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2004-01-30 by charel196
Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I would guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played it).No mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a Chamberlin or a tron.
2004-01-31 by Rick Blechta
We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and he owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor) Rick PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the fake mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please.
On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote: > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I would > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played it).No > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a Chamberlin or > a tron. >
2004-01-31 by Chris Dale
strolling in late...sorry Rick! Yes, it is a Chamberlin, one of the very last ones made. In the final days of the Chamberlin company, Harry and Richard were making and selling them from their garage once again. Gino and Joe bought the Chamberlin directly out of the garage after placing an advance order. This one was made in 1980 or early 81 and was only used on the Nightwalker album. After that it was retired to a corner of the studio and never used again. Joe played all the string parts with the standard cello and violin sounds. They also had a series of custom string section tapes made for it as well, and though these sound wonderful (and quite different) I don't remember hearing them on the album. Joe doesn't recall where he used them either. The most beautiful sounds on it are a series of harp sounds which were never sold as part of the Chamberlin library. I wonder if Harry was doing everything he could at that point to keep the company going. I think the song most played on radio from the album is "Living Inside Myself". Good use of the instrument "up front" for once too. Chris ----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick Blechta" <rick@...> To: "Mellotronist's List" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 7:05 PM Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and he > owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and > gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor) > > Rick > > PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the fake > mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please. > > On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote: > > > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I would > > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played it).No > > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a Chamberlin or > > a tron. > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > >
2004-01-31 by charel196
Hi Chris thanks for that!An answer to a long time quest for me...I always suspected Chamberlin because it sounded "too real" for a tron.I thought I recognized the cellos too.(Like Pinder used on "Isn't Life Strange").There's even some pitch bending on "Santa Rosa".Did this unit have a pitch knob installed? I thought that wasn't standard on Chamberlins. Did they ever tour with it? Charles --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Dale" <chris.dale@p...> wrote: > strolling in late...sorry Rick! > > > Yes, it is a Chamberlin, one of the very last ones made. In the final days > of the Chamberlin company, Harry and Richard were making and selling them > from their garage once again. Gino and Joe bought the Chamberlin directly > out of the garage after placing an advance order. This one was made in 1980 > or early 81 and was only used on the Nightwalker album. After that it was > retired to a corner of the studio and never used again. > > Joe played all the string parts with the standard cello and violin sounds. > They also had a series of custom string section tapes made for it as well, > and though these sound wonderful (and quite different) I don't remember > hearing them on the album. Joe doesn't recall where he used them either. The > most beautiful sounds on it are a series of harp sounds which were never > sold as part of the Chamberlin library. I wonder if Harry was doing > everything he could at that point to keep the company going. > > I think the song most played on radio from the album is "Living Inside > Myself". Good use of the instrument "up front" for once too. > > > Chris > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rick Blechta" <rick@r...> > To: "Mellotronist's List" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 7:05 PM > Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > > > > We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and he > > owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and > > gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor) > > > > Rick > > > > PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the fake > > mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please. > > > > On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote: > > > > > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I would > > > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played it).No > > > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a Chamberlin or
> > > a tron. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > >
2004-01-31 by Pomeroy Ranch
Chris, Charles and all - I spoke with Richard Chamberlin (some years ago now) and he told me about the last years of the company. The company was mostly Richard and his sister with some help from his father building the last of the M1's in the home garage. Richard had started working on a distribution deal that would get them on a volume basis and right near the end of negotiations Harry killed the deal. That was the last straw for Richard and the end of any production. Harry produced only tape sets after that. In my small Chamberlin literature collection there is no mention of pitch control being available, but I know it could be had. My M2 has pitch control only because I have a digitally-controlled motor in it. I can't remember if the early pitch controllers were on a rheostat or what. Of course Patrick Warren just drags on the pulley for gliss effects... Harry had two harp sounds that were not on any of his sound lists but Dave Kean has them available. Does Joe or Gino have the custom sounds any more? Maybe Dave or Streetly could add them to their arsenal. I have some custom sounds sitting on spools here at my house, but don't want to change out what I have in at the moment and no way of playing them otherwise. Vance...I'm not flying - just falling with style! M2
