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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301172 is a reply to message #301164 ] |
Sat, 29 December 2007 19:56   |
 RSettee
Messages: 4957
Registered: November 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB |
Platinum Member |
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| Brian Kehew wrote on Sat, 29 December 2007 19:08 |
It's not well known that the first importer of Mellotrons to the USA was in Chicago in 1968 - Rick Nielsen (of Cheap Trick) for his family's music store brought in at least two Mk.IIs!! He still calls them "M. K. 2s"
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Really? That's cool. I'm a big Cheap Trick fan, but didn't know that. Did he put any of that Mellotron stuff on the Fuse recordings?
Ryan Settee,
Instrospection Records
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301174 is a reply to message #301165 ] |
Sat, 29 December 2007 20:03 |
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Brian Kehew
Messages: 2729
Registered: January 2005
Location: North Hollywood |
Platinum Member |
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| phantom309 wrote on Sat, 29 December 2007 16:21 |
I was told by the Streetly boys that "The Black Bitch" was first a Crim machine and then a Genesis machine. You have evidence otherwise? But yeah, if it was Phil era, it was LIKELY a M400. Do we know, for a fact, that Genesis never used the Mk II again after the 400 entered their arsenal? Wasn't the Black MK II STILL in the Genesis equipment stores when Black Market bought that pile in 99?
Also, Bill said "Mellotron and when I set up to mic it's amp,"... what 400 has an amp? ... OR did they actually run a 400 through an amp w/ a live mic onstage instead of a DI?
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I read it as he miced the amp they were using for it, especially given the year. But I know about the Chilton mixer system of that era - so I think it's an odd memory!
No Black Mk.II fronm The Farm when he bought stuff - one brown one and one Music Master I hear (sketchy reports...)
Black Bitch - it's common for people to hear the nickname and assume it WAS that colour. Ian McDonald had no recall of a black machine ever, just brown Mk.IIs.
Certainly one MkII was sold to Genesis by KC, and was called (Genesis only) "The Black Bitch" - so the KC people wouldn't know of that nickname. I've never seen either group say they had a black one in colour. This is where all the confusion seems to come from; a famous nickname vs. a colour. Confusion Will be My Epitaph!
Relax and float downstream...
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301203 is a reply to message #301183 ] |
Sat, 29 December 2007 23:36 |
RSettee
Messages: 4957
Registered: November 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB |
Platinum Member |
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I've really come to love faux symphonies from synths. I can do some of that on my MicroKorg--not to Mellotron levels--but there some really customizable sounds that you can create some cool sounds by messing around with the attack, vibrato, sustain, portamento, etc.
Ryan Settee,
Instrospection Records
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301221 is a reply to message #300876 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 03:19 |
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Brian Kehew
Messages: 2729
Registered: January 2005
Location: North Hollywood |
Platinum Member |
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You might like The Enid than... lots of simu-orch.
GREAT stuff Dave - I love pics!
Relax and float downstream...
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301222 is a reply to message #300876 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 03:22 |
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Brian Kehew
Messages: 2729
Registered: January 2005
Location: North Hollywood |
Platinum Member |
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Interesting that 1966 date on the brochure. For all accounts, they had stopped making Mk.IIs by then, right? The last one built is around Lennon's... which is 1965. Also weird to think that everyone (Beatles et al) were using "discontinued" keyboards, especially those 70s guys with Mk.IIs!
Relax and float downstream...
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301230 is a reply to message #301222 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 06:41 |
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phantom309
Messages: 2414
Registered: April 2006
Location: Calgary, AB. Canada |
Platinum Member |
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| Brian Kehew wrote on Sun, 30 December 2007 02:22 |
Interesting that 1966 date on the brochure. For all accounts, they had stopped making Mk.IIs by then, right? The last one built is around Lennon's... which is 1965. Also weird to think that everyone (Beatles et al) were using "discontinued" keyboards, especially those 70s guys with Mk.IIs!
