Boardwalk Hall- The 64' Diaphone

Showing the largest pipes ever built as they go through several levels of the organ.

[@fepatton]

That was amazing! Been hearing this on records since I was a kid listening to "Bach on the Biggest". So cool to see that view of it! We had a tube-driven stereo with 12" woofers, and I would get behind it just to watch the woofers vibrate like crazy. 😂

[@chrisnagorka5199]

My dad was a hifi buff and I had the same experience. We had AR-2 speakers and Dynaco Mark III amps. My brother played Bach on the Biggest with the grille off one of the speakers- I was about four years old and never forgot it. At the end of the day that record started me on my career in the organ business, and I still have that copy of the record.

[@mfbfreak]

@@chrisnagorka5199 I still have some AR2ax speakers and they're great for organ music, though even those big beasts won't be able to properly reproduce 8hz.

[@narmale]

i have 8 x 15 custom built IB subwoofers in the attic... what this note is... is chaos incarnate

[@ag6371]

2:36 On the left is the Grand Ophicleide, the loudest organ stop at 100” of wind pressure

[@seankoreski5826]

That is pretty crazy! 4 stories tall! I can't make anything bigger than an 8' Diapason in my shop and I can't even imagine making something as big as that CCCCC Diaphone. The joinery must have been a real pain. Each pipe must have enough wood to make a whole school gym floor!

[@KingdaToro]

A lot of the larger wood pipes in this organ were actually made of sequoia wood. For obvious reasons, this is no longer allowed.

[@y11971alex]

I understand the big pipes were made on site

[@seankoreski5826]

Yeah, I'm sure they turned the whole building into one large shop,, making a-lot of the things on site, like that pipe. Even now they have a large room set aside as a shop dedicated to the restoration and upkeep of that Impressive Pipe Organ. With something like that you'll always need a shop onsite for repairs etc...

[@garfixit]

I love the endless amount of pipes

[@chadbeverly4926]

This was awesome ! Could you you do a tour of the 32's int he organ ?

[@williammitchell1864]

Like the 32' Contre Bombardes, 32' Contra Trombones and the 32' Contre Basons and the 32' Great Diapasons

[@hootinouts]

This is awesome! I had the privilege of getting a private tour of both main stage chambers by former curator Dennis McGurk. I was up on the top level where you show the bag flapping, That organ is a treasure and I am so glad that it is finally receiving the care and attention that it deserves after so many years of neglect. If I was a young man again I would love to have participated in the ongoing restoration. Back in the 1990's I was a member of the South Jersey Theater Organ Society and participated in restoring the Kimball pipe organ in the Broadway theater in Pitman NJ.

[@kingofsludge7262]

7:42 when a ghost plays the drums

[@kennethberry1532]

Took the tour on aug 21 fantastic tour guide outstanding concert

[@Adf8702]

Awesome! If ever it's possible to hear it in an ensemble from the center of the auditorium I'd love to know what it really adds musically. Better get out my subwoofer. Great vid-thanks for the work.

[@chrisnagorka5199]

Honestly it doesn't add much, it's just too low and rattly to make much of a difference; but I'm glad it's there! It's like being able to see infrared light or something.

[@plazasta]

@@chrisnagorka5199 it's just there for the fun of it basically. I like that reason

[@atallguynh]

I've been told that you feel 64' pipes rather than hearing them.

[@mashy712]

@@atallguynh Yes that pipe, you can't hear. its what makes the "earthquake" effect. and its beautiful.

[@forrestcreek1598]

aTallGuyNH There is a Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS that had a pipe that when the organist played the lowest “C” note you couldn’t hear it but it would cause the back windows of the sanctuary to vibrate. I guess that explains the plexiglass vs glass windows back there. It would have destroyed the glass windows otherwise. Their lowest “C” note was 32 or 36’, I can’t remember. The organ has been replaced by a new one now. (Pipe organ)

[@seankoreski5826]

That is pretty crazy! 4 stories tall! I can't make anything bigger than an 8' Diapason in my shop and I can't even imagine making something as big as that CCCCC Diaphone. The joinery must have been a real pain. Each pipe must have enough wood to make a whole school gym floor!

