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Re: Mellotron Restoration

Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-09 by lsf5275@aol.com

I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on You Tube. 
 Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to use Mars, The 
Bringer of  War as the soundtrack, thus bringing some level of artistry to an 
otherwise  lackluster production.
 
Frank
 
_http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ)

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-09 by fdoddy@aol.com

uh...shouldn't you have asked Gustav Holst?
Show quoted textHide quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: lsf5275@aol.com
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com; Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, Dec 9, 2009 10:48 am
Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration


  
    
                  
I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on You Tube. Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to use Mars, The Bringer of War as the soundtrack, thus bringing some level of artistry to an otherwise lackluster production.
 
Frank
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-09 by lsf5275@aol.com

Nah. Mike said it was OK. I think he knows the Holsts.
 
 
In a message dated 12/9/2009 1:48:01 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
fdoddy@aol.com writes:

uh...shouldn't you  have asked Gustav  Holst?

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-09 by Mike Dickson

I /am /Gustav Holst.

fdoddy@aol.com wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>  
>
> uh...shouldn't you have asked Gustav Holst?
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lsf5275@aol.com
> To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com; Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wed, Dec 9, 2009 10:48 am
> Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration
>
>  
> I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on You 
> Tube. Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to use Mars, 
> The Bringer of War as the soundtrack, thus bringing some level of 
> artistry to an otherwise lackluster production.
>

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-09 by lsf5275@aol.com

You better be Gustav Holst, 3rd or you're probably old as fuck.
 
 
In a message dated 12/9/2009 5:40:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
mike.dickson@gmail.com writes:

I  am Gustav Holst.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Chris Dale

If Mike's really that old..well that certainly would explain the 'gas' problem at Tronto :)


Show quoted textHide quoted text
On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 5:50 PM, <lsf5275@aol.com> wrote:

You better be Gustav Holst, 3rd or you're probably old as fuck.
In a message dated 12/9/2009 5:40:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, mike.dickson@gmail.com writes:
I am Gustav Holst.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by marabus

Excellent Frank!
Pete

lsf5275@aol.com wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
>
> I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on You 
> Tube. Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to use Mars, 
> The Bringer of War as the soundtrack, thus bringing some level of 
> artistry to an otherwise lackluster production.
>  
> Frank
>  
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ
>
>
> 
>
>
> ._,___

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by kinchmusic@aol.com

The word Genius comes to mind.
Mind you I had been thinking about Enstein at the time.
Well done anyway Frank! 
She's a beauty!
Andy K



-----Original Message-----
From: marabus <marabus@charter.net>
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2009 9:52 am
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration


 

Excellent Frank!
Pete

lsf5275@aol.com wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
>
> I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on You 
> Tube. Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to use Mars, 
> The Bringer of War as the soundtrack, thus bringing some level of 
> artistry to an otherwise lackluster production.
> 
> Frank
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ
>
>
> 
>
>
> ._,___

Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Tron400

What's most amazing to me is that the entire restoration took exactly as long as Mars. You are fast!

Bernie

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, lsf5275@... wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on You Tube. 
>  Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to use Mars, The 
> Bringer of  War as the soundtrack, thus bringing some level of artistry to an 
> otherwise  lackluster production.
>  
> Frank
>  
> _http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ_ 
> (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ)
>

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by lsf5275@aol.com

Seven minutes & ten seconds, but my hourly rate is huge. 
 
 
In a message dated 12/10/2009 7:48:42 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
tron400@yahoo.com writes:

What's  most amazing to me is that the entire restoration took exactly as 
long as  Mars. You are fast!

Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Daniel

My 'air raid' tron sound effect was apt for the occasion...

Dan

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Chris Dale <unobtainiumkeys@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> If Mike's really that old..well that certainly would explain the  'gas'
> problem at Tronto :)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Dec 9, 2009 at 5:50 PM, <lsf5275@...> wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > You better be Gustav Holst, 3rd or you're probably old as fuck.
> >
> >  In a message dated 12/9/2009 5:40:45 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> > mike.dickson@... writes:
> >
> > I *am *Gustav Holst.
> >
> >  
> >
>

RE: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Gary Brumm

Another beautiful job Frank.  I hope you do something similar with the 4 track restoration.  The sound track
was brilliant Mike.  I have listened to this on your site several times before and really enjoyed it.  Can you tell me how
you recorded it (voiced, # of tracks, equipment used, etc.)?

Very cool way of documenting the restore!