-----Original Message----- From: charel196 [mailto:charel196@...] Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 12:39 PM To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER Hi Chris thanks for that!An answer to a long time quest for me...I always suspected Chamberlin because it sounded "too real" for a tron.I thought I recognized the cellos too.(Like Pinder used on "Isn't Life Strange").There's even some pitch bending on "Santa Rosa".Did this unit have a pitch knob installed? I thought that wasn't standard on Chamberlins. Did they ever tour with it? Charles --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Dale" <chris.dale@p...> wrote: > strolling in late...sorry Rick! > > > Yes, it is a Chamberlin, one of the very last ones made. In the final days > of the Chamberlin company, Harry and Richard were making and selling them > from their garage once again. Gino and Joe bought the Chamberlin directly > out of the garage after placing an advance order. This one was made in 1980 > or early 81 and was only used on the Nightwalker album. After that it was > retired to a corner of the studio and never used again. > > Joe played all the string parts with the standard cello and violin sounds. > They also had a series of custom string section tapes made for it as well, > and though these sound wonderful (and quite different) I don't remember > hearing them on the album. Joe doesn't recall where he used them either. The > most beautiful sounds on it are a series of harp sounds which were never > sold as part of the Chamberlin library. I wonder if Harry was doing > everything he could at that point to keep the company going. > > I think the song most played on radio from the album is "Living Inside > Myself". Good use of the instrument "up front" for once too. > > > Chris > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rick Blechta" <rick@r...> > To: "Mellotronist's List" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 7:05 PM > Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > > > > We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and he > > owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and > > gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor) > > > > Rick > > > > PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the fake > > mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please. > > > > On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote: > > > > > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I would > > > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played it).No > > > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a Chamberlin or > > > a tron. > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
2004-02-01 by Chris Dale
Yes, there is a pitch bend knob on the machine which works surprisingly well. Most M1 Chamberlins (if not all) will have the pitch bend knob but they're not all equally precise. Regarding live use - they never toured with it. They only used it once and it basically sat for 15 years. For touring, Joe had two of those Korg synths that had the patch cords (I can't remember the numbers). He would do the string sounds on those, or they use real cellists/violinists which is what they were really after. That was why they initially purchased the Chamberlin. They wanted real strings in the background and someone recommended using a tape replay instrument to them. It's also why they had their own string section tapes done. They wanted more to have the sound of real strings and not something that sounded like a stock Mellotron or Chamberlin. Chris ----- Original Message -----
From: "charel196" <charel196@...> To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 3:38 PM Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > Hi Chris > thanks for that!An answer to a long time quest for me...I always > suspected Chamberlin because it sounded "too real" for a tron.I > thought I recognized the cellos too.(Like Pinder used on "Isn't Life > Strange").There's even some pitch bending on "Santa Rosa".Did this > unit have a pitch knob installed? I thought that wasn't standard on > Chamberlins. > Did they ever tour with it? Charles > > > > --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Dale" <chris.dale@p...> > wrote: > > strolling in late...sorry Rick! > > > > > > Yes, it is a Chamberlin, one of the very last ones made. In the > final days > > of the Chamberlin company, Harry and Richard were making and > selling them > > from their garage once again. Gino and Joe bought the Chamberlin > directly > > out of the garage after placing an advance order. This one was made > in 1980 > > or early 81 and was only used on the Nightwalker album. After that > it was > > retired to a corner of the studio and never used again. > > > > Joe played all the string parts with the standard cello and violin > sounds. > > They also had a series of custom string section tapes made for it > as well, > > and though these sound wonderful (and quite different) I don't > remember > > hearing them on the album. Joe doesn't recall where he used them > either. The > > most beautiful sounds on it are a series of harp sounds which were > never > > sold as part of the Chamberlin library. I wonder if Harry was doing > > everything he could at that point to keep the company going. > > > > I think the song most played on radio from the album is "Living > Inside > > Myself". Good use of the instrument "up front" for once too. > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Rick Blechta" <rick@r...> > > To: "Mellotronist's List" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com> > > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 7:05 PM > > Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > > > > > > > We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and > he > > > owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and > > > gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor) > > > > > > Rick > > > > > > PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the > fake > > > mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please. > > > > > > On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote: > > > > > > > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I > would > > > > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played > it).No > > > > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a > Chamberlin or > > > > a tron. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > >
2004-02-01 by Chris Dale
