The Mellotron Group

I've been tossing around the idea of creating a Mellotron Wiki, or rather someone creating a Mellotron Wiki.

I know there is plenty of information out there, somewhere, about servicing these beasts, DIY adjustments, playing techniques, and how previous Mellotron Stars performed and had their Trons mixed into the records and during live shows.

It's very frustrating digging this sort of information up. The two Mellotron lists are great aids.

Still, I'm thinking we could all benefit and have great fun creating a nice Wiki where once the information is found by someone it can be found by everyone fairly easy. I'm hoping that people from Streetly and Markus to Mike Pinder and such can contribute as they wish.

Let's start tossing these ideas about.

-Sean

----- Original Message -----

From: Sean

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 2:39 PM

Subject: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

I've been tossing around the idea of creating a Mellotron Wiki, or rather someone creating a Mellotron Wiki.

I know there is plenty of information out there, somewhere, about servicing these beasts, DIY adjustments, playing techniques, and how previous Mellotron Stars performed and had their Trons mixed into the records and during live shows.

It's very frustrating digging this sort of information up. The two Mellotron lists are great aids.

Still, I'm thinking we could all benefit and have great fun creating a nice Wiki where once the information is found by someone it can be found by everyone fairly easy. I'm hoping that people from Streetly and Markus to Mike Pinder and such can contribute as they wish.

Let's start tossing these ideas about.

-Sean

Hi, Sean.
 
For starters, there's are two informative Mellotron books available  that 
may answer a lot of your questions:
    - my book, The Mellotron  Book
    - Nick Awde's book, Mellotron: The  Machine and The Musicians That 
Revolutionised Rock
 
Frank Samagaio
El Cajon CA
owner, Red October Audio  Recording
owner, Mellotron MkII #134 (ex-Moodies) / M400 #908
author, The Mellotron Book
 
In a message dated 10/7/2009 11:39:53 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
fourtytwominds@yahoo.com writes:

 
 
 
I've been tossing around the idea of creating a Mellotron Wiki, or rather  
someone creating a Mellotron Wiki.

I know there is plenty of  information out there, somewhere, about 
servicing these beasts, DIY  adjustments, playing techniques, and how previous 
Mellotron Stars performed  and had their Trons mixed into the records and during 
live shows.

It's  very frustrating digging this sort of information up. The two 
Mellotron lists  are great aids.

Still, I'm thinking we could all benefit and have great  fun creating a 
nice Wiki where once the information is found by someone it can  be found by 
everyone fairly easy. I'm hoping that people from Streetly and  Markus to Mike 
Pinder and such can contribute as they wish.

Let's start  tossing these ideas  about.

-Sean

My 7th Grade teacher used to say - "If in doubt, leave it out"...about
comma's

 

(all right - go ahead..)

-----Original Message-----
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tony1
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:43 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

 

  

I used to "over coma" so I do it a lot less now.

Ton

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Rick Blechta <mailto:rick@rickblechta.com>  

To: newmellotrongroup@ <mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com>
yahoogroups.com 

Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 3:04 PM

Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

 

  

 

On Oct 7, 2009, at 2:54 PM, tony1 wrote:





You just did man.

Tony

 

If we're gonna do a proper job of this, you're going to have to put a comma
after the word "did", Tony.

 

;)

 

(Just yankin' your chain.)

 

On the serious side, I think this is a seriously good idea. Maybe the first
thing to do is compile a list of all the sites that deal with mellotrons.
That way we'll have a reference list of URLs for the end of it.

 

Now how do we go about gathering submissions and the like -- and where do we
store all our information. I'd volunteer to be the editor, but I'm flat out
too busy to take that on, but I would be willing to help out on a spot
basis, or at least proofread things.

 

Rick

----- Original Message -----

From: Pomeroy RH Ranch

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:23 PM

Subject: RE: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

My 7th Grade teacher used to say – “If in doubt, leave it out”…..about comma’s

(all right – go ahead….)

-----Original Message-----
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tony1
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:43 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

I used to "over coma" so I do it a lot less now.

Ton

----- Original Message -----

From: Rick Blechta

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 3:04 PM

Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

On Oct 7, 2009, at 2:54 PM, tony1 wrote:

You just did man.

Tony

If we're gonna do a proper job of this, you're going to have to put a comma after the word "did", Tony.

;)

(Just yankin' your chain.)

On the serious side, I think this is a seriously good idea. Maybe the first thing to do is compile a list of all the sites that deal with mellotrons. That way we'll have a reference list of URLs for the end of it.

