Chamberlin Expansion Pack For M-Tron Pro

A GForceSoftwareTV feature on our Chamberlin M4, Chamberlin M1 MIDI Remote and assorted Chamberlin Rhythmate Drum Machines.

[@jswift1942]

In 1967 I was a fledgling electronic maintenance guy at ABC television in Hollywood. We were doing "General Hospital on Stage D where I was responsible for maintaining all the audio gear.About half a block away was the "music room" where there was a Hammond B3, a piano, a Chamberlain and one other keyboard instrument (A Cheleste?) that I don't remember after all these years. The were all arranged around a single piano bench so they could be easily played by one person.Our keyboard player was the very famous George Wright. We were getting some noise from our feed from the music room, so on a day when General Hospital was not shooting,I got the key and went down to music room to see what I could do to get rid of the noise. I was recently hired and full of vim and vigor. Being newly arrived from Iowa I had no idea what a Chamberlain was. I sat down at the Chamberlain and tried to figure out what it was. By observing how it worked,I figured out that it was a keyboard that controlled a whole bunch of tape loops that had various musical instruments recorded on them. It also had a selection of sound effects on it.I watched it and was amazed at how it worked and thought what a lot of work must have gone into building it and recording the instruments and sound effects that it had on it. The noise was coming from the Chamberlain and I remember tying to figure out the Chamberlain electronics. Finally I raised a panel on the back of the keyboard and found a little battery operated preamp that was driven by one common 9 volt battery. I measured the voltage and it was way down from 9 volts.I put a new battery in and that cured the noise. There was absolutely nothing written on the Chamberlain that would make you think that underneath a panel on the keyboard there was a 9 volt battery that should be checked regularly. I attached a note on the outside of the keyboard panel mentioning that underneath the panel was a nine volt battery that should probably be checked and possibly changed regularly. To this day I still marvel at what an achievement designing and building the Chamberlain was.

[@mellotrongirl]

Here we are....way down the road & finally we are in deep respect to Harry Chamberlin and what a genius he truly is, and all the time and effort that went into making these very complex and delicate mechanical machines...and I think of this other tape keyboard pioneer, Dave Biro who made a handful of Birotrons, but wound up living in destitution the rest of his life in a trailer park down in Florida. Now, there was a guy who I am sure was totally misunderstood and probably could only say his brush with greatness was meeting Rick Wakeman. Sad.

[@donmyers2967]

Completely brilliant. I’m so happy to have run across this. One of my mates got us all into vintage crazy gear in our late teens' early twenties, and before we got our first Mellotron, we got a Chamberlin. Later, when it got traded for other things, we would always reflect on how we thought the Chamberlin sounded better. The tape sounds were of better quality, and the response was fantastic. It was just an ugly beast at this point with some severe aesthetic wear, so it moved on, but damn, it was awesome. This series you have put together here is, again, absolutely brilliant; thank you so much for your hard production work, I for one, am another super-nerd out here obsessed with this kind of gear and nostalgia.

[@paulj0557tonehead]

I put up with 4 motors on my Wurlitzer 4410 electrostatic reed organ- 1 in the organ, 1 in the 310 Vibrato cabinet, 1 in the Spectratone, and one on the V-21 Leslie horn. Fortunately they are all pretty quiet, but it's a labor of love fixing the damper springs, rubber mounts, and oiling them once or twice a year. The day a Wurlitzer electrostatic reed organ can be sampled is the day anything can be. My constant quest is opening people's ears to electronic organs. Have posted many organ albums:)

[@InkerBella]

Job well done!! This is amazing....I'm impressed with how many Chamberlin instruments you own! Holy cow!! Thank you for putting this together....it will be a great addition to our family history! All the best to you always!! Glad to have helped! HUGS Bridget Chamberlin-Shoup

[@RONNYMORRISMUSIC]

Simply brilliant. Nothing less.

[@jeffr.5717]

So cool! You could almost take any few seconds and go deeper into what's going on. The depth is amazing, and the combination of old and new technology is as well.

[@Maintenancebay]

"...Now the word "genius" is banded around the musical instrument industry like confetti at a Mooney's wedding" LMFAO

[@noamgonen6243]

Thanks Dave for preserving these amazing instruments thus making them immortal for the benefit of all.

[@discodave6153]

What a wonderful film, I had no idea of this instrument at all. Thanks for making a brilliant document 👍🏻

[@ottobyte]

I have never really taken much notice of these instruments until now. The intimate qualities are timeless. What a wonderful achievement.

[@t.s.gilmer8397]

This entire set up is nothing short of amazing!!!

[@massimomarchesin8708]

Che bellezza il Mellotron a quattro tastiere !!!!!! Il Chamberlin M4 fantastico tra gli effetti anche il nitrito del cavallo !!!!!!

[@cd78]

I am loving these videos from GF.

[@Clauderv]

Magnifique document, excellente maitrise de l'instrument et son histoire. Une compagnie très sérieuse.

