Mellotronists

Sounds like an open-hole flute (as opposed to the more usual closed-hole pads) - open 
holes let most woodwind instruments vary the pitch as can be heard in that track (and a 
couple of other M&P songs).  You can get a little bit of pitch bend on a metal flute by shifting 
the mouthpiece and overblowing, but not with any significant musical value!

Owen

--
http://www.thinking-aloud.co.uk/
http://www.myspace.com/thinkingalouduk

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "jonesalley" <jonesalley@...> wrote:

>
> I heard "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas for the first time ages and ages, 
> and was suddenly struck by the 'tronnish sound of the flute solo, and particularly the very 
> unflutelike pitch bending towards the end.  Anybody know?
>

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "jonesalley" <jonesalley@...> wrote:
>
> I heard "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas for the
first time ages and ages, and was suddenly struck by the 'tronnish
sound of the flute solo

Sounds like real flute to me.

In a message dated 6/4/2007 11:54:25 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
jonesalley@... writes:

I heard "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas for the  first time 
ages and ages, and was suddenly struck by the 'tronnish sound of  the flute 
solo, and particularly the very unflutelike pitch bending  towards the end.  
Anybody know?



Wasn't the late Curt Boettcher involved with them and he had  Mellotron 
associations (no pun intended; he also worked with The  Association)?  Don't know 
for certain if the flute solo was Mellotron,  but flautists can bend notes ala 
"California Dreaming".  Help me out  here, Vicki Blechta!  For the record, I 
hear it as a real flute (alto  perhaps?).
 
One of the faults of M&P's recordings was pitch, not within the  group 
itself, but between the group and the instrumental tracks.  For  example, compare 
the last vocal chord on "California Dreaming" ("On such a  winter's 
daaaaaaaay..") with the ending instrumental chord.  I hear them as  slightly off with each 
other, less than a quarter-tone, but nonetheless  off.  I think it's 
noticeable on most of their recordings.  Did the  group have difficulty singing with 
backing tracks?  I've come across this  very problem often in overdubbing small 
vocal groups/choirs with backing  tracks.
 
Frank 1




************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Making a close harmony recording in pitch with strings or an orchestra
is very expensive and not so easy to do back them (monitoring was more
primitive). Vocal booths can contribute to the accuracy problem.
Recording in a live room with strings is loud and demanding and
embarassing, one alternative is to mate the tracks with pitch
correction whic is common but who's pitch do you raise or lower and
how far can you go (argument ensues at $$$ per hour).

A good place to use a Mellotron.

gw

On 6/5/07, MAinPsych@... <MAinPsych@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 6/4/2007 11:54:25 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
> jonesalley@... writes:
>
> I heard "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas for the first time
> ages and ages, and was suddenly struck by the 'tronnish sound of the flute
> solo, and particularly the very unflutelike pitch bending towards the end.
> Anybody know?
>
> Wasn't the late Curt Boettcher involved with them and he had Mellotron
> associations (no pun intended; he also worked with The Association)?  Don't
> know for certain if the flute solo was Mellotron, but flautists can bend
> notes ala "California Dreaming".  Help me out here, Vicki Blechta!  For the
> record, I hear it as a real flute (alto perhaps?).
>
> One of the faults of M&P's recordings was pitch, not within the group
> itself, but between the group and the instrumental tracks.  For example,
> compare the last vocal chord on "California Dreaming" ("On such a winter's
> daaaaaaaay..") with the ending instrumental chord.  I hear them as slightly
> off with each other, less than a quarter-tone, but nonetheless off.  I think
> it's noticeable on most of their recordings.  Did the group have difficulty
> singing with backing tracks?  I've come across this very problem often in
> overdubbing small vocal groups/choirs with backing tracks.
>
> Frank 1
>
>
> ________________________________
> See what's free at AOL.com.
>
>

yeah...an open hole, wooden Irish-type is how I always understood 
that incredible sound...also I can't help but trying to tax this old 
hippie brain in thinking back I read somewhere that it was Charles 
Lloyd who played it (from Sloop John B and Specters Wall of Sound 
studio gang...sounds like something he would play). If ya can find 
it ...listen to his contribution to "Almost Summer" soundtrack...he 
did the similar pitch bend and I know IT was Irish Flute...(wooden 
and open holes)I think Owen nailed it close.
Lee



--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "thinkingalouduk" <owen@...> 
wrote:
>
> Sounds like an open-hole flute (as opposed to the more usual closed-
hole pads) - open 
> holes let most woodwind instruments vary the pitch as can be heard 
in that track (and a 
> couple of other M&P songs).  You can get a little bit of pitch bend 
on a metal flute by shifting 
> the mouthpiece and overblowing, but not with any significant 
musical value!
> 
> Owen
> 
> --
> http://www.thinking-aloud.co.uk/
> http://www.myspace.com/thinkingalouduk
> 
> --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "jonesalley" <jonesalley@> 
wrote:
> >
> > I heard "California Dreaming" by the Mamas and the Papas for the 
first time ages and ages, 
> > and was suddenly struck by the 'tronnish sound of the flute solo, 
and particularly the very 

> > unflutelike pitch bending towards the end.  Anybody know?
> >
>