Inside a Mellotron M400: How the Mellotron Works

[@HeatherSpoonheim]

I'm not sure if I'm more impressed with the Mellotron, or that there is someone alive today who can do a restoration of a Mellotron. You are both amazing.

[@flaggism]

Yes!!!!

[@looneyburgmusic]

The Mellotron was impressive when it was released, decades ago, but today??? Obsolete technology. Besides the nostalgia factor there is really nothing special about them anymore

[@HeatherSpoonheim]

@@looneyburgmusic A model T has nothing over a Tesla - but I would still regard a working model T as amazing.

[@looneyburgmusic]

@@HeatherSpoonheim the Model T is still obsolete

[@HeatherSpoonheim]

@@looneyburgmusic What can I say - I love seeing old tech in working condition.

[@stockicide]

Videos like this one make me glad the internet was invented.

[@lunarmodule6419]

Third that! This woman 😍

[@freeridemtb2]

Love stuff like this. I would have no other opportunity to learn this stuff if it wasn’t posted online.

[@gedeondugenou9520]

One can also think that there as been some technological life before digital age ....

[@veetee4852]

Agreed! kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZfYnH6Ao8Zsac0

[@AndreVanKammen]

@@freeridemtb2 Well there are these things called libraries where they have books (printed internet) on a lot of subjects. Bet you can find one about Mellotron's there to, but boy i like the internet to, it's much faster.

[@brenta100]

Like many of you (my fellow Beatles and prog fans), I always knew that the Mellotron was tape-based, but only now do I see exactly how it worked. Fascinating!! Great explanation of it, Alison.

[@hanskloss1331]

I had a friend in college that somehow got his hands on a mint condition Mellotron 400 he somehow figured out how to change the tapes with home made recordings to put it simply it was MAGICAL

[@Katiethekitten]

In my mind for some reason I envisioned a conical cylinder, in which the keys dragged over the surface and resonated different frequencies 😅 I had to look up what was actually going on to put my imagination at ease 🤣

[@burlingtonbill1]

THIS WAS BRILLIANT ! Someone actually took the time & effort to SHOW how these instruments work! Thank you SO MUCH !

[@quicopalomarcapdevila9979]

tara bush o algo asi....delicado de tener

[@stevecowder4774]

Wow I never realized just how different a Mellotron is as opposed to any other keyboards. What a fascinating operation and a nicely done demonstration.

[@stanleydykes4134]

The Birotron is even wierder and has a different sound. There's only 2 known to exist in working order though. It's like a mellotron, but it uses 8-tracks instead of magnetic tape strips. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4O1aJ9jqq5pgKM

[@thetruthexperiment]

You’re just surprised it’s a girl.

[@GuyGamer1]

@@thetruthexperiment No Joey, only you are surprised that women know things. Stop projecting your thoughts onto others.

[@jwr2904]

@@thetruthexperiment troll better man

[@TheSulross]

I suppose these days a Melletron is just a digital library in one's professional grade digital keyboard synthesizer the mechanical/analog Melletron has it's charms but would be a nightmare to take on a road tour

[@0raffie0]

That's actually the most insane example of magnetic tape/reel to reel technology I've ever seen. A huge capstan across the keyboard with every key having their own pinch roller. You can easily see how the tape is wearing out at the point where the pinch roller is pressed down on it every time a note is struck. How that tape has even survived after all these years is beyond me.

[@kimdiez2681]

Tape can be replaced easily in the Mellotron.

[@RSBurgener]

I was gonna guess: "just not playing it very much". Seems likely to me!

[@inphanta]

I love the mellotron. It has a beautiful, ghostly sound that is entirely unique and instantly recognisable.

[@chadcastagana9181]

Was it used in any movies of that era?

[@edorissen]

@@chadcastagana9181 Check out early King Crimson Stuff. In the court of the Crimson King, In the wake of Poseidon, etc.

[@stephanesonneville]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2irmpaPmL5nhdk

[@hexkwondo]

Too bad it was known for constantly breaking down

[@edorissen]

@@hexkwondo well, the way it worked was not the most efficient design... no wonder it used to break.

[@leokimvideo]

My God, what a mechanical wonderment.

[@johntechwriter]

Impressive but clunky and unreliable. The tone wheel mechanism that creates the sound of the original Hammond Organ is far more impressive. It’s all mechanical and the purity of its sine wave cannot be matched by a synthesizer.

[@ilikemuzik420]

Yeah, and the mellotron aint bad either! Badum tsss.

[@OllertonMD]

It’s so uplifting to me to see someone from “our generation” this knowledgeable and excited about such an “ancient” yet beautiful, ethereal piece of genius machinery/instrument. I use IK multimedias mellotron/orchastron/novatron sound library and love it but MAN what I would do to have the real thing!! Thank you for the amazing video ❤️

[@rdspam]

looneyburgmusic would like a word with you to tell you how wrong you are. Over and over and over.

[@Abos_Studio]

Agreed. Passion and love 🔥

[@Cchogan]

I own the recording desk on which many of the Mellotron tapes were mastered in the 1960s. It was originally used for recording live music (it is a 9 into 3 desk). It was built in the late 50s by IBC and was used to record My Old Man's a Dustman among others. Then Mellotron moved into the basement of IBC Studios and they used the desk when producing tapes. They added a little remote.

