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himtroy View Drop Down
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Points: 1601 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: The new Mellotron M4000.
    Posted: June 15 2010 at 00:02
Has anyone heard anything about these new Mellotron M4000's.  I'm incredibly interested but can't find a price or many good recordings of it.  I'm hesitant on buying digital technology, but from what I've heard it does sound damn good.  It sounds like unlike the previous Mellotrons it might be somewhat affordable.  As I said though, the idea of a digital mellotron scares me a little bit, I'm afraid the orchestra sounds will be way too clean and not eery and distorted like the classic Mellotron.

Edited by himtroy - June 15 2010 at 00:12
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Points: 859 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2010 at 02:09
They're only eerie and distorted because the tapes wear out and stretch LOL
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I still prefer Hammond anyway.
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Points: 29630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2010 at 13:29
Originally posted by CyberDiablo CyberDiablo wrote:

I still prefer Hammond anyway.

Yes, the Hammond Mellotron. TongueLOL
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Points: 252 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2010 at 13:57
Originally posted by Slartibartfast Slartibartfast wrote:


Originally posted by CyberDiablo CyberDiablo wrote:

I still prefer Hammond anyway.
Yes, the Hammond Mellotron. TongueLOL
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Points: 222 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2010 at 17:09
Originally posted by himtroy himtroy wrote:

Has anyone heard anything about these new Mellotron M4000's.  I'm incredibly interested but can't find a price or many good recordings of it.  I'm hesitant on buying digital technology, but from what I've heard it does sound damn good.  It sounds like unlike the previous Mellotrons it might be somewhat affordable.  As I said though, the idea of a digital mellotron scares me a little bit, I'm afraid the orchestra sounds will be way too clean and not eery and distorted like the classic Mellotron.
 
The Mellotron M4000 seem to be a good machine but it's not affordable at all. The price of that mellotron is somewhere between 10 000- 15 000 $ US.  The price may be high but take consideration that the M4000 had 8 banks of sounds, so it's like having 8 M400 mellotrons in one box,  for a total of 24 sounds, so it's
a good deal if you had the money and above all, it's not digital, it's the real thing.
 
The M4000 had a lot of modern innovations too that enhanced the original 60's-70's mellotrons. It had
the light touch keyboard wich make the M4000 keyboard as light as a Hammond organ keyboard. Those who had play an original M400 keyboard know that the keyboard had a slow action and are hard to play. On the M4000, you can play as fast as you can without problems. It also had a cool feature too called the Filtotron, wich is a kind of internal vaccum that push the smoke away from the mellotron and then protected the tapes from smokes that can be harmful. That innovation is very cool for someone doing performances with the M4000.
 
If you want  buying an M4000, expect to wait at least 6 months because they are made by hands and one by one, so you had to be patient. The alternative band Arcade Fire apparently bought one recently and their
new album which is due this summer apparently feature the M4000.
 
Here's a good informal article about the M4000:
 


Edited by pierreolivier - June 15 2010 at 17:17
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Points: 29630 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2010 at 18:59
Originally posted by CyberDiablo CyberDiablo wrote:

Originally posted by Slartibartfast Slartibartfast wrote:


Originally posted by CyberDiablo CyberDiablo wrote:

I still prefer Hammond anyway.
Yes, the Hammond Mellotron. TongueLOL
That's a Gibson Moog Martenotocaster.

I already got me one of those.  It's verrry nice.
Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Points: 18016 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2010 at 19:16
so wait, is it still analog then?
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Points: 7311 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 16 2010 at 01:13
I just bought a set of Mellotron 400 tape samples of off Ebay, they are great!  8-voice choir, flute, violin etc.  All of 'em.   $35 for the entire set + $5 for shipping.  From the listing:

VintageKeyboardSounds.com presents all our Mellotron Samples in one package. Mellotron 3 Violins, Choir, Brass, Flute, and Cello Samples. This is SET A and SET B of our AUTHENTIC MELLOTRON SAMPLES from our own personal Mellotron. These samples are compatible with most hardware and software samplers.

The samples include every key and note from the following voices: 3 Violins, Choir, Brass, Flute, and Cello.

-----

I'll load them onto my MacBook Pro, and run them through GarageBand with an add-on utility.  I need to buy the Apple USB keyboard sometime this week.  

LOTS cheaper than a new Mellotron, and these are digital samples of olde Mellotron analog tapes!  

The 8-voice choir just sends shivers up the spine...Think "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight".  
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Points: 1601 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 16 2010 at 12:27
http://www.mellotron.com/digital-mellotron.html

Thats the one I'm talking about.  Maybe I had the name wrong, but it's supposed to be digital and has been rumored to be less expensive than the last few Mellotron's were.
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Points: 222 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 16 2010 at 16:07
Originally posted by himtroy himtroy wrote:

http://www.mellotron.com/digital-mellotron.html

Thats the one I'm talking about.  Maybe I had the name wrong, but it's supposed to be digital and has been rumored to be less expensive than the last few Mellotron's were.
 