Now how do we go about gathering submissions and the like -- and where do we store all our information. I'd volunteer to be the editor, but I'm flat out too busy to take that on, but I would be willing to help out on a spot basis, or at least proofread things.

Rick

----- Original Message -----

From: Pomeroy RH Ranch

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:23 PM

Subject: RE: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

My 7th Grade teacher used to say – “If in doubt, leave it out”…..about comma’s

(all right – go ahead….)

-----Original Message-----
From: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com [mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tony1
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:43 PM
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

I used to "over coma" so I do it a lot less now.

Ton

----- Original Message -----

From: Rick Blechta

To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 3:04 PM

Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?

On Oct 7, 2009, at 2:54 PM, tony1 wrote:

You just did man.

Tony

If we're gonna do a proper job of this, you're going to have to put a comma after the word "did", Tony.

;)

(Just yankin' your chain.)

On the serious side, I think this is a seriously good idea. Maybe the first thing to do is compile a list of all the sites that deal with mellotrons. That way we'll have a reference list of URLs for the end of it.

Now how do we go about gathering submissions and the like -- and where do we store all our information. I'd volunteer to be the editor, but I'm flat out too busy to take that on, but I would be willing to help out on a spot basis, or at least proofread things.

Rick

Shouldn't there be a coma after coma? Oh, and after to, too? Rick?  Anyone?
 
 
In a message dated 10/7/2009 3:44:09 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
atm655@verizon.net writes:

I used to "over coma" so I do it a lot less  now.

Tony,
 
Normally, punctuation goes inside the quotes. For example, when you greet  
one of your buddies on the street you give high fives and say, "What it is?" 
 
 
By the way, what's a synonym for, "synonym?"
 
Has anyone ever wondered why we can't smell the inside of our noses?
 

 
 
In a message dated 10/7/2009 6:40:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
atm655@verizon.net writes:

 
 
 
Yea I knew that one was wrong.
My bad.
 
"where is it at"? "what ya got"?, no "where is it"?  and what do you have"? 
as long we're on butchery of the English  language, those bugs me. "got" is 
not a synonym for "have"  either.
 

Tony
510

----- Original Message ----- 

From: _Rick  Blechta_ (mailto:rick@rickblechta.com)  
To: _newmellotrongroup@newmellotronnew_ 
(mailto:newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com)   
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:53  PM
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup]  Mellowiki?





On Oct 7, 2009, at 4:45 PM, tony1 wrote:


I did just that obviously.
Tony



No. You just did that, obviously.

How about "This is for you and I"?

Bernie

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, "tony1" <atm655@...> wrote:

>
> Yea I knew that one was wrong.
> My bad.
> "where is it at"? "what ya got"?, no "where is it"? and what do you have"? as long we're on butchery of the English language, those bugs me. "got" is not a synonym for "have" either.
> 
> Tony
> 510
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Rick Blechta 
>   To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 4:53 PM
>   Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mellowiki?
> 
> 
>     
> 
> 
>   On Oct 7, 2009, at 4:45 PM, tony1 wrote:
> 
> 
>     I did just that obviously.
>     Tony
> 
> 
>   No. You just did that, obviously.
>

In a message dated 10/7/2009 12:57:23 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
mike.dickson@gmail.com writes:

Yes,  but to be fair, the proposed extent of the Wiki goes beyond where 
either book  does, and that books involve 'buying the book', whereas a Wiki 
means you  simply have to gather together information on the Internet and put 
it in one  place where it can be found easily by a potentially unlimited  
number of  people,.

Mike


 
Agreed, and a Wiki site sounds like a great idea on paper.   But then you 
have the near-impossible task of getting a consensus on any  information from 
the people on this list.  Opinions are like assholes;  everybody has one.  
Just look at the history of posts on the list.   Who's going to gather it, 
who's going to administer it, and, probably more  importantly, who's going to 
say what's definitive on any  given tron-related subject?  What is the 
likelihood that  Streetly/Markus is going to openly post "trade secrets"?
 
Frank

I'm just having fun. No one here takes punctuation seriously except Rick,  
but he can't help it because he's a "professional" writer' (wink wink) and 
has  been beaten up by editors for so many years that it's ingrained.
 
Frank
 
 
In a message dated 10/7/2009 8:18:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
atm655@verizon.net writes:

Thanks for the input, I do appreciate  it!

