I have spent almost a half-century living a lie. Every single sound produced by the mellotron, I've always thought that was produced a backing orchestra. Amazing. Thank you so much for this!
The Royal Albert Hall engagements aside.... you don't think the Moody Blues went around the World carrying a 88-Piece London Symphony Orchestra stuck inside their travel-case while touring in the '60s, and '70s... did you?? Haha. Well... in a way... they did! 😅
Ah the good old Mellotron. I bought one in the late 70's, and after gigging with it for a few years, I got so fed up with it that I eventually kicked it out of the gig van, whilst it was going at speed. Would be worth a bit today.
Nice job. We used to Play that in the 80’s. Most times it was just another slow song during the night in our bar band one night in a Pa bar - I got a definite ovation out of nowhere from the bar for my keys and our version. I didn’t know how to react… it never happened again
Probably the most underrated sounding instrument I've ever heard. Hardly anyone knows about it even though it's responsible for a LOT of famous songs. I didn't even know about it until 10 minutes ago. Gorgeous.
There's a reason why every British rock band or artist used this thing..Many people associate the Melletron with the Beatles, just cause of strawberry fields, but if there was any song in rock history that would signify this instrument, it's this one...
In many ways the analog music from the 1960s are far better then the digital music made now. Growing up back then I never appreciated what the groups and music engineers went through to get their music produced but I sure do now. Like the Moody Blues sang, "Isn't life strange!"
In music this is my favourite instrument..my dad had all the Moody Blues albums, i grew to love them as a kid but it was Genesis and Watcher Of The Skies along with The Six Wives Of Henry VIII by Rick Wakeman that made me really fall in love with this beautiful, if a little temperamental instrument…you cannot beat it !!!
@@user-ww2gu6md7z yeah ive read him saying something along those lines…most players hated actually playing and touring with them especially Tony Banks, despite the beautiful sounds they produced 👍
Tony Banks use of it in alot of Genesis is mesmerizing. Especially in Trick of the Tail. He uses it mainly as the chorus or choir sounds in Los Endos.. Is just spine tingling the high notes, majestic angelic sounds. Makes me tear up everytime I hear it..
I was trying to explain to my wife about the Mellotron then found this. Perfect, demonstrating not only this famous song but showing the mechanism working too. Thank you.
Back in the 1960's our band had three (3) Mellotrons (2 had- Flutes, Violins, Cellos • 1 had: Horns, Strings and Choir), The one back-up was left at our rehearsal room... the other two were used 6 nights a week on stage along with a Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes and of course a minimoog. We covered Moody Blues - King Crimson - Genesis - Strawbs - etc. Man did your incredible playing of this tune bring back some wonderful memories. I will never forget the time we drove from New Jersey to Rhode Island to play this Gigantic Nightclub we were booked at for Friday & Saturday night. The road crew had finished setting up and we all were in the Motel across the street preparing to go on in under an hour. Suddenly, we heard a huge commotion down the street at the club. Police cars were everywhere. The next thing we know the club manager and Police came to us and said our weekend performance was CANCELED due to a narcotics raid they just conducted inside the club. They were closing the Club down. the crowd inside the club was getting rowdy and the Club Manager asked if we could just play just ONE song to help quiet things down as the cops moved the crowd out. We played "Nights in White Satin". When these kids heard the Mellotrons they were stunned. it sounded to them like a symphony orchestra was behind us. They were so stunned at the sound that they exited the building very quietly. The Club Owner invited us out to dinner that night to thank us... and he paid us in full for the weekend. I will always associate Night In White Satin with that experience!
@@optimus163 The group was called "Crizma" Although we toured from Rhode Island thru South Dakota, the band was never signed to a label. When I left the band I sold the B3 and Mellotron to "Blank Tape Recording Studios" in New York City.
Hi Gene... Brand New they were selling for $3,000.00 (3 thousand dollars) They cost about the exact same as a brand new mini-moog. A new Hammond B3 with Leslie 122 was closer to $4,000. However to put it all into perspective.. a brand new 1970 Dodge Charger or Buick LeSabre cost about $3,100.. @@geneobrien8907
I disagree. The M4000d sound is much much cleaner and user friendly with zero tape head cleaning maintenance. The M400 spends half it's life in the repair shop.
