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'Mellotron' product review/Demo session ...

 
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Sam CA
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Joined: 02 May 2008
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Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 6:06 pm    Post subject: 'Mellotron' product review/Demo session ... Reply with quote

This video features Mellotron’s contemporary creator 'Markus Resch' at Westlake Pro Studio (Los Angeles). His presentation covers early Sampler/Chamberlin and Mellotron history. Then he talks about how Mellotron evolved to meet modern standards while maintaining the original sound and style.

Contemporary products mentioned here:

M4000D - a 24 bit digital uncompressed audio playback unit with 100 Mellotron and Chamberlin sounds built in and a custom built full Mellotron style wood keyboard featuring depth sensitivity and polyphonic aftertouch out via MIDI .......as well as the M4000D's smaller Mini & Micro versions.

I could only use the footage from one camera, so excuse the quality.




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megamarkd
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank You Sam CA! Great stuff. You seem to have knack for picking stuff I have a big interest in! I bought my e5000 back in 2000 to try to emulate a Mellotron.
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Stuff I'm using: Umm right now, well there's a Volca Drum, a Micro Freak, an ADX-1, a Pulse, a Blofeld, a UNO Drum, KeyStep/Beatstep Pro/Keystep Pro (one of each), a Circuit, a LiveTrak L-12 and this nonsense: The Brief-case as it was about a bit over a year ago (the the complete ridiculous GAS monster collection here)and here
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Sam CA
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you! You have an impressive list of gears in your signature and that's probably half of the stuff you own! Did you happen to have any recordings of those E-mu samples?

On reddit and KVR people did complain about the price. They were basically saying that if these machines are not actually using a tape, then why not just use a plug in or generic rompler to play them back. I totally understand that point of view, but at the same time I appreciate a dedicated retro looking machine that does one specific thing. Apparently it's all made in Sweden as well. It is a difficult instrument to own for sure. No bread and butter type of sounds at a premium price. I'm not tempted myself, but there is a small market for it indeed.
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megamarkd
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 10:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sam CA wrote:
Thank you! You have an impressive list of gears in your signature and that's probably half of the stuff you own! Did you happen to have any recordings of those E-mu samples?
On reddit and KVR people did complain about the price. They were basically saying that if these machines are not actually using a tape, then why not just use a plug in or generic rompler to play them back. I totally understand that point of view, but at the same time I appreciate a dedicated retro looking machine that does one specific thing. Apparently it's all made in Sweden as well. It is a difficult instrument to own for sure. No bread and butter type of sounds at a premium price. I'm not tempted myself, but there is a small market for it indeed.

You are welcome! I appreciate stuff like this as I tend to miss it.

There are a few things not listed as they are not hooked up. I need to update the list a little, some things have come in and some have left and some things put away.

The price is rather high for something that is basically a softsynth in a box, but the semi-weighted wooden keys are a really nice touch I feel and poly-aftertouch is a a real boon! Show me another synth with those two features for around the same price, AND do an authentic Mellotron emulation.

The recordings I made at the turn of the century were all done on 4trk cassette records, so may as well be lost as I made them on a Yamaha MT200 (I think that's what it was called) at high speed with noise reduction. The Yamaha died and I 'upgraded' to recording on a G4 until I stupidly installed OSX. I'm resurrecting my e5000 but getting at the zip discs I used to store the samples is possibly a harder task than getting another Yammy 4trk. I gotta find the box with the discs then find a Zip 100 drive in SCSI.... Oh well, I think I can do a better job at it these days anyway.
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Stuff I'm using: Umm right now, well there's a Volca Drum, a Micro Freak, an ADX-1, a Pulse, a Blofeld, a UNO Drum, KeyStep/Beatstep Pro/Keystep Pro (one of each), a Circuit, a LiveTrak L-12 and this nonsense: The Brief-case as it was about a bit over a year ago (the the complete ridiculous GAS monster collection here)and here
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Perilous
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Joined: 29 Jul 2015
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't forget the rack version, too!
The M4000D is strictly three octaves starting on F. As a midi controller, the pitch shift and the aftertouch works well with the Kronos. You might get a few "stuck" notes when messing about in the menus while playing the M4000D. It's a pity that the Half-Speed doesn't also work as an octave down switch.
The Micro does have a proper octave switch but apparently the keys below F cease to control its internal sounds when shifted down.
There is also something slightly off about the Aftertouch Ribbon beneath the keys. It takes a bit more applied force in the 4 or 5 most lower and most upper keys to activate the aftertouch. It's uneven.
The keybed of the M4000D is excellent and I love that the lid opens up like the old originals. The key travel is more shallow compared to a piano.
There's plenty of sounds to scroll through and more can be added, but it sure is difficult to find the #01 Expansion Sound Card for it. There's also a lot of essential features that allow you to manipulate the sound, like editing the motor speed? I think it makes the samples sound more "old".
I find that the samples of the M4000D and the default Tape samples of the Korg Kronos are very different. The key depth sensitivity of the M4000D plays a large part in that. It has its flaws, but I do enjoy the Mellotron very much.
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Sam CA
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So the rack version is a whole different product then. Apparently these newer models had some midi problems too, but they took care of it with an update.
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stevenchep



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 4:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks
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Sharp
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for sharing.

Sharp.
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kumarvishwas



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PostPosted: Sat Jul 21, 2018 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks man... Laughing
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Perilous
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In case anyone is interested in using the Mellotron M4000D as a controller, I made a video detailing my experience with the polyphonic aftertouch, using it with the OB-6. I enjoy it very much!
https://youtu.be/yZwyutReyR4


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Sam CA
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks a lot for doing this video! What do you think of the sounds?
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