Gary
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of lsf5275@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 5:06 AM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration


Seven minutes & ten seconds, but my hourly rate is huge. [http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/smi/0201d20638/01]

In a message dated 12/10/2009 7:48:42 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, tron400@yahoo.com<mailto:tron400@yahoo.com> writes:
What's most amazing to me is that the entire restoration took exactly as long as Mars. You are fast!

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by sdavmor

kinchmusic@aol.com wrote:
> 
> 
> The word Genius comes to mind. Mind you I had been thinking about
> Enstein at the time. Well done anyway Frank! She's a beauty! Andy K
>  ;-)
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: marabus <marabus@charter.net> To:
> newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2009 9:52 am 
> Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration
> 
> 
> Excellent Frank! Pete
> 
> lsf5275@aol.com <mailto:lsf5275%40aol.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron) on
>> You Tube. Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me to
>> use Mars, The Bringer of War as the soundtrack, thus bringing
>> some level of artistry to an otherwise lackluster production.
>> 
>> Frank

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ>

Marvelous to see M400 #1018 come back to life.  And very cool to
see the restoration synced to Mike's take on "Mars".
-- 
Cheers, SDM -- a 21st Century Schizoid Man
Systems Theory music project: <www.systemstheory.net>
on MySpace: <www.myspace.com/systemstheory>
on GarageBand: <www.garageband.com/systemstheory>
on Last FM: <www.last.fm/music/Systems+Theory>
on CDBaby: <www.cdbaby.com/all/systemstheory>
get our MP3s free at <www.mikedickson.org.uk/codetalkers>
NP: nowt

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by lsf5275@aol.com

Thanks to all who have commented. I got a little attached to that one. What 
 I wanted to show was an example of what it takes to really restore one. I 
now  have started on another that is equally rough. The cabinet components 
and power  supply are # 674, and the rest is # 885. It's just wonderfully 
awful. It's  filthy, has crap spilled in it, the cabinet is split, the floor is 
caved in the  key springs appear to have been tightened with a torque 
wrench and all of the  pressure pad screws and pinch roller screws are cranked 
down tight. I could go  on and on; it's horrible! I couldn't be happier.
 
Frank
 
 
In a message dated 12/10/2009 11:01:26 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
sdavmor@systemstheory.net writes:

 
 
 
_kinchmusic@aol.kin_ (mailto:kinchmusic@aol.com)  wrote:
>  
> 
> The word Genius comes to mind. Mind you I had been thinking  about
> Enstein at the time. Well done anyway Frank! She's a beauty!  Andy K
> ;-)
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: marabus  <_marabus@charter.mar_ 
(mailto:marabus@charter.net) >  To:
> _newmellotrongroup@newmellotronnew_ 
(mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com)   Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2009 9:52 am 
> Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re:  Mellotron Restoration
> 
> 
> Excellent Frank! Pete
>  
> _lsf5275@aol.lsf_ (mailto:lsf5275@aol.com)   <mailto:lsf5275%mailto:ls> 
wrote:
>> 
>>  
>> I posted a video of the restoration of # 1018 (Blue Mellotron)  on
>> You Tube. Special thanks goes to Mike Dickson for allowing me  to
>> use Mars, The Bringer of War as the soundtrack, thus  bringing
>> some level of artistry to an otherwise lackluster  production.
>> 
>> Frank

<_http://www.youtube.http://wwwhttp://www.yo_ 
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qus9ixxCHsQ) >

Marvelous  to see M400 #1018 come back to life. And very cool to
see the restoration  synced to Mike's take on "Mars".
-- 
Cheers, SDM -- a 21st Century  Schizoid Man
Systems Theory music project:  <www.systemstheory.www>
on MySpace:  <www.myspace.www.myspace.<WBRw>
on GarageBand:  <www.garageband.www.garageband.w>
on Last FM:  <www.last.fm/www.last.fm/<Wwww.la>
on CDBaby:  <www.cdbaby.www.cdbaby.<WBR>www.c>
get our MP3s free at  <www.mikedickson.www.mikedickson.ww>
NP: nowt

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Mike Dickson

Gary Brumm wrote:

Another beautiful job Frank. I hope you do something similar with the 4 track restoration. The sound track

was brilliant Mike. I have listened to this on your site several times before and really enjoyed it. Can you tell me how

you recorded it (voiced, # of tracks, equipment used, etc.)?