@@stargate1555 With the modern digital devices, you can set up for an exact type of sound and can easily repeat that sound. With that cranky contraption of tapes, pinch rollers, and heads that never track correctly, you never get exactly the same sound twice. Even if everything tracked perfectly, the touch of the person playing affects how each note plays. That mystique of never twice the exact same sound is one of the things that makes the old mechanical mellotron so special.
@@A_Bit_of_Thought I TOTALLY, WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE! It's like the fella in this video clip was playing a keyboard made out of "Human Living & Breathing Parts". Today's digitized software driven version...is like playing an "A.I. Keyboard", straight off the production line, of a Saccharine Factory. BCRadio
@@A_Bit_of_Thought It should be possible to emulate even this digitally by randomly or successively choosing digitized tracks. Whether that is how the 'd actually works, I do not know.
This was beautifully done. I was especially impressed by your masterful shaping of the tonal envelope of the string sounds using the tone control of the instrument. This is a technique I haven’t seen or thought about before, but you use it remarkably well, and it really adds to the realism of your performance. I also liked the small pitch bend quaver towards the end of the flute solo; that was a great touch! Thanks for sharing this, Marco!
Interesting that the mellotron has been used by many artists, but my personal awareness of it came from being a huge Moody Blues fan. Nice to know what it actually is.
this is a desert island instrument... as far as a keyboard... I would take this with strings and flute... forever... and never get another sound triggered by a keyboard.
Thancks Marco ,a Real mellotron ! I'm totally bored to sée and hear deaf people saying they are playing a mellotron with their plastic boxes liké Thomann 4000d,thancks .
So much has been made about the mellotron and the flute voice in Strawberry Fields, I even have a Casio arranger keyboard that calls it a 60’s flute. I’m a big Moody Blues fan, and knew that the orchestration was only in the segues, but it’s really nice to hear the different voicing’s of the mellotron!
I've been doing research on how accurate the EHX Mel 9 pedal is to an actual Mellotron, stumbled on your video.. That was absolutely awesome! Bravo, Good Sir!
wonderful... Thanks. I had a digital Mellotron for a while, but to make a long story short, I sold it. I'm primarily a guitarist, but I will never tire of the M Sound.
I adore the mellotron and will buy albums just because they have one. If my city's orchestra were to get fired and replaced by a mellotron player (and a good PA), I'd start attending the symphony and probably become a patron.
I think of strawberry fields. I think of knights in white satin . But The one song that uses the Mellotron . That stands out is. Tears from Rush’s album 2112. B side
I have spent almost a half-century living a lie. Every single sound produced by the mellotron, I've always thought that was produced a backing orchestra. Amazing. Thank you so much for this!
Mike Pinder use a Mellotron Mk II which had two keyboards and a lot more sound banks.
The mellotron uses a real recording of an orchestra so technically it was.
In a way it actually is !
There was symphony on the song - in the intro, the horns near the end, and the poetry section, but the coolest parts are the mellotron.
The Royal Albert Hall engagements aside.... you don't think the Moody Blues went around the World carrying a 88-Piece London Symphony Orchestra stuck inside their travel-case while touring in the '60s, and '70s... did you??
Haha. Well... in a way... they did! 😅
Ah the good old Mellotron. I bought one in the late 70's, and after gigging with it for a few years, I got so fed up with it that I eventually kicked it out of the gig van, whilst it was going at speed. Would be worth a bit today.
Such a beautiful sounding instrument! RIP Mike Pinder
Pretty much the most amazing thing... that was super perfect...
Preserve real music and musicians... Forever
Nice job. We used to
Play that in the 80’s. Most times it was just another slow song during the night in our bar band one night in a Pa bar - I got a definite ovation out of nowhere from the bar for my keys and our version. I didn’t know how to react… it never happened again
*_"Breathe deep, the gathering gloom..."_*
Mellotron is easily one of the most haunting instruments for me
Just noticed almost all the comments mention the word ‘haunting’ because it’s so darn accurate. There’s nothing like this sound!
