Evolving the Digital Organ
The evolution of the organ has not been a rapid process, instead it has grown and changed over time thanks to societal tastes and technological limitations throughout the formation of today’s Western Civilization. This gradual, relatively unchanged evolution took a massive spike as technology allowed for digital elements to be included in the classic pipe organ in the mid-to-late 19th century. In spite of that massive and sudden jump, few true changes have been made to the digital organ since the 1970s. We at Viscount International are looking to change that.
Physis®, our physical modelling marvel
No innovation is ever easy, and the cost of true evolution is usually high. This is the case with our Physis system, which is the result of ten years of research and development, a $10,000,000 investment, and the cooperation of three universities. Thanks to this massive effort, Viscount has created a system that allows for the creation of a dream instrument that provides a thrilling experience to empower today’s organist. The Physis system allows traditionally flat, one-dimensional digital organs to reach the levels of playability and unique pipe “voicing” historically reserved for large-scale, properly-tuned pipe organs. To say that this is one of the largest technological jumps in the history of the digital organ is an understatement.
The science behind the evolution
Physis® technology recreates the sound of a pipe organ through computer code, and requires a breathtaking 24 billion calculations per second to do so. It uses what we lovingly refer to as physically modeled sound, which works in the same way a physically modeled movie creates an ever-changing picture; Physis® creates a three-dimensional acoustic image of thousands of pipes simultaneously. Through the use of complex, internationally-patented algorithms, Physis® calculates the physics of a flue, reed or bourdon pipe. The result is essentially a living organ, changing in real-time, resembling any organ the player prefers. Our one true goal throughout the creation of the Physis system was to re-create the “spaciousness” that organists cite when playing a genuine pipe organ within a hybrid or digital organ. We wanted it to feel real, and by all accounts, we have succeeded in doing just that.
Get yours today
Viscount International is proud to officially bring the Physis® system to the United States through our UNICO, SONUS and Ouverture series digital organs. Get in touch with a regional sales representative near you today to learn more about the difference that a truly well-designed musical organ can make.
The Unico series is a line of classic organs developed with Physis® physical modeling technology, entirely designed and patented by Viscount’s Italian research facilities. With this new approach, based on physical modeling of the pipe organ, you will enjoy the most faithful and malleable sound on the market today.
Thanks to accurate audio reproduction and powerful reverberation effects, Viscount has transferred the magnificence of a large pipe organ into the convenience of a compact instrument.
The Unico series has a rich library of customizable settings and parameters which allows you to select, assign and store hundreds of additional registers. Features are easy to access through a discrete backlit main control display.
The SONUS series is a line of classical organs developed with exclusive Physis® technology - designed and patented by Viscount’s laboratories. Based on modeling the physical phenomena involved in pipe organ sound generation, the sound generated is incredibly authentic.
On top of Physis® sound generation technology, we have designed a revolutionary new audio system called RAR (Real Audio Rendering). Thanks to RAR technology, you can totally manage the impression of three-dimensional space in which the instrument is placed – from the smallest room, all the way up to a large cathedral setting. The new Viscount RAR (Real Audio Rendering) technology represents a significant step forward in terms of definition, spatiality and body of the sound, which is the most authentic way yet to create that magical effect of the most important organ stop – ‘the ambience’. Sitting at the console of the new Viscount Sonus, you will experience the most realistic impression of the instrument and its setting available from any digital organ you may care to play.
The OUVERTURE is an organ with 3 keyboards, complete pedalboard and 55 registers - each of which can select hundreds of organ and orchestra voices. There is also an orchestra register for every section of the organ which can be selected from the numerous options available.
The organ comes with 8 organ styles (4 fixed and 4 programmable) that allow the organist to create and store an infinite number of combinations, either in the 128 internal memory locations or externally via USB memory. The parameter settings are easily accessible through the graphic display on the front panel. The “Tracker Action” style keyboard accurately detects touch by obtaining the speed of actuation of the keys, making it possible to feel a "Tracker Touch" effect, i.e .the correlation between the "touch" of the organist and the transient attack of each virtual pipe.
Developed with the award-winning and patented Physis® physical modeling technology, which reproduces the physical phenomena involved in the sound generation of the pipe organ, the Ouverture is capable of generating the highest-fidelity, most authentic church organ sound.
Chorum instruments faithfully reproduce the sounds of a pipe organ with proprietary ARTEM technology (Advanced Real TEchnology Music) designed by Viscount's Research and Development labs in Italy.
The richness and beauty of stops are enhanced by an accurate reverberation system, able to recreate a great variety of acoustic environments, from a small chapel to the largest cathedral.
Chorum organs are highly functional, yet simple to use; you can store a large selection of memories and recall your stop combinations.
Unico Collection
Our flagship Viscount organ line powered by our patented Physis® (Physical Modeling) Technology.
Chorum Collection
Our sampled-sound based Viscount organ that beats all others in price & value for the money.
