Hey there!



Today, I was playing with my new M-Tron, and trying to imitate classic
mellotron moments in Genesis and Beatle songs. Many of them feature the tron through a Leslie (thankfully, today we have the B4 to save some
bucks!)

So, I FINALLY found out what that strange tron sound was right at the
end of "Bungallow Bill": Mixed Brass tape. I knew it was a mellotron
(I even have it credited to recording engineer Chris Thomas on a Beatles
book I have). Until I played around with the M-Tron and as I turned the
Mixed Brass preset: "I´ve heard this funny sound somewhere else!".

But there´s two that I cannot find out: One is the lead sound on the
Fab´s "Flying" instrumental of Magical Mystery Tour. It´s credited to
John, but I can´t find out exactly what "instrument" it is.

The other is the solo of "Stagnation" from Trespass. It certainly was
recorded through a Leslie, but is it some Hammond Organ tape, or is it
a real Hammond line with some tape-bending done during the recording
process?

take care,

Pete

In Flying there's two mellotron sounds, the lead one you're looking for sounds like a Clarinet, which there is an M-Tron soundset of on the Tape Banks volume 1. The other one is a brass sound (but that's kind of obvious ).

Nice call Funkybot.

All I know is how much I like Mellotron sound. Wish I knew more about how it was applied on certain recordings. Is there a book on the Mellotron?

Yes there is a "The Mellotron Book" by Frank Samagaio.

Great pics (though they are black and white), and interesting stuff in general. You should be able to get it for about $20

Also see www.mellotron.com

Thanks Scopey. I'm moving in a bit but when I'm settled in I'll be on the lookout.

I was thinking, how cool would it be to model the sonic features of a Mellotron and being able to insert samples?

It can be done with effects but frequently the effects chain is variable rather than exibiting the exact sound as heard through a couple of different different Mellotron models.

Man, I wish I could program. I love M-Tron. Somehow it or a Volume I or II sound ends up in recordings, but there are times I wish I could put my own sample library into Virtual Mellotron format.

It could be a VST or VSTi although the later would be my preference.

Anyone know if something like this exists?

Stagnation is probably a Hammond T which is similar to an L102 which I used to have. You can get the pitch to dive when you turn it off for a second. I haven't heard the song in a little while though so I am not positive. Most of the Trespass stuff is done with the organ and a pianet through a fuzz box.

I have a product coming out with some more tron stuff and chamberlin samples which include the sound effects you hear on Good Morning on Sgt Peppers.

Thanks for all the answers!!!

Great to see so many mellotron fans around!

Yes, I also think it would be cool to have some forum to exchange ideas on how to process mellotron sounds to achieve that special vintage sound.

Today, on Genesis´ "Get ´Em Out By Friday", I noticed that the MKII flute featured on the mellotron-flute and Peter Gabriel´s real flute duo, was also sent through a Leslie.

btw. Squids, thanks for the info on the Hammond T, though I still believe there´s a mellotron tape-bending quality to the sound on the solo. Give it a listen and you´ll know what I mean. Also, I´m interesed in this new product; I thought the sounds at the end of "Good Morning" were from a effects long play (so I read it on a George Martin interview).

keep on ´troning!

Pete

Funny thing is I've run a mellotron through a leslie (well plug-ins of both) quite a number of times, and thought I was being clever. Now I realized the Beatles did it damn near 30 years before I ever tried. Is there anything they haven't done? I bet they never ran a mellotron through Refx's Trasher .

Peter Hampton wrote:

Thanks for all the answers!!! Great to see so many mellotron fans around! Yes, I also think it would be cool to have some forum to exchange ideas on how to process mellotron sounds to achieve that special vintage sound. Today, on Genesis´ "Get ´Em Out By Friday", I noticed that the MKII flute featured on the mellotron-flute and Peter Gabriel´s real flute duo, was also sent through a Leslie. btw. Squids, thanks for the info on the Hammond T, though I still believe there´s a mellotron tape-bending quality to the sound on the solo. Give it a listen and you´ll know what I mean. Also, I´m interesed in this new product; I thought the sounds at the end of "Good Morning" were from a effects long play (so I read it on a George Martin interview). keep on ´troning! Pete

I'll have to give that song a listen and see. Stagnation... Trespass... where is that CD???? Another popular Tony effect around the Lamb era was mixing Mellotron violins with the RMI EP in organ mode running through a phaser. I had to play that sound in this live gig I did (some snippets) check it out: www.sonicreality.com/Auditionmedley.mp3 (which by the way, I never did send in... I don't know guys! I'm a little busy but... I really like that new record!).

Anyway, at least a majority of the sounds in Good Morning are from an old Chamberlin... like the chickens and other assorted barnyard animals. I have the original sessions for this stuff too. The funniest is the Mellotron Choir sessions where you can hear the people cough in between. Classic coughing I guess. Maybe I'll throw a few extra coughs at the bottom range so you can make it sound more realistic. This is on a Tron eROM type thing coming out. That would be fun.

I was recently reintroduced to the Mellottron while checking out some soundfonts over at Sonic Implants. They have several different Mellotron sets . . . maybe one you're looking for . . .

Layyyter . . .

Peter Hampton wrote:

Hey there! So, I FINALLY found out what that strange tron sound was right at the end of "Bungallow Bill": Mixed Brass tape. I knew it was a mellotron (I even have it credited to recording engineer Chris Thomas on a Beatles book I have). Pete

The guitar at the beginning of Bungalow Bill is also the Mellotron.



Daniel

Yesterday, as I was enjoying the "Strawberry Fields" Take 1 found on the Anthology II Disc 2 Set, I wondered:

what is that mellotron tape on the beginning and on the end of that version?

I´ve always knew it was a mellotron (it has that strange tape-stop sound the M-tron sadly cannot reproduce), but I can´t tell what "instrument" is it.

My best guesses are String Ensemble or Trumpets And Trombones (but sounding very differently than the ones on "Bungallow Bill".

strange...

I thought it was the Mixed Brass tapes. It's definately one of the brass tapes though, even if it's not that one.

Nice to see another mellotron topic. I´m also a big mellotron fan since the late 60´s (oh yes, I´m not too young today). I just want to remember to other great mellotron groups like the early King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, BJH, and especially the Moody Blues.