[@karijohartmann2649]

I'd love to get a copy of those tapes! Lol. My tron is 1/4" and I need the samples!

[@adampoll4977]

There is nothing quite like the sound of a Mellotron, an uneasy eeriness that really works in many classic prog tracks that I bet many people couldn't define why it affected them. Just something that little bit "off". Genius stuff when used appropriately.

[@fusspot57]

"Watcher of the Skies" by Genesis is a classic example of a Mellotron making you feel uneasy.

[@sambda]

The slightly weird sound came from two sources, really. First was that the more notes you pressed at once, the more the tapes would drag on the capstan motor and slow it down. The notes would thus play flat. Also many of the Mellotrons were not playing at the correct speed at the best of times (there was no crystal speed control or anything fancy like that). Secondly the samples on many of the tapes (i.e. notes) were not actually a flat recording of an instrument playing that exact note. When mastering the sounds, they would record one note live at the correct speed, and derive the next few semitones simply by speeding the original sample up or slowing it down. Then when it started getting silly, they would record a live note again, and repeat. So for most of the notes, you were hearing a sped-up or slowed-down recording of the real instrument. That's why things like the vocal samples (especially) sound so weird, especially when played as a chord. Strings and flutes also sound odd this way; stuff like bells, xylophones, less so. Much of the mastering of these sounds was subcontracted to the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop, who had the kit to do all this. Nobody kept any notes of the procedures of making each semitone of each instrument, so the only way to make a modern, faithful electronic soundalike is to actually digitally sample an original frame of the tapes. Another factor on sound was tape wear. Yanking the tapes around like this gave all sorts of wow/flutter and stretching effects.

[@mrwhitemantv]

@@sambda very interesting, thanks!

[@josephpusztai]

@@sambdaThanks for the insight. In my just-added main comment, I was wondering about exactly that i.e. the sample recording process.

[@sambda]

@@josephpusztai The BBC had a set of machined collars for a couple of their main reel-to-reel tape machines which slipped over the capstans thereof. These would speed the tape through by a semitone, tone etc.

[@arsaeterna4285]

it's comforting to understand how things work

[@rogerbranton1752]

We all know and love the sound of a Mellotron and we probably all know it has a set of tapes inside it - but this is the first time I've actually SEEN INSIDE ONE! Wow!! It's astounding that it actually worked at all! I very much love mechanical things and mechanical things that make music and super-special. Thanks for the tour of this instrument!

[@kensims4086]

Somewhere theres a video of Paul McCartney showing off one..

[@rogerbranton1752]

@@kensims4086 Thanks Ken - I'll look for that.

[@stuartperry6683]

Wonderful to see the Mellotron still going. In the U.K. the original factory is now based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands run by John Bradley, son of Les Bradley, the late owner of Streetly Electronics.

[@maschinen-raum]

The mellotron has an incredible character... we often use the 4000D in our productions, thank you for the insight into the original! Well done.❤

[@zweiundneunziger3484]

🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@TinSandwichUK]

I did a short tour in '74 as a roadie with a band using a Mellotron. Once in position on stage, the first thing I'd do before powering it up would be to take the back off and make sure all the tapes and return springs were still in their right places as they didn't travel too well.

[@DaveMcLain]

I was just thinking what a pain this would be to keep working out on the road with Led Zeppelin etc.

[@Mikishots]

They're heavy. Another thing to contend with....

[@TinSandwichUK]

@@Mikishots Yeah you're right but not as heavy as the dreaded Hammond B3.

[@monsieurmitosis]

If I remember correctly, Radiohead (for the OK Computer tour) got around this by sampling each note from an original mellotron and assigning them to the keys on a digital midi workstation, thereby giving themselves a portable version of the instrument.

[@TinSandwichUK]

@@monsieurmitosis Kinda modern sampling, sampling the older sampling lol. It makes sense though.

[@chrisofnottingham]

I've been in love with the mellotron sound since about 1975, great to see it still gets some young people excited. You deserve some kind of medal for restoring one.

[@juncastillo2371]

She restored part of the music insturment history...

[@RonaldLindeboom]

More than a few times over the years, the Mellotron has spun such beauty that it has put me into tears. What a wonderful instrument.

[@mr89firebird]

Thank you so much for this video! I was today years old when I learned about the instrument behind this iconic sound, and was immediately fascinated by it. The amount of engineering behind it is absolutely stunning.

[@pietervanniekerk4453]

I am from Zimbabwe , Live in South Africa now, back in Rhodesia, 1974 I owned a Music shop. I would buy and sell music instruments, guitars, wind, drums and amplifiers. Having an electronics back round, I built & repaired amplifiers , organs and sting instruments. One day I received a call from the owner of an another music shop in the city , ( Salisbury ) asking if i f i could repair a mellotron that had been dropped while a touring band ( The Flames ) was off loading the instrument. I said sure, I would try , they brought it around . A two days later , I called them back , asked them to collect it . I had managed to repair and re-line the heads. I was given an invitation to a live show by band. One of the first LP's I bought was by the "Moody Blues " , Mike Pinder played the mellotron. Although it was purely accidental incident that brought the mellotron to my shop , will always consider it a privilege to have been able to work on such a beautiful sounding instrument forty nine years ago. As a matter of interest , Klemt, Watkens, and Dynacord , to name a few manufactured echo - reverb units that the used a tape with multiple heads to create echos.

