Another demo

The hardest thing about playing the Mellatron was that the tapes would eventually come to an end when sustained and had to be released to rewind so it could be played again. Made for an odd playing style.

„Nights in white satin“ is a tune with strings from a mellotron. Somehow a fascinating late 60s‘ sound signature...

I actually owned a Mellotron, way way back, around 1973 or so. It was very difficult to press the keys, as I remember, but so cutting edge at the time (string sounds).

It’s always the limitations of an instrument that define its signature sound.... something often missing from today’s amazing tech.

Finding what something CAN’T do and playing round it gives a certain shape to the phrase, to the sound. Those old electromechanical keyboards were pigs to play, and only had a limited range of expression. But oh! How well those limitations shaped some of our most iconic music of the period!

Next time you find yourself cursing out a limitation on your current keyboard, think of those old instruments and think how lucky you are to HAVE a limitation! It can be the source of your creativity if you let it....

Now there is a novel and good suggestion. It gives credence to my older instruments, which in some cases, sound better.

Well said Diki

Limitations can be an invitation to creation.
John C.

That is why we are always look forwards to the new creations for the more refined and closer to the "real thing" in our keyboards.

So far we are being told that synths still have the better sound engines and the arrangers are not worth having but in the future that might change, as they morph together more.


Allan