Hi Chris
Thanks again for taking the time. I really appreciate learning more about this stuff!
> These sounds can be played faster than the other sounds
> because of how they were recorded.
I had to lisen to Nightwalker again and you're right, they sound very real! Markus do have some of the Vanelli sounds. Hopefully they all will end up on the expansion cards for the M4000D so I can demo them properly. (Have to hog Mattias Olssons machine then.) I have only heard a few, one of them being the scary tremolo violins (which ended up mislabeled as staccato violins for Nord keyboards), two cellos in unison and some pizzicato ones. You have some really unique stuff there for your M1!
> Thanks for this! I forgot how silly Giles Giles and Fripp were. I actually
> have this album. I bought an original copy still sealed. For some reason
> this particular Decca record release is thicker than the other regular LP's
> of that time. If you threw it at someone you could probably kill them.
The catchy "Digging My Lawn" had me giggling! Ok, I'm from Sweden..
> Anyway, this might be a surprise but it's not actually M300 violins. Real
> cellists and string players are credited on the back cover.
I didn't know that string players were credited so I had a closer listen and they're there alright, on Thursday Morning and Sun Is Shining. The rest is M300 and MkII with Suite No. 1 being the nicest example of MkII use: strings from 1:50 and even some strings/brass mix later on the same track. So yes, that's indeed the rare M300 cello on One In a Million. While listening (warning this is getting nerdy) I discovered M300 vibes (w/o vibrato) on North Meadow at 2:05 and even MkII vibes on Elephant song at 2:39 (deep in the mix, though).
> Anyway if you listen to Wooly Wolstenholme's work with Barclay James Harvest, you'll
> really hear it sing. That sound through the M300 spring reverb is gorgeous.
Really like the sound on Medicine Man. Gotta have the M300 for the proper 52 note range though. Sigh..
Have a nice weekend!
/Mattias
> > --- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Chris Dale wrote:
> > >
> > > Welcome Mattias:
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks for sending this. It's an interesting time capsule of sorts.
> > >
> > > It certainly sounds like MK II electric guitar in there but I doubt it's
> > > Mellotron cello.
> > >
> > > The Mellotron cello was released with the M400 in 1970 and these
> > recordings
> > > pre-date that.
> > >
> > > What I'm fairly certain it is - is Chamberlin cello, but with the higher
> > > frequencies muted out.
> > >
> > > This would be a Chamberlin Musicmaster 600 which was the 'common' model
> > up
> > > until the M1 came out in late 69 / early 1970.
> > >
> > > You can also tell by the heavy vibrato as many Chamberlin sounds have
> > this
> > > and it was characteristic of the recordings of that time - (1940's
> > > -1950's). The Chamberlin was intended as a big band instrument. (The
> > > inventor despised everything about rock and roll that he largely made his
> > > son deal with the rock musicians though Bobby Darin was an exception).
> > >
> > > Chamberlins were used starting from the 1950's in the US and Canada
> > before
> > > the Mellotron arrived.
> > > (In fact, I thought Mellotrons were rarer because I personally
> > encountered
> > > more Chamberlins in my travels, and never thought the inverse was true.)
> > >
> > >
> > > Of course, this brings up the possibility that it's not MK II guitar
> > then,
> > > but a Chamberlin electric guitar sound used in the same range. I haven't
> > > heard the Chamberlin electric guitar in a long time and would have to
> > > re-familiarize myself with it. It's not a common or distinctive
> > recording.
> > > The Doors never owned a Mellotron or Chamberlin so I wonder if this
> > second
> > > video is live in a studio?
> > > If so the studio could have had both a MK II and a Chamberlin Music
> > Master
> > > though they would have to be a major outfit based in Hollywood that did
> > > mainly post production for movies to afford both at that time.
> > > It also sounds like there's some real saxophone too, and maybe some
> > > electric piano.
> > >
> > > Certainly it's interesting as the Doors are most associated with the
> > combo
> > > organ sound and not the tape keyboards.
> > >
> > > Thanks for sharing it.
> > >
> > >
> > > Chris Dale
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 1:35 AM, Mattias wrote:
> > >
> > > > ∗∗
> >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Hi everyone,
> > > >
> > > > My name is Mattias Puttonen and I have been fascinated by the
> > > > Mellotron/Chamberlin sound since the late 80's when I started buying
> > > > records at the Mellotronen record shop in Stockholm. Since then I have
> > > > aquired a couple machines that I love to play and tinker with. One of
> > them
> > > > is in the Yahoo-group photo section:
> > > >
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newmellotrongroup/photos/album/570072533/pic/list
> > > >
> > > > I thought this would be worth sharing: from the experimental Jim
> > Morrison
> > > > film HWY (1969) featuring the cool sounds of MkII rock guitar and
> > > > (M400/M300?) cello. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eLo0ilQ7hY
> > > >
> > > > The MkII used on this was probably Jac Holzman's (now owned by John
> > > > Frusciante). For some more of that same "tronny" cello, check out this
> > sad
> > > > Doors jam, starts at 6:25: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-SoXMh6g0c
> > > >
> > > > My humble guess is that Jac wanted some more string sounds in his MkII
> > and
> > > > got a single station with cello only on the left hand instead of
> > another
> > > > lead set. I don't think Mellotronics would do an entirely new work
> > master
> > > > or splice in a new station, but what do I know? Does anyone know
> > better?
> > > > -You're the experts!
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > >
> > > > Mattias Puttonen, Stockholm
> > > > (Current favorite frame: MkII rock guitar/Chamb flute/M400 bassoon)
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>