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Thread

re It's all gone digital........

2010-01-09 by Mark Pring

Having thought about this for a bit, I wonder who will buy this "mellotron"? If you want a mellotron and don't want to buy an M4000 why not just buy the mellotron CD, you probably already have a computer and midi keyboard if not a dedicated sampler.

The only advantage of the digital tron that I can see is that you have something that looks like an M400 which has met with an accident and been partially reborn as a cybertron. I bet that you will have to pay a big premium for this and that you could get pretty much the same sound for a lot less outlay.

This looks to me like the new VW beetle or the new mini, you pay more for something that looks cool.

I must admit the new tron does look cool, although I am not quite so excited by it as Clay.

I have also been wondering what I would like to see in a digital tron, and it would be this:

1) It would have to sound like a mellotron. I would like all the voices available.

2) A bigger keyboard, at least 5 octaves, I would like a complete string orchestra mapped over the keyboard with the doubles basses on the right ( somebody would have to record those) and violins on the left. Which infers the ability to map different voices to different parts of the keyboard.

3) I would like a weighted keyboard which was touch sensitive for volume.

4) The ability to save all your set ups reload them quickly and easily.

5) Quick access to favourite setups and for it to remember your last set up between uses.

6) The ability to switch between looped and unlooped samples at the flick of a switch.

But I suspect you could achieve a lot of that with a midi keyboard, the mellotron CD and a computer.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] re It's all gone digital........

2010-01-09 by Daniel Swanson

From a post on the Harmony Central forum, I believe this new Tron is supposed to be selling for $2700. I don't think we're the market for it though. This is for people with lots of money who get off on digital stuff. I know I don't fall into that category. I do think it's a valid concept and as long as there's a market for it, why not?

I does amaze me though, the lengths people will go to to get something "new" and "better" than the original thing they're trying to get. Like those digital modeling electric pianos that come out every 6 months and cost more than any Wurlitzer or Rhodes you could find in your local classifieds. I think these things are marketed to people who take pride in being the first to own the latest fancy box with a logo on it.

A sampler, computer, and keyboard controller will give you any sound at the push of a button and costs diddly. However, in my opinion, they're all useless because they don't sound like anything. They're fun to play for about 10 minutes. Useful and convenient. But not any fun (at least for me).

On Jan 8, 2010, at 6:55 PM, Mark Pring wrote:

Show quoted textHide quoted text

Having thought about this for a bit, I wonder who will buy this "mellotron"? If you want a mellotron and don't want to buy an M4000 why not just buy the mellotron CD, you probably already have a computer and midi keyboard if not a dedicated sampler.

The only advantage of the digital tron that I can see is that you have something that looks like an M400 which has met with an accident and been partially reborn as a cybertron. I bet that you will have to pay a big premium for this and that you could get pretty much the same sound for a lot less outlay.

This looks to me like the new VW beetle or the new mini, you pay more for something that looks cool.

I must admit the new tron does look cool, although I am not quite so excited by it as Clay.

I have also been wondering what I would like to see in a digital tron, and it would be this:

1) It would have to sound like a mellotron. I would like all the voices available.

2) A bigger keyboard, at least 5 octaves, I would like a complete string orchestra mapped over the keyboard with the doubles basses on the right ( somebody would have to record those) and violins on the left. Which infers the ability to map different voices to different parts of the keyboard.

3) I would like a weighted keyboard which was touch sensitive for volume.

4) The ability to save all your set ups reload them quickly and easily.

5) Quick access to favourite setups and for it to remember your last set up between uses.

6) The ability to switch between looped and unlooped samples at the flick of a switch.

But I suspect you could achieve a lot of that with a midi keyboard, the mellotron CD and a computer.

Re: [newmellotrongroup] re It's all gone digital........

2010-01-09 by David Jacques

Actually, I love playing my Mellotron, my Hammonds, my Combo Organs, and my Motif XS... Sure is fun for me!

On Jan 8, 2010, at 5:27 PM, Daniel Swanson wrote:

Show quoted textHide quoted text

FHowever, in my opinion, they're all useless because they don't sound like anything. They're fun to play for about 10 minutes. Useful and convenient. But not any fun (at least for me).
On Jan 8, 2010, at 6:55 PM, Mark Pring wrote:

Re: [newmellotrongroup] re It's all gone digital........

2010-01-10 by Mike Dickson

Daniel Swanson wrote:

\ufffd

From a post on the Harmony Central forum, I believe this new Tron is supposed to be selling for $2700. I don't think we're the market for it though.

Of course there is a market for it. What people are after is that sound - they don't care about the gear itself. That's something reserved for musical fetishists like us to worry about. The M-Tron sounded like a piece of shit, but it still sold in quantity and still pops up all over the place. If this version is going to sound a bit better and will come as a real instrument then sure...it will sell. Maybe not in vast quantity, but enough to break even at least.

Mike

Re: re It's all gone digital........

2010-01-10 by markpringnz

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, Mike Dickson <mike.dickson@...> wrote:
The M-Tron 
> sounded like a piece of shit, but it still sold in quantity and still 
> pops up all over the place.>

Musical shit, I suppose it hums?