[@t.p.ggaming3884]

The Low C pipe weighs approximately 10,000lbs if i remember correctly

[@KingdaToro]

They actually used sequoia for a lot of the largest wood pipes in the organ

[@sluke77]

Thanks for the tour!

[@organist1982]

Thank you so much for making this amazing video!!!

[@chrisnagorka5199]

Glad you like it.

[@leemarks813]

Excellent explanation! Thank you.

[@cateclism316]

The diaphone...invented by Robert Hope-Jones.

[@matthewbason]

I’ve got headphones on and that just scared the crap out of me!!! LOL!!!!!!!!

[@philipsmith3084]

Fascinating!!! I have often wished I had gone into organ building. How complicated. Thank you Chris.

[@wurlitzer895]

I'd imagine the intensity of the vibrations from that pipe would shake and move the tuning slides on the adjacent flues.

[@andrewbarrett1537]

Yes, I wonder how much the vibrations of the usage of these pipes, throw off the tuning of the nearby pipes on the nearby chests. The same with the loudest 32's.

[@wurlitzer895]

@@andrewbarrett1537 Yes, a good observation, Andrew. :)

[@michaelrhodes9178]

Great you satisfied my extreme bass need..👍🏾2020

[@aswmkid3]

7:41 "SUPPRESSING FIRE"

[@dhelton40]

It is great to see this, it might be useful to hear it in the hall with other ranks, as I am sure it's effect is best heard at a distance.

[@williammitchell1864]

What would the 64', 32', 16', 12', 10-2/3' pipes all sound like at once? Which contains all the pedal reeds and the gigantic wooden pedal pipes.

[@chrisnagorka5199]

It just sounds like a lot of unmusical banging and thudding, I've tried it.

[@williammitchell1864]

@@chrisnagorka5199 Oh ok. I thought it would be very powerful in both sound and feel. I just meant the pedal reeds.

[@jeremypee4128]

that has got to be a C-1.

[@TheJakeman789]

C-0 or below honestly

[@AvGeekW159]

It’s C-1 because C0 is the bottom of the 32’ register

[@laiyemoboys9255]

It's supposed to be a C-1 at 8.175 Hz, but it's a B-2 at. 7.716 Hz.

[@dhelton40]

Just saw there is another video of this from the hall.

[@JBridges1092]

Those are MASSIVE! Funny part is, from a tuning perspective, you can't really tell if the lowest of the lows are truly in tune because all you can hear is the vibrations. It really does not sound like a pitch. How much wind pressure is that one stop riding on?

[@chrisnagorka5199]

The Diaphone is listed as being on 35" pressure.

[@JBridges1092]

@@chrisnagorka5199 wow

[@KingdaToro]

@@JBridges1092 Keep in mind that "normal" pressure for this organ is 15-25". Two of the ten 32' stops are on 50" pressure, and those are far more impressive than this one. Such as here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4bQlX6XrZdlapo ...and keep in mind, that trumpet stop is "only" a 50" one, not the 100" Grand Ophicleide.

[@mooihoor6381]

@@chrisnagorka5199 I love your video’s. One question about 0:17, why is it vibrating so irregular?

[@eddiewillers1]

I'm sure I can hear an underlying, slightly higher-pitch, beat frequency playing.

[@briancooney9952]

is that the "brown note?"

[@MegaMobass]

When are you planning on another trip to boardwalk hall? I would presume after coronavirus, but I’d love to see more of the nitty gritty progress that’s been made more recently

[@cnagorka]

I plan to go to the hall many, many more times but only after I get the all clear from the team up there...which will be after the covid situation has calmed down. I miss the trips up there and really look forward to taping more videos of this magnificent machine.

[@MegaMobass]

Appreciate the reply, i enjoy your way of explaining the intricacies of this organ. Can’t wait to see more, especially when they get the fanfare and echo running

[@leetingler619]

I wonder how it would sound down in the auditorium. Pretty rich !

