The PSYLOTRON: a Mellotron M400 Hybrid Replica

[@SoulMachine]

Hey! I have 2 MORE SONGS coming from this session! Back then, I decided not to include them in the final video, would you like me to release them anyway? Let me know!

[@nodfactor8808]

Yeah release them! This video was great!

[@SoulMachine]

@@nodfactor8808 Thanks for your kind words, they're already online 😉 Check my Rick Wakeman and Pink Floyd mini jams, and do not forget to subscribe 😉

[@melvideo63]

"Pretty Please!" LOL. Yes, more "Mellotronics!"

[@SoulMachine]

@@melvideo63 you'll find them on my channel 😉

[@bobbyggare8364]

You have to I would love to hear them!!

[@bobbyggare8364]

Nights in white satin is so powerful!! a real classic. thank you for playing it so beutiful!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@phi6337]

It’s the Eighth Deadly Sin not to include Watcher Of The Skies In a Mellotron video.

[@SoulMachine]

Haha, but I do wanted to record a video without the obvious Watchers and Strawberry Fields :)

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

@@SoulMachine Lol Please do one on Watcher, you can pass on Strawberry. Love the Classic Prog myself but of course grew up on the Beatles ! Yeah I'm an old Baaasstard but was lucky enough to see all the Great Bands during those key years 1971 -77' in Boston & NYC : )

[@SoulMachine]

@@ronniefarnsworth6465 no, I won't, for the only reason that I'm too jealous of you haha

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

@@SoulMachine Lol, Ahh to be a Younger "Yout" again !! I'm sure what ever you come up with will be great ! : )

[@SoulMachine]

@@ronniefarnsworth6465 thanks!

[@mikaelschloenzig9590]

Came here to check out the Mellotron ,stayed for the music.....damned this is good!

[@SoulMachine]

Haha thanks 😊

[@ppbowers]

at 4:48... chills.. this is what the Mellotron is..period.. Nothing like it! Keyboards, Synths, pianos, organ.. bahhhh.. The Mellotron is it.. 🥰

[@SoulMachine]

Yeah there's nothing as haunting as the Mellotron? Do you like Radiohead? Because I may have a good news for you 😉

[@testohtoby]

Just...unbelievable!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks! :)

[@Aresmusic7]

Thanks for wonderful performance! The mellotron sound is so beatiful...

[@SoulMachine]

You're welcome my friend :)

[@kenmckee5428]

That's outstanding. I love everything about the PSYLOTRON and what you've done with it. Also, discovering (thanks to your project) the Robertson sample players is wonderful and timely. Cheers!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot for your support! Cheers!

[@Chris-SS]

Fabulous, memories came floodong back, and the liquid lights - magic

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks ^^

[@whicker59]

WOW. I grew up with R&R from it's mid 50s onward and have followed it very closely. But I never knew this gizmo generated so many sounds I've heard over the decades. I could sit and listen to yall play for many hours!! Can u keep producing more Classic Rock songs containing this instrument?

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot for your kind words! I have 2 other short videos and a Pink Floyd cover featuring this instrument! Also check my other tracks, I used it pretty much everywhere ;)

[@EUGENEvideo]

This is breathtaking

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot!

[@TH3_FURY]

What a magic sound, that mellotron sounds so beautiful ! Great work and fantastic tribute to classic 70's psy/prog rock, very well played ! Bravo, you're a genius Mr Soul Machine ! Sub +1

[@SoulMachine]

Wow thanks for your kind words, glad you liked it 😊

[@ronaldocerejo]

Je me laisse emporter par cette vague de sensations, je réalise la chance que nous avons de vivre à une époque où un tel artiste partage son talent et son univers avec nous. Soul Machine, tu n'es pas seulement un créateur de rêves, tu es un véritable magicien... oui., je me répète c'est Magique! ❤

[@SoulMachine]

Un immense Merci pour tous tes commentaires, cela me touche beaucoup !

