Mellotron
- Dale
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Mellotron
I've always loved this vintage keyboard instrument called the Mellotron. I got to spend a couple of hours playing one in the late 1970s, courtesy of a friend who had keys to a recording studio. For those of you who don't know, before digital synthesizers and samplers, this keyboard actually played audio tapes of acoustic instruments, choirs, and so on. Wonderful sounds but a notoriously unwieldy and unreliable instrument. It's the instrument you hear in the flute-sound introduction to Strawberry Fields. It's heyday was the prog rock era and it was used extensively by Yes, Genesis, Moody Blues, The Strawbs, and that crowd. I recently ordered a new software emulation of the instrument that's supposed to be dead-on.
Here's a cool video....a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the mysterious Mellotron. Be sure to note the tape movement in the last seconds of the clip.
http://www.gearwire.com/mellotron-exposed.html
Pop quiz, dedicated to Peter Laban: After listening to the video, what does a Mellotron and Generation whistle have in common?
Here's a cool video....a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the mysterious Mellotron. Be sure to note the tape movement in the last seconds of the clip.
http://www.gearwire.com/mellotron-exposed.html
Pop quiz, dedicated to Peter Laban: After listening to the video, what does a Mellotron and Generation whistle have in common?
- Nanohedron
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- Tell us something.: Been a fluter, citternist, and uilleann piper; committed now to the way of the harp.
Oh, yeah: also a mod here, not a spammer. A matter of opinion, perhaps. - Location: Lefse country
Re: Mellotron
I'm still waiting for the vid to load, but I'll hazard sticking poster putty in it.Dale wrote:Pop quiz, dedicated to Peter Laban: After listening to the video, what does a Mellotron and Generation whistle have in common?
Edit: Only one out of every hundred Mellotrons would sound good? No way. A good player can can make it sound good.
Re-edit: And Mellotrons sound chiffy.
The uilleann pipes came immediately and most forcefully to mind.Dale wrote:Wonderful sounds but a notoriously unwieldy and unreliable instrument.
Last edited by Nanohedron on Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Balochi musician
- Dale
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There's a video here
http://www.kleonard.com/mellotron/vt0704/mooatron.htm
the last half of which is a guy playing "NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN" on Larry Fast's M400 Mellotron. Poor video quality, sadly.
http://www.kleonard.com/mellotron/vt0704/mooatron.htm
the last half of which is a guy playing "NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN" on Larry Fast's M400 Mellotron. Poor video quality, sadly.
- djm
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Yes, there's nothing quite like the squooshing sound of a melontron.
djm
djm
Last edited by djm on Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'd rather be atop the foothills than beneath them.
- raindog1970
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If you've got a MIDI keyboard and a cable to connect it to your computer, GMEDIA Music's <A HREF="http://www.gmediamusic.com/gforce/m-tro ... >M-Tron</A> is loads of fun.
Regards,
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
- mutepointe
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that was hysterical. i swear, i saw dinosaur droppings down in the cabinet.
my grandfather immigated from czechoslovakia in the 1880's and he lived to be 103. he went from nothing, to electricity, indoor plumbing, and watching i love lucy on tv. that was his absolute favorite. he always wondered what was going to happen next. i'm starting to wonder too.
my grandfather immigated from czechoslovakia in the 1880's and he lived to be 103. he went from nothing, to electricity, indoor plumbing, and watching i love lucy on tv. that was his absolute favorite. he always wondered what was going to happen next. i'm starting to wonder too.
Rose tint my world. Keep me safe from my trouble and pain.
白飞梦
白飞梦
- Dale
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Yeah. That's what I ordered!raindog1970 wrote:If you've got a MIDI keyboard and a cable to connect it to your computer, GMEDIA Music's <A HREF="http://www.gmediamusic.com/gforce/m-tro ... >M-Tron</A> is loads of fun.
- raindog1970
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I've never had the opportunity to play a real Mellotron, but M-Tron is more fun than any other virtual instrument I've ever tried.Dale wrote:Yeah. That's what I ordered!raindog1970 wrote:If you've got a MIDI keyboard and a cable to connect it to your computer, GMEDIA Music's <A HREF="http://www.gmediamusic.com/gforce/m-tro ... >M-Tron</A> is loads of fun.
Your keyboard is split between the right hand for the lead instrument and left hand for rhythms and backgrounds.
There are also three additional volumes of 'tape banks' available, and you're going to want those too!
Regards,
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
Gary Humphrey
♪♣♫Humphrey Whistles♫♣♪
[Raindogs] The ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants. – Tom Waits
- Dale
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Actually, in the latest version, all the tape banks are included.raindog1970 wrote:I've never had the opportunity to play a real Mellotron, but M-Tron is more fun than any other virtual instrument I've ever tried.Dale wrote:Yeah. That's what I ordered!raindog1970 wrote:If you've got a MIDI keyboard and a cable to connect it to your computer, GMEDIA Music's <A HREF="http://www.gmediamusic.com/gforce/m-tro ... >M-Tron</A> is loads of fun.
Your keyboard is split between the right hand for the lead instrument and left hand for rhythms and backgrounds.
There are also three additional volumes of 'tape banks' available, and you're going to want those too!
- Dominic Allan
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We recorded a song for our myspace page using software called "tapeworm"
Hopefully this will appear as a link...[url=http://www.myspace.com/domandwoody]
The song is Mr Resentful melotron mix.
Hopefully this will appear as a link...[url=http://www.myspace.com/domandwoody]
The song is Mr Resentful melotron mix.
I make flutes - http://www.djallan.co.uk/page4.htm
- Dominic Allan
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The song in question is now at myspace.com/clingfish
We intend to add some more later in the year.
We intend to add some more later in the year.
I make flutes - http://www.djallan.co.uk/page4.htm
- buddhu
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Had a go on a mellotron many years ago. what struck me was the slight delay between keying a note and the tone sounding. Felt a wee bit odd.
Been used on some great tracks though.
Been used on some great tracks though.
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.