On Tuesday, March 23, 2004, at 04:40 AM, J.K.Beresford wrote:
> Hi,
> I think he just releases the key towards the end of the first bar
> allowing the rewind and plays it again at the start of the next. It
> isn't
> continuous. Doubly difficult to do on the accordions anyway as the
> sounds don't last the whole 8 seconds (at least they don't on mine).
> Also it's just one bass note on the MkII and not 2 as it Ricks version
> cause theres not enough keys covered by the accordian sound.
> John
>
>
> So what exactly was played on the "accordion" side is an interesting
> point as a\u000e sustained F-sharp is not possible due to the highly
> controversial, and some would say, unconstitutional 8-second rule.\u000e
> It sounds like some sneaky altering of an F-sharp and an octave
> below or above (depending on where you start)\u000f
Just to clarify: what I wrote out on the sheet music was the way I saw
Banks play it on the SEBTP tour (the only times I was in a position to
view his hands. I also wrote it this way because there are certainly
octaves in the studio version. (It pretty much sounds to me as if he's
doubling the tron parts on his Hammond.) I also knew that Nacho has a
400, so he would need to play some other instrument along with the
mellotron if the intro part was going to have any chance of sounding
good (something that is also really helped by having octaves in the
bass clef part).
John is right about the accordion sound, of course. I'l have to listen
to my copy of Genesis Live again to hear what might be going on there,
but I suspect he's right about the note being released. If I remember
correctly, Banks played the intro on the MkII in a much more "angular"
manner than on subsequent live performances using his 400, and on the
studio version. This would allow him to release the bass note in order
for the tape to rewind and not have the performance sound odd. Try it
that way and you'll see what I mean. You can also hold the note for the
first two measures without the tape running out (unless you're playing
really slowly), then release the key to re-attack the note in the 3rd
bar.
When I played it live, regardless of what mellotron I was using at the
time, I always played the first section with octaves using the lower
manual of my B3 with the standard "bass" setting on the drawbars (lower
3 fully out), after which I'd switch hands and play the Moderato
section completely on mellotron. Once I got the FX console, I used
octave choir for the descending octave notes (in the Moderato section)
and the MkII brass for the part in thirds (since the FX console doesn't
allow mixing of adjacent tracks). With the bespoke tapes Martinge made
up for me, I now have a mixed 3 violins/brass track which is great.
Also, playing the octave part using "Orchestra" or "Gothic" at the end
is REALLY effective.
But whatever Banks played live, it was also REALLY effective, and
that's the key. The intro has to be as powerful as you can make it.
That means a lot of volume and as thick a sound as you can manage.
Rick
PS Fritata, I'll answer your question fully this evening. I want to
listen to the sounds and think about it.