[@BatMite19]

Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues actually worked in the Mellotron factory. He was instrumental (pun intended) in getting the Mello sounds into mainstream recordings. There is a famous story about a Moody Blues concert where the Mellotron broke open and the tapes all spilled out onto the floor. The concert was delayed by more than two hours while Pinder rerolled and reloaded all the tapes into the machine. Could you imagine being in that audience?

[@KutWrite]

Amazing they didn't have a replacement Mello or synth ready to go.

[@MsSteve70]

Love that story, ha!

[@inphanta]

BatMite19 never mind that, can you imagine being one of the roadies!? Proper nightmare! 😳

[@Loonistrator]

The Moody Blues are such a massively underrated group.

[@jimhowland8965]

If they were all stoned they wouldn't care!

[@TheTargetedScapegoat]

That was the best in-depth melletron Video I’ve ever seen. Fantastic. Thanks for uploading

[@d.od.3463]

I have been a great fan of the Mellotron since King Crimson recorded "Court of the Crimson King" back in 1969. Of course, Genesis (Tony Banks); King Crimson (Ian MacDonald) and the Moody Blues (Mike Pinder) used one extensively in their work, they were/are three of my favorite groups! Thanks!

[@TryptychUK]

Mike Pinder worked for Mellotron before he joined the group.

[@d.od.3463]

Seems like I heard that before. He certainly was a master of the Mellotron too! Not my intention to get political but I believe Mike Pinder got a raw deal from the Moodies. Yeah, he did make a nasty comment about drummer Graeme Edge, but he apologized for it in public. Kind of shut down Mike's career though.

[@terrytin7352]

Caravan got me hooked on it. Dave Sinclair originality was amazing though also using an organ.

[@ms8596]

@@d.od.3463 I don't remember the "nasty comment". I do remember when they got back together and put Octave out in 1977, Pinder said he didn't want to tour (that's when they picked up Patrick Moraz) and quit the band. At least that was the "official" explanation, and one Pinder himself has said in subsequent interviews, claiming having a young family and all, he didn't want to be away from them.

[@d.od.3463]

ms8596: I've heard that during a discussion about a musical piece they were composing at the time, Mike Pinder made a disparaging remark to Graeme Edge something like; "Well what would you know, you're just a Drummer!" Such a small thing to carry the weight of Pinder leaving upset. I guess when someone acquires fame and money they become overly sensitive! In my humble opinion, Mike Pinder and Tony Banks WERE the Mellotron!

[@sincerelyyours7538]

I've restored a few pianos and lots of computers and radios in my time but I have never heard of a mellotron until now. The word doesn't even come up in my spell-checker which annoyingly has every other word I've ever mangled, misspelled or misused in my life. I'd love to restore one of these beauties! They make a hauntingly beautiful sound, too. Thank you for showing us how it works.

[@rzijl68]

This is insane, both in its simplicity as in its sound quality. Unsurpassed really. Thanks a lot for showing us!

[@gabrielperry4932]

What a wonderful video demonstration! I've always loved the sound of a Mellotron. So cool you're able to restore and keep them playing. Thank you.

[@rogercraig7203]

I used two M400's back in the 70s and the main thing I had to do when on tour was to use HAIR DRYERS on the Tapes before each show. Humidity made the tapes liable to stick and not recoil and the only way to solve this was to remove the rear panel and blow hot air on the tapes. Otherwise playing the instrument was a nightmare!

[@paulromsky9527]

@Roger Craig. She actually touched the tapes, capstan, and rollers. I am sure you know oils from your fingers can contribute a lot to the problems you had among others. Did you ever have a tape wrap around the capstan? How long did the tapes last? Did they stretch and skip at all? Too bad the unit couldn't be hermetically sealed, filled with dry nitrogen, and temperature controlled.

[@Carolina-mw4po]

@@paulromsky9527 no matter the atmosphere conditions, the tapes will eventually wear out just due to the constant friction.

[@johnm2012]

​@@paulromsky9527She touched the rotating capstan with a screwdriver at one point.

[@rogerdale5451]

The Beatles used it for 10 seconds, yet is the most recognized Mellotron bit of all.

[@RobBob555]

space oddity david bowie too

[@d1egoluvrboi]

They also used it on: Tomorrow Never Knows', 'Flying' and 'The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill'. Also.. Kashmir: Led zeppelin Phaedra: Tangerine dream 2000 Light Years from home: Rolling Stones. And you and I: Yes Watcher of the skies: Genisis Forever Afternoon ( Tuesday): Moody Blues The court of the Crimson King: King Krimson. Trent Reznor even used John Lennon's old melotron on an album.

