During the tuning process, each pipe is given its own characteristic voice, in accordance with the scope of the register and the acoustics of the church in which the organ is located. The experts at Orgelbau Krawinkel ensure that each pipe speaks precisely and produces a clear, full sound.

Before the work of tuning or voicing the organ pipes can begin, there are a number of issues which must first be considered.

Crucial factors include not only the size and acoustics of the church, but also the overall tonal concept of the instrument.

The first and all-important question when considering the sound concept of an organ is whether the organ has been newly built, or whether it is an historic instrument which is to be revoiced.

When tuning new instruments, our craftsmen are guided by the expertise of the old masters. The key factors influencing the tuning of an organ are the individual scaling of the pipes and the intonation of the instrument to respond to the acoustics in situ.

The concept behind the intonation of our newly-built organs is based on open voicing using a central bellows and gentle air pressure.

When the sound of an historic organ is to be recreated, a considerable amount of advance research is necessary. One of the first steps in determining the original sound characteristics is to compare other existing instruments made by the same old master.

The intonator at Orgelbau Krawinkel also looks at the organ in terms of its historical and musical background and calls upon his long years of experience in order to recreate the authentic historical sound of the instrument.

We cater for all voicing requirements, including not only equal temperament, but also various historical temperaments – with or without modification – depending on the overall construction of the instrument.

This is an additional way of ensuring that each organ has its own individual sound profile.