Mellotronists

In message <1036753830.439.24082.m12@yahoogroups.com>, 
Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com writes
>
>This list is a forum for gaining information, knowledge, anecdotes, technical
>insight.  It has over 150 members(I believe), so why do we always get the
>same few and very welcome voices?  And if someone new does speak, let's
>answer them.
>
I'll delurk for a coupla seconds here.  I enjoy reading thee information 
on this list, but I'm not, nor am I likely to be a mellotron owner at 
any point in the medium term at least.  The reason being that my little 
music studio is in my attic, and access is through a fairly small hatch. 
I managed to squeeze my Rhodes Chroma through (on my own as well, up a 
flight of ladders!) but there is *no* way a 'tron will fit up there. 
I'd like an RMI KC2 for that matter, but I'd better measure one up 
before I ever considered buying one - I know a CS80 won't fit.    For 
now, & the near future, I have to use samples.  Allow me to drone on a 
bit.  I bought a DAT tape from a company called "tronsonics" who 
advertised  just once in the back of "Sound on Sound" many, many years 
ago.  They had a range of IIRC 6 or 7 tapes, each with four complete 
sets. Well, very nearly complete, as it turned out, but never mind.  I 
ordered the one with violin trio, flutes, mixed brass and tremelo 
electrick guitar (I think this sound is used in "The Prisoner" theme - 
the twangy tremelo guitar does sound very similar anyway)  I remember 
how thrilling it was building up the keyboard map in my dreadful old 
Yamaha TX16w sampler - - Wow! I can play a min3rd! - Wow, I can play a 
diminished chord! - Wow, I can play an inversion! (Etc) I'll need HOW 
MANY floppies?  Oops I just pressed the sustain pedal whilst in "edit" 
mode - now I'll have to start all over again...  Anyway, that DAT tape 
of samples has seen me thru 3 samplers (emax2, and current peavey dpm-sp 
module being 2 and 3) and soon, I'm planning on getting a fancy new E-mu 
box.  This makes me think that I'd like to overhaul my mellotron 
samples, and expand from the violins & flutes I use at the moment.  I 
wonder if listmembers have any recommendations for sample sources?  I 
tried out propeller island's sample CD a while ago, but I wasn't too 
impressed w/that.  The 2 sources that occur to me as "possibles" are the 
Mike Pinder CD, or alternatively, buy a copy of the "M-tron" VST 
instrument, install it in a friends computer (I'm still on Atari here) 
and get him to blast the samples onto DAT, so I can put it into the 
E-mu, trim, map and er..loo...er...lo....er, do the terrible thing to 
them.  Has anyone tried the M-tron package, and what did you think? 
Also, has anyone used the "Symphonic Fields Forever" sample CD?  I read 
this was fancy modern stereo multisamples, but played FF and unlooped in 
approx 8-second lengths to give a tron-like, but with unfamiliar sounds 
type effect.  Sounds interesting to me.  Anyway, that's all I've got to 
say for now...oh, hang on, does anyone know what tape sets Simon House 
used with Hawkwind?  I really like the spooky choir sound on "the 
demented man" from "Warrior on the Edge of Time", plus the choir break 
on "D-Riders" has to be my favourite mellotron break, ever!
Best etc.
-- 
Norman Fay
Vietgrove
Newcastle England