There is a fair bit about Mars and others on the main mellotronworks web page. The hardware is

* Mellotron M400 #996
* Mackie 1202 mixer
* Alesis MIDIverb (though most sounds were recorded dry)
* PC running ACID Pro, plus a bunch of plug-ins, including Adobe Audition which I used for track-by-track noise reduction.

All pretty simple.

Here is a run down on the sounds on the 24 tracks:

* Brass: 3 x Mk II brass, 'Rick Bleckta' French Horns, half speed French horn (for 'tuba'), St Johns Wood Church Organ (processed for 'brassiness', and doubled an octave below), 2 x GC3 brass, Mk II brass, processed and muted Mk II brass

* Strings: 'Louise Davis' pizz. cello, 2 x Mk II strings, string section, 'Cyndee Lee Rule' viola

* Woodwinds: Mk II flute, clarinet, half speed clarinet, cor anglais/oboe, bassoon

* Percussion: concert snare (sample), Mellotron gong, timpani/roll (samples from a slack and detuned tom-tom )


Mike

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by lsf5275@aol.com

Really? I'd like a recording of that. 
 
 
In a message dated 12/10/2009 2:29:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rick@rickblechta.com writes:

I can also supply "half-assed French horn" for those really special  
moments...

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by fdoddy@aol.com

You know the old saying, "the smaller the mouthpiece, the bigger the asshole"?...hmmm?....well do you?
Show quoted textHide quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Blechta <rick@rickblechta.com>
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2009 2:28 pm
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration


  
    
                  



On Dec 10, 2009, at 2:23 PM, Mike Dickson wrote:


half speed French horn (for 'tuba')


I can also supply "half-assed French horn" for those really special moments...

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Rick Blechta

Just catch me on a bad day -- and there are many of them, sadly.


On Dec 10, 2009, at 2:32 PM, lsf5275@aol.com wrote:

Show quoted textHide quoted text

Really? I'd like a recording of that.
In a message dated 12/10/2009 2:29:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, rick@rickblechta.com writes:
I can also supply "half-assed French horn" for those really special moments...

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Rick Blechta

On Dec 10, 2009, at 2:33 PM, fdoddy@aol.com wrote:

> You know the old saying, "the smaller the mouthpiece, the bigger the asshole"?...hmmm?....well do you?
> 
Can't say that I have. But then I wouldn't, would I?

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by MAinPsych@aol.com

In a message dated 12/10/2009 11:42:39 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
rick@rickblechta.com writes:

 
You know the old saying, "the smaller  the mouthpiece, the bigger the 
asshole"?...know the know the old sayin




Can't say that I have. But  then I wouldn't, would I?


 
"Would I?  Would I?"
 
"Harelip!  Harelip!"

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by lsf5275@aol.com

Lessons learned around the Doddy household for a young Fritz. Ouch!
 
 
In a message dated 12/10/2009 2:34:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
fdoddy@aol.com writes:

You know the old  saying, "the smaller the mouthpiece, the bigger the  
asshole"?... know the know the old

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by fdoddy@aol.com

hahaha
Show quoted textHide quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Blechta <rick@rickblechta.com>
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2009 2:42 pm
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration


  
    
                  



On Dec 10, 2009, at 2:33 PM, fdoddy@aol.com wrote:


You know the old saying, "the smaller the mouthpiece, the bigger the asshole"?...hmmm?....well do you?



Can't say that I have. But then I wouldn't, would I?

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by fdoddy@aol.com

badabing!
Show quoted textHide quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: lsf5275@aol.com
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, Dec 10, 2009 4:35 pm
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration


  
    
                  
Lessons learned around the Doddy household for a young Fritz. Ouch!
 

In a message dated 12/10/2009 2:34:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, fdoddy@aol.com writes:
  
You know the old   saying, "the smaller the mouthpiece, the bigger the   asshole"?...hmmm?....well do you?

RE: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-10 by Gary Brumm

Thanks for the info Mike, great arrangement!
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Mike Dickson
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:23 AM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration



Gary Brumm wrote:

Another beautiful job Frank.  I hope you do something similar with the 4 track restoration.  The sound track
was brilliant Mike.  I have listened to this on your site several times before and really enjoyed it.  Can you tell me how
you recorded it (voiced, # of tracks, equipment used, etc.)?

There is a fair bit about Mars and others on the main mellotronworks web page. The hardware is

* Mellotron M400 #996
* Mackie 1202 mixer
* Alesis MIDIverb (though most sounds were recorded dry)
* PC running ACID Pro, plus a bunch of plug-ins, including Adobe Audition which I used for track-by-track noise reduction.