First, how can anything written on paper "sound" like anything? Second, I  
hereby appoint you, Frank Samagaio, the official Mellotron Wikiman. God 
knows I  have given you a good start. 
 
 
In a message dated 10/7/2009 9:57:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
MAinPsych@aol.com writes:

Agreed, and a Wiki site sounds like a great idea on paper.   But then you 
have the near-impossible task of getting a consensus on any  information from 
the people on this list.  Opinions are like  assholes; everybody has one.  
Just look at the history of posts on the  list.  Who's going to gather it, 
who's going to administer it, and,  probably more importantly, who's going to 
say what's definitive on any  given tron-related subject?  What is the 
likelihood that  Streetly/Markus is going to openly post "trade  secrets"?

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@... wrote:
>
>  
> In a message dated 10/7/2009 12:57:23 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
> mike.dickson@... writes:
> 
> Yes,  but to be fair, the proposed extent of the Wiki goes beyond where 
> either book  does, and that books involve 'buying the book', whereas a Wiki 
> means you  simply have to gather together information on the Internet and put 
> it in one  place where it can be found easily by a potentially unlimited  
> number of  people,.
> 
> Mike
> 
> 
>  
> Agreed, and a Wiki site sounds like a great idea on paper.   But then you 
> have the near-impossible task of getting a consensus on any  information from 
> the people on this list.  Opinions are like assholes;  everybody has one.  
> Just look at the history of posts on the list.   Who's going to gather it, 
> who's going to administer it, and, probably more  importantly, who's going to 
> say what's definitive on any  given tron-related subject?  What is the 
> likelihood that  Streetly/Markus is going to openly post "trade secrets"?
>  
> Frank
>

This is exactly why I want to toss around the idea for a while.

On the end of repairs and DIY stuff with the 'Trons I'm thinking there is no reason why all the information would have to go up at once.

If that information were to go up at once I would certainly require Streely and Markus to post their trade secrets, or someone to post their trade secrets. I'm not going to be the ass that asks them to cut their own throats. Hell, I'm tossed up right now which 'Tron do I buy FIRST? The MkVI or the M4000?

However, a Wiki can snowball over years. As some of us more daring souls attempt our own fixes or changes, and if they do work (or if they fail spectacularly) that can be mulled over and then added to the Wiki.

I'm thinking we don't need consensus on what "correct" technique or mixing is. We also don't need a complete listing of everyone's technique. Perhaps our 'Tron veterans could come up with articles on the most classic techniques and mixing aesthetics for the 'Tron. Say maybe, the Pinder way, the Wakeman way, the McDonald/Fripp way, the later and more stringent Fripp/Cross way. Not that those are the only classic methods but I think it gets my point across.

Management I have no clue about. Maybe in a few years I'll have time to help the Wiki but like most people I'm particularly buried right now. I have about 10 minutes for this list and the other say every third day.

Let's keep debating!

-Sean

--- On Sat, 10/10/09, Sean wrote:

Hell, I'm tossed up right now which 'Tron do I buy FIRST? The MkVI or the M4000?

So what do your other 41 minds think about this, or are they all  in 
agreement?
 
 
In a message dated 10/9/2009 2:59:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
fourtytwominds@yahoo.com writes:

This  is exactly why I want to toss around the idea for a while.

On the end  of repairs and DIY stuff with the 'Trons I'm thinking there is 
no reason why  all the information would have to go up at once.

If that information  were to go up at once I would certainly require 
Streely and Markus to post  their trade secrets, or someone to post their trade 
secrets. I'm not going to  be the ass that asks them to cut their own throats. 
Hell, I'm tossed up right  now which 'Tron do I buy FIRST? The MkVI or the 
M4000?

However, a Wiki  can snowball over years. As some of us more daring souls 
attempt our own fixes  or changes, and if they do work (or if they fail 
spectacularly) that can be  mulled over and then added to the Wiki.

I'm thinking we don't need  consensus on what "correct" technique or mixing 
is. We also don't need a  complete listing of everyone's technique. Perhaps 
our 'Tron veterans could  come up with articles on the most classic 
techniques and mixing aesthetics for  the 'Tron. Say maybe, the Pinder way, the 
Wakeman way, the McDonald/Fripp way,  the later and more stringent Fripp/Cross 
way. Not that those are the only  classic methods but I think it gets my 
point across.

Management I have  no clue about. Maybe in a few years I'll have time to 
help the Wiki but like  most people I'm particularly buried right now. I have 
about 10 minutes for  this list and the other say every third day.

Let's keep  debating!

-Sean