[@mt9372]

Stairway to Heaven

[@BenjWarrant]

Nah-uh. That would be the opening to *Watcher of the skies*.

[@gabrielperry4932]

Let me take you down...

[@geminiguy2001]

Such a wonderfully informative video. This young lady really knows her electronics and does a great job of communicating her knowledge to the audience. Bravo! Thanks for a great demonstration of one of the most unique instruments ever invented.

[@eugenealbert2734]

I played the second mellotron purchased in Texas back in early seventies. Its was enjoyable for the strings and flute but playing it required an understanding of how it worked. We used it on a number of Moody Blues tunes and, of course,Chicago's Colour my World. Thanks for the memories!

[@LAnonHubbard]

I would never of thought someone would think up something like this and that it would actually work. Thanks for presenting it to us.

[@kd7alt]

Truly one of the first sampling instruments.

[@MattiasRickardsson]

It's more of a rompler, I'd say. Fascinating nevertheless! :-)

[@6581punk]

It has the illusion of being like a sample playback device, but sampling refers to measuring an analogue signal and storing digital representations.

[@flochartingham2333]

I was going to say it's more like a sampledler but Mattias Rickardsson beat me to the punch. Read only memorypler.

[@take942]

Back in the early 1970's in my high school years I bought the record, "In the Court of the Crimson King" by King Crimson after hearing it being played at a record store in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass. From that record I became fascinated with the uniquely mysterious sounds of the Mellotron and always wished I had one to play. I never imagined back then that some day I would be able to download Mellotron digital .wav files onto my Yamaha synthesizer!

[@kingrobert1st]

I seem to remember the Moody Blues used it in Nights in White Satin too.

[@take942]

@@kingrobert1st , Yes MB used the Mellotron, as did the Beatles, but I first really became aware of, and appreciated the use of the Mellotron with King Crimson's first album. The Mellotron sounds were such a deep and integral part of the songs on that particular record, that it really got my attention. It provided such a far away and mysterious sound to the ingenius compositions of Fripp, Sinfield McDonald and Giles.

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

have you tried this? www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/mellotron-v/overview

[@WolfDaddy420]

This video reminded me of a documentary about the Mellotron that I used to have on DVD. I have always been fascinated by sound as well as the overall nuts and bolts, not to mention analog tape make-up of this beautiful instrument having grown up on the Beatles, King Crimson, Genesis and all the rest who utilized it so wonderfully. Thank you kindly for your dedicated restoration and for posting this video✌🏼

[@jimhowland8965]

I've been a musician for over 40 years and this is the very first time I had the opportunity to see the guts of that thing! Let's just say that it was designed with "appropriate" technology!

[@mrbr4587]

In 1977 I watched a Genesis concert here in Brazil and was magnetized by the sound of Tony Banks keyboards, and the sound of Mellotron.

[@BigOlSmellyFlashlight]

was "magnetized" an intentional pun

[@Del_Monico]

This girl is cool - thanks for taking time to show this to us!

[@Quethecat]

Woman.

[@MrJC1]

@@Quethecat amen.... and a-woman... am i right??? :D. Ahahahahaha.

[@whitworthfields]

Way back in 1967, Mike Pinder was playing his Mellotron on stage every night, with the Moody Blues, he had worked at factory in the UK and knew the machine inside out and with help of a roadie would sometimes do running repairs not only during the concert but during a song, Mellotrons didn’t travel well on the road and most bands wouldn’t/ couldn’t risk taking one on the road, this is what what made the LIVE sound of the Moody Blues very different from other bands on the live circuit at that time

[@OldGeezer55]

I was amazed that NO ONE before you mentioned the Moody Blues. Pinder used it as one of the most amazing instruments of the time, supplying that incredible sound tht made their work so distinctive. I'm a huge Moody Blues fan, more so of the early work when Pinder was still with the band. Between his incredible voice and his masterful talent on this instrument, I consider him a "Rock God". I'd love tp know what he sampled to get the sound at the end of "Legend of the Mind" (Timothy Leary if you don't know the song by that name.)

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

Thanks for showing this to us. Amazing how they did things back in the day! I would have never expected that to have strips of non-looped tape in it as it does. It's only thanks to folks such as you who restore and repair these that we still get to see them and hear them. Please keep them going!

[@thecrossedtheroadfund4289]

Very informative video on the mellotron. Your narration & communication are precise. Keep up the good work!

[@tam_ryan1036]

Excellent. Thank you. I knew that each note was a one note tape player but it's great to see how it works in detail. I can't listen to those flutes without thinking of Strawberry Fields :-)

[@jaiguru9538]

See though, I always wondered how the Beatles got that opening track so quiet. The mellotron isn't a subtle sounding device, as she pointed out here. But they have that opening with a brief melotron solo! The whole track is pitch shifted as a result of imperfect tracking techniques to get the various layering effects and I sort of wonder if maybe that didn't lower some of the background noise?

[@marbleman52]

And the Moody Blues....

[@cuda426hemi]

Abbey Road had great old tube powered compressors like the Fairchild along with hi and lo cut filters - basically it would cut off everything else outside the preset "threshold" as it's called. 🎸

[@WelschAudio]

I think the Mellotron has a line output withouth any background noise, just like any other tape machine. No compressor required. By the way, a compressor would bring the noise up, not down.