I just love how Haunting the Mellotron sounds. Thanking my dad for showing me Moody Blues back when I was a kid.
I listened to that song a million times and never knew it was a mellotron
strawberry fields forever
Probably the most underrated sounding instrument I've ever heard. Hardly anyone knows about it even though it's responsible for a LOT of famous songs. I didn't even know about it until 10 minutes ago. Gorgeous.
You probably haven't even heard about the Chaimberlin yet then.
Look up Mike Pinder the engineer, musician, singer, songwriter who created the Moody Blues
@@DennisCambly thank you for the c recommendation
@@KC9UDX I'll check it out
Tons of people know about the mellotron
I used to repair these. There's nothing else like it.
There's a reason why every British rock band or artist used this thing..Many people associate the Melletron with the Beatles, just cause of strawberry fields, but if there was any song in rock history that would signify this instrument, it's this one...
Mike Pinder introduced the Mellotron to the Beatles.
I think uriah heep used it on a few of their songs
woow i'm amazed by the visuals of the tape being played when the notes are pressed
This is such a piece of art on its own
In many ways the analog music from the 1960s are far better then the digital music made now. Growing up back then I never appreciated what the groups and music engineers went through to get their music produced but I sure do now. Like the Moody Blues sang, "Isn't life strange!"
If you haven't already, look up how 10cc made “i’m not in love.” You will be blown away.
I’m proud to say I once owned a mellotron. Nothing can replace it.
You are one lucky man to own that beauty. Well played
Incredible, Beautiful and I'm Mesmerized by it's sound.......
In music this is my favourite instrument..my dad had all the Moody Blues albums, i grew to love them as a kid but it was Genesis and Watcher Of The Skies along with The Six Wives Of Henry VIII by Rick Wakeman that made me really fall in love with this beautiful, if a little temperamental instrument…you cannot beat it !!!
Rick had a couple of them, he set fire to them in the end.
@@user-ww2gu6md7z yeah ive read him saying something along those lines…most players hated actually playing and touring with them especially Tony Banks, despite the beautiful sounds they produced 👍
I remember OMD doing a concert abroad and whenever the lights went on the power dropped and the Mellotron went out of tune.
The haunting sound of a mellotron....nothing in the world like it......................
Apart from maybe a live orchestra
@@bigbasil1908A live orchestra isn’t haunting like a mellotron, not even close…
Tony Banks use of it in alot of Genesis is mesmerizing. Especially in Trick of the Tail. He uses it mainly as the chorus or choir sounds in Los Endos.. Is just spine tingling the high notes, majestic angelic sounds. Makes me tear up everytime I hear it..
Gorgeous! The Mellotron Overlords approve!
Thanx!
Absolutely wonderful learning this after all these decades of adoring the work.
I was trying to explain to my wife about the Mellotron then found this. Perfect, demonstrating not only this famous song but showing the mechanism working too. Thank you.
You're Welcome!
Finally I understand the operating mode of the mellotron, thank U!
You're welcome!
Amazing...this one of my favorite songs. It's impossible to know how many times I heard this piece. See the melloteon in action is amazing
Goosebumps ! Thanks for sharing Marco and Thans to the Moodies for this still incredibly Haunting piece of Music !
Back in the 1960's our band had three (3) Mellotrons (2 had- Flutes, Violins, Cellos • 1 had: Horns, Strings and Choir), The one back-up was left at our rehearsal room... the other two were used 6 nights a week on stage along with a Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes and of course a minimoog. We covered Moody Blues - King Crimson - Genesis - Strawbs - etc. Man did your incredible playing of this tune bring back some wonderful memories. I will never forget the time we drove from New Jersey to Rhode Island to play this Gigantic Nightclub we were booked at for Friday & Saturday night. The road crew had finished setting up and we all were in the Motel across the street preparing to go on in under an hour. Suddenly, we heard a huge commotion down the street at the club. Police cars were everywhere. The next thing we know the club manager and Police came to us and said our weekend performance was CANCELED due to a narcotics raid they just conducted inside the club. They were closing the Club down. the crowd inside the club was getting rowdy and the Club Manager asked if we could just play just ONE song to help quiet things down as the cops moved the crowd out. We played "Nights in White Satin". When these kids heard the Mellotrons they were stunned. it sounded to them like a symphony orchestra was behind us. They were so stunned at the sound that they exited the building very quietly. The Club Owner invited us out to dinner that night to thank us... and he paid us in full for the weekend. I will always associate Night In White Satin with that experience!
