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Ok, we record new sounds because we want to offer a contrast to what has gone before. The website samples are excellent but exist to whet the whistle. If you were to listen closely to the new recording, it is full of air, odd intonation and quirks of nature. It is mellotronic. Do you want us to call a halt or expand the library? I really do wonder why some even bother having a tron when the parameters are known and the technique is unique. Mike has produced excellent recordings with an instrument the needs a service and Andy Thompson's website is testament to how prolific the awkward bastard has been. Mike, Woolly, Pinder, Banks and a host of others make it sound good. The problem lies with the player and NOT the instrumenBastard Smithyou're kidding 'bout all this right?
fritz-----Original Message-----
From: Mark <epdowd54@yahoo.com>
To: newmellotrongroup <newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sat, Nov 6, 2010 5:31 pm
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] New Sounds In General
Sorry this is going to be a bit of rant, so don't read any further!
I am not sure what the new sounds are trying to achieve. I have just listened to the new organ demo which sounds fantastic but doesn't sound like a mellotron to my ears, which admittedly aren't the greatest. To me that sounds exactly like a church organ I would not have picked that it was a mellotron. If the new samples are aiming for fidelity they are certainly succeeding but in that case why not use samples or the real thing?
Certainly if new samples sell and make money for Streetly they can only be a good thing for those of us that own trons and will be looking for replacement parts, but there really aren't that many sounds that are characteristic of the mellotron or aren't easily mistaken for anything else.
In my opinion there are 2.
The Mark II 3 violins
The 8 Choir
I would have added combined brass except there is at least one track where I mistook it for the real thing and some of the people on the list have long memories.
I suppose the Mark II flute is useful if you want to play "Strawberry Fields" but I can't think of any other use for it.
Essentially the mellotron has been mainly used as a "string, brass and choir machine" which explains why they fell out of production when there were reasonably reliable polyphonic synthesizers available. The current resurgence in use is mainly due to the complete lack of anything new in popular music so that producers are looking for some 70's vintage sound to bring some sort of nostalgic feel to their music.
But anything that keeps Streetly going has to be good!
Mark
From: Mike Dickson <mike.dickson@gmail.com>
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, November 7, 2010 5:46:47 AM
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] New Sounds In General
In what may be a futile attempt, I will attempt to introduce some discussion into this group.
Do you think there is any merit in recording and selling new sounds for the Mellotron?
- Pro this, I'd say that it expands the palette of sounds available for the instrument, keeps it 'alive' and generates revenue for those who want to sell it as a product.
- Contra this, you could argue that it transforms the Mellotron into just another sampler and that there are probably better digital products out there for the job, plus the fact that usually the Mellotron is sold to sound like a Melotron and not like just any other instrument.
Discuss?--
Mike Dickson, Edinburgh