Well that's good to know about the harp sounds but I have three, maybe four different ones and I think Dave may not have them all. When I played the instrument over the phone for him once, he seemed surprised. Unless of course, he has them all but only located two of them. Maybe they're on another reel??? Regarding the custom sounds - Gino and Joe don't have them anymore, nor were they really interested in getting copies of them. I remember asking about that specifically once I made arrangements to put the Chamberlin into storage. They were truly through with using it and any custom sounds for it. They had no interest in keeping any momentoes of it. I was sold the entire Chamberlin package - supporting documents and instructions / instrument / custom tape set, and some weird tape cutter or hole puncher to make tapes with. They had their day in the sun with the Chamberlin and that was it. And yes what a major pain it could be to change tapes!! It's unfortunate you can't really discover everything you have until you load all the tapes into the unit especially when things might differ note to note. If you have a weekend to do it, and a lot of time by yourself I suppose it's a worthwhile endeavor. But adjusting pinch roller / pressure pad, and then equalizing the two allen screws on the roller (4 points of adjustment) is enough to give anyone pause. This reminds me of a story I'd like to share but you're going to think I'm totally nuts (if you didn't already). I had a couple of clients over to my old studio who were curious about keyboards and I demo'd the Chamberlin for them. One guy loved the sound of the swirling harp mixed with the female voice and said he wanted to buy it on the spot. I obviously declined his offer, and he then said he would trade his Porsche for the Chamberlin. I asked him how he was going to get home if he left me his Porsche and took the Chamberlin. He said he would carry it with him all the way home somehow. He was serious about the trade but I told him no. Everyone who found out about the offer was shocked "Why didn't you take the Porsche?!!" some girls were asking me. When I saw him some time later he asked me why I wouldn't make the trade. I told him there was only one obstacle to getting a Porsche and that was having enough money for buying one. There are two obstacles to getting a Chamberlin: having the money to buy one and more importantly - *finding* one. You can always buy a Porsche but you can't always buy a Chamberlin. He said he knew that and that's why he made the offer. Chris
> Harry had two harp sounds that were not on any of his sound lists but > Dave Kean has them available. > Does Joe or Gino have the custom sounds any more? Maybe Dave or Streetly > could add them to their arsenal. I have some custom sounds sitting on > spools here at my house, but don't want to change out what I have in at > the moment and no way of playing them otherwise. > > Vance...I'm not flying - just falling with style! > M2 > -----Original Message----- > From: charel196 [mailto:charel196@...] > Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 12:39 PM > To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > > Hi Chris > thanks for that!An answer to a long time quest for me...I always > suspected Chamberlin because it sounded "too real" for a tron.I > thought I recognized the cellos too.(Like Pinder used on "Isn't Life > Strange").There's even some pitch bending on "Santa Rosa".Did this > unit have a pitch knob installed? I thought that wasn't standard on > Chamberlins. > Did they ever tour with it? Charles > > > > --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Dale" <chris.dale@p...> > wrote: > > strolling in late...sorry Rick! > > > > > > Yes, it is a Chamberlin, one of the very last ones made. In the > final days > > of the Chamberlin company, Harry and Richard were making and > selling them > > from their garage once again. Gino and Joe bought the Chamberlin > directly > > out of the garage after placing an advance order. This one was made > in 1980 > > or early 81 and was only used on the Nightwalker album. After that > it was > > retired to a corner of the studio and never used again. > > > > Joe played all the string parts with the standard cello and violin > sounds. > > They also had a series of custom string section tapes made for it > as well, > > and though these sound wonderful (and quite different) I don't > remember > > hearing them on the album. Joe doesn't recall where he used them > either. The > > most beautiful sounds on it are a series of harp sounds which were > never > > sold as part of the Chamberlin library. I wonder if Harry was doing > > everything he could at that point to keep the company going. > > > > I think the song most played on radio from the album is "Living > Inside > > Myself". Good use of the instrument "up front" for once too. > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Rick Blechta" <rick@r...> > > To: "Mellotronist's List" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com> > > Sent: Friday, January 30, 2004 7:05 PM > > Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Gino Vannelli NIGHTWALKER > > > > > > > We're sure to hear from Chris Dale on this. It's a Chamberlin and > he > > > owns it (having bought it from Joe Vanelli). And now, ladies and > > > gentleman, Mister Chrrrrrriisss Dale... (cue the guy from Windsor) > > > > > > Rick > > > > > > PS Markus, I think that was a pretty definitive statement on the > fake > > > mellotron. Thanks. And keep us informed, please. > > > > > > On Friday, January 30, 2004, at 06:28 PM, charel196 wrote: > > > > > > > Just pulled this one out last night and there's some great...I > would > > > > guess...Chamberlin strings all over it(not sure who played > it).No > > > > mention in the credits but it sure sounds like either a > Chamberlin or > > > > a tron. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mellotronists/ > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > Mellotronists-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > >
2004-02-02 by Rick Blechta
>On Sunday, February 1, 2004, at 04:42 PM, Chris Dale wrote: > >Well that's good to know about the harp sounds but I have three, maybe four >different ones and I think Dave may not have them all. When I played the >instrument over the phone for him once, he seemed surprised. I've heard Chris play, and I have to say I was surprised too... Rick
2004-02-02 by mark kasian
> >different ones and I think Dave may not have them > all. When I played > the > >instrument over the phone for him once, he seemed > surprised. except to say that he has the custom masters that Joe made for that machine. I have heard bits of that 2in. master and it's pretty amazing. I don't know if Kean ever made a chamberlin set for one of his machines from these though. I'm sure he still has that tape. Mark. . > >different ones and I think Dave may not have them > all. When I played > the > >instrument over the phone for him once, he seemed > surprised. > > I've heard Chris play, and I have to say I was > surprised too... > > Rick > >. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free web site building tool. Try it! http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ps/sb/