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Yeah. Well....I've always been VERY suspicious of those dates for many, many reasons. Also, that information from across the pond has changed like the weather for nearly 20 years now. As you discovered with "Recording The Beatles" the only GOOD information is cross referenced/corroborated information and too many of the main players in the Mellotron story have left us. BUT, I've been dragging around 300 lbs of documentation from 3 major sources with the Mellotron business and a LOT of it completely contradicts some of this verbal info...even some of the WRITTEN info in England.
That's why every time someones mentions yet another "Mellotron Story" book, I can't contain my HARRUMPHS. 
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301259 is a reply to message #301230 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 11:14 |
DSills
Messages: 112
Registered: March 2007
Location: Chicago |
Active Member |
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How long a gap are you giving Clavia between the Nord Wave shipping (currently) and release of the Mellotron CDROM 2? You'd said in a previous thread that you were giving them some time to get their thing going before you did.
Also, do they have the rights to use the tapes in other keyboards? There is talk/hope on the Nord forum that the Mellotron sounds will be made available as alternate sounds to load into the Stage or Electro2.
"If it's where the heart is, how come you're never home?"
http://www.davesills.com
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301262 is a reply to message #301259 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 11:32 |
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phantom309
Messages: 2414
Registered: April 2006
Location: Calgary, AB. Canada |
Platinum Member |
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| DSills wrote on Sun, 30 December 2007 10:14 |
How long a gap are you giving Clavia between the Nord Wave shipping (currently) and release of the Mellotron CDROM 2? You'd said in a previous thread that you were giving them some time to get their thing going before you did.
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There is no fixed time really. I'm waiting to see how this instrument does for them after NAMM and MusicMesse. I REALLY want this to be a success for them because it's HIGH TIME that the idea is done right and we have way too many irons in the fire already. If I had my wish, Clavia would do this (ready Tomas?): issue another edition of The Wave. Paint it white with red Nord logo etc. Enough red already on these instruments? Load it to the gills with Mellotron, Chamberlin, Optigan, Orchestron, Chilton, Birotron sounds. Let us help them with constructing the presets to more closely approximate the sound and playing characteristics of a real Mellotron etc.
Three examples: Build a GOOD dynamic eq to reproduce the MkII cabinet formant. This is a HUGE part of the MkII sound.
When you re-key a Mellotron fast enough, you start in the middle of the tape somewhere. It makes a difference! Make the key velocity determine sample start time...or??
Tuning in a Mk II is different. The Brass is notoriously odd, but "Supper's Ready" and "Watcher Of The Skies" don't sound right on a 400 for this reason. Willow Farm anyone?
Some ideas. There are many.
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Also, do they have the rights to use the tapes in other keyboards? There is talk/hope on the Nord forum that the Mellotron sounds will be made available as alternate sounds to load into the Stage or Electro2.
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Yes, they can do anything they want with their hardware implementation. We retain rights for our own purposes. Clavia is the ONLY other licensed user of the name and sounds from our collection and that's for the next 10 years.
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301274 is a reply to message #301262 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 12:29 |
RSettee
Messages: 4957
Registered: November 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB |
Platinum Member |
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One recording where I really think that they blur the boundaries on what could be a Mellotron, Mellotron-type sounds, keyboard orchestras and possibly real strings, is the Flaming Lips' "The Soft Bulletin". I don't really care which is which, it all sounds amazing to me.
Ryan Settee,
Instrospection Records
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301278 is a reply to message #300876 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 12:32 |
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Of course, if I build another Ardotron, all bets are off!
And it would NOT be red...
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| Re: Mellotrons for the masses [message #301279 is a reply to message #301278 ] |
Sun, 30 December 2007 12:33 |
RSettee
Messages: 4957
Registered: November 2006
Location: Winnipeg, MB |
Platinum Member |
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So what happened to this fabled Ardotron?
Ryan Settee,
Instrospection Records
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