[@robinroper]

actually, sounded a tad sharp to me

[@appo038]

This pipe is just making rhytm

[@charlesjohnston1506]

Very cool! Thanks.

[@matthewcox431]

I wonder what the main blower looks like - the engine of a Boeing 787?

[@cnagorka]

There isn't a "main" blower, there are seven of them. I have separate videos about them.

[@cmhughes8057]

It sounds like a large engine, however, I know exactly what large pipes like this are for having felt at least the 32’ ones before. Now I need to feel the what the 64’ ones feel like, and yes, I said feel for that is exactly what you with things like this.

[@lampoilropebombs0640]

Play this at 0.25 speed, and you got yourself a bass drum drumline.

[@samanthawhiteman5762]

that pipe reminds me the sound of a train

[@mj6962]

I don’t understand lol. Why does it sound like a drum beating? I did not hear an actual note at all. Am I missing something?

[@KingdaToro]

It's 8 Hz. Human hearing only goes down to about 20 Hz. You don't really hear this, you feel it.

[@Daveinet]

So why don't we just call that the John Deere notes?

[@LeeBlaske]

I'd really love to hear what the sounds and feels like out in the hall, itself. If you're standing in the middle of the hall, and just that note is played, what kind of impact does it have on you? Is it a major, stop you in your tracks experience?

[@nskimharris]

WOW!!!

[@jameswest8280]

And you thought subwoofers were cool.

[@samanthawhiteman5762]

that pipe that was played scared me😂

[@bigfishtokyocat7789]

That was scary...

[@citizen9790]

Most unmusical, but quite a lot of fun!

[@antoniograncino3506]

That low CCCC just sounds like someone banging on garbage cans in the alley---or dumpsters, rather.. How can that be deemed "musical" ?

[@boidsen]

LOL - like a Lanz-Bulldog...

[@AugustusTitus]

SCIENCE!

[@davidtoth8423]

i thought that 32' is the maximum on an organ

[@KingdaToro]

there's really no maximum, but 32' is the longest practical stop, as below that you're into infrasound. This is one of only two 64s in the world.

[@TurtleFL]

It was until they built this and the Wanamaker organ in Philly. I believe those two are still the only instruments in the world with a 64' natural stop/rank. I think one of these instruments, at least, also features a 128' resultant using the same rank.

[@TurtleFL]

But, if you can't find that on the stoprail of either one, just pop the 64 down and hold two notes a fifth apart and you'll have your 128' resultant. Hopefully you won't damage the building. :-^

[@TurtleFL]

And of course if you want to get it partway into the 256' range you can try holding them a FOURTH apart.

[@TurtleFL]

And to generate an earthquake and send the Boardwalk into the Atlantic permanently, just step all over the pedalboard on the low end and hold everything down. :-"

[@fotmasta]

Wow! I’d love to know what the SPL was at your recording distance.

[@FOH3663]

Just think, cell phone mics begin diminishing in sensitivity around 50hz... so 2 plus octaves lower, the phone is -24dB or more.

[@jrzzrj]

Wow @ 07:42 ...! That'l knock your socks off.....lol... Unless I missed it in this video.....Just what do the wind chests look like for these monster pipes? Are they individual chests per note, or a huge chest for the whole 64' rank? We ALL would like to know (pictures if possible)....

[@cnagorka]

The bottom two notes have their own chest, the other 10 (I think) have their own chest, which isn't on the floor, it's about five feet above floor level, you can see it around the 8:50 mark.

[@jrzzrj]

@@cnagorka ----Thanks anyway...but I can't make anything out of that crowded mess of pipes, steel girders, wires etc...maybe you can make a side-video of them....it would be appreciated and awesome....

[@laiyemoboys9255]

Now play C-1 and C♯-1 at the same time 😂😂!

[@scottcupp8129]

Just WOW!!!

[@HappyDiscoDeath]

*waits* Jesus fuck, that startled me!

