Magical Mellotron Moments
Posted by: Nick Lees on 11 August 2007
The Mellotron: stuff
The first widely available sampler, albeit accidentally stolen from the American inventor Chamberlin (who sent his assistant over to the UK to source better tape heads and approached Streetly Electronics who thought it was his invention and offered to make the instrument themselves). Later on a bizarre twist of legislation led to Streetly losing the Mellotron brand and briefly having to call their machines Novatrons before sanity prevailed.
Sounds are recorded on strips of tape (three tracks per tape) that were played linearly over a bank of heads before having to be re-wound, allowing a maximum of 8 seconds duration for a note (though Mike Pinder apparently had a set of tapes recorded at half speed to allow longer duration. Mike had a special relationship with Streetly, being a local lad).
They didn’t travel well – any movement in the frame often caused the tape rack to warp, causing breakages, jams, and the famous matter of keeping the things in tune (Robert Fripp: “Mellotrons don’t tune”). Bands such as Barclay James Harvest and King Crimson had serious problems making live recordings when their ‘trons went out of whack on the night, leading either to scrapped recordings or resorting to studio over-dubs (e.g. BJH Live, Starless And Bible Black)
The original models had two manuals, the left for rhythm and sound effects, the right for lead instruments. Later ones had removable tape racks though very few brave souls attempted to change racks during a live show.
Despite being recordings of real instruments they all end up sounding like a Mellotron rather than the original thing – various theories including the notoriously dodgy replay equipment inserting wow and flutter and/or musicians finding it to play at a constant intonation and pitch without reference sounds.
The second best thing to come out of Aston, the third being (the now sadly made-in-Holland) HP Sauce.
Scandinavia must now be the home of the Mellotron, probably having the highest per capita ratio of ownership on the planet. It’s certainly been the cornerstone of the modern progressive revival started by Änglagård.
Princess Margaret owned one.
A wonderful resource for all things Mellotronic is Andy Robinson’s Planet Mellotron site. Virtually every record made with a Mellotron (or related) is here somewhere, and his reviews are very good.
Anyway, I started out thinking I’d list my favourite 5 magical Mellotron moments, but that quickly became 10 follwed shortly by an almost complete collapse of discipline – hence the rather lengthy list below. It could easily include more Anekdoten (worthy of a thread of their own), more Moodies, Crimson, some Cathedral (US version) and Glass (also US), Deadwood Forest (US again), White Willow, Paatos, Änglagård themselves…etc. etc.
Magical Mellotron Moments
So finally, here’s my list (alphabetical order only):
What are yours?
The first widely available sampler, albeit accidentally stolen from the American inventor Chamberlin (who sent his assistant over to the UK to source better tape heads and approached Streetly Electronics who thought it was his invention and offered to make the instrument themselves). Later on a bizarre twist of legislation led to Streetly losing the Mellotron brand and briefly having to call their machines Novatrons before sanity prevailed.
Sounds are recorded on strips of tape (three tracks per tape) that were played linearly over a bank of heads before having to be re-wound, allowing a maximum of 8 seconds duration for a note (though Mike Pinder apparently had a set of tapes recorded at half speed to allow longer duration. Mike had a special relationship with Streetly, being a local lad).
They didn’t travel well – any movement in the frame often caused the tape rack to warp, causing breakages, jams, and the famous matter of keeping the things in tune (Robert Fripp: “Mellotrons don’t tune”). Bands such as Barclay James Harvest and King Crimson had serious problems making live recordings when their ‘trons went out of whack on the night, leading either to scrapped recordings or resorting to studio over-dubs (e.g. BJH Live, Starless And Bible Black)
The original models had two manuals, the left for rhythm and sound effects, the right for lead instruments. Later ones had removable tape racks though very few brave souls attempted to change racks during a live show.
Despite being recordings of real instruments they all end up sounding like a Mellotron rather than the original thing – various theories including the notoriously dodgy replay equipment inserting wow and flutter and/or musicians finding it to play at a constant intonation and pitch without reference sounds.
The second best thing to come out of Aston, the third being (the now sadly made-in-Holland) HP Sauce.
Scandinavia must now be the home of the Mellotron, probably having the highest per capita ratio of ownership on the planet. It’s certainly been the cornerstone of the modern progressive revival started by Änglagård.
Princess Margaret owned one.
A wonderful resource for all things Mellotronic is Andy Robinson’s Planet Mellotron site. Virtually every record made with a Mellotron (or related) is here somewhere, and his reviews are very good.
Anyway, I started out thinking I’d list my favourite 5 magical Mellotron moments, but that quickly became 10 follwed shortly by an almost complete collapse of discipline – hence the rather lengthy list below. It could easily include more Anekdoten (worthy of a thread of their own), more Moodies, Crimson, some Cathedral (US version) and Glass (also US), Deadwood Forest (US again), White Willow, Paatos, Änglagård themselves…etc. etc.
