Bruce is right about A/B comparison.
I guess the other option is to listen to an album full of Mellotron and then an album full of Chamberlin right after.
One way of telling is that many of the Chamberlin sounds have heavier vibrato where as Mellotron sounds don't (e.g. cellos, flutes)
If you're familiar with Mellotron choir then listen to Neil Merryweather's "Space Rangers" (if you have / can find it) and listen to how the Chamby voices (choir) compares.
The close of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me" has the Chamby male voices in haunted house mode.
Others for chamby strings / flutes - "Into Temptation" from Temple Of Low Men LP. "She Goes On" - Saxes / Horns - from "Woodface" LP both from Crowded House
For Chamby cellos - Warzawa from David Bowie's "Low"
It's also all over 70's top 40 dentist office classics:
Have You Never Been Mellow (Olivia Newton John) (Chamby Flutes)
How Sweet It Is to.....(James Taylor) (Chamby Cellos (mixed low)/Strings)
Afternoon Delight (Starland Vocal Band) (Strings)...could also be tron though (where was it recorded?)
Right Time Of The Night (Jennifer Warnes) (Chamby Cellos/Strings)
For barking dogs - that irritating Jingle Bell dog song is also Chamby. (Not looking forward to hearing that for the 1000 billionth time this Christmas)
More can be found on Andy's planet mellotron site of course.
The Chamberlin sounds a little closer to the actual taped instrument than the tron (it doesn't have the "tronny" colour, it lends it's own inflection) so sometimes it blends in to be almost unnoticable unless it's up in the mix or played distinctively like an organ.
This is especially true of the saxophones.
But that is it's strength or weakness compared to the Mellotron depending on your point of view. To me they are two very different instruments.
Also - to my ears - samples of the Chamberlin lack the fullness or richness of the original instrument. That's also true of the Mellotron samples I've heard as well, but with the Chamby it's even more noticeable (worse). Like the life and lushness has been sucked out somehow. Almost like the difference between AM and FM. Again...this is just my personal experience. I'm sure there are some half decent samples out there (there must be).
In the U.S., during the 70's - many times when it says "strings arranged by (keyboard player's name") can mean that it was Chamberlin. This presumably was to avoid squabbles with the Musician's Union.
Okay class dismissed - where is the "Professor" when you need him?!! :)
Chris
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 4:48 PM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Chamberlin
A/B comparison is a problem. I can think of 2 stark
album examples of Chamberlin use; "7th Sojourn" by the
Moodies, and "Tidal" by Fiona Apple. Not much
layering on either one, due to the clarity of the
instrument. A very dry Chamby is played over the
final credits of "Boogie Nights". Also, download some
of the Chamby/Tron samples from Dave Kean's listening
room, and one can do quick comparisons. Pretty dry, &
some are from different sources. Same source on the 3
Violins though, so it can easily be compared.
-Bruce D.
M400 #1221
--- Mark Pring <markpringnz@ yahoo.com> wrote:
> With my aural ability, I should probably keep quiet
> but I would suggest comparing the string sounds on
> the
> Mitchell Froom produced Richard Thompson CDs (
> especially Grey Walls on Rumour and Sigh, I hope
> they
> are not mandolins, it is definitely a chamberlin)
> and
> the M300 strings on Barclay James Harvest Live.
>
> Mark
> --- gino wong <wonggster@gmail. com> wrote:
>
> > I don't think I can tell the difference between a
> > Mellotron and a
> > Chamberlin but I think I would like to educate
> > myself.
> >
> > What would be a good a/b test ?
> >
> >
> >
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