What was the name of your group ?
@@optimus163 The group was called "Crizma" Although we toured from Rhode Island thru South Dakota, the band was never signed to a label. When I left the band I sold the B3 and Mellotron to "Blank Tape Recording Studios" in New York City.
@@robertd.128 What did a Mellotron cost in those days?
Hi Gene... Brand New they were selling for $3,000.00 (3 thousand dollars) They cost about the exact same as a brand new mini-moog. A new Hammond B3 with Leslie 122 was closer to $4,000. However to put it all into perspective.. a brand new 1970 Dodge Charger or Buick LeSabre cost about $3,100.. @@geneobrien8907
Just wonderful
An analog machine that sounded digital before it was invented. Love the etheric sounds it produced.
It was the prelude to the synthesizer
Thank you for showing us how the Mellotron works, you did a fantastic job on reproducing that beautiful song!
Thanx!
i agree. very educational.
I agree ! Thank you ! Pictures of the tapes are amazing.
Oh my god, tears in my eyes... Sang this so often with my guuitar, never knowed that these sounds where from a mellotron...
That was spine tingling. Fantastic
Sometimes you just want to squeeze yourself and play the mellotron😺
Thank you!
Lovely! What a song!
That instrument was vital to the moodies sound. Beautiful
Man, I love the Moodies. I always wanted to see how the mellotron worked. Thanks!
You're Welcome!
The real thing sounds a lot smoother than the digital emulations out there. So good! Thanks for the great video!
I disagree. The M4000d sound is much much cleaner and user friendly with zero tape head cleaning maintenance. The M400 spends half it's life in the repair shop.
@@stargate1555 With the modern digital devices, you can set up for an exact type of sound and can easily repeat that sound. With that cranky contraption of tapes, pinch rollers, and heads that never track correctly, you never get exactly the same sound twice. Even if everything tracked perfectly, the touch of the person playing affects how each note plays. That mystique of never twice the exact same sound is one of the things that makes the old mechanical mellotron so special.
You're Welcome!
@@A_Bit_of_Thought I TOTALLY, WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE! It's like the fella in this video clip was playing a keyboard made out of "Human Living & Breathing Parts". Today's digitized software driven version...is like playing an "A.I. Keyboard", straight off the production line, of a Saccharine Factory.
BCRadio
@@A_Bit_of_Thought It should be possible to emulate even this digitally by randomly or successively choosing digitized tracks. Whether that is how the 'd actually works, I do not know.
The string and flute sounds are very convincing.
very very well.....................................................
That was all done on this!!?!?! An amazing machine!!!!
EXACTLY...I could have sworn that was all a stringed orchestra playing all of that!! Wow...I LOVE THE MELLOTRON!💖💖💖💖
This was beautifully done. I was especially impressed by your masterful shaping of the tonal envelope of the string sounds using the tone control of the instrument. This is a technique I haven’t seen or thought about before, but you use it remarkably well, and it really adds to the realism of your performance.
I also liked the small pitch bend quaver towards the end of the flute solo; that was a great touch!
Thanks for sharing this, Marco!
wow, thank you for the very accurate and expert feedback on my video... nice that someone can appreciate this properly!
It's absolutely stunning!!! How lucky are we to have such wonderful music
Amazing!!! The build up to the chorus from 0:48 just oozes emotion and depth
Mesmerizing
Beautiful! And I didn't know the Mellotron was so instrumental for this specific classic track. Fascinating.
amazing - awesome - Philippines *
Glorious
beautiful
The songs intro and ending and lament part was an actual orchestra the main body of the song is a mellotron which is amazing...
