Ok, now this is just about the coolest thing ever

Mon Rominee · #1 10-17-2005, 09:34 AM

Anyone into the Beatles, and classics like "Strawberry Fields" recalls the openning Mellotron melody being played at the beginning. Well, if you want to recreate that authentically, you're stuck, as you can't just go out and buy a Mellotron, as few exist, and are insanely expensive to own, let alone service and all that.

Well, take a look at what one enterprising guy did as a solution. Simply awesome. And the thing is you and I could prolly make one, since the page is so informative.

I give you the Melloman! http://mysterycircuits.com/melloman/melloman.html

Bruce Lindfield · #2 10-17-2005, 09:56 AM

I bet it sounds horrible though!!

Cassette tape stretches and sound quality deteriorates pretty quickly when used continuously - I'd like to bet it would sound very low-fi and out of tune after a few weeks' use!!

Original mellotrons are rare because , although they used very high quality components - they also wore badly and were often out of tune.

You would be much better off getting a cheap keyboard sampler and just sampling the mellotron sounds you like off CD!!

Mon Rominee · #3 10-17-2005, 10:00 AM

Bruce stop being a ninny (I'm kidding). It was a tinkerer DIY project that turned out well for its intent. Did you listen to the samples? They sound pretty damn good. And the originals used tapes too, right? High quality components or not, I'll bet the bank tape made today holds up better than tape of yore. And not for nothing, but "Strawberry Fields" intro is far from Hi-Fi.

The guy wanted to try and emulate the real deal, and in effect he totally did, without straying too far off the original design intents. IF it goes out of tune in a week, it'll still be just like the original.

EDIT: if ANYONE wants to rid themselves of an old tape walkman, PM me, for I am going to build one. And sample bass guitar stuff. And I'll use heavy duty chrome tape.

SuperDuck · #4 10-17-2005, 10:08 AM

That's awesome!

Bruce Lindfield · #5 10-17-2005, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

And the originals used tapes too, right? High quality components or not, I'll bet the bank tape made today holds up better than tape of yore.

Nope - the mellotron used very thick, high quality tapes - walkman tapes won't last 5 minutes of continuous use - and why bother - digital samplers can do eth job far better - total waste of time!!

Tony Visconti - who was Bowie's producer has sampled many mellotrons and produces digital samples to get the same sound from recordings made with mellotrons.

Mon Rominee · #6 10-17-2005, 10:18 AM

Bruce, I sure hope there's at least a hint of humor in your reply. If not, did you read that his samples came from digital samples too? Can't you just accept the charm in it, and applaud the everyman tinkerer solution for what it is? OF COURSE you can get a sampler and digital-pristine playback, but you are entirely missing the point.

I can't imagine this was ever an attempt to make a "better Mellotron", because it simply isn't. But barring that, it's a pretty cool little toy that is in keeping with the original in concept, yet done using modern stuff on the cheap, in a "just because" kind of spirit.

criminy!

Bruce Lindfield · #7 10-17-2005, 10:26 AM

Nope - it's a complete waste of time!

Matt Till · #8 10-17-2005, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

Nope - it's a complete waste of time!

Agreed. This is elaborate and fun to look at, and is beyond anything I could ever do... probably ever. But there is no point to using cassette tapes.

Lowtonejoe · #9 10-17-2005, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

Bruce, I sure hope there's at least a hint of humor in your reply. If not, did you read that his samples came from digital samples too? Can't you just accept the charm in it, and applaud the everyman tinkerer solution for what it is? OF COURSE you can get a sampler and digital-pristine playback, but you are entirely missing the point.

I can't imagine this was ever an attempt to make a "better Mellotron", because it simply isn't. But barring that, it's a pretty cool little toy that is in keeping with the original in concept, yet done using modern stuff on the cheap, in a "just because" kind of spirit.

criminy!

Coming from a tinkerer...

+1

Joe.

Mon Rominee · #10 10-17-2005, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Till

Agreed. This is elaborate and fun to look at, and is beyond anything I could ever do... probably ever. But there is no point to using cassette tapes.

Whether there is a point or not, I really don't see how you can just so blindly dismiss it. And it really isn't elaborate, and that's part of the beauty of it. It's obviously not a waste of time to him, nor is it to me. It's called fun and adventure people, go try and have some fer chrissakes.

Bruce Lindfield · #11 10-17-2005, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

Whether there is a point or not, I really don't see how you can just so blindly dismiss it. It's obviously not a waste of time to him, nor is it to me. It's called fun and adventure people, go try and have some.

I can think of a million other things that are infinitely more worthwhile in this context!!

Mon Rominee · #12 10-17-2005, 11:05 AM

well then go do that and get back to us. Sometimes you do something just to do it, to try something, to explore...since when does it always have to be "worthwhile"?

I'm no stranger to being difficult just to be difficult, but you make it an artform.

NJL · #13 10-17-2005, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

I'm no stranger to being difficult just to be difficult, but you make it an artform.

I'm surprised that Brucey would not dig this, he's been known to argue with a tape recorder and win.

Mon Rominee · #14 10-17-2005, 11:25 AM

hahahaha.

Seriously tho, think of the possibilities of a machine like this. Instant, on the fly swapping of tapes and sound on sound.....

(I'm just egging on the "why not a sampler" argument)

Can we start over? Someone's poo-pooed on my wittle thread.

Joe Nerve · #15 10-17-2005, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I can think of a million other things that are infinitely more worthwhile in this context!!

I agree. Why should anyone waste their time building something like this when they can waste their time writing here in order to justify their opinion on the building of such a creative thing being a complete waste of time. Some people just don't know the easier ways of wasting time.

SnoMan · #16 10-17-2005, 11:42 AM

You know, for some reason I've clicked this thread like 3 or 4 times today.

I keep on hoping to read about something cool...

just hasn't happened yet....

Mon Rominee · #17 10-17-2005, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnoBassMan

You know, for some reason I've clicked this thread like 3 or 4 times today.

I keep on hoping to read about something cool...

just hasn't happened yet....

well you have to click the link in the first post as well, silly.

SnoMan · #18 10-17-2005, 11:50 AM

Pesky internet and all it's finglehoppers....

Always with the red tape...huh?

Always the red tape

Mon Rominee · #19 10-17-2005, 11:58 AM

let's come up with a better way then. Al Gore did us wrong.

SuperDuck · #20 10-17-2005, 12:30 PM

Don't worry, Mon. There are just some people on this blue planet of ours that can't understand "cool for the sake of cool", which is the category I believe this marvelous contraption falls into. I think it's cool.