The mellotron is a polyphonic Musical instrument with keyboard reading the sounds on magnetic bands. It was largely used in the Années 1970, in particular by the formations of progressive Rock.

Operation

The mellotron is not a sound instrument of synthesis. It functions like a sampler, each note of the keyboard directly controlling the reading of a small magnetic band containing the recording to be restored. It is thus a completely polyphonic instrument. The preregistered sample is linear (the note is not played in loop), and lasts approximately 8 seconds. On the oldest models, the sound banks are integrated in the apparatus and are not modifiable. The M400 model, simplified, uses interchangeable racks containing 35 magnetic bands (width 3/8 of inches), which makes it possible to extend the sound possibilities ad infinitum, in a way comparable with a numerical sampler.

History

Origins

The mellotron appeared with the beginning of the year 1960. It is resulting from a similar instrument, the Chamberlin, created by Harry Chamberlin in 1948. Bill Fransen, a sales representative of Chamberlin, goes to England in 1962 to seek a manufacturer able to produce 70 play-back heads magnetic for the futures chamberlins. The company Bradmatic Ltd of Birmingham (directed by the brothers Them, Frank and Norman Bradley) decided to take up the idea of Chamberlain on its account, by modifying it and improving it. After some arguments concerning the paternity of this invention, an arrangement was found between the two companies.

Mark I & II

The new instrument, baptized mellotron (of MELOdy and elecTRONics with the addition of a L), was born in 1963. It was about the model Mark I, whose 55 specimens were produced this year. Equip with two keyboards of 35 notes side-by-side, it resembled a electronic Orgue. The lower keyboard, intended for the accompaniment, produced basic sounds or rhythmic loops. The upper part offered six banks of three different sounds, each magnetic band having three recorded tracks. One found sounds of violins thus, flutes, coppers…

In 1964 left the Mark II, similar, whose manufacture lasted until 1968 (approximately 250 produced specimens).

A special version, FX comforts , did not comprise instrumental sounds but was able to reproduce 1260 sound special effects, recorded by BBC. An about sixty machines of this type were produced until 1970, especially intended for the radio stations and of television.

M300

The successor of Mark II is M300, appeared in 1968. He was equipped with single a keyboard of 52 notes, whose low notes made it possible to reproduce the rhythmic ones (samba, waltz…). The bank of sounds had been renewed, incorporating sounds of piano, harpsichord, electronic organ, Clarinette, Trombone… Cependant, a fall of the production costs involved problems of use (not possibility of agreeing, bad quality of the guides of bands…) Approximately 60 specimens were produced.

M400

In 1970 mellotron started to produce M400, which will remain its more popular model. Conceived to be more easily transportable, the weight of the instrument was brought back to 55kg. Consequently, the complex system intended to manage the banks of sound was simplified. Racks of 35 bands, interchangeable, offered each one 3 different sounds. The section of rhythmic loops disappeared, M400 becoming thus a standard polyphonic keyboard instrument. New sounds were proposed, of which famous choruses with eight ways. Mellotronics also made it possible to send its own musical samples so that they are integrated in a M400 rack. One could also record bands standards 2 tracks with the ¼ of inch, and make them play by the mellotron thanks to an adaptation kit of the guides of band.

The M400 model was a great success, in particular near the rock groups progressive of the years 1970. One manufactured approximately 2.000 of them, until 1986 (of which a hundred under the Novatron mark). The mellotron was at that time abandoned with the profit of the numerical samplers. The company Streetly Electronics always ensures a customer support near the owners of will mellotrons and David keans, with his company Mellotron Archives, manufactured a new model, Mark VI, in 1999.

Musical use

After having been a certain success in the groups of the years 1960 wishing to enrich their sound pallet, the mellotron was essential in the years 1970 near the formations of progressive rock'n'roll. Its prohibitory cost (5 200 $ in 1973) however held its use with most fortunate. Moreover, the mellotron is fragile, easier to use in studio than in round. Transport with the annoying tendency to put out of order the alignment of the heads, and the ruptures of bands are not exceptional. Certain groups of years 1970 carried with them 2 will mellotrons not to be likely to break down. If the mellotron had almost disappeared at the end of the years 1980, with the arrival of the numerical samplers, it made a return noticed as from the years 1990, with groups like Radiohead or more recently Pearl Jam (album Riot Act of 2002), Spock' S Beard and the group Swedish The Flower Kings.

List nonexhaustive

from 1960 to 1989

Since 1990

  • Radiohead : on the album OK Computer - Airbag , Exit Music , Lucky , The Tourist

  • Red Hot Chili Peppers: Breaking The Girl
  • MUSE: on the album " Origin off Symmetry"
  • Smashing Pumpkins : on the album Siamese Dream
  • Pearl Jam
  • Oasis
  • Blur
  • Lenny Kravitz
  • Air (group)
  • Opeth: on the album Damnation and more recently Ghost Daydreams (false, Opeth used samples and not Mellotron). source: http://heavymusic.free.fr/interview/itwopeth2/itwpeter.php
  • Amon Tobin: On the album Chaos Theory (OST of the play Splinter Concealment 3 )
  • Bigelf - http://www.bigelf.com
  • Bertignac: on the album " Somebody has me dit" of Carla Bruni
  • The Strokes
  • Incubus, DJ Kilmore, album LIGHT GRENADES, 2006
  • 1N: on the album Tällä Tavalla , in 2006 (Texicalli Records, Finland)

See too

  • numerical sampler
  • Organ

External bonds

  • Streetly Electronics
  • http://www.vemia.co.uk/mellotron/
  • http://www.mellotron.com/
  • Candor Chasma: French-speaking main resource on the mellotron
  • list of the recordings
  • http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron
  • http://members.aol.com/tronpage/
  • Forum French of SDIY, Forum on the construction of analogical synthetizers and/or numerical.

Be-X-old: Мэлатрон

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