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Jim Garten View Drop Down
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Points: 14693 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 25 2005 at 03:39
Originally posted by Tony Tony wrote:


Originally posted by Yams Yams wrote:

Are they using actual Mellotrons or samples of Mellotron sounds?


Well for Opeth and Porcupine Tree I know for a fact that it was
samples. Anglagard used a real one (two in fact) and I believe Spock's
Beard has a real one too.


That was a bit of a blow... I got Opeth's 'Lamentations' DVD expecting to see a Mellotron used in the studio during the 'making of' documentary, but Steve Wilson played it all on a synth!

Bad show - especially as he is credited as playing Mellotron, Fender Rhodes & grand piano on the 'Damnation' album; a little honesty, please Mr Wilson

Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Jim Garten View Drop Down
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Points: 14693 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 25 2005 at 03:41
Oh, yes, and before I forget - there was a new band called Razorlight (OK, I guess, but they don't light my candle) on Top Of The Pops last week, playing live, with a Mellotron player.

There is hope....

Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
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Dennis View Drop Down
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Points: 241 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2005 at 14:55

Hi Everyone,

All I can say is me too! Mellotron is my favorite prog-rock instrument. After first hearing it in the 60's with the Moody Blues and the Beatles, and then hearing it on King Crimson's ITCOTCK, I knew a new era (Symphonic Rock) in Rock music was emerging. There is something dark and spooky about its sound. The way the tape loops drag and sometimes slow down gives it a gloomy and gothic type sound which seems perfect for the darker side of prog-rock. It's frightening power worked wonders for Crimson, the early Genesis etc., and it's come back in the 90's and the present is certainly welcomed by me. Two very good newer groups that use it well and not mentioned in previous posts are the prog groups Guapo, from England, and Paatos from Sweden. Look out for a new debut album soon from Norwegian group Wobbler. Two complete free demos are on their web site and are drenched with loads of sweet tron. Their keyboardist is also in White Willow, and their sound is dark and similar to Anglagard.  http://www.wobblermusic.com/  A good web site for tron fanatics is also at:  http://freespace.virgin.net/andy.thompson/index.htm called The Ultimate Mellotron Recordings. Last update was in February, and lists just about every commercially recorded album ever recorded using the Mellotron. Some reviews on this site too. Hey out there! Any more good newer prog band out their you could suggest that I may not know about? Please enlighten me! I will always have in insatiable appetite for the beloved Mellotron. Thanks! 
"Day dawns dark, it now numbers infinity"
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Points: 823 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2005 at 16:05
TMV doesn't use a Mellotron, I think that's actually a Clavinet.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2005 at 18:56

Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

uses Mellotron strings in the verse right before the guitar solos. I love that part man!!
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Borealis View Drop Down
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Points: 599 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2005 at 19:19

Riverside (progmetal) are using Mellotron, and that's actually the main reason why their music is good.



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Points: 92 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 10 2005 at 06:57
Modest Mouse uses a mellotron on at least one of their albums. My favorite songs with a mellotron are King Crimson's 'The Devil's Triangle', from In The Wake Of Poseidon, and Tangerine Dream's 'Mysterious Semblence at the Strand of Nightmares' from Phaedra.
Vive Gong!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 10 2005 at 12:03
Originally posted by Yams Yams wrote:

Are they using actual Mellotrons or samples of Mellotron sounds?


good question.
recently acquired g-media's m-tron vst...sounds just like the real thing to me . 
of course, since i don't own one i can't compare an actual unit to "sounds"





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Borealis View Drop Down
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Points: 599 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2005 at 18:05

Originally posted by Tony Tony wrote:


Is it going to be used on more and more diverse albums with time? And were there any other example of its recent use? Will we see the return of the ARP, or the Moog or the Hammond organ soon?

Check out Glass Hammer. That new american band is using a lot of different keyboards. Maybe you'll find what you are looking for.
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Jay440 View Drop Down
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Points: 118 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 26 2006 at 20:30
Originally posted by PROGMAN PROGMAN wrote:

I think U2 used the Mellotron for the intro to "It's a Beautiful Day".

Unusual for a Pop Rock song ........is it?



Fiona Apple's "Shadowboxer" has either a Mellotron or Birotron on it. Sounds really pretty, too!
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pierreolivier View Drop Down
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Points: 222 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 26 2006 at 22:21
Originally posted by Jay440 Jay440 wrote:

Originally posted by PROGMAN PROGMAN wrote:

I think U2 used the Mellotron for the intro to "It's a Beautiful Day".

Unusual for a Pop Rock song ........is it?



Fiona Apple's "Shadowboxer" has either a Mellotron or Birotron on it. Sounds really pretty, too!
 
Fiona Apple actually use a Chamberlin M1 on her albums,wich is Mellotron direct ancestors.The earliest models of Chamberlins were actually patented in the 50's and predates the Mellotron for almost ten years.The Mellotron developpers had to actually pay a patent to Mr.Chamberlin for using his mechanism wich is the same as early mellotrons Mark II.The M1 is a latter model available in the 70's -80's.What confuse the people is that the Chamberlin use the same recordings for their most popular sound, the classic 3 violins.David Bowie own one that he brought in the U.S in the 70's and use it a lot on his "Berlin Trilogy" with album like "Low" and "Lodger".Chamberlins M1 had more tracks,8 for the Chamberlins M1 compared to 3 on a regular M400.The swedish band Anekdoten uses Chamberlin sound played with their mellotron M400 on their album "Gravity",they use the Chamberlin female choir on the song "Gravity".This sound is quite good and very spooky.
 
For U2 on the song "It's a beautiful day,I read an interview on a magazine where they said that the Mellotron is actually sampled.
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pierreolivier View Drop Down
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Points: 222 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 26 2006 at 22:38
Sorry,I couldn't post on the previous post but there's a photo of a Chamberlin M1:
 
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erik neuteboom View Drop Down
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Points: 7659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2006 at 02:26
Check out Willowglass, wonderful new Mellotron drenched symphonic rock!
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