Mellotronists

Hi, everyone.

It seems that your ordered copies of the book are now starting to arrive.  I would certainly appreciate any and all constructive feedback (aside from the few glaring publisher errors already noted).  It's obviously unknown if they'll be a subsequent printing, but in the event that there is, this feedback would certainly assist in any revision.

Thanks, and I hope you all enjoy the book!

My 2 cents on the cycling 400: I do love the idea, particularly since my acquiring a MkII has yet to become a reality (the one I checked out in L.A. earlier this week, #240, was not in good shape at all - and the guy still wants at least $14K for it).  Martin, if Streetly is going to build a limited # of T550's (what's the word on that anyway), then why not a limited edition manually cycling Novatron 400 (a next generation of trons, the 700, or 706 if 6 sounds, 712 if 12 sounds, etc.) or (since we're indulging our wish lists) a manually cycling dual manual Novatron Mark VII (the new MkII)?  I'll be more than glad to put the prototype through its paces.

I love the Russian Choir - it made me drag my yushanka out of the closet.  Some time ago I mentioned that Baritone Sax might be a consideration for a new sound (or would that sound too much like a foghorn?).  How about the solo female voice that almost became a reality a couple of years ago.  Different vocal/vowel sounds?  Mike Dickson's gastrointestinal rumblings (see Baritone Sax) with the air-raid siren on the lower G?

Although I said I was going to do this during the TRONto workshop last September (but haven't yet), I'd like to check with a local firm that makes road cases to get see about getting a price on a vertical ATA-style case (like the one Streetly had at the last 2 workshops) that would hold, say, 6 racks.  How many of you would be interested in something like this?  Martin, where did you guys get your cases?  BTW, Martin does raise a good point about the price of tapes/racks.  Relatively speaking, guitarists out there, how much do we spend on accessories per year?  I bought both a guitar and bass POD for my studio, which list for $350. apiece, among many other accessories, and didn't blink too much at that; or the cost of a year's worth of strings.  Of course, I'd like everything cheaper, but c'est la vie.  Hell, I'd like to find a pristine condition MkII for $500 -- and people in hell want ice water too!!!

Looking forward to your feedback,
Frank Samagaio
M400 #908

Frank's e-mail brings up a number of points worth addressing, so I'll throw in my 2 cents.

On road cases for frames: Craig Collett of Col Audio (who hosted the Tronto workshops) has already spoken to his road case supplier and they've measured frames (standard Streetly as opposed to the slightly longer DK/MR frames) and came up with several combinations (I believe 1,2,4 & 6). These can be supplied very quickly. Those of you who attended the workshops here already know the quality of this manufacturer's construction. The case he made for my MkII FX Console is the best I've ever seen. Period. And believe me, I've seen them all. In order to protect the finish, he lined the foam with velvet, for Christ's sake! They are computer designed to supply extra support for stress/weight points. I cannot recommend them highly enough. The price is very competitive, too AND in Canadian dollars! I'm sure the tape frame cases will be just as outstanding. Contact Craig at craigcollett@... for more info. Also: had anyone on the list seen/purchased one of the tape frame cases Markus told us about recently? Especially for the European contingent on the list, this could be a way to go.

Baritone Sax: When we recorded Phil Poppa for the new soprano sax, his bari was sitting over in the corner and we never did anything about it. I can't believe I was that stupid. However, I'm in the middle of organizing another round of recording (bass flute and flute choir--both done ala Ian McDonald) and I'll get Phil into the studio at the same time. Bari will work very well (as shown by the bass clarinet already done) and I can see a lot of uses for it. Imagine the standard 'cello on steriods. This will give you some idea of what the bari will sound like. We also have access to a bass sax to do the bottom notes. Those of you who have never heard this beast (it's 5 feet tall and you need a building permit when you put the reed on) are in for a real treat.

The idea floating around about a cycling 400: GREAT idea, but everyone must remember one thing: it will cost A LOT of money (and time) to attempt something like this. I believe that Streetly would be interested in and capable of making a cycling 'tron, but they would first need your commitment with FIRM orders (and probably a 50% deposit) before they could even begin something this involved. How many people would be willing to do this? That's the key as to whether it could happen or not. It took Martin having to write what I thought was a pretty despairing posting to get people talking about the Russian Choir (which is brilliant IMHO). They need your feedback to know whether what they're doing is valued/valuable. So, if there really is SOLID interest in a particular improvement (read: financially viable), I'm sure it will become reality.

Lastly: Talk is cheap. Frank (and Martin) are right about the cost of things. You can easily blow a grand on a guitar and amp, a new computer; hell, I blew $1200 on some software recently. $500 for a frame with 3 new sounds is not a lot to pay when you consider what you're getting. It seems to me that you cannot have enough mellotron voices. I look at the library as it now stands and realize that I could use another 6 voices right now--and I have 36 on my instrument! Even though I'm involved with the project, I think that the new library is terrific and that it's again growing after all these years blows me away--'trons are alive and well! Frankly, the quality of the majority of the original library is pretty substandard and the new voices show that the mellotron has NEVER really sounded as good as it should. Besides my efforts, there are several other ongoing recording projects and it won't be long before there will be a choice between more than double the string voices, for instance. We all must support these improvements, though, or they will come to a grinding halt. It's silly for everyone to go to the trouble to produce new recordings if we all say how great they are but no one buys them.

