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Subject: Re: Poor guys like me who have to work with VSTs and Samples

From: seanlowrie.dinuba@gmail.com
Date: 2015-02-08

I do a fair amount of gigging with M-tron and some other samples I've been gifted running off this very laptop. It's actually quite reliable. The VST is not likely to crash, the host is not likely to crash, and if your computer has its wifi card shut off during the gig, and you basically leave it alone and play, the computer is not likely to crash.

In three years I've had 1 computer crash live. However, I've had 4 volume pedals fail suddenly in the same amount of time. I do not recommend Ernie Ball volume pedals, though they're cheap and ubiquitous.

But you're certainly right about the volume pedal being part of the sound. I ride it all the time with the 'tron. And of course be careful to have my reverb unit last in chain!

I was actually amazed that the keyboardist who plays the sampled tron with The Moody Blues right now just ignores his volume pedal. I watched and listened at both concerts I was able to attend. It's there, at his feet, in chain. He just doesn't bother. Sounds.... wrong.

Other than that haven't personally met anyone playing any form of Mellotron in a live setting whatsoever. A few guys playing Hammond via Nordwave or such (seems to be getting more common, so I'm itching to start lugging the A-100 around. I already lug the Leslie 860 and it's worlds of improvement), a few guys who lug Rhodes 73s around, some combo organ imitators, and an all girl novelty band that has a small chord organ. Never Mellotron though. Ever.

And everywhere I go, I get the same surprised commentary from the sound guy and club owner at soundcheck. ".... .Holy Crap are you playing Nights in White Satin??"

Makes me feel speeeshaaaallll.

-Sean


---In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, <vcmusicorp1@...> wrote :

Hey Tee,

I'm sure no one here has their noses that high in the air. The fact that you even KNOW about Mellotrons, and want one, is the Awareness we all want to foster, anyway.  It was a number of years after I'd learned what Mellotrons REALLY could do (The Beatles, definitely, but King Crimson #1 was the one that really dropped MY jaw, & I know I'm not alone there!), before the planets lined up & I was able to find a super-clean, used M400, around 1976. I later ordered  custom tapes for a 2nd frame, & to customize the originals VERY slightly, adding tymps & percussion to the lowest 3 keys. It literally DID change my life, no doubt. 

A couple of years ago I played the M4000D as mentioned below, & it's a magnificent instrument. Still a bit pricey, but it actually brings you 100 (or more) of the sounds available in the Mellotron library. Obviously, more details could be had for the asking. Lots of online stuff about it. Further, the 4000D shows pictures of the 'Trons you're using, so it adds a hint of warm fuzziness, anyway. And you can pick it up under your arm & take it anywhere... something a LITTLE tougher with a full-size instrument. 

True, most people are so used to samplers & plug-ins, etc, that none of them have the "panache" or mystique of a real, "open-the-lid-&-show-people-the-tapes" Mellotron, but the M4000D is an awesome, well-sanctioned starting point, with no "euphemistic" or suggestive name on it! In fact, I'm sure LOTS of us would like one to take out for easier stage use.

There are many who ask "Why a Mellotron, even a 4000D, instead of M-tron Pro?", etc. well, there ARE differences, in how they play, & yes, how they sound. (I have M-tron Pro, too, so I speak from 'sperience). Even just to use the volume pedal - not possible with software - is a HUGE part of playing Mellotron, which the 4000D does allow. And if you ever did go live, to hook up a whole computer system, keyboard, etc, to play your M-tron, may end up being less reliable than an old, crotchety, out-of-sorts 400 with dirty tapes!  (-:

Good luck to you!

Cheers,
Berington
 

Berington Van Campen
Van Campen Productions / V.C.MusiCorp Scoring Services
VCMusiCorp1@...
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