The Mellotron Group

Many people don't know this, but Bernie used to know much more about  
Mellotrons than he does now. He fell down the stairs a while back and when he  
awoke, he immediately changed his email address and promptly erased all of the 
 knowledge associated with the old one.
 
Be patient. He's coming along just fine. 
 
Frank
 
 
In a message dated 11/30/2010 8:29:33 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
gabru@comsec.net writes:

 
 
 
 
Really  Bernie?....You don’t know what the limitations are?   
You’re  kidding right?  
J 
 
 
 
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com  
[mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of  tron400
Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 4:05 AM
To:  newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re:  Speaking of the M4000, what's with this?

 
 
 


Interesting article, but I'd like to know exactly what the  limitations of 
a Mellotron are. It is what it is.

Bernie

--- In  _newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com_ 
(mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com) ,  lsf5275@... wrote:
>
> A nice article about the M4000 and then a  referral to watch a movie that 
> hardly mentions Streetly (if at  all)and is mostly about Chamberlins.
> 
> 
> 
> _New  Mellotron M4000 Finds Home With Chicago Psych Rocker_ 
> (_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/) )  
> 18Sep10
> 
> (_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/email/_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/email/) )  
> _Send to a Friend_ 
> (_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/email/_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/email/) )  | 
_Feed for this Entry_ 
> (_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/feed/_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2010/09/18/mellotron-m4000/feed/) )  | Filed 
under: _Keyboard Synthesizers_ 
> 
(_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/category/electronic-music-gear/keyboard-synthesize_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/category/electronic-music-gear/keyboard-synthesize) 
>  rs/) , _Samplers_ 
> 
(_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/category/electronic-music-gear/samplers/_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/category/electronic-music-gear/samplers/) )  
> 
> 
> Mellotrons have a checkered history. They’re  known for their unique 
sound 
> and place in electronic music, but  they’re also known for their 
limitations 
> and temperamentality.  
> But, while the sound of the Mellotron has been captured in samples  and 
> software, there’s still something about a real tape-based  Mellotron 
that 
> appeals to a lot of musicians. 
> And, for some  keyboardists, it’s hard for them to imagine playing 
their 
> music  without a Mellotron. 
> Chicago-based psychedelic rocker Jim Licka,  right, recently added a new 
> _Mellotron M4000_ 
> 
(_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/09/18/streetly-electronics-introduces-a-new-mellotron/_ (http://www.synth
topia.com/content/2009/09/18/streetly-electronics-introduces-a-new-mellotron/) )  , from _Streetly Electronics_ 
> (_http://www.mellotronics.com/_ (http://www.mellotronics.com/) ) , to his 
 arsenal. Licka leads a 
> psychedelic/ambient/rock band _Umbra and the  Volcan Siege_ 
(_http://www.myspace.com/umbrachicago_ (http://www.myspace.com/umbrachicago) )  
> . 
> Why a new Mellotron? 
> “I think the Mellotron is  the most dynamic and influential instrument 
> invented,” says  Licka.”I love it every time I play it and hear it.â€
 
> The Mellotron  M4000 is the newest in a the Mellotron family of 
> electro-mechanical,  polyphonic sample-playback keyboards. Psychedelic 
and progressive 
>  rock bands used the Mellotron extensively in the ’60s and ’70s and 
the  
> instrument features on album like George Harrison’s Wonderwall  Music, 
King 
> Crimson’s In the Court of the Crimson King and  Architecture & 
Morality by 
> Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark.  
> More recently, the Mellotron has seen a resurgence of interest,  
especially 
> with prog and metal groups. 
> “It sends me to a  place that’s special and sacred,” adds Licka. â
€œIt makes 
> me feel  alive and I feel lucky to own one. I think that keeps me coming 
> back  for more and more and it’s the most amazing sound ever.” 
> Licka,  who also plays guitar and Moog synthesizer with Umbra and the 
Volcan 
>  Siege, ordered his Mellotron M4000 in 2007, after visiting Streetly’s 
 
> Staffordshire, England, headquarters and testing a prototype. An  older 
model 
> Mellotron is featured on the most recent Umbra and the  Volcan Siege EP, 
2009’
> s The Beginning of the End. 
> If  you’re interested in learning more about the Mellotron, a great 
place to  
> start is Dianna Dilworth’s excellent _Mellotron documentary  
Mellodrama_ 
> 
(_http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/02/12/mellodrama-mellotronchamberlin-d_ 
(http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/02/12/mellodrama-mellotronchamberlin-d) 
>  ocumentary-trailer/) .
>