[@princeedmirovillar8044]

It sounds like a drum

[@fredbissnette3104]

my cerwin vega earthquakes got nothin on that thing

[@coohandluke]

Now how do you tune it? 😐

[@chrisnagorka5199]

You move the tuning slide as you would for any reed pipe!

[@kirinnielsen2274]

How does the ear perceive any pitch C or C-sharp? Or do you just feel the vibration in your feet and imagine the pitch because it reinforces higher octaves? And how do you tune the C and C-sharp (or other adjacent tones) to be a half-step if you can't really hear the pitch?

[@cnagorka]

The fact is that you don't perceive any pitch at all from these pipes, and you don't tune them. They were tuned in 1929 and they've been that way ever since. In fact they're quite out of tune in spots but the only way I know this is from a video someone else did where they sped up a recording of it 2, 4, and 8 times and that way you can actually tell what's going on.

[@PeopleAlreadyDidThis]

I forget which organ, but a well-known one uses the same pipe for the lowest several notes of the pedalboard. 32’ stop as I recall. Actual pitch below accepted hearing limits is unimportant, underpinning the plenum.

[@tilmanluther1887]

Cool!!!

[@michaelheintz8853]

A very expensive draft.

[@ridefast0]

Measuring from your soundtrack, that low C is actually a whole tone flat, at 7.36Hz it is much closer to B-2. Those big pipes must be much easier to tune using modern frequency counters. Thanks for uploading and good luck with the restoration.

[@chrisnagorka5199]

I'm going to be up there in a couple weeks and I plan to do exactly that.

[@laiyemoboys9255]

Good catch! I pitched it up 4 octaves, and it came out as B2.

[@gordonrucker4450]

How do you tune that?

[@chrisnagorka5199]

Simple answer: you don't. That's the same pitch it's been playing since 1930.

[@roberthoffhines5419]

Hope you weren't planning on having any (more) kids. That's gotta mess something up somewhere!

[@lisapatrick6283]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYjTn2qurt-Ip8k Note: these 2 comments are from Cary Patrick.

[@tropicjam7343]

6Hz?I just counted ..John Deere tractor?

[@chrisnagorka5199]

8hz, it's supposed to be, anyway

[@laiyemoboys9255]

It's about 7.7 Hz. It should be around 8.2 Hz.

[@daphneblake7889]

Sounds like a steam engine

[@thatfeeble-mindedboy]

That looks like less than 10 Hz … maybe more like 6 Hz. Oddly enough, the wavelength of 18 Hz is a little more than 63 feet, so the fundamental resonant frequency of this pipe would be very close to that. Somewhere in the low to mid 30’s frequency, it ceases to be a ‘tone’ that could possibly be identified with a musical note, and becomes an impact type sound, like a jackhammer or a machine gun, where the individual pulses, or peaks and valleys in the waveform. For example, a 50 caliber machine gun firing at a rate of 500 rounds per minute equates to about 8 rounds per second, and the individual shots are easily distinguishable from each other. All manner of harmonics are also generated, octaves, major thirds, perfect fifths, etc, many of which will extend up into the audible range. All I can guess is that the constructive interference that will by necessity be present will be heard as an enhancement to the bass note … otherwise I don’t know why a device designed to produce a frequency far below what the human ear perceives as a ‘tone’ or a note with a pitch, would be included in a musical instrument. I know that there are digital signal processors that add synthetic sub-harmonics to bass signals to use for recordings and even live sound reinforcement systems to enhance the bass components of the overall mix, but most noticeable in the bass drum and electric bass guitar- both critical in dance music.

[@chrisnagorka2776]

We share the same first and last name and yes subscription show up in my email 😁

[@cnagorka]

That's hilarious...my brother's name is Mike and there are a lot of Mike Nagorkas, but I didn't know there was another Chris out there.

[@chrisnagorka2776]

@@cnagorka well my polish name is Krzysztof . So I'm assuming you have polish roots? I'm leaving in Canada right now.

