pneumatic, thereby increasing the tremolo speed.

Tracker Position 44. "FF Swell" allows the swell shutters to go to full open position (chain Perforation): The swell shutters at rest are closed, and the swell actuator’s ½ open stop-lever is also at rest and in the stop position. When the bass or melody swell shutters are activated (without the FF Swell being activated) the swell can only move to the ½ open position. However, when the “FF Swell” control is activated the stop lever moves out of the way, so that the swell shutters can then proceed to their full open position if and when activated.

Tracker Position 67. Swell for bass ½ open (chain perforation): This opens the bass swell shutters slowly to ½ open position, unless the “FF Swell” is on, which then allows the swell shutters to swing full open. Bass swell shutters are only installed in the larger Paganini Orchestrions.

Tracker Position 120. Swell for melody ½ open (chain perforation): This opens the melody swell shutters slowly to ½ open position, unless the “FF Swell” is on, which then allows the swell shutters to swing full open.

Tracker Position 122. Fortzando (*momentary perforation): The Fortzando (often spelled sforzando) control completely bypasses the piano volume regulating controls, and supplies instantaneous full vacuum to the main stack, thereby attaining maximum piano loudness for accent.

Tracker Position 124. Mezzo-Forte (half loud) on (register on-off controlled): When the mezzo-forte register is switched on it causes the mezzo-forte knife (or hook) to be moved into its active position, which then divides and restricts the movement of the crescendo-pneumatic into approximately two sections consisting of a (1) soft-to-half-loud and (2) a half-loud-to-full-loud travel range. Thus, when active, the mezzo-forte knife limits the travel of the crescendo-pneumatic in one of two ways: (1) if the crescendo-pneumatic is in the soft-to-half-loud range it is thereinafter limited to that range until the mezzo-forte control is switched off, or (2) if the crescendo-pneumatic is in the half-loud-to-full loud range it is thereinafter limited to that range until the mezzo-forte control is switched off. With the mezzo-forte knife active the crescendo and diminuendo functions operate normally, but limited within the volume range determined by the mezzo-forte knife.

Tracker Position 125. Mezzo-Forte off (register on-off controlled): When this register is off the mezzo-forte knife is retracted and the crescendo-pneumatic is then able to freely move unrestricted throughout its entire volume range.

Tracker Position 127. Accent Swell (*momentary perforation): This control causes the default air-flow regulating screw for the swell shutters to be momentarily bypassed, so that the swell shutters then operate at full speed when activated.

Tracker Position 129. Treble Violin quick change (momentary perforation): Instantly turns on the high-octave violin pipe rank while disabling the soft and/or loud violin ranks. If the violin loud and/or violin soft rank is switched on then one or both violin of these ranks are instantly but momentarily disabled and vented (the register on-off setting for these ranks are not altered). When the quick change perforation terminates the high-octave violin rank turns off and the violin soft and/or loud ranks are instantly re-enabled corresponding to their previous condition.

Tracker Position 130. Treble Flageolet quick change (momentary perforation): Instantly turns on the flageolet pipe rank while disabling the soft and/or loud violin ranks. If the violin loud and/or violin soft rank is switched on then one or both violin of these ranks are instantly but momentarily disabled and vented (the register on-off setting for these ranks are not altered). When the quick change perforation terminates the flageolet rank turns off and the violin soft and/or loud ranks are instantly re-enabled corresponding to their previous condition. Please note that the flageolet rank has its own separate register control, and if the flageolet rank is already on (via the register control) the flageolet quick change will have no audible effect.

* A momentary perforation is a perforation in the paper music roll that is usually of a short albeit undefined duration.

Credits:

Terry Hathaway and Ron Cappel.

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