No, you're not wrong, they named it the M4000 too and I think that's wrong because Streetly Electronics (the one I was talking) came up with that name model since 2007. The one you're talking is the new machine by Markus Resch from Sweden and it's totally digital. These two companies, Streetly Electronics and Markus Resch made strong competition to each others and sometimes it get lower the belt, like this example, naming their respective product with the same nomination just to confuse the buyer.
 
It's sure the digital one wil be less expensive but for me, that's not a mellotron, just a sampler.
You could buy the M-Tron and you will have the same result for a fraction of the price they ask you
for a fake mellotron with a keyboard that mimick the one in a real mellotron. LOL
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Points: 3449 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 16 2010 at 21:01
I wouldn't pay more than maybe $49.95 for a digital Mellotron, which is what decent samples cost. 
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himtroy View Drop Down
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Points: 1601 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 17 2010 at 12:42
Originally posted by pierreolivier pierreolivier wrote:

Originally posted by himtroy himtroy wrote:

http://www.mellotron.com/digital-mellotron.html

Thats the one I'm talking about.  Maybe I had the name wrong, but it's supposed to be digital and has been rumored to be less expensive than the last few Mellotron's were.
 
No, you're not wrong, they named it the M4000 too and I think that's wrong because Streetly Electronics (the one I was talking) came up with that name model since 2007. The one you're talking is the new machine by Markus Resch from Sweden and it's totally digital. These two companies, Streetly Electronics and Markus Resch made strong competition to each others and sometimes it get lower the belt, like this example, naming their respective product with the same nomination just to confuse the buyer.
 
It's sure the digital one wil be less expensive but for me, that's not a mellotron, just a sampler.
You could buy the M-Tron and you will have the same result for a fraction of the price they ask you
for a fake mellotron with a keyboard that mimick the one in a real mellotron. LOL

Yeah, I'm not usually down with samples either.  But I've heard a real Mellotron and the digital Mellotron played side by side and there was absolutely no difference.  The site says its 850 USD.  But every time I email them as to inquire anything about it they won't answer.  Pissing me off
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Points: 14693 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 18 2010 at 11:12
Certanly couldn't afford one of the new mellotrons, but I would love to get my hands on one of these more affordable alternatives:



Jordan Rudess:



OK, he's not playing it as you'd think a Mellotron should, but you get a good idea of how good it is.

But, until I'm able to afford the £1500 they cost, I'll stick with my EMU Vintage Keys module (which actually is pretty good)

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Points: 7311 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 18 2010 at 16:41
Here's a real beauty for ya!!
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Points: 5575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 18 2010 at 18:13
are you thinking of the Memotron? that was a digital remake released relatively recently which is very good


sorry just realised thats already been posted i should look down before i post


Edited by topographicbroadways - June 18 2010 at 18:14
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himtroy View Drop Down
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Points: 1601 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 11 2010 at 01:17
Yeah, I finally got word back from them.  The 800 USD on the site is wrong, it's 2700$
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Points: 512 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 22 2010 at 15:56
Originally posted by jammun jammun wrote:

I wouldn't pay more than maybe $49.95 for a digital Mellotron, which is what decent samples cost. 
 
I downloaded a Mellotron Soundfont for free and use it with Reason 4. Sounds amazing, especially the flutes. The strings are a bit harsh, but you can 'fix that in the mix'.
 
Smile
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Points: 16130 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 22 2010 at 16:30
Originally posted by Jim Garten Jim Garten wrote:

Certanly couldn't afford one of the new mellotrons, but I would love to get my hands on one of these more affordable alternatives:



Jordan Rudess:



OK, he's not playing it as you'd think a Mellotron should, but you get a good idea of how good it is.

But, until I'm able to afford the £1500 they cost, I'll stick with my EMU Vintage Keys module (which actually is pretty good)


I think Rick Wakemen said positive things about the Memotron. I suppose after years of carting round one of those bloody sideboards, the Memotron must seem like a God send.
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himtroy View Drop Down
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Points: 1601 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 22 2010 at 21:44
Yeah, you can find a video online of the memotron and mellotron being played next to each other, comparing the same riffs, and even being played at the same time.  I've always been an analog/not digital nazi (for example I've yet to hear a digital organ that is nearly satisfying enough to replace a b3), but there was ABSOLUTELY no difference.  I closed my eyes and couldn't tell the difference.  

And the Reason thing doesn't help me, I'm playing with a band, not making techno songs on my computer. 
Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell?
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