Mellotronists

Gang,
For my bday I was given by my girlfriend a basic simple kybd that has MIDI interface (Yamaha PSR-172).  I've been wanting to "go this route" (Mellotron sounds via PC) ever since; I don't play professionally and in fact barely at all, although I am self-learning; so, seeing this recommendation has got me going.

According to the GMedia M-Tron webpage, ".....the M-Tron VST plug-in requires a VST 2.0 compatible host application such as Cubase VST or Logic Audio to operate."

So the question becomes: right or wrong???  In order to play Mellotron sounds using a PC and a MIDI kybd, beyond the basic hardware (PC w/ MIDI-compatible soundcard, MIDI-capable kybd), one needs to have:
- A VST host (Cubase @ $149 US)
- The M-Tron Plug-In (@ $69 US) and possibly
- The additional tape banks (@ $69 US each) for additional/decent selection
  of sounds
- A compatible MIDI cord (@ about $30 US; in my case, it would be two male
  MIDI to one male "joystick" connector)

Although I will say, one dealer has the M-Tron Plug-In AND any two (of three) add'l banks for $189 US, AND a good price on the Cubase Starter Edition at $95 US, which seems like the best deal to me; then there's the MIDI cable for $22 US.....So let's see.....189 + 95 + 22 = $306 US plus tax & shipping.

Am I on the right track here, or can I do it for less, or do I need to spend even more (better sound card, etc.).....???

Any input (pun intended!!!) is welcome and appreciated.

Regards,
Mark B.,
aka MSB

PS - I've seen the Camel DVD "Footage" and is highly recommended.....



 
----- Original Message ----- 

From: "J.K.Beresford" <j.k.beresford@...>
To: <mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 1:25 AM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] HELP NEEDED..Help on the Way


> 
>.....if you 
> want THAT sound you could invest in a virtual tron like...MTron from Gmedia for which you just need a good 
> PC and keyboard.
> Good luck and welcome.
> John
>

Hi Mark,
Yes that's about right but you don't need to spend money on a full-
blown version of Cubase. The lastest version of Cubasis VST (I 
have version 4) works with plug in VSTi's or if you ain't bothered 
about having a virtual studio you could try Steinbergs V-Stack. I've 
not seen this working but it's supposed to work as a virtual host for 
a number of VSTi's like MTron simultaneously. Just make sure you 
can plug in external VSTi's with whichever software you get. Earlier 
versions of Cubasis won't. As for the tape banks, you do get a 
good selection of sounds included with MTron to get you going 
without having to buy extra's. Some sounds are good on MTron eg 
3 violins are good (although not as good as the real thing of course) 
but the 8 choir is a bit dull and lifeless. The old flute is ok but a few 
notes are a bit rough. Of course the whole thing depends on how 
good your pc is!
Hope that helps.
John

> 
> Gang,
> For my bday I was given by my girlfriend a basic simple kybd that has MIDI interface (Yamaha PSR-172).  I've been wanting to
 "go this route" (Mellotron sounds via PC) ever since; I don't play professionally and in fact barely at all, although I am self-learning;
 so, seeing this recommendation has got me going.
> 
> According to the GMedia M-Tron webpage, ".....the M-Tron VST plug-in requires a VST 2.0 compatible host application such as Cubase VST or Logic Audio to operate."
> 
> So the question becomes: right or wrong??? 
 In order to play Mellotron sounds using a PC and a MIDI kybd, beyond the basic hardware (PC w/ MIDI-compatible soundcard, MIDI-capable kybd), one needs to have:
> - A VST host (Cubase @ $149 US)
> - The M-Tron Plug-In (@ $69 US) and possibly
> - The additional tape banks (@ $69 US each) for additional/decent selection
>   of sounds
> - A compatible MIDI cord (@ about $30 US; in my case, it would be two male
>   MIDI to one male "joystick" connector)
> 
> Although I will say, one dealer has the M-Tron Plug-In AND any two (of three) add'l banks for $189 US, AND a good price on the Cubase Starter Edition at $95 US, which seems like the best deal to me; then there's the MIDI cable for $22 US.....So let's see.....189 + 95 + 22 = $306 US plus tax & 
shipping.

