That's very true. I'm a player and to me, that's the only point of view that counts. I agree with Mike that it's virtually impossible to distinguish good samples from the real thing (at least, it's impossible for my worn out ears). For what it's worth, the Streetly M-Tron Pro samples are the best. I've A/B'd them with my Tron and they are almost identical in sound. The differences are what you would expect from one Tron to the next.
Some day there will be no more Mellotrons and there will be no more samples of Mellotrons. But for now, I'm taking advantage of the current availability of these anacronistic machines.
BTW, even if I was in California, I ain't no bigamist!
Bernie
--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Gary Brumm <gabru@...> wrote:
>
> From your point as a player, perhaps, but after processing (which most Mellotron laden music has in it) the end result (sound) of the song is the same.
> You are looking at it through the eyes of someone with a great appreciation of the instruments history, which is fine. Most everyone
> here on this list shares that or we wouldn't be here. But in the world of recorded and (especially) live music the original instrument is
> no longer required (or sought after) to get "that sound" and in fact the sound has long survived the original instrument that produced it. This says nothing
> to diminish the original and this group is a testament to that. Quite the opposite, the Mellotron rightly deserves its place in the hall of fame for
> instruments that influenced generations of music. I am glad #500 came back into your life....if you were in California you could marry it! :)
>
> Cheers,
>
> Gary
>
> From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tron400
> Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 1:05 PM
> To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: need opinions for making a mellotron choice
>
>
>
>
> Before I reacquired #500, I went for 25 years without a Mellotron. Then I bought a keyboard that had Mellotron samples and I was in heaven. Over the years, I picked up samples from many sources, both commercial and non-commercial. Life was good. Then #500 came back into my life and suddenly I realized why samples will only ever come in second place. I can appreciate the effort that went into the design and creation of the M4000D and the effort to make it as much like a real Mellotron as possible. I've never played one, but in my mind it could never be a Mellotron. A painting or a photograph of a beautiful scene can never capture the spirit of the actual scene.
>
> Bernie
>
> --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>, "mellotronmadness" <markpringnz@<mailto:markpringnz@>> wrote:
> >
> > I've never understood the expression "lock and load", I don't know much about guns either, but wouldn't you have to load first?
> >
> > Yours pedantically
> >
> > Mark
> >
> > PS much as I love the mellotron you are probably right, sadly it will only persist as a curiosity, however I think mellotrons will still be played after the dedicated sample players are forgotten, if you are using a sample player why restict yourself to one set of samples and pay way over the odds for it?
> >
> > --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>, Gary Brumm <gabru@> wrote:
> > >
> > > That's ridiculous Gino ....most every M4000D review has been staggering in its praise. I will most likely make the Streetly samples my next "Mellotron" type purchase
> > > due to price but the M4000D had done to the Mellotron what the Ventilator has tone for the 122 Leslie....for all practical purposes it has replaced it. I think the
> > > Streetly group are wonderful people and put a lot of care into every machine they builb but you can't ignore the reality that the day has come that these tape machines
> > > have been relegated to collectors and enthusiasts and the season of the tape machine has past as a mainstream instrument for the sounds it produces. We all like the
> > > Streetly group and this is meant with no disrespect at all...just an observation that is hard to deny and I am sure it has not been lost on Streetly. If tape machine sales
> > > were still "booming" I doubt they would be selling samples and iPhone apps. Now I am sure I will be lambasted by the hard core tape guys but understand I am here
> > > because of the tape machines and my lifelong interest in them so please keep that in mind before slinging the dung.
> > >
> > > Lock & Load!
> > >
> > > Gary
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com> [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of gino wong
> > > Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 10:37 AM
> > > To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] need opinions for making a mellotron choice
> > >
> > >
> > > Don't get me started on a 4000D. I know people who are full time working musicians who's records we have all bought and it is regarded as adirty oppurtunistic fake, like a guitar with Gribson or Pender on the headstock, there were such things.
> > > If you can't afford a real Mellotron then don't bother buying an ersatrz device.. get a laptop or a sampler, theat plays Streetly approved samples. I have a Melotron and a computer and a sampler but I have felt no need for a thing that replicates a common thing like sample playback. If there was anything about these machines that made them special in termsof functionality I would not hesitate to reccomend.EG : I can't find a anything that repliactes my Crumar Performer.
> > >
> > > A VST playback module like the Muse would be what I would buy
> > >
> > > Look up the gear approach used by Radio Massacre International. A stripped down sampler with good samplesin a solid easy to maintain hardware shell and power sypply that demands no work to replace .is a great thing.
> > > On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 11:08 AM, mkmellotron <mkmellotron@<mailto:mkmellotron@>> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > greatings from Greece
> > > i am considering buying a digital mellotron,(i would prefer the analogue M4000 by streetly but it is way too expensive...)
> > > So please share your thoughts M4000D or memotron / memotron rack.
> > > Your opinions will be very usefull,thanks in advance
> > >
> > > ps: (i have the software) it is for gigging!!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > "All music is folk music; I ain't never heard no horse sing a song."
> > > Louis Armstrong
> > >
> > >
> > > Gino Wong Birgelo
> > > BSComm, BSEE, CG, CSEC
> > > Audio Production, Logistics, Analog Synthesizers, Sound Design
> > >
> > > Ginowong@<mailto:Ginowong@>
> > >
> >
>