[@cuda426hemi]

They were filthy loud not just from a crapload of tapeheads wowing and fluttering but all the added noise of each strip of lousy S/N ratio tape. There was no _clean_ "out", the best you could do was mic some Live aspect of it or tap the monitor outs but either way you had to hit it hard with the hi cut but not too much because a lot of the _charm_ lived in the high bands. Add to that the sound of the motor which drove all the capstans and it was deafening. I know, I played 'em back in early 70's. And, did I not mention hi and low cut filters in my post? It was the Fairchild that compressed and limited the Beatles gear to give it the sound. Nobody said compression gets rid of background noise -just listen to CD of 1st 2 LPs and listen to later Pepper stuff - the noise is there, it's just tamed from compression and limiting and low pass/hi cuts for the tape hiss. 🎹

[@kiltedbill7594]

THANK GOD FOR THE MELLOTRON. WITHOUT IT WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE MAGIC OF THE MOODY BLUES.

[@kensims4086]

no god invented it.

[@kentnebergall3156]

Yes, I recognized the opening of "For My Lady" as well in her demos.

[@tonionetho106]

Moody Blues❓

[@alvarovallejos8465]

King Crimson

[@chargrave6004]

Barclay James Harvest

[@PsychologyWorksOfficial]

Thank you for doing this kind of work and applying your knowledge to keeping vintage instruments alive. So glad there are people like you doing this!

[@michaelpederson545]

Not sure why there are so many dislikes on this video, but this was a great tutorial and fascinating look into the inner workings of the instrument. Thanks for posting this!

[@markjohnson1020]

The Zombies song “Changes” is an excellent song featuring the Mellotron. It’s from their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle. Well worth checking out!

[@keithjohnston6861]

Also strangely enough on Sabbaths song changes.

[@countdown2xstacy]

This woman’s a genius

[@Pelnied]

I thought she was smart when she restored the electronics like the old capacitors that went dry. She confirmed her genius when she engineered it better to remove the flawed ground loops that introduced more mains hum distortion into the instrument.

[@robbieclark7828]

I’m not normally one to point stuff like this out but I feel like you wouldn’t have mentioned that if a dude made this video

[@wellesradio]

Robbie Clark ugh, really. Shut up

[@robbieclark7828]

Mr. W Normally my inclination might be to tell me to shut up too, but I don’t think I’m wrong in this instance, I really don’t

[@robertoesquivel4447]

@@robbieclark7828 you might be right

[@scottrogers2831]

Great demonstration. I have been intrigued with the mellotron for many years.

[@stephenwood8453]

My favourite use of the mellotron was by the Moody Blues, Mike Pinder played one on a lot of early music they made.

[@dominiccarpin5651]

Very cool. You are amazing. I love the classic uses of Mellotron by Brian Jones, Moody Blues, Rick Wakeman, Beatles and others.

[@arthurcrime]

Thank you for this, I loved learning about this mellotron. I worked at a synths repair shop for some years. We had a mellotron out the back for some years, I don't know what happened to it unfortunately. I do know that it was a royal pain to move.

[@gorillabraudcast474]

Such an amazing instrument. I love the sound of tape. Hats off to you for being able to restore such a thing

[@michaeldomansky8497]

They were “quieter” than most amps and other instruments of that time!😎

[@YtheMain]

I love her sweater!

[@joscarb]

Fantastic illustration of how the magic box works! It's one thing to read about the Mellotron and hear (love) the sounds; but it's an absolute delight to see the simple, yet brilliant and yet nutty reality of it all. Thank you!

[@philbudne2095]

Whoa! So much more mechanical than I had imagined! Thanks for the explanation!!

[@jeberle1]

Thank you for explaining how this machine works. I could never imagine how a linear source for the sample could support performances w/ quickly repeated notes. The "falling tape" is such a nice design. In some ways, it's like a singer's lung, that can only sustain a note so long, until it needs more air. Also, one can imagine that while a tape is falling back another note is requested. The capstan can immediately engage the tape & play it, w/o the tape returning to its bottommost position. It's essentially always ready to play. The only limitation is how long a note can sound. Very nice.

[@rikk1546]

Great analogy! To me these analogue keyboards have a more "organic" sound; even the same note played repeatedly sounds very slightly different every time. I have thought of "breathing" when I hear Mellotrons and Hammonds.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

No sustain pedal, then?

[@LaurieWilliams-lk8fc]

Certainly a limitation for sounds of instruments which are capable of playing sounds for as long as a player would like, eg violin or organ pipe, but not for ones which have natural limitations on their durations. Xylophone would be an obvious example. But no rapid repetition of sound as can be done with a xylophone. Commenters on this page said that Mellotrons were used for sound effects in TV and movies, eg footsteps.

