Mellotronists

Well, Andy & Jon, I don't really agree.

Would you play a piano made during Beethoven's time (the early days of
piano-making), say a Broadwood, when you could have a Bechstein Concert
Grand? I sure wouldn't! The Broadwood has a very interesting sound to be
sure (I've played one) but it sure doesn't hold a candle to the modern
instruments. I feel the same way about the original flute and the Ian
McDonald flute. There is NO comparison as a voice. The original flute
does not deserve so much hyperbole, Jon, at the risk of insulting you.
The only thing worthwhile in it is the first octave, after that it loses
most of its colour, the intonation goes WAY wonky and the attacks are
dodgy. Come to think of it one of the low notes (low G?) has one of the
WORST (slowest) attacks I've ever heard. Try playing that note in a fast
passage! There won't be anything there. It takes too long to get
started.

The 3 violins is a reasonably good sound and it's done its job over the
year. I still like it and use it, but I find I'm losing it less and
less. I would really like a new violin sound, though, personally. If the
3 violins makes grown men weep, imagine what would happen with an even
better 3 violins!

Sorry. I guess I'm not a romantic, guys. The mellotron does it for me,
the feel of the keyboard, the power that the instrument contains, but I
also want the best quality recordings so it will sound even better.

Cheers!

Rick

JS wrote:

> I think that an important fact being overlooked is that for the
> listener, and even for many players, the "Mellotron" is not just
> looked at as an audio playback device, but that the individual sounds
> are perceived is instruments in their own right.  I'm sure I'll love
> other string sounds available, but they will not supplant the
> 3-violins sound, they will supplement it.  In the same way, the
> "strawberry flutes" is an instrument in and of itself, a hypersonic,
> polyphonic flute with some odd voicing peculiarities, idiosyncrasies
> that are part of the character of the sound and no other sound will
> ever replace it.  It seems to me that the sound of each Mellotron tape
> set is as unique an instrument as a piano, and it's almost like the
> physical machine is just the delivery device for the actual
> instrument.
> Jon E Salley
> MiloJohnson@...
> M400 #886