Mellotronists

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, Don Tillman <don@...> wrote:
>
>    > From: "ceccles_ca" <ecclesreinson@...>
>    > Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 12:40:32 -0000
>    >
>    > If you restrict the definition, you will have a hell of a 
time 
>    > deciding what IS on the MI list.  If a digital sampler 
doesn't belong 
>    > on the MI list, then perhaps a VCS3 doesn't belong either.
> 
> Okay, let's try an experiment... bring a musician into a room with 
a
> digital sampler and a VCS3.  Have him stand in front of each and
> measure his heartbeat.  That would be the Touring Test for musical
> instruments.  (I'm kidding.  Well, maybe not.)
> 
> Y'know, I'd sure like to say that a digital sampler doesn't belong 
on
> the Musical Instrument list, but therein lies the issue.  Why 
bother
> with the low end so much?  Why be so concerned about what 
legitimizing
> questionable stuff when you could be making better musical
> instruments?  I'm interested in the high end.  Where is the 
research
> to make instruments that are truly cherished by the musician?  
Where
> is the develoment of something that will enable and inspire the 
next
> Hendrix or Coltrane?
> 
> This is a major problem with the instrument industry; with almost 
30
> freaking years digital development in the music world, you'd think
> that they would have provided some truly kick ass musical 
instruments
> by now.  (And that's 30 years of development subsidized by the
> computer industry and powered by Moore's Law, equivalent to 
centuries
> of development in any other field.)  But no, they spend all their
> efforts faking Hammonds, faking Rhodes', faking pianos, faking
> Mellotrons faking violins.
> 
> There is no Hendrix or Coltrane of the digital sampler, and it's
> really difficult to name a truly great solo played on a digital
> machine.  Compare that to the way we on this list gush over the 
intro
> to "Watcher of the Skies".
> 
> So, yeah, I'm thankful that we have the Mellotron Archives Mark VI 
and
> whatever Streetly is developing.
> 
>   -- Don
> 
>Well most of this seems agreeable, but the new wave of synths and 
samplers of the late 70's and 80's were a new page in the books and 
the people who made use of them such as Giorgio Moroder, Vangelis, 
Tomita, Walter Carlos, Jean Michael Jarre, Brian Eno etc. all 
contributed amongst countless others, sampled sounds, in context 
something you could not do without the sampler.  Like anything else 
these can be put to good use  by creative minds or abused by ripping 
off other peoples work. Samplers and trons are similar in respect 
that what goes in comes out somewhat different.
I am also grateful to the Mellotron Archives and Streetly's and God 
bless them because if it were not for them we probably would not be 
having this discussion today.   Respectfully, Pat NT Pending  
M400#703