[@NatalRobin]

@@LaurieWilliams-lk8fc I used a very similar instrument called a Novatron in radio drama at the South African Broadcasting Corporation in the 80s. We had short sound effects like gunshots, car doors, crashes of all sorts and sizes, glass breaking, horse sounds, etc. We had a 2nd tape rack with audience laughter which I lifted off actual live comedy show recordings we did and played them into shows when we didn't actually have a live audience. The laughter ranged from small sniggers to bigger laugh reactions. By combining different keys one could vary the laughs so they sounded different and didn't have that unnatural "canned" laughter sound. It was an art to get the laughter to sound real.

[@LaurieWilliams-lk8fc]

@@NatalRobin Thanks for this Robin. So you're one of the people guilty of "canned laughter" then. Do you remember the sound effects used in the Warner Brothers cartoons? I remember one well, a recording of a great lot of things crashing down onto a hard surface, with a piece of pipe still bouncing and clattering after all the other things had settled. The people who set up the items ready to fall, let them go and made the recordings must have had a lot of fun doing them.

[@cybershark3095]

Neat explanation. Love the Mellotron and respect anyone who can tend to their mechanical and electronic operation. You did make me a bit nervous when you had the potentially magnetic screwdriver tip near the tape.

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

It's ok! That part of the tape in fact is blank. There's about a foot of tape behind the play head that never passes over it to be played. The actual recording starts just above the play heads so that you get to hear the attack sound of the instrument. That's one of the things that's unique in the Mellotron vs. an instrument that could be designed using loops of tape. You actually get to hear the sound of the bow hitting the string, or the wind player's articulation.

[@johnm2012]

Bell Tone Synth Works Even so, it was not a good idea to scrape the screwdriver against the rotating capstan at 5:59

[@jaiguru9538]

@pmaikeey pretty sure she's very well educated about what she's doing here. There was basically no chance of that.

[@wisteela]

Given she's had it a part for restoration, I think she know's whether it's there or not, but yes, good advice though.

[@BellToneSynthWorks]

yes, WOW you got me I have no idea what is in there, I'm just poking my hand in hoping my fingers won't get bitten off by a dingo

[@saintjason]

She was very informative. I was transfixed on her hands. Now I must find albums and songs with this instrument.

[@PJRII]

Thank you for a very good description of how this amazing instrument functions. I think to truly appreciate the sound of the mellotron one must hear it in a live ensemble setting. I've not heard any facsimile that even comes close to its encompassing sound. Bravo!

[@beck645]

VERY nice video young lady. Thank you for explaining about the inner workings of the remarkable old instrument. Few people today know what a Mellotron was or is. You made a difference. Thanks.

[@pacore007]

That’s a classic definition of an electronic analog musical instrument.

[@ClayMann]

The fact that this still impresses me so much today really tells me that in the 70's this must have been mind blowing. Superb explanation and insight into this instrument. Thanks for the video, subbed and off to look for more

[@Beringtunes]

They were mind-blowing, but you'd be amazed how many are still in use today! Streetly Electronics in England, the original mfr., still makes the M-400 & other models, & they're quite open to talking about it. Yahoo even has a Mellotron User's Group, & Martin from Streetly is a frequent contributor. Streetly also makes tape sets from the original masters (beautifully cleaned up) as well as custom tapes from many libraries of early & current sounds. Surely the best way to go, rather than the just-mentioned 3rd party poor quality copies of copies often found for sale. These tapes last a lonnnng time, kept clean & taken care of.

[@pinkyman5155]

This lady knows her stuff !

[@oscartennant1473]

I'm like a few other folks posting here - I grew up with the Mellotron sound, all my favorite bands used it extensively - Yes, Genesis, Moody Blues, and even of course the Beatles! And I always knew it was very mechanical and used tape strips. BUT... I NEVER saw inside one and never knew exactly how it worked! I concur with another poster here - now that I know, WOW surprised it works as well as it does! I always wanted one when I was younger, but now even at my advanced age, I've done the switch to digital. Computer samples can recreate these sounds easily, and are FAR FAR more practical and convenient to use (and less expensive!) Impressed with this woman, she really knows her Mellotron! Thanks for enlightening me after all these years.

[@lights80088]

That is one cool instrument and hats off to the wonderful woman who fixes these instruments. Very rare talent.

[@brucebarker6272]

Amazing. I knew these things used recorded tape, but I thought it was a loop, and could never figure out how you got a proper attack with each press of the key. Now I know: the tape 'retracts' to the start every time you release the key. Completely nuts, completely cool.

[@paulromsky9527]

@Bruce Barker. Yes, that tension springed roller pulled the tape back to its start. Over time I am sure the tapes would stretch and that causes a lot of out of tune notes the device makes. If I was playing keyboards back then, I would NEVER have bought a Mellotron... good concept, poor execution. I would have gone for a Moog. Can you imagine being a hit group using a Mellotron with thousands of people paying top dollar to hear you play an instrument that was getting progressively out tune (each tape stretching independently), notes not being reset (due to temperature/humidity), or tapes wrapping up on the capstan (loss of notes).

[@stevebadachmusic]

Such a bizarre instrument. Thanks for explaining it.

