Introduction

The organ console is the control center of the organ. The main controls available to the organist are stops and keys. A stop, such as a flute, activates a rank (set) of flute pipes.

In order for a pipe to sound, two things must happen:

• a STOP on the Great, Swell, or Pedal division must be pulled (engaged), and
• a KEY must be played on that particular manual or pedal division.

Let's say that you want to play middle C on a flute stop in the Great. You need to pull the flute stop on the Great, and then play middle C on the Great (the lowest manual on a two-manual organ). In other words, when the stop is pulled and the key is depressed, a valve underneath the middle C pipe opens, allowing air into the pipe.