Mellotronists

> From: "ceccles_ca" <clay123@...>
   > Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 05:19:14 -0000
   > 
   > There are a number of inexpensive improvements that could be made
   > that should not be expensive.  All Mellotron models have a
   > significant level of noise with the signal.  I'm not talking
   > about the wobblies or the ambient noise in the recordings. It's
   > the hummmm and the hisss.  The noise can be filtered out with a
   > black box or two.

The problem with a 'black box' (I'm assuming you mean a classic noise
gate device) is the annoying signature turn-on and turn-off transients.

But if you build it into the 'Tron you can take advantage of the
mechanics of the situation.  Imagine a little laser shooting over the
tops of the keys at the rear of the instrument, and a little
phototransistor at the other end.  The laser is blocked when any key
is pressed, and when all the keys are up the laser shines through.  So
it's easy to mute the output when all the keys are up and unmute
before any note is actually played.

I always use a tron with a volume pedal, so I don't think a noise
killing mechanism is really required.  'Just leave the instrument with
the pedal up.  

  -- Don

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California
don@...
http://www.till.com