A History of Innovation

1958
• Founding of Rodgers with introduction of world’s FIRST all-transistorized electronic organ.

1960’s
• First Single Contact keying system
• First magnetic keying system still used in Rodgers pedal-boards today
• First Transistorized organ amplifiers
• First magnetic action drawknobs
• First reliable pipe/electronic combination organ
• First computer-type programmable organ capture system (US patent #3,497,714)

1970's
• First lighted drawknobs for organ
• First serial-keyed microprocessor-controlled organ system (US patent #4,393,741)
• First 5-manual electronic organ installed in Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
• First touring organ built for renowned organist, Virgil Fox

1980's
• First user-programmable Tutti & Crescendo
• First user-programmable Bass & Melody Coupler functions
• First electronic organ consoles pre-programmed for later pipe additions
• First organ self-diagnostic test programs
• First Celeste Transfer function
• First MIDI-equipped church organ
• First user programmable stop level controls
• First LED organ stop tablets
• First all-pipe organ built (5 manuals 194 ranks)

1990’s
• Parallel Digital Imaging technology introduced (US patent #4622878)
• First note-by-note, on-site voicing for a digital organ
• First (and still only) stereo bi-amplified organ
• First digital organ offering stereo imaging of sound on a note-by-note basis (only one on the market)
• First organ company to offer MIDI as a standard feature on all of its models
• First digital dynamic wind system (US Patent)
• First church organ to offer velocity-sensing keyboards for MIDI (standard feature on all models)
• First organ system to support General MIDI and GS format
• First organ system to provide LSB bank select for connecting with advanced MIDI devices
• First digital organ company to reach the “3000 mark” for pipe installations world-wide

2000’s
• Rodgers Trillium™ and Trillium Masterpiece™ organs introduced
• First digital organs utilizing Smart Card™ technology
• First organs equipped with RSS™ surround ambience technology
• First digital organs with Quick Menu™ and utilizing iconography in menu display
• First wood-core keyboards offering velocity-sensing for MIDI
• Rodgers Allegiant™ organs introduced
• First organs with on-board tone name display for an external MIDI sound module
• First “on-line” custom-designed digital organs (Rodgers Organ Architect™)
• First digital organ company to reach the “4000 mark” for pipe installations world-wide