[@chosendhj1]

You guys are so awesome for this!!!!!! Thank You!!!! Ive always wondered and was curious what happens on the business end of the original famous 8htz 64' Pedal "Sub"!! EARTH SHAKER!! I'm over here cheering like my favorite team scored a touch down.. BOTH HANDS UP!!

[@chrisnagorka5199]

You win for the best comment

[@adam207321]

7:40 the neighbour starting their vintage chopper bike

[@homerohomero5563]

7:40 Holy crap! I'm using headphones and that scared me...!! :)

[@cnagorka]

I guess I did my job then ;)

[@AndreasDelleske]

Most amplifiers won’t catch up on anything below 30 Hz I guess. That would be closer to DC technology :) coupling condensers are not that big.

[@boobird341471]

Same here!!! I almost fell out of my chair.

[@RatPfink66]

Hell's own racket starts at 7:41. The trash bag taped to the mouth of the low C pipe actually keeps vibrating with the air after the sound stops.

[@scottcupp8129]

It's insanely amazing!

[@FOH3663]

Resonating

[@lancemollusk150]

@@scottcupp8129 Amazingly insane, too!

[@amitraam1270]

Great demonstration or reflecting wave due to impedance change (of the open air).

[@bobareebop]

Considering what this organ has been through with decades of deterioration, the pipework in this chamber appears to be in good shape, at least visually.

[@blu4r414]

Its being restored at the time

[@KingdaToro]

This particular chamber has always been kept playable, even when the budget didn't allow for maintenance of the others. It's right next to the organ shop, hasn't had any issues with water leaks or damage by construction workers, and contains the two most famous stops, this one and the Grand Ophicleide.

[@princeedmirovillar8044]

The pipes were never flooded, only the mechanism that makes the pipes "speak"

[@simonkissel4790]

sounds like a Helikopter 🚁

[@Charles-Reardon]

7:40 is what your lookin for

[@HenrikBergpianorganist]

I laughed out loud when that pipe started playing!!!

[@gamegeekx]

I always think MONSTER GIANT scary looking pipes are very fascinating. So scary. 1:49. Put on slow speed.

[@SingerGuy59]

I am at the end of my career and approaching retirement, so a little too late to switch jobs. Watching this and other videos about Boardwalk Hall and other grand organs I have performed with, I find myself wishing I had known about organ technicians in my youth and had spent my professional life maintaining such grand instruments as these are. Imagine the joy in keeping a classical organ functional for future generations to enjoy!

[@jdmitchell6559]

Thank you for doing this. It is really inspirational. I'm an organist and I've been in a few organ lofts, but this is something else - it just oozes quality - the pipework, spacious walkways, varnished woodwork, swell shutters and the view of the auditorium through the grilles are awesome.

[@chrisnagorka5199]

Thanks for watching; I notice an uptick in the number of people viewing these videos...I think people are traveling virtually and they're visiting this organ!

[@menialharpsichordist553]

unfortunately a majority of the organ was either completely destroyed unable to be restored due to asbestos and mold or electrified but imagine it in it's prime!

[@MrQwint22]

There is something admirably absurd about a monstrously huge instrument that plays notes below human hearing range.

[@OrganMusicYT]

I have noticed numerous comments here stating that the stop is unmusical. Its purpose is not to be musical, but rather to support the ensemble. It is not really audible through headphones or speakers, only harmonics are heard. The true sound of the pipe is beyond the capabilities of most electronic sound systems and even human hearing. This stop is more about being felt in the room rather than heard.

[@garfixit]

THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!

[@jank-official]

This ladder labryinth is like playing Donkey Kong in real life. LOVE THIS VIDEO

[@cnagorka]

Great comparison!

[@norbertleichtle6595]

what a stop! very impressive! Can you record how this stop speaks into the great hall? I suppose it will shake loose al screws of the entire building LOL Thanks very much for this experience!

[@BRadfrommalibu74]

It is felt more than heard. The frequency on a pipe that big is only 8hz, which is subsonic to us.

