Greetings To The Rodgers World!
Being the proud owner of an ill 990, projects like this always grab my
attention. In this case I have valuable information to share from Rodgers
technical support.
Last year, before getting my 990 I spent a great deal of time on You Tube
watching all of the Rodgers videos I could find; there aren't many. One of the
videos I came across was a detailed explanation about the new Rodgers Tonal
Revolution Technology. This particular video focused on how this technology
was at that time being adapted as a drop in replacement for older Rodgers
consoles, especially the analog chassis! Wow I was excited. So even if my
coming, in the future 990 had issues I would be able to bring it into the
modern era. I was excited, because part of my love with this 990 is the
beauty of its console.
Fast forward to this year, and the day when I finally get the movers to bring
the beast from its church home, where it had been sleeping since my colleague
played it for the last Mass. The organ arrives at my home, and I have no
functioning stops. They worked before we left church, but now they do not.
(Frown)
I remembered the Tonal Revolution upgrade video I had seen the year before, so
I phoned Rodgers Technical Support. Despite the fact that I am not a
professional organ tech. they have always been very kind, and willing to
answer a question, or two.
I explained my situation to the fellow, and told him I was interested in what
was involved in performing the Tonal Revolution Upgrade to my 990. His
response was that there was no such upgrade available. I explained that I knew
it existed, I had seen the video! (Afterall if you see it on the Internet, it
must be true)(wink) There was dead silence on the other end if the phone. He
then told me what I was asking about was true in a theoretical sense. He told
me that Roland had sold Rodgers, and that all things Tonal Revolution had been
Roland property. Roland did have a plan to adapt the Tonal Revolution platform
to the older consoles, including the analog units, but the video I had seen was
nothing more than an advance marketing tool designed to guage interest in the
product, and no real practical application product existed, and since the sale
of the company, he said it probably never would. (Frown)
To satisfy my own curiosity I went in search of the video I had seen. Guess
what, it no longer is out there.
In summary, once upon a time there was a dream, and a glimmer of hope for
something really cool, but now it is gone.
Kind regards,
Admiral "Coluch."
Dayton, Oh
