Tradeoffs/Options
General
Some improvements I want to make going forward include:
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route the wires with wire clips and add a back cover
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add a power strip with a remote control that can be mounted somewhere on the front of the organ
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add a light over the foot pedals controlled by the power strip (right now I have a battery operated light) (DONE!)
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others TBD
Keyboards
For my final selection for keyboards, I selected the Alesis Q61 (no longer manufactured). It was commercially available with built-in midi. It was primarily a midi controller and did not have pads or controls across the top. This made it stackable. Adding an expression pedal input was easy to do. Some say the feel is not the same as a true organ. I have not experience any significant issues with the Q61's.
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There are similar keyboards available (e.g., m-audio Keystation) as well as organ style with midi.
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Adding a 3rd keyboard is easy with minimal modification to the cabinet, primarily moving the music rack up.
Pedalboard
Several tradeoffs for the pedalboard. AGO vs non-AGO. What is your application? Ready to go or homebuilt? Reed Switches vs Hall Switches.
Computer
The tradeoff here is a windows PC vs the Apple Mac. The Hauptwerk Manual states "we particularly recommend the current range of Apple Macs since we have found them to perform outstandingly well with Hauptwerk, to be very simple to set up and use, and also to be very reliable and robust for use with audio and MIDI in general, while being reasonably-priced for their quality and performance".
I had been a MacBook user, so my choice was a no-brainer. My current computer is a 17" MacBook Pro with 16 GB Memory and 500 GB SSD currently running Mac OS Sierra (10.13). Catalina is a few weeks from now. I connect the audio either to an RF wireless headphone or an amplifier/speaker built into the organ. I have had no performance problems with any of the Hauptwerk organ sets I own.
Console
After stripping out the Baldwin, I came up with an initial design where I kept the top cover panel and added a slanted panel that could house stops and pistons. I decided to go the touchscreen route and came up with my current design using project boards from Home Depot. It keeps the music rack, computer, and monitor at a lower level. I used self-adhesive vinyl film to cover the visible parts of the console rather than attempting to use stain. I was unable to find a match to the original stain.
I increased the size of the expression pedal opening to accommodate 2 pedals. I added the wood trim pieces along both sides of the keyboards.
Audio
I initially used a stereo receiver with Bose Bookshelf speakers and a Yamaha Subwoofer installed inside the cabinet. I later replaced the receiver with a mini-amplifier.
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Being a home application installed in an apartment, the audio is sufficient. If I were in a home with a big organ room, I might opt for a surround-channel system.
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In selecting headphones, wired headphones are awkward to use while playing. Bluetooth headphones have way too much latency. I find the RF wireless (900 MHx or greater) sound great over the overall frequency range. My current RF wireless headphones have a 40 mm driver. I think using a 50 mm driver will improve the low frequency response.
Organ Control
The tradeoff here is to use hardware pistons and stops vs a touchscreen monitor. Incorporating hardware controls will limit the organ to one or two sample sets.
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Unfortunately, touchscreen monitors for Mac computers are generally unavailable. Several approaches are available, namely Keytec/Tyco Touch monitors and overlays. I tried a Keytec 17" Monitor several years ago. At that time it was not compatible with the latest Mac OS. Since Tyco Touch took over Keytec, their monitors may now be compatible. I have recently seen other Mac compatible touchscreen monitors.
However, there are several Apps that can add a touchscreen interface using an iPad. While the screen size is small, it is workable in my situation.
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MIDI Designer Pro for iPad allows creating and programming buttons, controls and custom functions not avaialable in Hauptwerk.. It provides a MIDI send and receive interface to/from your computer. It can be used with either Windows or Mac OS. It supports 2 iPads (e.g., Left Jamb and Right Jamb).
Designs can be developed for different organs. I have created working designs for St. Anne's Moseley, Schantz Chapel, and Friesach organ sets using a Basic License.
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Luna Display transforms an iPad into a second, touchscreen display for your Mac. It adapts to all sample sets. The resulting controls are too small to use effectively while playing.