Mellotron

[46346]

last night my buddy and I went to see the only tribute band we've ever thought to see -

the keyboardist played a real mellotron, allegedly using the actual tapes from the Genesis 70's rig.
they performed The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, just as Genesis had staged it in what, 1974.

we are both guitarists who balk at modern keyboard sounds, but we were completely enchanted by the Mellotron - it was truly haunting!

the band is called The Musical Box, they tour worldwide. if you are at all interested in this music I highly recommend this show!! they have all the original projections and costumes and instruments. so rad!!

[redchapterjubilee]

I've only seen a real mellotron out in the wild twice. In 1999 I saw a Seattle artist Josh White play with a guy who provided Mellotron strings live from an M400. I was completely geeked out over it. Then a year later I discovered that Jupiter Studio in Seattle also had one (theirs was painted blue). By the time I was in there with a band that could have taken a Mellotron overdub Jupiter had sold it. I lamented the sale to the studio owner and he said he danced when it left because it was broken more than it worked.

I love Mellotron sounds and my electronic music is chock full of it. At first I used an Emu Vintage Keys module. The strings and flute were perfect, but their brass and choir sounds weren't quite right. I've used some of the KVR free plug-ins and those kinda get there but still not exactly right. I had a nice Reason refill for Mellotron but it still wasn't right. I finally bought G-Media's M-Tron and that pretty much nailed it for me.

[Smorgy]

love me some mellotron
all i want to know is why this is a related video haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYZkFOZo ... sponse_rev

[Janglemaster76]

A good friend purchased one of the brand new ones from this guy for his studio we record in:
http://www.mellotron.com/prices.htm he got the classic white one shipped in a flight case. it was quite strange playing a 100% brand new Mellotron...we used the female choir on an outro and a single bassoon note at the very end of a song haha...very dramatic...If im not mistaken then chocolate brown one was made for Oasis, I have also seen a clear blue lucite one!...Honestly though, if i had the cash I would get the digital one, when i was changing out the tape cartridge it made me very nervous, it reminds me of whale baleen

[dinosaurkale->]

a friend of mine has one though ive never seen it or played it..he used it on his most recent record

[Krayuns]

I have to bring this thread up again, currently listening to Air's The Virgin Suicides soundtrack, and it contains some of the best mellotron playing I have ever heard. The 'tron is all over it. Highly recommended.

And one more thing: The digital mellotron looks awesome. Something I'd love to own someday. http://mellotron.com/digital-mellotron.html

EDIT: Found a mellotron documentary called Mellodrama while browsing eBay a while back. Highly recommended, contains lots of really cool footage and background info.

[MrFingers]

I have this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8sS32ATwvI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sounds close enough!

[tonewoods]

I owned a Chamberlin for years and years, and finally sold it about 4-5 years ago...
It was just getting too difficult to maintain...

Got an Alesis Fusion, packed it full of the Mike Pinder 'Tron/Chamberlin samples, and never looked back...

It's my stand-alone 'Tron, and I love it dearly...

[Krayuns]

I have this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8sS32ATwvI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sounds close enough!

Cool! I just love the thought of having a stand-alone Mellotron packed with every sound, and that they are all mixable. That, and the fact that it looks really cool. Would definitely spruce up my living room.

[paperhouse]

The first King Crimson album has awesome mellotron all over it.



I want one. So bad.

[Elm]

Just saw this thread.

my neighbour's got a mellotron.
Just got to know him some days ago and haven't seen it yet, but he really seems to be a mellotron nerd (he wrote his diploma work about mellotron's history 'n stuff..)

[Johnny V]

Just saw this thread.

my neighbour's got a mellotron.
Just got to know him some days ago and haven't seen it yet, but he really seems to be a mellotron nerd (he wrote his diploma work about mellotron's history 'n stuff..)

You should definitely go check that out; they're a lot of fun to play. I've had the good fortune to lay hands on a few of them. With all the samples of the full tape lengths out there, there's probably not much cause for having the real thing, but they've got a real vibe to them. Sounds are a little played out at this point, though. Would be cool to record some new tape banks for them, but talk about a niche market.

[ultraboreal]

I bought a Mellotron M400 6 month ago. It was one of my childhood dream, never thought I'd be able to get one and I have one

It's one from 1972 fully restored by Mellotron guru Klaus Hoffmann. I live in Belgium but not too far from Klaus house, just a bit less than 3 hours driving from my home. I reserved it to Klaus when he was rebuilding it and after a couple of month it was ready for me
I didn't want to buy a vintage mellotron as parts are more than expensive... I was lucky to be in contact with Klaus and get one fully restored with new tapes for a fair price: 3000 euros.



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[electric12]

That's a lovely Mellotron! Congratulations.

I've also lusted after one for decades, but the prices are just too much for me to justify as a guitarist! Maybe one day though...

[MrFingers]

Belgium you say? I think I'll come over and record some parts