All pretty simple.

Here is a run down on the sounds on the 24 tracks:

* Brass: 3 x Mk II brass, 'Rick Bleckta' French Horns, half speed French horn (for 'tuba'), St Johns Wood Church Organ (processed for 'brassiness', and doubled an octave below), 2 x GC3 brass, Mk II brass, processed and muted Mk II brass

* Strings: 'Louise Davis' pizz. cello, 2 x Mk II strings, string section, 'Cyndee Lee Rule' viola

* Woodwinds: Mk II flute, clarinet, half speed clarinet, cor anglais/oboe, bassoon

* Percussion: concert snare (sample), Mellotron gong, timpani/roll (samples from a slack and detuned tom-tom )


Mike

MELLODRAMA: THE MELLOTRON MOVIE Coming to DVD January 2010

2009-12-11 by Paul Watson

I no way endorse or have any business interests in this. Someone on a progrock list let us know this was becoming avail in Jan, and thought I would pass on.

Paul ;-)Nz


MELLODRAMA: THE MELLOTRON MOVIE Coming to DVD January 2010

THE STORY OF THE FIRST “SAMPLING” INSTRUMENTS, THE CHAMBERLIN AND THE
MELLOTRON, FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS OF THE MOODY BLUES, THE
BEACH BOYS, GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, CHEAP TRICK, BLACK SABBATH, THE
ZOMBIES, LATIN PLAYBOYS, YES, MAROON 5, OPETH AND MANY MORE

“Surprisingly fascinating.” –Philadelphia Weekly

“A study in the unpredictability of innovation.” – Rhizome

“An insider’s view on the history of the Chamberlin and the Mellotron,
which isn’t always pretty.” – Echoes

“The Mellotron stays cool.” – Brian Wilson

“This is where sampling started.” – Jon Brion

Bazillion Points Publishing is delighted to announce the long-awaited
DVD release of the acclaimed and unusual music documentary,
Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie, by Dianna Dilworth, coming January
2010 in NTSC Region 0 format packed with bonus features in a deluxe
Digipak.

Mellodrama explores the five-decades-long rise and fall of the
Chamberlin and its better-known successor the Mellotron—the first
musical keyboards to play the prerecorded sounds of other instruments.
Essentially the first sampler, its haunting sound has changed the
production and texture of popular music, from the Beatles’ “Strawberry
Fields Forever” and the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin,” to
Radiohead’s OK Computer and Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.”

Featuring Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues, Ian McDonald of King
Crimson, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, famed L.A. producer Jon
Brion, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, singer-songwriter Michael Penn,
author Brian Kehew, (Recording the Beatles), as well as members of
Opeth, Bigelf, Maroon 5, and former employees of the Mellotron and
Chamberlin companies. While the musicians tell their tales, the
engineers and experts deliver the gear porn by taking you inside the
captivating contraption.

Mellodrama screened at over a dozen festivals throughout the world in
2009, including the CMJ Film Festival in New York, Buenos Aires Film
Festival, Documenta Madrid, Portobello Film Festival in London,
Atlantic Film Festival in Canada, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival,
Indie Memphis, Tucson Film and Music Festival, and was specially
programmed by Stephen O’Malley of Sunn O))) at the Lausanne
Underground Film Festival in Switzerland.

“While everybody knows the sound of the instruments, most people have
never heard of the Mellotron or the Chamberlin,” says director Dianna
Dilworth. “I hope Mellodrama will change that.”

Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie DVD includes the 80 minute film, 30
minutes of DVD extras, and an 8-page booklet containing an essay by
Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues and several illustrated machine
timelines. Preorders are now available at this location:
http://www.mellodramadvd.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND INTERVIEWS CONTACT BAZILLION POINTS:

US (718) 383-7122, bazillion@bazillionpoints.com

http://www.bazillionpoints.com

Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: Mellotron Restoration

2009-12-11 by Bob Snyder

MAinPsych@aol.com wrote:
>  
>
> In a message dated 12/10/2009 11:42:39 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, 
> rick@rickblechta.com writes:
>
>>     You know the old saying, "the smaller the mouthpiece, the bigger
>>     the asshole"?...hmmm?....well do you?
>>
>     Can't say that I have. But then I wouldn't, would I?
>
> ** 
> *"Would I?  Would I?"*
> ** 
> *"Harelip!  Harelip!"*
>
> 

The way I heard it, it was

"Would I? Would I?"

"Big nose! Big nose!"


Bob S.

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