The Mellotron Group

I don't remember much about the Rev.2.  I don't think a lot were made but you are correct about the chips.
My P10 was basically 2 Rev. 3s in a single case.  There was a single manual 10 voice made early on but it overheated
and was never put into production.  As far as the Synergy goes I think I still have a Kaypro 10 CP/M machine in storage
with all of the software but not sure if I still have any interface boards.  I used to have a lot of parts and even several
empty keyboard beds.  When I had it set up you could build or modify waveforms on the screen and it was kind of like
a Fairlight.  It was a powerful keyboard for the time and far more advanced than the DX7 but it's price and limited
production caused it to fail.  Also without the computer connected you had very little control over the voices.
It's design was based on the massive GDS synth.  The floating keyboard split was a very cool innovation
and in the right hands was a very useful feature that Stony Stockell , a brilliant (but slightly odd :)) engineer, came up with.
There are some Steely Dan and Hall & Oats recordings on which you will recognize a lot of the Synergy sounds.......
....and then there is Wendy (Walter) "Switched on Bach" Carlos......  Bob & Kat Stoll used one for some of the Carl Segan
Cosmos soundtrack as well.  It was a very well made instrument and it's nice to see someone is still out there playing one.
What format are you sampling in?  I would love to play with those old sounds.  I have a couple of Kurzweils (K2500RS, K2600RS)
that have sampling options and will read several formats.  If you would like to share a couple of them please let me know.

Cheers,

Gary

From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Paul Tillotson
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 10:03 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Astra plays the Novatron


  Rev 2s also have the same chips as the rev 1 and sound just as huge. I love mine along with my Synergy, which I've been playing and sampling over the last week or so. It's such a great sounding instrument  and a blast to play. Wish I could program it: whatever happened to any of those proposed interfaces/programmers for the Synergy 1?
  Paul T
 M400 #1226
Prophet 5 #0896
DKS Synergy 1 #01628
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Gary Brumm
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 9:11 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Astra plays the Novatron


Tony,

The Rev.1 is the best sounding you will ever hear.  The problem was it was very unreliable.  I had a friend from high school, Riley Smith, who worked
at Sequential in San Jose and later went to Emu in Santa Cruz.  I was able to get factory trained at both places.  He got me the Rev.1 and later a Prophet 10
direct from the factory.  The Rev. 1 had been returned to the factory due to reliability issues and they sold it to me for $500. I also had a couple of Rev. 3s and
T8 but none compared to the Rev.1.  It sounded fat like a bunch of Mini Moogs.  They switched to a more dependable  IC for their VCO, VCA, VCF, etc. and
redesigned the main board after the Rev. 1 after which it became very dependable but lost some of it's "balls" in the process.  I got training at the Emu factory
which was in a Victorian house in Santa Cruz during the Emulator days.  It was a fun place and they knew how to throw a party :).  A few years ago I bought a
couple of Emu Vintage Keys modules and noticed that my friend Riley had written the manual.  I also worked with  Music Technology during the development
of the Synergy and I owned a couple of those....but that's another story.....Those were fun days...at least I think they were from what I remember.
Man, there are some good drinking stories in there somewhere :).  I may know where a P10 is in NC but this guy almost never cuts loose of any gear.  He just stores
things forever.  It was likely only played a few times.  If I catch him in the right mood (not an easy thing to do) maybe I can get him to part with it.  As I recall there
were only about 600 or so P10s made.  I bought a Neve console from him several years ago and when I cracked the LARGE anvil case the leather was like new on
the arm rest and it looked perfect.  He had only used it for a couple of years and then stored it.  Anyhow...didn't mean to get started in the old days stories..... :) .

Cheers,

Gary

From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tony1
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 8:18 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Astra plays the Novatron


I am impressed as I was the factory service tech for Hillsborough and Pinellas counties (Tampa/St Pete), for Sequential and most others when the Prophet 5 and 10s came out. And I'm looking for one of either right now.

Tony

----- Original Message -----
From: Gary Brumm<mailto:gabru@comsec.net>
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 8:04 PM
Subject: RE: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Astra plays the Novatron


My first Prophet 5 came from Eddie Jobson.  It was a Rev. 1 & Black.
If this was the Sequential Circuits forum I bet somebody would be impressed ... or at least give a $hit :)
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com> [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of gino wong
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 4:18 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Astra plays the Novatron


Astra was good. They were well received
Eddie Jobson's mellotron shaped keyboard stand was a piss.
On Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 6:36 PM, <lsf5275@aol.com<mailto:lsf5275@aol.com>> wrote:

Yes, but only a bit. My camera crapped out on me. I'll post it on my myspace page and perhaps You tube as well.
In a message dated 6/23/2010 4:14:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, got_a_guitar@yahoo.com<mailto:got_a_guitar@yahoo.com> writes:

Astra rules! Is there any footage of them using the Novatron?
--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com<mailto:newmellotrongroup%40yahoogroups.com>, lsf5275@... wrote:
>
> Flute, Strings, Choir
>
>
> In a message dated 6/23/2010 3:13:40 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> pocotron@... writes:
>
> Nice, Frank!
> Notice how neatly the Memotron sits on top of the Novatron.
> What voices were on the frame?
>