http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJsZMMaPNuY

The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin, which was the world’s first sample-playback keyboard. The heart of the instrument is a bank of magnetic audio tapes, which have approximately eight seconds of playing time each. Playback heads underneath each key enable the playing of pre-recorded sounds.

The Mellotron uses a strip of magnetic tape, a pinch roller, tape head, pressure pad, and a rewind mechanism for each note on the keyboard.

Before the day of electronic “samplers” which are devices capable of capturing and storing (usually digitally, using computer memory rather than tapes) sounds, the Mellotron was really the only way that a keyboard instrument could produce the real sounds of violins, cellos, flutes, choirs, horns, etc.
To emulate the sound of the Mellotron flutes I used the chain below:

I started with a Soul Preacher compressor to even out the attack of the guitar.

Next in line is the POG2.
I used only the dry, non pitch shifted signal, filtered to create more of a flute-like wave form.
The attack control removed the guitar’s attack, giving the sound more “breath.“

The Poly Chorus was set for a vibrato effect.

The Mellotron “Strings with Brass and Bass Accordion” sound used the effect chain below:

This sound started with a Soul Preacher compressor to increase the sustain of the guitar.

This was run into a POG2 using the -1 octave for the bass accordion and +1 and +2 octaves for the brass and strings.

The dry signal was set to 50%. Detune was set high.

To fatten the sound I used the Poly Chorus in the chorus mode with a high feedback setting.

From there the signal was feed into a volume pedal to swell the chords in.
For ambiance I used a pair of stereo Memory Man pedals.
The first pedal is optional.  It was used to create a wider stereo signal using a Mod-delay setting.  Its not a necessity.

The second Memory Man was set for a long repeating delay with a reverberant decay.

All sounds were recorded direct with out a guitar amplifier.
If using an amp, set it for a very clean sound using its tone control to shape the sound.
Thanks for listening,
Bill Ruppert

I’ve been able to get sounds resembling mellotron voices using half-cocked freeze gliss on my HOG

Julian, which settings did you use on the HOG? I’d give an arm and a leg to re-create that sound starting at 1:18…

Hi Bill!

thanks for all those amazing videos!

I was wondering why you use a volume pedal to swell the chords, instead of using the pog2 attack control ?

Thanks atlanta!
The volume pedal give me a longer deeper swell and I can duck out when I want to.
Its about more control.
A volume pedal is a must for any serious effect user.
Bill

atlanta - 23 February 2010 11:13 AM

Hi Bill!

thanks for all those amazing videos!

I was wondering why you use a volume pedal to swell the chords, instead of using the pog2 attack control ?

froscheimer - 03 September 2009 02:33 PM

Julian, which settings did you use on the HOG? I’d give an arm and a leg to re-create that sound starting at 1:18…

I’m confused

1:18 on the Video is Bill Ruppert’s trying to recreate the flute sound of the mellotron, which is already described in the thread.  On the HOG you can set it similar to how he set the POG2 to get a similar effect, though I think the compressor and the polychorus probably add quite a bit too it. 

I was talking more about this sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3WPqj-OBu0

I can’t remember how exactly I did it though.  I think it was a 5th + half-cocked freeze/gliss + the right filtering. 

There are so many sounds you can get out of that box it is ridiculous.

thanks for your quick answer Bill !

Hi Bill,in the first example where emulate the sound of the Mellotron flutes,you say that you use the Soul Preacher compressor to even out the attack of the guitar,but could I obtain the same result by placing a volume pedal(for the swell effect)instead of the Soul Preacher?
let me know

thanks a lot for you music

Thanks Loopman.
The compressor is best as it keeps the attack of the guitar at a consistent level.
It does it it fast in millisecond of when you pick.
A volume pedal would chop off or remove the attack which is a different effect.
You would have to have a very fast foot to move it in milliseconds!

The overall flute effect can be done with out the compressor, but I found it sounded more like the real thing when it was in line.

Bill

great!!!thanks a lot

god bless you

Hey there Bill, I was attempting to get the strawberry fields-ish mellotron flute sound, but am having a bit of trouble with the Q setting. It’s hard to judge by the chart since all three LEDs for Q are just more or less illuminated orange. Just wondering which Q setting you used. Thanks a lot for the vids!

Thanks Biscuits!
You can use the 1rst or 2nd position on the Q button.
I have started to number the button which helps as you are right the color system does not work.
The LP filter needs to be adjusted for your setup.
You may need to go darker with it.
I also used the neck pickup on the guitar.
To help nail the sound start by playing something similar to what I played.
I used my fingers to pluck the strings, it works way better than a pick.
Good luck!
Bill

Biscuits - 02 August 2010 06:31 PM

Hey there Bill, I was attempting to get the strawberry fields-ish mellotron flute sound, but am having a bit of trouble with the Q setting. It’s hard to judge by the chart since all three LEDs for Q are just more or less illuminated orange. Just wondering which Q setting you used. Thanks a lot for the vids!

Thanks a ton! I think I’ve nailed it now. Once again, thanks for these amazing vids! They single-handedly inspired me to get a pog2 in the first place, and now I’m looking at a polychorus to replace my current chorus pedal.

Thankiossk Cool!

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ok i know people have asked for them in the past and they have been posted. but is there a place i can find all those blank setting pictures?!?!?! i could really really use them please!!