[@acoronab]

Used in "Strawberry fields"

[@diggydude5229]

What's bizarre about it? This is essentially the same thing modern digital multi-samplers do, except with analog samples. There were also echo/delay effects that used an analog tape loop back in the day. :D

[@stevebadachmusic]

Diggy Dude, You're really going to argue that the Mellotron isn't bizarre? Okay! Here's the definition of *bizarre* : _very strange or unusual, especially so as to cause interest or amusement._ Does this not describe the Mellotron fairly well? Of course samples are common place now, that has nothing to do with anything! Comparing digital technology to analogue and mechanical technology is unfair to both. It doesn't change the fact that this instrument is very unique (would you have preferred me to use "unique" instead of "bizarre"?). Honestly, of all the things in the world to argue about, it is *bizarre* to me that you'd pick this. The Mellotron is a one of a kind instrument, no amount of digital technology is going to change or diminish that.

[@diggydude5229]

I'll grant you it causes interest or amusement, but there is really nothing unusual about this design when placed in historical context. I certainly didn't expect to get my head bitten off for making a simple observation. Oh wait, yes I did. That's the typical KZbin commenter's modus operandi. Good day to you, sir or madame.

[@stevebadachmusic]

I didn't bite your head off, I didn't call you any names. I didn't attack your person. All i did was defend my position.

[@simonp.plowman7416]

Interesting video thanks. Such an 'earthy' instrument! Love the Genesis mellotron in the intro of 'Watcher of the Skies'... Incidentally, the rail over the keys (in organ-building terms) is commonly known as a 'Thumper-bar' or 'Thumper- rail'

[@vivanecrosis]

I've only ever used digital Mellotron in software but it's one of my favourite instruments. Great to see where the sounds came from.

[@harryberry474]

I've always liked (loved) the mellotron sounds that Genesis used especially the choir sound I think it helped make them different from almost every other band back in the early seventies the mellotron along with bass petals glorious sounds.Your explanation of how the mellotron works was spot on. Apparently Genesis bought their Mellotron from King Crimson. Tony Banks said it was a very temperamental instrument constantly breaking down, I can imagine it being hauled around from show to show getting banged around a lot amazing it worked at all.

[@makipri]

Rick Wakeman from Yes even tossed one down from the stage out of frustration. He deeply regrets that.

[@DaveTex2375]

Lots of moving parts and things to go wrong, but it's magic when you hear it.

[@mattyc.9332]

Yes, yes!

[@chroniclesofbap6170]

2:20 My heart almost stopped when you started fiddling about around those wires.

[@randycone77]

Chronicles of Bap sheesh, man up already.

[@Bunny99s]

Well she knows the electronics pretty well, I'm sure. According to this site: www.mellotron.com/tech.htm the motor is supplied with 22 volts. So not really dangerous.

[@RobBob555]

well, seeing as she restored the thing.. i think she knows what shes doing.

[@brianstevens9469]

I'm very impressed with your skills!

[@jeremyslater7369]

Amazing tour and rundown of such a relic, thanks for this

[@nicolasturnill]

🙏🏻 Perfect ! Thank you so much !

[@LetsGoExplore]

This is so interesting. You could change the tape for any sound and create an analog loop machine.. would be a fun diy project.

[@BrennanYoung]

IIRC the manufacturers offer(ed) exactly that service. You provide the audio and they'll turn it into a tape rack. However, it can't really do loops. The tapes are 7s long. When the tape runs out, there's a break in the playback as the tape rewinds, and then the note restarts. You can hear this happening on "Albion Awake" by Art Bears

[@bigal8604]

Interesting. Well done! I remember the Mellotron sounds played by Tony Banks in earlier Genesis.

[@girlinagale]

Makes me realise it wasn't 70s prog rock I was into, it was Mellotron.

[@islander4986]

Sargent Pepper fans like me will love this, thanks for filming and posting it. Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to...

[@kjh9629]

What a treat to be able to see the insides of such a unique instrument. I imagine those tapes degrade and alter the sound over time too. I’m even more amazed at your knowledge of such a beast!

[@operator6471]

Very good, a great explanation.

[@macsnafu]

I always liked Tony Banks' use of the Mellotron in 70s Genesis songs. He primary used a vocal loop.

[@Kilroyan]

I've always wondered what that strange, haunting instrument in many porcupine tree and opeth songs is and I've just recently found out. thanks for the clear and comprehensive explanation!

[@rubadux]

wow, I knew the distinctive sound, now I know *what* it was that made it! What a weird instrument! Thanks!

[@Globularmotif]

That was so good, have wanted to see inside one forever!! Nice job...

[@FirstLast-nt6hu]

interesting how much the mellotron sound is *still* recognized, utilized, and appreciated by so many excellent musicians

[@theprior46]

I never knew the tapes were static and the heads move. What an amazingly brilliant piece of elecromechanical genius design it was. I can still conjure in my musical mind the sound of The Beatles using a Melotron on one of their recordings. How superb to see a female in the electronics game whose knowledge is at the top of the profession. Very encouraging.

[@endicottsummers203]

Wait. The tapes do move. They're pulled upward across the stationary heads by the rotating capstan rod. They are then pulled back down by a spring. See 4:40.

