Roland vs M400
2003-12-19 by jonesalley
Wow. Ken, I've noticed that clip before, but I actually listened to the whole fifteen and a half minute epic just now while feeding the cats (that's just for you, vbr8r) and I'm stunned. It's the difference between a hologram and a black and white newsprint picture listening to the two. The synth (which sounds very good in and of itself) sounds like a recording of a recorded Mellotron played in another room, and the M400 sounds like it's right in the room and very warm and immediate. I admit I didn't expect there to be THAT much difference between the two. The Roland clearly transposes samples rather than sampling individual notes, and once the loop point hits, it just sounds like the typical washing-machine string loop. The pitches have all been cleaned up, the intonation is mathematical, and the attacks feel really compressed. The volume has also been scaled across the keyboard and the volume bumps of different notes across the Mellotron is absent. There's also a real nasal honk to the overall sound, especially noticeable on the flutes and choirs. I find it interesting that when lots of notes are played on the Roland, the D/A's overdrive pretty badly, and the Mellotron always manages to sound like separate and clearly articulated instruments. I've long wondered what it would sound like to put D/A converters on each voice of a synth/sample playback unit and mix the audio in the analog realm - I wonder if it would yield a clearer separation of voices in the manner of the Mellotron. A question - is the Roland unit available in rack-mount or is it strictly a keyboard or expansion card unit? Does the card work with a JD-800? Street prices today? I think it would be fun to play with programming with sampled Mellotron sounds and try to get a more authentic sound out of the instrument. One thing for sure, after listening to that, I'll stick with my little X5D and my home-brewed Mellotron sounds for stage use in the kind of night-after-night club playing my band does. My efforts so far have yielded 3 violins, flute, cello, 8- voice choir, mixed brass, saxophone, and bass clarinet patches that I'll put up against any samples, and certainly what I heard out of the Roland! 8 second cutoffs, much more immediacy of sound, detunings and tuning randomizations, even bass viol instead of cello for the bottom notes... ...not that I'm anal about achieving perfection or anything. Once again, thanks to Mr. Chamberlin, and the Bradleys and the Streetly people and everybody I've neglected to mention for bringing this glorious obsession into being. The more I hear the real thing, the more I love it. All I have to do is play the low "D" with the 3 violins and feel the way the sound grows and swells and blooms through the entire duration of the bowing, and I remember what it is that gives me such a rush from the sound of the Mellotron. And, having not weighed in yet on the announcement regarding new productions coming from the tronbros - we have a saying here in Kansas, USA, which I normally refrain from using but seems appropriate now: "YEEEEEEEEHAHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" P.S. I managed to persuade the band to do "The Rain Song" in addition to "Dancing Days." Give me a little time to get programs worked up and to get a decent live recording of it, and I promise you, I will upload or post a file that will amaze you with the Mellotronistic power of my little Korg! JS