Mellotron history and function

All instruments that aren't guitars (or bass guitars).
User avatar
BlixaFan
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2757
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:37 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: Mellotron history and function

Post by BlixaFan » Thu Jan 11, 2018 9:46 pm

super cool article. i've always liked the sound of the mellotron.
for a more recent (but now almost 20 year old, and surely Pre M-Tron) example, Nine Inch Nails "The Fragile" (the song, 1999) features the mellotron during the bridge. another Reznor production is Manson's "Cryptorchid" (1996) which also features the same mellotron in the second half of the song.

From what I recall, Trent owned/was loaned long-term THE Strawberry Fields Mellotron, so that is what you're hearing on those songs. It's all over Antichrist Superstar, The Fragile, and even on Broken. cool tidbit.

User avatar
mijmog
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1041
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:03 am

Re: Mellotron history and function

Post by mijmog » Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:03 am

shadowplay wrote:
Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:38 am
mijmog wrote:
Wed Nov 15, 2017 4:55 am
Dungen

OT and apologies but that Dungen - Häxan (Versions by Prins Thomas) record has been getting a lot of play in our house recently, it's beautiful. Goes PERFECT with that low, golden early winter light. i know you'll been on this ages ago but it just bears saying in general, it's lovesly as my youngest is wont to say.

D
Sorry David only just seen this, I forgot to reply - you know I really struggled with the Versions LP for a while, couldn't listen to it, I could hear the loop start and end points and it bugged me, but now I find myself listening to it a lot more, its a good "do the dishes" LP. I found if I listened to it as a totally new record, say in the context of other electronica and more ambient stuff it sounded better for some reason!

User avatar
Dok
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2225
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:39 pm
Location: Ojai

Re: Mellotron history and function

Post by Dok » Sat Jan 20, 2018 11:04 pm

mijmog wrote:
Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:03 am
shadowplay wrote:
Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:38 am
mijmog wrote:
Wed Nov 15, 2017 4:55 am
Dungen

OT and apologies but that Dungen - Häxan (Versions by Prins Thomas) record has been getting a lot of play in our house recently, it's beautiful. Goes PERFECT with that low, golden early winter light. i know you'll been on this ages ago but it just bears saying in general, it's lovesly as my youngest is wont to say.

D
Sorry David only just seen this, I forgot to reply - you know I really struggled with the Versions LP for a while, couldn't listen to it, I could hear the loop start and end points and it bugged me, but now I find myself listening to it a lot more, its a good "do the dishes" LP. I found if I listened to it as a totally new record, say in the context of other electronica and more ambient stuff it sounded better for some reason!
I saw Dungen last year and they had one of those new fancy digital Mellotrons and it was AWESOME and sounded phenomenal. They are apparently sampled from the original tapes and have the same polyphony/time limitations. I have to wonder if that's what's being used on the recordings, too, given how insane the originals are to acquire and maintain.

https://www.mellotron.com/digital-mellotron.html
Local milk person

User avatar
shadowplay
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 25930
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:30 am
Location: Glasgow. Scotland
Contact:

Re: Mellotron history and function

Post by shadowplay » Sun Jan 21, 2018 12:03 am

mijmog wrote:
Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:03 am
shadowplay wrote:
Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:38 am
mijmog wrote:
Wed Nov 15, 2017 4:55 am
Dungen

OT and apologies but that Dungen - Häxan (Versions by Prins Thomas) record has been getting a lot of play in our house recently, it's beautiful. Goes PERFECT with that low, golden early winter light. i know you'll been on this ages ago but it just bears saying in general, it's lovesly as my youngest is wont to say.

D
Sorry David only just seen this, I forgot to reply - you know I really struggled with the Versions LP for a while, couldn't listen to it, I could hear the loop start and end points and it bugged me, but now I find myself listening to it a lot more, its a good "do the dishes" LP. I found if I listened to it as a totally new record, say in the context of other electronica and more ambient stuff it sounded better for some reason!
Totally agree, you have to listen to it afresh as its own thing. Mrs S really loves it.

D
Are you loathsome tonight?

Post Reply