> 
> Am I on the right track here, or can I do it for less, or do I need to spend even more (better sound card, etc.).....???
> 
> Any input (pun intended!!!) is welcome and appreciated.
> 
> Regards,
> Mark B.,
> aka MSB
> 
> PS - I've seen the Camel DVD "Footage" and is highly recommended.....
> 
> 
> 
>  
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "J.K.Beresford" <j.k.beresford@...>
> To: <mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 1:25 AM
> Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] HELP NEEDED..Help on the Way
> 
> 
> > 
> >.....if you 
> > want THAT sound you could invest in a virtual tron like...MTron from Gmedia for which you just need a good 
> > PC and keyboard.
> > Good luck and welcome.
> > John
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> Yahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>

OK John, thanks for your quick response!!!!

A couple of things:
 I'm just starting out (obviously), so a few things are rather unknown to me,
specifically:
- Plug-in VSTi's (which are.....???)
- Virtual studio (I think I understand what this means a la "Garage Band" on the
  MAC), but does this also mean that there's more that I need besides Cubase
  (etc.) in order to 'lay down tracks"????  And what do you mean by my "being
  bothered" by it; what are my options vis a vis alternatives, how does a 'virtual
  studio' differ from VSTi's, etc.....???  A lot of questions, I know, but....

As for the additional M-Tron tape banks, banks 1 & 2 have Mellotron sounds
I'd like to have in addition to the M-Tron basics, so adding those seems worthwhile
to me.  The available on-line demos sounded decent enough.....

Thanks again for your suggestions/recommendations/opinions!!!

Mark B.,
aka MSB

BTW, PC is a self-built MSI 845 Ultra ARU, P4 2.2, 512 meg, lots of drives / drive space, WinXP Home SP2, etc.



----- Original Message ----- 

From: "J.K.Beresford" <j.k.beresford@...>
To: <mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 7:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] HELP NEEDED..Related Question


> 
> 
> Hi Mark,
> Yes that's about right but you don't need to spend money on a full-
> blown version of Cubase. The lastest version of Cubasis VST (I 
> have version 4) works with plug in VSTi's or if you ain't bothered 
> about having a virtual studio you could try Steinbergs V-Stack. I've 
> not seen this working but it's supposed to work as a virtual host for 
> a number of VSTi's like MTron simultaneously. Just make sure you 
> can plug in external VSTi's with whichever software you get. Earlier 
> versions of Cubasis won't. As for the tape banks, you do get a 
> good selection of sounds included with MTron to get you going 
> without having to buy extra's. Some sounds are good on MTron eg 
> 3 violins are good (although not as good as the real thing of course) 
> but the 8 choir is a bit dull and lifeless. The old flute is ok but a few 
> notes are a bit rough. Of course the whole thing depends on how 
> good your pc is!
> Hope that helps.
> John
> 
>> 
>>  In order to play Mellotron sounds using a PC and a MIDI kybd, beyond the basic hardware (PC w/ MIDI-compatible soundcard, MIDI-capable kybd), one needs to have:
>> - A VST host (Cubase @ $149 US)
>> - The M-Tron Plug-In (@ $69 US) and possibly
>> - The additional tape banks (@ $69 US each) for additional/decent selection
>>   of sounds
>> - A compatible MIDI cord (@ about $30 US; in my case, it would be two male
>>   MIDI to one male "joystick" connector)
>> 
>> Am I on the right track here, or can I do it for less, or do I need to spend even more (better sound card, etc.).....???
>> 
>> Any input (pun intended!!!) is welcome and appreciated.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> Mark B.,
>> aka MSB
>> 
>> PS - I've seen the Camel DVD "Footage" and is highly recommended.....
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>  
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "J.K.Beresford" <j.k.beresford@sheffield.ac.uk>
>> To: <mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 1:25 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] HELP NEEDED..Help on the Way
>> 
>> 
>> > 
>> >.....if you 
>> > want THAT sound you could invest in a virtual tron like...MTron from Gmedia for which you just need a good 
>> > PC and keyboard.
>> > Good luck and welcome.
>> > John
>> > 
>>