[@ronaldocerejo]

@@SoulMachine C'est très mérité, et je suis toujours inspirée au moment où j'écris cela.., Alors d'avance je m'excuse de la longueur de cette réponse.., Mais ton art est une symphonie de merveilles, une danse d'images et de mélodies qui enflamment mon âme, mon imaginaire. Ta créativité est un phare dans l'obscurité, guidant mes pensées vers un horizon d'inspiration, la preuve avec cette longue réponse. Je ne laisse pas souvent des mots élogieux dans le sillage des créations que je découvre, car trop souvent créations incertaines, mais les tiennes m'ont ensorcelé, emporté. Hier soir, alors que je plongeais dans l'océan de tes sons, j'ai senti les vagues de l'inspiration me submerger. C'était comme si chaque note était une étoile dans un ciel nocturne, illuminant le chemin en sommeil de mes idées, de mes pensées. Ta musique a débloqué les portes de mon imagination, libérant les mots qui sommeillaient en moi depuis trop longtemps. Grâce à toi, à ton travail, j'ai avancé dans l'écriture de mon roman, mais aussi dans une longue poésie, (une très longue ode à la lune) qui attendait patiemment d'être exprimée et terminée. Dailleurs cette fameuse poésie, c'est ton interprétation de Vangelis qui a réveillé en moi l'inspiration m'entraînant dans une nuit de création effervescente. Je m'excuse si mes mots semblent débordants d'enthousiasme, mais quand l'inspiration frappe, c'est comme une vague de joie qui emporte tout sur son passage. Je te suis infiniment reconnaissant pour cela. Tes créations, qu'elles soient auditives ou visuelles, sont des élixirs enivrants qui me transportent dans un monde de beauté et d'émerveillement. Ta créativité transcende les limites de l'art et de la réalité, c'est indéniable. Peut-être que je m'emporte un peu en écrivant tout cela.., mais après mûre réflexion.... la réponse est non! Prends cette réponse, ce commentaire, comme un cadeau, une manière de te féliciter du fond du cœur pour ton travail exceptionnel. 🙏 Tu verras sûrement d'autres commentaires de ma part dans les jours à venir, lorsque je prendrai le temps de voyager à nouveau à travers ton pays merveilleux d'interprétation. Car je ne compte pas te laisser ainsi. tel le renouveau exubérant de la nature au printemps. J'ai hâte de découvrir tes autres créations et de voir l'inspiration s'éveiller en moi grâce à toi, 😉💕

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Excellent and Super "Koool" !!! : D The Mellotron ...... The Keyboard of Prog !!!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks ;)

[@telegraph_hill]

Amazing. Both in engineering and musical talent. Thank you!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot!

[@alienmachine]

That is exactly what I was going to say! Amazing! Also, great video!

[@JazzRockFusionSynthesizerMusic]

I WAS INSTANTLY TRANSPORTED INTO PROG HEAVEN & FLOODED WITH NOSTALGIA! GREAT DEMO.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@jamjaxn]

I thoroughly enjoyed this.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks!

[@patrickravotti127]

Sa fait du bien et rêver Dans ce monde qui se d etrui. Merci ❤

[@SoulMachine]

Merci beaucoup 😊

[@nrv0212]

Great playing, my dude. What a amazing build and instrument.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot!

[@Stinky5522]

Fantastic all the way around!!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot!

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

You have so many "Nice" Toys !!! 🧐 😄

[@SoulMachine]

Yet never enough 😋

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

@@SoulMachine Right ! 😆 🎹🎶

[@GeoffreyGentryMusic]

Who would've thought that Exit Music and A Saucerful of Secrets melded so well together?

[@SoulMachine]

Haha yes!

[@misterknightowlandco]

How awesome is this!?! Great video.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks!!

[@johngreen6385]

Love that magical sound👍🤟😎

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot, I'm kind of obsessed with the Mellotron ❤️

[@captainkiddoregon]

Wow! That is so cool, I would love to have a Mellotron (among other things of course). Great job, loved the video production.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks! It was one of my wildest dream to own one!

[@nicksimms3771]

Soul Machine was that a Moody Blues reference? 😉

[@mikeperson1556]

sweet interpretations and mix. bravo

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot!

[@darkwaffel]

Superbe démonstration !

[@SoulMachine]

Merci beaucoup ! J'ai 2 autres vidéos issues de cette session si cela t'intéresse ! Atom Heart Mother de Pink Floyd et Jane Seymour de Rick Wakeman !

