Mellotron

thumb|Mellotron M400 The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which causes a length of magnetic tape to contact a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. As the key is released, the tape is retracted by a spring to its initial position. Different portions of the tape can be played for different sounds. It was used by several popular groups including the Beatles, the Moody Blues and King Crimson. Quotes Tuning a Mellotron doesn't. Robert Fripp, King Crimson - The Night Watch (media nodes), 1997, Discipline Global Mobile There’s something on your page where it claims you doused the last Mellotron you owned in petrol and set fire to it. Is that true? Semi-true! It’s been an exaggerated story over the years. Rick Wakeman talking to Metal Discovery magazine I must take it out into the middle of a field one day and burn it. John Paul Jones (disputed) I did have that great advantage of knowing the machine inside out and I was able to repair, fix and re-create it! Mike Pinder Melltron, Nick Awde, 2008 p. 91 The Mellotron was a very British instrument Ian McDonald Mellotron, Nick Awde, 2008 p. 118 We did this very simple trick with the Mellotron which I don't think had been done before. In "Watcher of the Skies" in particular, we put it directly through one side of the PA system while putting it via a CopyCat echo machine through the other side, so you got this massive stereo effect Tony Banks Mellotron, Nick Awde, 2008 p. 204 External links Category:Musical instruments