One of my favorites is Genesis "Watcher of the Sky". Tony used a custom tape bank for that song.
Fantastico brano , e altrettanto fantastico MELLOTRON !!!!!!!!!
Darn this is so cool ! I want a mellotron now 😛
Interesting that the mellotron has been used by many artists, but my personal awareness of it came from being a huge Moody Blues fan. Nice to know what it actually is.
this is a desert island instrument... as far as a keyboard... I would take this with strings and flute... forever... and never get another sound triggered by a keyboard.
Just make sure you also bring someone to repair and maintain it. Whew!
Wow and all these years i thought it was strings!
DANKE!!! Das ist PERFEKT gemacht. Vom Sound, der Spielweise bis zur Präsentation... CHAPEAU!
Well. In the right hands- a masterpiece. Wrong hands- a circus intro. Really cool, thx!
Nice love that tune thank you for sharing
You're Welcome!
멜로트론이 음악의 중심으로 오니 또 다른 맛이 느껴진다.
Fantastic
Very very cool. Thanks for the video my guy! The Moody Blues are my favorite!
Old school ladies n gentleman
beautiful rendition of a great song
Thancks Marco ,a Real mellotron ! I'm totally bored to sée and hear deaf people saying they are playing a mellotron with their plastic boxes liké Thomann 4000d,thancks .
This is *really* cool. It finally explains something which is exquisitely fascinating.
An incredible display of this remarkable instrument...as I understand it, a temperamental beast. An analog synthesizer. Amazing.
Such a beautiful instrument, i hope i can get one someday
Awesome demo and cover! Please, more vids.
Thanx! coming up..
Thanx!
My godness...... i feel flying .....
Thank you soo mutch 😊😃🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰👍💝🌹🌹🌹🌹
Jesus christ...... awesome 😎😎...im besides myself
Amazing! You definitely captured all the nuances and the feeling!
Awesome, all done with tape loops!
strips, really
Geweldig filmpje , Amazing 👍👍👍🎹🎹🎹🎶🎶👀👀🎥
Bedankt!
Gaaf zo'n Mellotron. Mooie sound, mooi nummer en goed gespeeld!
Excellent version !!! please make a version of "A Whiter of Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum.
NICE!
Fantastic...!
Very cool!
very cool
Thank you so much! 👏👍
So much has been made about the mellotron and the flute voice in Strawberry Fields, I even have a Casio arranger keyboard that calls it a 60’s flute.
I’m a big Moody Blues fan, and knew that the orchestration was only in the segues, but it’s really nice to hear the different voicing’s of the mellotron!
This might be the coolest video I've seen on UA-cam. Thank you!
DAmn
We gotta bring this back :(
PLEASE! Do the whole song from scratch! This was perfect! Wonderful! Thank you
💞Fantas💕
Beautifully played, Marco
Thank you!
Amazing! Cheers from Italy
The play heads aren't visible on an assembled Mellotron, but the tapes that they play can be seen from the back along with their return springs.
WOW................
Sublime 🎶 grande saund 🎹🌟
Oh my..... very good performance
I've been doing research on how accurate the EHX Mel 9 pedal is to an actual Mellotron, stumbled on your video.. That was absolutely awesome! Bravo, Good Sir!
Fucking beautiful. I had no idea that thing was that powerful. Speechless.
Awesome
wonderful... Thanks. I had a digital Mellotron for a while, but to make a long story short, I sold it. I'm primarily a guitarist, but I will never tire of the M Sound.
What a great cover performance!!
Thank you!
Thanks! I was under the impression the tapes were looped.
Way too cool, and getting the volume and dynamics in as well. Wow! I think Mike Pinder would appreciate this as well.
I adore the mellotron and will buy albums just because they have one. If my city's orchestra were to get fired and replaced by a mellotron player (and a good PA), I'd start attending the symphony and probably become a patron.
I think of strawberry fields. I think of knights in white satin . But The one song that uses the Mellotron . That stands out is. Tears from Rush’s album 2112. B side
Thanx, I'll take a listen
Thanks To Legend Bruce Forest for Showing me this