[@Guitarman1959]

I knew the Chamberlin sounds were more refined than the Melly, but WOW! BRILL work on this Dave!

[@Lanooski]

I came for info on your software and stayed for the history lessons. :) What a great channel.

[@hollowmenrule]

Utterly and totally amazing. I love most of the artists that you listed especially XTC very cool can't wait to buy the regular pro and then this add-on very very great work you guys did I thoroughly appreciate it and cannot wait to purchase it

[@edunabie]

wow, they're proper waterfall keys!

[@mellotrongirl]

"The noise of the four motors!" Yep, I guess that gets to be a bit much. I guess down the road, some completist is really going to need the motor sounds...just like what Manetron did with the on-off switch.

[@norms3913]

Mike pinder of the moody blues started on the Chamberlain before he switched to the mellotron

[@mikeknowles5848]

Hmmm, I think you've got that the wrong way round.

[@quietmouseful]

Let me be the first to say "Great Job" ! I have been waiting three days for the website to come back up. I am very excited about this new expansion pack. I have yet to purchase M-Tron Pro but I am ordering it today. As soon as it is registered I wll buy the two expansion packs. Can't wait to record with these fantastic vintage sounds I would not be able to access otherwise. Thank you fine Sirs.

[@makethecall4678]

Hello I am the Grandson of Harry. If anyone knows where I can purchase ANY of his products/inventions I sure would love to talk to you. Thank Richard

[@nicholasfaith8999]

Make The Call I just wanted to tell you how much many of us appreciate the gift your grandfather gave to us with his invention.

[@paradigma]

Wow, just watched this on KVR and I'm finding this pretty haunting experience, I felt it when you got to the Rhythmate. Amazing. Nathan

[@VAXHeadroom]

Michael Iceberg had 2 remotely controlled Chamberlins in his "Iceberg Machine". He had transistor based keying and used 10 speed gear shifters off bikes to move the tape heads (REALLY!).

[@officialclwmusic]

That’s incredible!

[@MarcJX8P]

Great video and wonderful instrument!

[@tomkent4656]

Lovely stuff!

[@massimomarchesin8708]

Il mellotron a quattro tastiere è una cosa esagerata è anche molto pesante ma che sonorità che tira fuori !!!!! Tra gli effetti più sorprendenti quella del nitrito del cavallo !!!!! Incredibile che strumento pazzesco che ha inventato Mr Harry Chamberlin RIP !!!!!!!!

[@davidpancerev9658]

@ 2:30-4:01 pure Heaven ! Tangerine dream, anyone ?

[@lulukot7377]

i think the sound of the motors should be also included

[@MultiPetercool]

The first sampler.

[@jasoncaldwell0613]

You guys are great

[@australier263]

Cool Sounds! 😁😆👍

[@NATHANJK3]

EXCELENT!!

[@meowzer999]

Tori Amos employs a Chamberlin to lovely effect on a few tracks on Under the Pink.

[@meowzer999]

Lovely, I want it.

[@massimomarchesin8708]

Chamberlin expansion ovvero un mellotron a quattro tastiere è tanta roba forse anche troppa Però è un modello bello da vedersi spettacolare ma ingombrante !!!!!

[@craigbrowning9448]

Do you have a copy of the Chamberlain Demo Record?

[@aguilacalva2625]

👍👏👏

[@wmcoale]

For what it's worth, legendary theatre organist George Wright used a Chamberlin unit for part of the time he accompanied ABC TV's"General Hospital" soap opera. See www.GeniusOfGeorgeWright.com for more information about him.

[@AriannaCunningham]

I'm guessing that the Chamberlin version of the 3 Violins have much better quality samples. These same samples from the Chamberlin also came from the Mellotron Version which uses poor quality, but still has the same samples.

[@astrophonix]

Will this add-on be available for the Re-Tron Rack Extension for Reason?

[@wellylhakim3619]

I i really like this video

[@PianoGesang]

7:21 Lightweight, 80 lbs. *LOL*

[@gabrielbrunetto1812]

What can i say? I love you GForce! and.. what's the song @2:30?

[@ramonrojas5816]

08:28 Europe endless

[@MrJackrockerman]

God..make me rich now please 🙏 I wanna buy this ..all..

[@dadautube]

the only advantage of Mellotron was its natural instruments sound quality ... otherwise, at the very same time, companies like Farfisa of Italy or Lorry of America and Yamaha of Japan as well as some others had great analog electronic keyboard options at much lower prices and much more advanced functionality WITHOUT the cumbersome electro-mechanical complexities of Mellotron or the great and legendary Hammond organs ... especially in the rhythm department, i remember some Farfisa models with exceptionally amazing shuffles and arpeggios you can't find *readily available* on ANY digital instrument today unless you program them using the instrument's own facilities or a computer connected via MIDI!

[@oryjen1]

So stupidly complicated machine! Service must be a nightmare!