Also, it puzzles me mightily that anyone would want the MkII flute when Ian's is available. Why? Because the Beatles used it on 'Strawberry Fields'? Do you think Paul would have chosen that particular voice if Ian's had been an option at the time? Because MkII flute was always part of the "standard tape set"? Who cares? Personally, I would immediately dump the 3 violins if a better one came along. I don't worry that people might say, "Gee, it really doesn't sound anything like I remember." In my Devotion reunion gig last year, we HAD to do 'The Court of the Crimson King' or our loyal fans would probably have lynched us, and I admit that I used the 3 violins but only until the crescendo after the flute solo, at which point I brought in the string section voice and finally finished with orchestra for the vamp at the end. At our first rehearsal, the band stopped playing and the singer pithily commented, "What the fuck have you done to that thing?! That is TOTALLY awesome!" Why? Because it did sound FUCKING AMAZING. I showed Ian what I'd done at the Tronto workshop and in his quiet voice he said, "Gee, I wish we'd had that." I'll leave it to you all to imagine what the Adrian Belew guitar voice did to the band and audience in 'Schizoid Man'...

I guess what I'm trying to say is: order some of these new voices. They really are not that expensive. Don't be stuck in the museum when mellotrons are once again out there and evolving. If you want a cycling 400, tell Streetly and DEMAND to place an order. If enough people do that, there WILL be a cycling 400. They can do it.

And with that, he descended from his soapbox and disappeared into the night...

Cheers!

Rick (SFX 10030)

MAinPsych@... wrote:

 Hi, everyone.

It seems that your ordered copies of the book are now starting to arrive.  I would certainly appreciate any and all constructive feedback (aside from the few glaring publisher errors already noted).  It's obviously unknown if they'll be a subsequent printing, but in the event that there is, this feedback would certainly assist in any revision.

Thanks, and I hope you all enjoy the book!

My 2 cents on the cycling 400: I do love the idea, particularly since my acquiring a MkII has yet to become a reality (the one I checked out in L.A. earlier this week, #240, was not in good shape at all - and the guy still wants at least $14K for it).  Martin, if Streetly is going to build a limited # of T550's (what's the word on that anyway), then why not a limited edition manually cycling Novatron 400 (a next generation of trons, the 700, or 706 if 6 sounds, 712 if 12 sounds, etc.) or (since we're indulging our wish lists) a manually cycling dual manual Novatron Mark VII (the new MkII)?  I'll be more than glad to put the prototype through its paces.

I love the Russian Choir - it made me drag my yushanka out of the closet.  Some time ago I mentioned that Baritone Sax might be a consideration for a new sound (or would that sound too much like a foghorn?).  How about the solo female voice that almost became a reality a couple of years ago.  Different vocal/vowel sounds?  Mike Dickson's gastrointestinal rumblings (see Baritone Sax) with the air-raid siren on the lower G?

Although I said I was going to do this during the TRONto workshop last September (but haven't yet), I'd like to check with a local firm that makes road cases to get see about getting a price on a vertical ATA-style case (like the one Streetly had at the last 2 workshops) that would hold, say, 6 racks.  How many of you would be interested in something like this?  Martin, where did you guys get your cases?  BTW, Martin does raise a good point about the price of tapes/racks.  Relatively speaking, guitarists out there, how much do we spend on accessories per year?  I bought both a guitar and bass POD for my studio, which list for $350. apiece, among many other accessories, and didn't blink too much at that; or the cost of a year's worth of strings.  Of course, I'd like everything cheaper, but c'est la vie.  Hell, I'd like to find a pristine condition MkII for $500 -- and people in hell want ice water too!!!

Looking forward to your feedback,
Frank Samagaio
M400 #908

Hey! You!
Check out my website. rickblechta.com
It’s really great. Trust me…
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Blechta [mailto:rick@...]
Sent: 23 March 2002 15:10
To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Book feedback

Rick

Also, it puzzles me mightily that anyone would want the MkII flute when Ian's is available. Why? Because the Beatles used it on 'Strawberry Fields'? Do you think Paul would have chosen that particular voice if Ian's had been an option at the time? Because MkII flute was always part of the "standard tape set"? Who cares? Personally, I would immediately dump the 3 violins if a better one came along. I don't worry that people might say, "Gee, it really doesn't sound anything like I remember."  

The thing is, the original sounds are incredibly evocative, even if they don't sound particularly like the real thing! Deny at your peril that the 3 violins can make grown men weep...  :-)  New sounds are imperative, but the originals are essential.

Andy T.  (pissed as the proverbial parrot) 
M400 #1145

http://freespace.virgin.net/andy.thompson/