Magical Mellotron Moments
So finally, here’s my list (alphabetical order only):
- Anekdoten – Sad Rain (Vemod, Japanese bonus track)
The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever (single)
The Bee Gees - Every Christian Lionhearted Man Will Show You (Bee Gees’ 1st)
Family – Mellowing Grey (Music In A Doll’s House)
Harmonium – Depuis L’Automne (Si On Avait Besoin D’une Cinquième Saison)
King Crimson – Epitaph (In The Court Of The Crimson King)
King Crimson – The Court Of The Crimson King (In The Court Of The Crimson King)
King Crimson – In The Wake Of Poseidon (In The Wake Of Poseidon)
King Crimson – Starless (Red)
Manfred Mann – Ha! Ha! Said The Clown (single)
The Moody Blues – Have You Heard/The Voyage/Have You Heard (On The Threshold Of A Dream)
The Moody Blues – Legend Of A Mind (In Search Of The Lost Chord)
The Moody Blues – Nights In White Satin (Days Of Future Passed)
The Pretty Things – Private Sorrow (S.F. Sorrow)
The Pretty Things – SF Sorrow Is Born (S.F. Sorrow)
The Smell Of Incense – Columbine Confused (Through The Gates Of Deeper Slumber)
Steve Hackett – Shadow Of The Hierophant (Voyage Of The Acolyte)
The Strawbs - New World (Grave New World)
Wobbler – Rubato Industry (Hinterland)
The Zombies – Care Of Cell 44 (Odessey And Oracle)
The Zombies – Hung Up On A Dream (Odessey And Oracle)
What are yours?
quote:Originally posted by Stephen Bennett:
I have a lot more time now to work on it...I'm hoping early(ish) 2008
Stephen
You're right - 'Oh Caroline' on the first Matching Mole album is a wonderful song as well as a 'tronfest.
There's some wonderful 'tron on Yes's (underrated) 'Tales from Topographic Oceans' too - I don't care what any of you (or Wakeman) think(s).
Most of Ange's albums have a lovely, wobby, 'tron - listen to 'Le Cimetière des Arlequins' in particular.
Regards
Stephen
There's some wonderful 'tron on Yes's (underrated) 'Tales from Topographic Oceans' too - I don't care what any of you (or Wakeman) think(s).
Most of Ange's albums have a lovely, wobby, 'tron - listen to 'Le Cimetière des Arlequins' in particular.
Regards
Stephen
Track 6: Mellotron Scratch
quote:Originally posted by nap-ster:
Track 6: Mellotron Scratch
Sadly all PT's "mellotron" bits are samples and not the real thing.
quote:Originally posted by DenisA:
Gary,
Do you "mellotron" bits from ALL PT's albums? Both Steven Wilson & Richard Barbieri list "mellotron" playing on Signify, Lightbulb Sun & Stupid Dream. I think Richard has ditched Analogue for playing 'live' and any "mellotron" parts would probably be samples
Well Andy Thompson is as well-informed as you get and he reckons fake, though he'd put Henry Fool in the same camp (guilt by association) until an HF zealot asked the main man and put Andy right and HF moved back over the fence into the real 'tron section
"Well Andy Thompson is as well-informed as you get and he reckons fake"
OK OK OK you've won
You make me feel so low
so low
... Thanks
I wonder if Mr Bennett knows if Steven has ever owned a "tron"
Denis
OK OK OK you've won
You make me feel so low
so low
... Thanks
I wonder if Mr Bennett knows if Steven has ever owned a "tron"
Denis
Personally I couldn't really give a hoot if it's "real" or not as long as it sounds good, though I'll allow Andy has earned the right to set his own rules - that is such an amazing web-site for the work of just one man (a few guest reviews excepted). Oh, and Andy's no mean player himself - up till recently he played tron (et al.) in Litmus, who will hit the spot if you like old Hawkwind-style spacerock
Arrgh! How do I delete the other messages???
DenisA - I hope to contribute - I've already played on some of the songs, but whether I remain in the final mix is anyone's guess!. Tim has been over at Steven's studio the last couple of weeks and we'll probably do some of the vocal here. And thanks for the wishes! I've seen the 'Tron article, thanks for the reminder though. Have you seen the Memotron?I played it at the Frankfurn Musicmesse - not sure if it's genius or madness though!
Gary - We hope to have a few of the Swedish and Norwegian guys contributing to the fool album, so you're right - no excuses.
I now realise why the dimensions of the Volvo estate have been chosen; you can get one Mk II or two Model 400s in there.
Regards
Stephen
DenisA - I hope to contribute - I've already played on some of the songs, but whether I remain in the final mix is anyone's guess!. Tim has been over at Steven's studio the last couple of weeks and we'll probably do some of the vocal here. And thanks for the wishes! I've seen the 'Tron article, thanks for the reminder though. Have you seen the Memotron?I played it at the Frankfurn Musicmesse - not sure if it's genius or madness though!
Gary - We hope to have a few of the Swedish and Norwegian guys contributing to the fool album, so you're right - no excuses.
I now realise why the dimensions of the Volvo estate have been chosen; you can get one Mk II or two Model 400s in there.
Regards
Stephen