Mellotronists

Well Gents,

Martin Smith has informed me that me Mellotron # M1563, born on 15th August 1974
will be shipped to me next week fully restored. I cannot express the excitement
of finally owning one with my favorite tapes ( Mixed brass B, MkII strings, 8
voice mixed choir) so that I can now make my own goose pumps and hairs stand at
the touch of my own fingers. I am a newbie with playing and the instrument so I
would appreciate any info on which keyboard reverb or echo device to buy at my
local Guitar or keyboard center so that I can replicate those fabulous tron
sounds of my favorite bands (Genesis, Strawbs, Greenslade, Yes, Pallas, Arena,
ect., ect.).

Thanks again for any input

Rene' / SSI

Mellotron / # M1563

> Martin Smith has informed me that me Mellotron # M1563, born on 15th
> August 1974 will be shipped to me next week fully restored.

Was he phoning from his offshore tax haven again?

> I am a newbie with playing and the instrument so I would appreciate
> any info on which keyboard reverb or echo device to buy at my local
> Guitar or keyboard center so that I can replicate those fabulous tron
> sounds of my favorite bands

My only suggestion is to listen to as many as you can and settle with
one you like. Your local shop is unlikely to be able sell you a spring
or plate reverb, which is the sort of thing that most Prog Monsters used
to use, so you'll have to settle with something digital. (I would also
suggest that anything that old is likely to be nine parts knackered by
now anyway)

I have an Alesis MIDIverb II here and it sounds fine with that, but I'm
sure there are better out there. One huge advantage that digital reverbs
have is that they are programmable, so you can switch between 'phone
box' and 'Rheims Cathedral' with ease.

For the ultimate analogue reverb, just play it into Rick Blechta's right
ear. The vast, cavernous sound that comes from his left ear simply
doesn't sound like it could have come out of such a small and shiny
thing as Rick's furrowed little head. Certainly beats any vast,
cavernous sound that I can come up with. (*)

Oh yes.

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/

(*) I suspect it's not the *sound* that bothered most people, though.

Mike Dickson wrote:
For the ultimate analogue reverb, just play it into Rick Blechta's right
ear. The vast, cavernous sound that comes from his left ear simply
doesn't sound like it could have come out of such a small and shiny
thing as Rick's furrowed little head. Certainly beats any vast,
cavernous sound that I can come up with. (*)

I am impressed! An unprovoked assault! I love the good 'ol days. Well constructed insult hurled with a basis in hard science and with a self-effacing tone. Brilliant!

Fritz m400#1697

fdoddy@... wrote:

Mike Dickson wrote:
For the ultimate analogue reverb, just play it into Rick Blechta's right
ear. The vast, cavernous sound that comes from his left ear simply
doesn't sound like it could have come out of such a small and shiny
thing as Rick's furrowed little head. Certainly beats any vast,
cavernous sound that I can come up with. (*)

I am impressed! An unprovoked assault! I love the good 'ol days. Well constructed insult hurled with a basis in hard science and with a self-effacing tone. Brilliant!

Fritz m400#1697

Hey, I can take it. Besides, everyone knows Dickson's an asshole... Martinge called me up just yesterday especially to tell me that. There's even a picture of him at every border check point and in bold type at the bottom it says, "Don't let this asshole into Canada. Of course, most countries (even Scotland, I hear) have much the same signs.

I am available for reverb duties if anyone should require them, but I assure you, I don't come cheap. The only one who gets a discount is Shakira who rented ole 10030 for a live TV appearance in Montreal. She liked the old girl so much, she used her twice. Now Shakira can do anything with me she wants!

Dickson, you're off my Christmas list for that unprovoked assault, regardless of how well-constructed (Fritz, you forgot the hyphen) and based on hard science it was! The self-effacing tone had a quite ingenuous and naivete tone, though. Well done on that.

Rick (sfx 10030)

> I am available for reverb duties if anyone should require them, but I
> assure you, I don't come cheap.

Can anyone else hear a springy sort of echoing sound?

> Dickson, you're off my Christmas list for that unprovoked assault,
> regardless of how well-constructed (Fritz, you forgot the hyphen)

There it goes again. Buggered if I can tell what it is.

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/