STRINGS/MELLOTRON ADVICE NEEDED

[thepsychedelicdollhouse]

What are my options for getting mellotron sounds? I do not use a computer for recording. i don't plan on buying a mellotron. I do know about the nord electro 3. Any other suggestions?? Thanks boys and girls.

[A.David.MacKinnon]

If you've got a computer (even one you're not recording on) you should look at Mtron. It samples of every note of every bank of sounds and is about as close to the real deal as you can get. Ton of fun.
On the cheap, the Ellatron app for iPhone & iPad is also really great.

[Marc Alan Goodman]

buy a cheap akai rackmount sampler and the sample disc from mellotron.com. That was my first mellotron. Got me pretty far. I actually have an Akai Z4 that's on the chopping block if you're interested.

[tonewoods]

I have an Alesis Fusion that I loaded with the Pinder samples, and it rocks as a standalone Mellotron/Chamberlin...

I've owned real 'Trons and Chamberlins, and the Fusion is a great tool to have around, without all the maintenance issues...

[Nick Sevilla]

GForce M-TRon Pro.

Yes, a computer is required.

And yes, it is awesome.

[Gregg Juke]

Juno G, or the newer Juno Gi (or I must assume, the pricier Phantom X) by Roland.

My G has a fairly decent mellotron sound, but by adding and editing various string patches, I made a pretty cool "super-mellotron."

That's assuming that you want the strings, not the Beatles flute-y sound or the jazz drum & bass sample...

GJ

[Jim Williams]

If you use a real one you can get those attributes that made them famous, like warble, wow and flutter and all that tape hiss.

Don't forget the time limits before the tape rewinds!

[Marc Alan Goodman]

If you use a real one you can get those attributes that made them famous, like warble, wow and flutter and all that tape hiss.

Don't forget the time limits before the tape rewinds!

All true, but I actually think the best part is the keyboard sensitivity. Absolutely nothing feels as weird as a mellotron keyboard.

Also, it may be the harshest, brightest instrument ever made. All the sample sets I've heard have had the treble rolled all the way off and the level cranked back to nothing to keep it from distorting.

But this is all off topic... the Op just wants typical mellotron sounds. I still say a cheap sampler would be the best low cost option.

[Jim Williams]

SOT, but I used these a lot in the early 1980's as decent string tracks cost an arm & two legs.

De-mag, clean every few passes and so forth I was able to retain some top end without external filters. The real secret sauce was soaking them in a Lexicon 224 reverb.

Ought to be a whole lot easier these days...

[tonewoods]

If you use a real one you can get those attributes that made them famous, like warble, wow and flutter and all that tape hiss.

Don't forget the time limits before the tape rewinds!

The Pinder samples all replicate the wow and flutter, and the 8 second (?) time limit...
It's very similar to having a real 'Tron under your fingers...

And tuned samples are also provided...

[thepsychedelicdollhouse]

i've been advised by what i believe is a very reliable source to proceed as follows:

1) get an akai S1000, S2000 or S 3000 sampler
2) a SCSI 2 CD rom drive

There was a question as to appropriate speed for different disk sizes...

I need help on this question.

thanks.
x

[Jim Williams]

Seems to me all you need is a sound card with midi and that mellotron emulation software to feed it. If it has S/PDIF outputs you can keep it all digital or use an external converter.

[markjazzbassist]

memotron. it's a mellotron keyboard but instead of using tape loops it uses digital samples like a nord. good enough for AIR, and they're gear nuts.

[roscoenyc]

GForce M-TRon Pro.

Yes, a computer is required.

And yes, it is awesome.

Very awesome says has used a real one too guy.

[Nick Sevilla]

GForce M-TRon Pro.

Yes, a computer is required.

And yes, it is awesome.

Very awesome says has used a real one too guy.

LOL.

No, I've never had the pleasure.
I've seen a broken one once up close... does that count?
PS I did not buy it... it was broken after all.