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03-09-2011, 08:52 PM
| | | | WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MELLOTRON???
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So I fell in love with the sound of the mellotron on "Watcher of the skies" by Genesis (from Foxtrot), and I thought I'd try to find one on ebay, craigslist, guitarcenter vintage, elderly, musicgoround, even some boutique piano shop site, just to see what one might cost, what a real one looks like (I've never seen one, which should have told me something anyway). NOTHING.
So here's my question:
How can one of the most talked about keyboard instruments of the sixties and seventies (and a mafia godfather of the modern synthesizer and sampler) just disappear?
Where did they go? Rick Wakeman or Tony Banks' house?
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03-09-2011, 08:57 PM
|  | He's just this guy, ya know? | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Panama City, FL | | This is just a theory, but given the limitations of the technology (I believe they used literal tape loops), synthesizers happened to them. As the synth became better sounding and more flexible, they became the far better choice. Cheaper, more portable, better sounding (except, I agree that the quirky sound of a mellotron brings back nostalgia), they were totally outclassed by the new technology.
Now for the opinion of someone who actually knows what they are talking about (hopefully)... 
Edit: Pardon me, "Tape strips" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellotron |
03-09-2011, 08:57 PM
|  | that video LIES | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern California | | | Is that what 10cc used on *I'm not in love*?
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03-09-2011, 08:59 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana | | | I've heard alot of them are in dumps due to breaking down, and the difficulty of repairing them. |
03-09-2011, 09:00 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Four Corners, USA | | Mellotrons are now on CD. Mellotron  |
03-09-2011, 10:17 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | The Mellotron was made famous by the Moody Blues - long before Genesis formed. In many cases on Moody Blues recordings, what sounds like an orchestra is actually a Mellotron.
It did indeed use physical tape loops (a lot of them), and aligning the heads and preparing the instrument for use was a major task.
It was a wonderful sound - but it's not a device that you would want to intentionally take on today. Much too labor and maintenance intensive.
Read and learn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellotron
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Last edited by Pilgrim : 03-09-2011 at 10:21 PM.
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03-09-2011, 10:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia | | | it became redundant.
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03-09-2011, 10:36 PM
| | | | Opeth and Porcupine Tree still use them on occasion. |
03-09-2011, 10:40 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Maryland, USA | | Quote: |
Is that what 10cc used on *I'm not in love*?
| No. The backing vocal pad is heavily processed collective voices of 10cc members.
The Mellotron was very unreliable. Fortunately, its sounds can be digitally reproduced in a convicing manner. The best Mellotron samples I've heard and used are those in the Roland JV expansion board.
As for the most famous Melltron bits in music, I would nominate the intro flute sound of "Strawberry Fields Forever" and the Spanish guitar solo of "Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill".
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Last edited by Chrisk-K : 03-09-2011 at 10:43 PM.
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03-09-2011, 10:49 PM
| | that video LIES | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Northern California | | Interestingly... Mellotron
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03-09-2011, 10:51 PM
|  | put a bird on it | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Minnesota | | there are a few good VSTi mellotrons out there, or if you need to be all DIY about it, you could always get 14 walkmans and do this -> The Melloman - DIY Mellotron |
03-09-2011, 10:54 PM
|  | Registered User | | | | | As great a guitar player and composer as he was, Robert Fripp was the baddest Melotron player of all time.
IMO |
03-09-2011, 10:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Maryland, USA | | Quote: |
you could always get 14 walkmans and do this -> The Melloman - DIY Mellotron
| That is freaking unbelievable!
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03-10-2011, 06:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Austin, TX | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilgrim
It did indeed use physical tape loops (a lot of them), and aligning the heads and preparing the instrument for use was a major task.
| Tapes. yes, but loops, no
Each note on the keyboard had a multitrack tape eight seconds long weighted at one end, a pinch roller, and a playback head. A single capstan ran the length of the machine. Pressing a key engaged a pinch roller which pressed the tape against the capstan and playback head, and "stops" selected which tracks (instruments) played. Releasing the key lifted the pinch roller, releasing the tape, and the weight pulled it down so that the attack part of the note was back at the playback head.
But yes, maintenance was an issue, and they didn't travel well. |
03-10-2011, 07:16 AM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New York City | | Quote:
Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994 Where did they go? Rick Wakeman or Tony Banks' house? |
Apparently Rick Wakeman was so disgusted with their unreliable performance that he actually took one or two of his original Mellotrons out into an empty field and set them on fire! So I'm pretty sure he doesn't have any more lying around in the basement. |
03-10-2011, 08:01 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sioux Falls, SD | | | I would think touring with a Mellotron would have just had to be hell. Those things had to weigh a ton, and then if you knocked anything out of alignment or one of the tapes broke or whatever.
Certainly would have been at least as much of a PITA to haul as a Hammond B3, with the reliability issues thrown in as a bonus.
Last edited by jaywa : 03-10-2011 at 08:07 AM.
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03-10-2011, 08:07 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Twixt a rock and a hard place | | These guys have the best software version of a Mellotron that I know of. I have no affiliation with them . etc. It's worth the money if you want Mellotron samples. SampleTron |
03-10-2011, 08:15 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Sag Harbor, NY | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jaywa Those things had to weigh a ton | They did weigh a ton. A friend of mine had one. It was actually in the basement of an apartment he moved into. It worked great for a while but eventually failed. He looked into getting it repaired but no one wanted to touch it. It's probably still in that basement. |
03-10-2011, 08:29 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | | Clavia has licensed Mellotron samples, resampled from original master tapes, available for their Nord keyboards. They've done a fantastic job. Their Mellotron page has playable clips, and some information on the development and history of the instrument: Nord Keyboards |
03-10-2011, 08:48 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: A sleepy border town | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jaywa I would think touring with a Mellotron would have just had to be hell. Those things had to weigh a ton, and then if you knocked anything out of alignment or one of the tapes broke or whatever.
<SNIP>. | I recall a member of Genesis saying in an interview that they had to be rebuilt after every performance. 
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