Mellotronists

It just occurred to me that Foxtrot is replete with six and seven-
note chords on what would presumably have only been a Mk II.  Does 
that mean that a lot of that was overdubs, or were the motor 
instability issues that seemed to plague Pinder resolved by then?

Foxtrot was recorded in 1971 or 72 wasn't it?  Whatever the case, 
that was well after the MK II motor control mod.

I saw Pinder play the MKII in 1969.  Of course I was just a tiny baby 
at the time, but my appreciation for music developed early.  They 
were running on North American 60HZ converted power....  And it 
was "magnificent".  Have You Heard?
YES.

Clay

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

> It just occurred to me that Foxtrot is replete with six and seven-
> note chords on what would presumably have only been a Mk II.  Does 
> that mean that a lot of that was overdubs, or were the motor 
> instability issues that seemed to plague Pinder resolved by then?

....and another thing about Pinder and the MKII in 1969.  I don't 
recall seeing or hearing a lot of 'Tron tuning between songs.

Genesis/Banks, on the other hand would always be tuning, detuning, 
retuning and fine tuning (and giving up) between songs.
I am sure the reason that Gabriel would go on and on and on and ON 
telling his silly stories, was to allow Banks time to NOT tune the 
M400.  There are bootlegs from the Selling England tour with 
endless "Gabriel Gab" and endless choir tuning in the background.

Fripp was right....  "Tuning a mellotron doesn't".  He always had a 
way with words.

Clay

> From: "ceccles_ca" <clay123@...>
   > Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 04:42:19 -0000
   > 
   > Genesis/Banks, on the other hand would always be tuning,
   > detuning, retuning and fine tuning (and giving up) between songs.
   > I am sure the reason that Gabriel would go on and on and on and
   > ON telling his silly stories, was to allow Banks time to NOT tune
   > the M400.

I dunno, with three or four 12-string guitars in the band, I find it
hard to believe that Mellotron tuning was the major effort there.  :-)

  -- Don

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California
don@...
http://www.till.com

Banks is quoted as saying that on his first M400 at least, the brass 
was out of tune with the violins. Presumably why a lot of later 
recordings of "Watcher" live were done on largely brass or largely 
violins. So he did have to re-tune whenever he changed between the 
two - a bit difficult in the middle of Supper's Ready! Together with 
the old CMC whichever it was, tuning must have been a real 
headache on stage. He later said his last M400SM (presumably the 
black one) was the most stable thing on stage!
Regarding his other tape frame - I know there are flutes on 
"Lilleywhite lilith" and cello in "Dancing with..." but what was the third 
and was it used on anything? Anybody know?

John
3/005

ps In answer to my earlier question; heard "I believe in Father 
Xmas" this morning on radio - definately not tron. Shame 'cause by 
the time he'd got the choir in to go "oooh and ahhh" it could have 
been.

To:             	Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
From:           	"ceccles_ca" <clay123@...>
Date sent:      	Fri, 19 Dec 2003 04:42:19 -0000

Subject:        	[Mellotronists] Re: big chords?

> ....and another thing about Pinder and the MKII in 1969.  I don't 
> recall seeing or hearing a lot of 'Tron tuning between songs.
> 
> Genesis/Banks, on the other hand would always be tuning, detuning, 
> retuning and fine tuning (and giving up) between songs.
> I am sure the reason that Gabriel would go on and on and on and ON 
> telling his silly stories, was to allow Banks time to NOT tune the 
> M400.  There are bootlegs from the Selling England tour with 
> endless "Gabriel Gab" and endless choir tuning in the background.
> 
> Fripp was right....  "Tuning a mellotron doesn't".  He always had a 
> way with words.
> 
> Clay
> 
> 
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>

> Regarding his other tape frame - I know there are flutes on 
> "Lilleywhite lilith" and cello in "Dancing with..." but what was
> the third and was it used on anything? Anybody know?

Hi,

According to an interview from 2000, Banks had a tape frame with
flutes, cello, and oboe. I'm not sure as to whether the oboe was
used on anything, though. I think Gabriel played a real oboe on
Cinema Show.

-joachim

Isn't there a bit of 'tron tuning going toward the 
end of side one and the middle of side two of 
"Caught Live + Five"?

Before "Never Comes the Day"

"My dog has fleas..."
"No he has not...."
"Oh yes he has..." (laughter)
"This could go on forever..." (spoken)
"Although he's *squawk*...."

and later, prior to "Are You Sitting Comfortably:

"This next tune requires a bit of a tuning....."  
*squawk*  *squawk*  *squawk-squawk*