[@sambda]

The tapes aren't static. The whole thing has a constantly-revolving capstan running the width of the keyboard under all the keys. Press a key and that pivots a pinch-roller on that key's lever against the capstan with the tape between them (just like a normal tape recorder). The note thus plays. When you release the key, the pinch-roller backs off the capstan and a spring pulls the tape segment back to its start. The heads only move (via a solenoid connected to a bar) slightly sideways to select one of three parallel tracks on each tape segment. The manufacturers would supply a rack of tapes customised to your requirements, and the racks were designed to be interchangeable "easily" so you could change the sounds available. Bands could do this in the intervals in their concerts, for example. It's easy to imagine the gamut of problems these instruments could -- and did -- develop, hence their reputation for unreliability.

[@DaveLennonCopeland]

Quite an eery sound, and unique. King Crimson's, Epitaph, comes to mind.

[@Beringtunes]

Certainly one of the most iconic "Mellotron pieces" EVER recorded. Truly a huge masterpiece! Other iconic faves of mine are "Heart of the Sunrise" & "And You and I" by YES. Gorgeous pieces, ALL.

[@DaveLennonCopeland]

Berington Van Campen - I agree, "YES" are very good. Rick Wakeman played Mellotron on David Bowie's "Space Oddity". There's Paul McCartney playing the classic flute sound on "Strawberry Fields Forever", and finally, "The Court of the Crimson King" by King Crimson (one of my fav' groups) with Mellotron strings by Ian McDonald. All excellent songs, and quite unmistakable once you know the sound of the Mellotron.

[@Beringtunes]

Yes, indeed! You mention so many classics... but the 1st K.C. album, then Rick Wakeman's work with YES (& Bowie & others), & later, Tony Banks' work w Genesis, definitely pushed me into getting a Mellotron for my own music. It quickly led to film scoring, bringing it into independent sessions, production of other peoples' records & much other work. GOOD machine, indeed!

[@jamesb.9155]

The Moody Blues!

[@monkabrahms7997]

Genesis

[@Quethecat]

King Crimson, Pavlov's Dog

[@artjohnLagas-gk6mg]

Nice job Allison, both with the restoration and the presentation .>>the the mellotron has a very unique sound that left its signature on a lot of great music. thanks again for your work ! awesome

[@st.charlesstreet9876]

Very much appreciate the full workings of the Mellotron! I haven’t seen one in almost 40 years. Thank You!❤

[@goatghost]

Fascinating. I just got a virtual instrument “Mellotron”, but I’ve always wondered about the inner workings of the real ones. Thanks for sharing! :-)

[@metafis2490]

I got a virtual M400 Mellotron. its a VST plug-in for programs such as magix music maker. you can have as many mellotrons as you have tracks, Each with its own authentic control panel that reproduces the look and functionality of the original.(memory permitting). also adds controls for reverb and delay and extra instrument sounds.

[@nickdiamond7595]

Of course The Beatles made the mellotron famous. Pretty amazing technology for the time. Great video.

[@georgeursitti6549]

So did the Moody Blues. They brought it to the Beatles...

[@hubblebublumbubwub5215]

Why didn’t they make a billion other versions? It seems to have so much potential. You could even make a percussion instrument with this concept.

[@bmorales1b]

Hubblebub, Indeed they have now! the size of a guitar pedal.

[@gp3328]

Because normal synths were to come out soon and they became more popular.

[@jwr2904]

@@gp3328 hit the nail on the head with that

[@krollpeter]

Synths store sounds better, and more of them. Some devices even record ad-hoc and let you play with that sound around.

[@jimwilson5148]

This is insane! Bless you for restoring these. I only worked on one production that used a mellotron back in the 70's and it was a truly awesome experience.

[@neutralearth1061]

Awesome demo! We love Mellotron and use a vintage M400 (with 4 tape frames) on our albums. Because of the rarity of real tape replay Mellotrons, we also use the new awesome digital Mellotrons. You can never have too much Mellotron.

[@compu85]

Assuming you had the audio samples already, how hard would it be to make a new set of tapes for one of these keyboards?

[@AiMR]

Presumably you need a reel tape recorder with three track configuration, but otherwise just a razor, edit block and edit tape.

[@meneerjansen00]

Dud they use standard tape (that you can buy at any good audio store) for these machines then?

[@MrInitialMan]

Could you not build your own?

[@MrInitialMan]

I meant a tape cutter.

[@luminositymusic3810]

compu85 oh. That would be fun to have samples all 34 keys. I like that. Thx-

[@NeptuneReturnz]

The Mellotron is made in Heaven.

[@Informed104]

No. It was stolen from The Chamberlin keyboard built in the US in 1949.

[@sandrajovic9304]

Holy crap I think you look like me!! And I'm so jealous of your Mellotron🌟

[@captainvoluntaryistthestat3207]

these guys made the software version www.arturia.com/products/analog-classics/mellotron-v/overview

[@robbob6629]

to hear the way you speak of it.. gives it a life besides the sound.. beautiful and soft the sound

[@gustavgnoettgen]

I didn't realize that this video was 7:30 - it felt so short! I knew already something about this instrument and how it works, but this here explains how the tapes get pulled very clearly. Thanks!