Organist’s Guide
Your Artistry. Their Ministry. Your Business.
A practical guide to building a MIDI recording practice that brings your performances to churches in need—even when you can’t be there in person.
Thousands of Organs Sit Silent
Every Sunday
Across the country, beautiful pipe organs and quality digital instruments go unplayed week after week. The reason isn’t a lack of love for organ music—it’s a shortage of organists. Churches that once had thriving music programs are turning to recorded tracks or going without music entirely.
You have something these churches desperately need: the skill to bring their instrument to life. With WatsonMIDI, your performances aren’t just heard once and forgotten. They’re captured as MIDI recordings that play back through the church’s own organ—every stop, every expression pedal movement, every nuance of your interpretation—exactly as you performed it.
This guide will help you turn that opportunity into a sustainable practice.
Live Is Always the Gold Standard
Nothing replaces you at the console. Set your live rate as your premium offering, and let WatsonMIDI extend your reach to churches that need you in between.
Scale Without Compromise
You can only be in one place on Sunday morning. Your WatsonMIDI recordings can play at several churches simultaneously—each on its own organ, with your artistry intact.
Your Work, Your Terms
Military-grade AES-256 encryption, play limits, and DRM protection. You control how your recordings are used, shared, and compensated.
“Most musicians spend years perfecting their craft at the console. But finding the churches that need you, setting your rates, and protecting your work—that’s a different skill set entirely.
This guide helps you bridge that gap.”
— The Organist’s Business Guide by WatsonMIDI
Everything You Need to Get Started
The guide covers the business side so you can focus on what you do best—making music.
Finding Churches in Need
Where to look, how to approach them, and a sample introduction email you can adapt and send today.
Setting Your Rates
Live performance rates vs. virtual organist rates, service tier suggestions, and pricing guidance for everything from a single hymn to a full hymnal.
Technical Assessment
How to evaluate a church’s MIDI setup, what equipment they’ll need, and what to bring to your first visit.
The Demonstration Visit
A step-by-step walkthrough for your first visit, including recording a hymn on the spot for that immediate “wow moment.”
Protecting Your Work
When to use Keep Forever vs. limited plays, how to handle IP discussions, and what to put in writing.
Growing Your Practice
Client retention, referral strategies, multi-church management, and building your reputation as a recording organist.
Experienced Organists Ready to
Expand Their Reach
You already have the musicianship. This guide helps you share it with churches that need you.
Church Organists
You play at one church but could serve others in the area with your recordings during the week.
Freelance Musicians
You substitute regularly and want to turn those relationships into a steady recording practice.
Concert Organists
You want to share performances with venues on your terms, with full control over how they’re used.
Retired Organists
Your playing years aren’t over. Record your artistry and let it serve congregations for years to come.
The Organist’s Business Guide
A comprehensive guide to building a MIDI recording practice with WatsonMIDI. Practical pricing guidance, outreach templates, technical checklists, and everything you need to get started.
Download the Guide (PDF)