Mellotronists

On Tuesday, March 23, 2004, at 04:40 AM, J.K.Beresford wrote:

> Hi,
> I think he just releases the key towards the end of the first bar
> allowing the rewind and plays it again at the start of the next. It 
> isn't
> continuous. Doubly difficult to do on the accordions anyway as the
> sounds don't last the whole 8 seconds (at least they don't on mine).
> Also it's just one bass note on the MkII and not 2 as it Ricks version
> cause theres not enough keys covered by the accordian sound.
> John
>
>
> So what exactly was played on the "accordion" side is an interesting
> point as a sustained F-sharp is not possible due to the highly
> controversial, and some would say, unconstitutional 8-second rule.
> It sounds like some sneaky altering of an F-sharp and an octave
> below or above (depending on where you start)

Just to clarify: what I wrote out on the sheet music was the way I saw 
Banks play it on the SEBTP tour (the only times I was in a position to 
view his hands. I also wrote it this way because there are certainly 
octaves in the studio version. (It pretty much sounds to me as if he's 
doubling the tron parts on his Hammond.) I also knew that Nacho has a 
400, so he would need to play some other instrument along with the 
mellotron if the intro part was going to have any chance of sounding 
good (something that is also really helped by having octaves in the 
bass clef part).

John is right about the accordion sound, of course. I'l have to listen 
to my copy of Genesis Live again to hear what might be going on there, 
but I suspect he's right about the note being released. If I remember 
correctly, Banks played the intro on the MkII in a much more "angular" 
manner than on subsequent live performances using his 400, and on the 
studio version. This would allow him to release the bass note in order 
for the tape to rewind and not have the performance sound odd. Try it 
that way and you'll see what I mean. You can also hold the note for the 
first two measures without the tape running out (unless you're playing 
really slowly), then release the key to re-attack the note in the 3rd 
bar.

When I played it live, regardless of what mellotron I was using at the 
time, I always played the first section with octaves using the lower 
manual of my B3 with the standard "bass" setting on the drawbars (lower 
3 fully out), after which I'd switch hands and play the Moderato 
section completely on mellotron. Once I got the FX console, I used 
octave choir for the descending octave notes (in the Moderato section) 
and the MkII brass for the part in thirds (since the FX console doesn't 
allow mixing of adjacent tracks). With the bespoke tapes Martinge made 
up for me, I now have a mixed 3 violins/brass track which is great. 
Also, playing the octave part using "Orchestra" or "Gothic" at the end 
is REALLY effective.

But whatever Banks played live, it was also REALLY effective, and 
that's the key. The intro has to be as powerful as you can make it. 
That means a lot of volume and as thick a sound as you can manage.

Rick

PS Fritata, I'll answer your question fully this evening. I want to 
listen to the sounds and think about it.