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Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Gino Vannelli sounds?

From: Daniel Swanson <tspit74@comcast.net>
Date: 2009-12-25

Awesome info Chris!

The main reason I asked was because I listened to the Nightwalker albums about 5 times yesterday and on around the 3rd time thru, I started noticing that the orchestrations were coming from what sounded like a tape based keyboard. I'd always assumed that the strings on the album were real because by '81, they had the budget for it. But the attack on the string line of the title track just sounded Mellotrony to me. The were very good, but not real. Better than real, if you know what I mean!

Man, what a great piece of gear you got.  Those albums thru Nightwalker are all amazing. Post some pictures sometime when you get a chance. I didn't even know they made Chamberlains that late. Those albums thru Nightwalker are all amazing. Gino and Joe totally rule.
On Dec 24, 2009, at 10:04 PM, Chris Dale wrote:


Gino Vannelli and his brother Joe used a Chamberlin M1 on the 1981 Nightwalker album.
 
I know this for a fact because I bought that unit from them in 1994.
 
The hit single from that album was "Living Inside Myself" and you can hear the Chamby 3 violins and cello on that.
 
Their  M1 was one of the very last ones made and has harp sounds that Harry kept only for himself up until then, (when he probably needed the money).
 
The unit was purchased just before recording for that album began and only used on that album and then stored away in a corner. So it's quite possibly the least used Chamberlin on the planet. Joe hadn't switched it on since then, and that was his main concern when offering to sell it to me. 
 
Regarding the customs sounds - they were different string sections recorded for the instrument. I have all those on another set of tapes, along with documents about their recording and a Chamberlin hole puncher (odd thing) used for making Chamberlin M series tapes.
Markus has 'some' of those Vannelli sounds.
 
I went to see Joe just a while back. He produced Burton Cummings latest album and both he and Gino are still active in music.
Some of the nicest most down to earth people I've ever met,  but maybe it's because we're all Canadian eh!
 
 
Merry Christmas (to almost all of you! :)
 
 
Chris Dale
 
  

On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 2:38 PM, Pomeroy RH Ranch <punchbowl4@earthlin k.net> wrote:
 

Yes – it was an M1 – and I think they only used it on one album – can’t remember which.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: newmellotrongroup@ yahoogroups. com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@ yahoogroups. com] On Behalf Of ClayE
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 9:43 AM
To: newmellotrongroup@ yahoogroups. com
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Gino Vannelli sounds?

 
 

Planet Mellotron (Andy) says Joe and Gino used a Chamberlin. http://www.planetme llotron.com/ revv.htm# vannelli

--- In newmellotrongroup@ yahoogroups. com, "DaSwans" <tspit74@...> wrote:
>
> I read or saw somewhere on the internet but can't remember what or where that Gino had custom sounds made for his Mellotron. I've been listening to his albums heavily this week and was just wondering if anybody out there knew what his custom sounds were and if they're available anywhere. I'm assuming they're something string related. Also, will they make me a hairy beast just like Gino?
>