[@scottsmith2052]

New Jersey native here. I last saw this organ back in the 1990's when the all state band and New Jersey Education Association convention were still held at the old Convention Hall. It was completely non-functional, but even seeing the console up close was a mind bending experience for a young person. I get such a kick out of seeing this instrument coming back to life.

[@chrisnagorka5199]

I saw the organ in October of 1992 and part of it was going but it sounded like an abandoned calliope.

[@Folboi]

7:42 sounds like a drum beating lol

[@debim2013]

7:41 starts playing

[@PointyTailofSatan]

A tuning slide the size of a doormat! lol

[@ModernPilgrimArt]

Aren't there two stops that play off these resonators (1 flue, 1 reed)? Would have been interesting to hear the other one too

[@principals16842]

Initially there were plans to have two boots for each resonator, a diaphone boot (as seen here) and a reed boot (hence the name 'Diaphone-Dulzian'), but those plans were scrapped after some testing. I'd love to know more about those tests and what dissuaded them from proceeding, though!

[@jameslouder]

@@principals16842 Though I have no hands-on experience of diaphone organ pipes, my long experience as an organbuilder and voicer brings some educated guesses. (1) They couldn't get both to work at the same pressure. There may simply have been no room for separate supplies. (2) The valve that was supposed to switch from one boot to the other was an acoustic obstacle to one or both. (3) They couldn't both be tuned at the same resonator-length. (4) It might simply not have been possible to get the reed to speak fast enough to be of any use; or that it proved impossible to voice for some (many) other reason(s).

[@iizvullok]

But does it djent?

[@scottcupp8129]

@7:42. Oh MY GOD!!!!! That is insane! I literally JUMPED!

[@jimanianortonified7015]

Giant pipe says: hello! I’m not a building pier, I’m a badass deep rumbly!

[@forrestcreek1598]

That was loud! I am wearing earphones and it about blew me out of my chair! Thanks for showing us that huge pipe. For some reason I thought it would be the opposite and be a very muffled tone by the time it reached the top of the pipe. Boy, was I surprised!

[@TurtleFL]

That's basically how horns work -- they amplify the wave through resonances. The pipe is a very long horn shape.

[@jean-ericguindon1853]

This is the 8th marvel of the world !

[@enoffz8021]

Sounds like a percussion instrument.

[@curtismass1014]

Wow that was cool

[@manga12]

its not a beater box its called the pallet I have been told and its a diaphone pipe not unlike the concept of the foghorn the diaphone created by robert hope jones also the inventer of the symphonic organ

[@OrganMusicYT]

It's well established that it's a Diaphone, it was invented by Hope Jones. It's called a beater box because that's where the Diaphone beater is - it beats against the opening.

[@manga12]

@@OrganMusicYT thats the beater part is what is referred to as the pallet,

[@kingofsludge7262]

This is really neat, thank you so much for showing us! :)

[@lordford12]

Dude thank u for this. My God I've been wanting to see this and boom here it is. This video is legit. Tour the rest hahaha

[@chrisnagorka5199]

Keep tuned the for the rest, it may take a few years but I'll get there

[@WouterTukker]

Quite honestly, the full-length 64´ Trombone of the Town Hall organ in Sydney has an even more impressive sound (I guess any such garbage bag would be torn to pieces there for after all, this is "just" a Dulcian). Yet I cannot wait to hear this organ restored to its former glory and filling the Boardwalk Hall with waves of sound, because when we´re talking organs, size DOES matter 🙂

[@tommorris3688]

Think of all the work created tuning such a large pipe organ ! What's the point of such a large organ when there are homeless people in the USA ? Surely a 32' rank for pedals is sufficient !?

[@dalerider3124]

THANKS, CHRIS !!!! Fantastic!! Would love to hear that pipe in context with a full organ plenum (for pitch understanding).

[@hardmuscl4life]

Well done. You’ve earned a new subscriber with that effort. Very interesting and entertaining indeed.

[@chrisnagorka5199]

Thanks