Well that's good to know about the harp sounds but I have three, maybe four
different ones and I think Dave may not have them all. When I played the
instrument over the phone for him once, he seemed surprised. Unless of
course, he has them all but only located two of them. Maybe they're on
another reel???
Regarding the custom sounds - Gino and Joe don't have them anymore, nor were
they really interested in getting copies of them. I remember asking about
that specifically once I made arrangements to put the Chamberlin into
storage. They were truly through with using it and any custom sounds for it.
They had no interest in keeping any momentoes of it. I was sold the entire
Chamberlin package - supporting documents and instructions / instrument /
custom tape set, and some weird tape cutter or hole puncher to make tapes
with. They had their day in the sun with the Chamberlin and that was it.
And yes what a major pain it could be to change tapes!! It's unfortunate you
can't really discover everything you have until you load all the tapes into
the unit especially when things might differ note to note. If you have a
weekend to do it, and a lot of time by yourself I suppose it's a worthwhile
endeavor. But adjusting pinch roller / pressure pad, and then equalizing the
two allen screws on the roller (4 points of adjustment) is enough to give
anyone pause.
This reminds me of a story I'd like to share but you're going to think I'm
totally nuts (if you didn't already).
I had a couple of clients over to my old studio who were curious about
keyboards and I demo'd the Chamberlin for them. One guy loved the sound of
the swirling harp mixed with the female voice and said he wanted to buy it
on the spot. I obviously declined his offer, and he then said he would trade
his Porsche for the Chamberlin. I asked him how he was going to get home if
he left me his Porsche and took the Chamberlin. He said he would carry it
with him all the way home somehow. He was serious about the trade but I told
him no. Everyone who found out about the offer was shocked "Why didn't you
take the Porsche?!!" some girls were asking me.
When I saw him some time later he asked me why I wouldn't make the trade. I
told him there was only one obstacle to getting a Porsche and that was
having enough money for buying one. There are two obstacles to getting a
Chamberlin: having the money to buy one and more importantly - ∗finding∗
one. You can always buy a Porsche but you can't always buy a Chamberlin. He
said he knew that and that's why he made the offer.
Chris
> Harry had two harp sounds that were not on any of his sound lists but
> Dave Kean has them available.
> Does Joe or Gino have the custom sounds any more? Maybe Dave or Streetly
> could add them to their arsenal. I have some custom sounds sitting on
> spools here at my house, but don't want to change out what I have in at
> the moment and no way of playing them otherwise.
>
> Vance...I'm not flying - just falling with style!
> M2
> -----Original Message-----
> From: charel196 [mailto:charel196@...]
> Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 12:39 PM
> To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER
>
> Hi Chris
> thanks for that!An answer to a long time quest for me...I always
> suspected Chamberlin because it sounded "too real" for a tron.I
> thought I recognized the cellos too.(Like Pinder used on "Isn't Life
> Strange").There's even some pitch bending on "Santa Rosa".Did this
> unit have a pitch knob installed? I thought that wasn't standard on
> Chamberlins.
> Did they ever tour with it? Charles
>
>
>
> --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Dale" <chris.dale@p...>
> wrote:
> > strolling in late...sorry Rick!
> >
> >
> > Yes, it is a Chamberlin, one of the very last ones made. In the
> final days
> > of the Chamberlin company, Harry and Richard were making and
> selling them
> > from their garage once again. Gino and Joe bought the Chamberlin
> directly
> > out of the garage after placing an advance order. This one was made
> in 1980
> > or early 81 and was only used on the Nightwalker album. After that
> it was
> > retired to a corner of the studio and never used again.
> >
> > Joe played all the string parts with the standard cello and violin
> sounds.
> > They also had a series of custom string section tapes made for it
> as well,
> > and though these sound wonderful (and quite different) I don't
> remember
> > hearing them on the album. Joe doesn't recall where he used them
> either. The
> > most beautiful sounds on it are a series of harp sounds which were
> never
> > sold as part of the Chamberlin library. I wonder if Harry was doing
> > everything he could at that point to keep the company going.
> >
> > I think the song most played on radio from the album is "Living
> Inside
> > Myself". Good use of the instrument "up front" for once too.
> >
> >
> > Chris
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Rick Blechta" <rick@r...>
> > To: "Mellotronist's List" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
> > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 7:05 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER
> >
> >
> > > We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and
> he
> > > owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and
> > > gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor)
> > >
> > > Rick
> > >
> > > PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the
> fake
> > > mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please.
> > >
> > > On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote:
> > >
> > > > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I
> would
> > > > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played
> it).No
> > > > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a
> Chamberlin or
> > > > a tron.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > >
> > > To visit your group on the web, go to:
> > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/
> > >
> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > >
> > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
> > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
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>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
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>
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>
>