[@darkwaffel]

@@SoulMachine merci, je vais aller écouté ça ! petite question technique, vu que ton Mellotron est numérique l'espace initialement utiliser aux bandes est vide ?

[@SoulMachine]

@@darkwaffel oui, complètement vide 😄

[@michaelmos7497]

A very, very strong and excellent video and music recording presentation. A masterpiece. Greetings from 🇩🇪

[@SoulMachine]

Danke Schoen !!! 😉

[@Vigilant200]

Magnifique

[@SoulMachine]

Merci beaucoup, le Mellotron est mon instrument préféré 😊 Tu en avais déjà entendu parler ?

[@Atzensindkacke]

Well done

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks!

[@nicolascecchella]

coucou , merci SM, continue a nous faire rever! Bisouilles

[@SoulMachine]

J'y compte bien ! 😉

[@alienmachine]

Very well done! Amazing skills!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot Hugo! My String Machine is the next on the shelf!

[@Rowebot15]

I had to get my moody blues out of the closet and play the album to hear the poem. Thank You😁 You play extremely well, great instrument and setup, terrific video😃👍

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! The Mellotron has been my favorite instrument since the first I heard the Moody Blues "Days of the Future passed" album ❤️ Did you recognized all the other songs?

[@TheArpomni2]

What a relief , A Mellotron demo which doesnt play Strawberry Fields lol ,

[@SoulMachine]

Haha yes! Staying away from the obvious Strawberry Fields and Watchers of the Sky was definitely part of the project ^^

[@TheArpomni2]

@@SoulMachine lol im so glad you did ,, mind you what about Immediate Curtain by Matching Mole ? Nice challenge for you

[@SoulMachine]

@@TheArpomni2 i'll give it a shot! :)

[@TheArpomni2]

@@SoulMachine would love to hear it , its beautiful , just wished they had left all the sound fx off and long ending , as the Tron track on its own is just hauntingly beautiful , without all the distorted fx

[@SoulMachine]

@@TheArpomni2 Hauntingly beautiful is the perfect definition for the UFO track! Not sure it is even re-playable "as-is" but my Psylotron is definitely able to create this kind of ethereal ambiance ❤️

[@jackeastwood9002]

Du Moody Blues ou du Bowie, c'est déjà sublime mais alors avec un mellotron qui plus est , c'est magnifique et magnifiquement joué. J'adore cet instrument, je suis d'ailleurs un grand adorateur du groupe québécois Harmonium !

[@SoulMachine]

C'est également mon instrument favoris et c'est une grande joie d'avoir pu m'en construire un ! En revanche, je ne connais pas le groupe Harmonium (autre instrument que j'aime beaucoup pourtant !), je m'en vais découvrir de ce pas !

[@filmusikchannel7596]

Great medley

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! Have recognized all the songs? 🙂

[@simonburns1055]

Thats mad bro

[@SoulMachine]

I was sure you'd enjoy it 😊

[@MickBenjamins]

Awe-some!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks!

[@gabrielfagundes776]

Meu Deus, que som incrível. Parabéns

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot!

[@lazyguy3555]

Those are great sounding samples.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! Did you recognized all the songs? 😀

[@lazyguy3555]

@@SoulMachine Yes, I did.

[@SoulMachine]

@@lazyguy3555 😊

[@ppbowers]

Nothing like a Mellotron! A friend of mine, a keyboardist calls her's, her melli.. she loves it!

[@SoulMachine]

At least I tried 😄 This is my living dream to play on a real one, have you ever?

[@ppbowers]

@@SoulMachine I've never played one myself but have watched her. I mean I've pressed the keys.. but I'm not a keyboardist. Drums and guitar are my thing.

[@SoulMachine]

@@ppbowers i've never managed to be in front of a real one, I'm so jealous 😜

[@elvisischrist]

Groovy!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! Did you recognize all the songs? 😊

[@pauloalves81]

Amazing!!!

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks!

[@JohnLRice]

Yes! Beautiful instrument build, beautiful performances, beautiful recording, and beautiful video editing! :-) I didn't recognize the song with the pretty blond lady although she looks familiar and I couldn't quite place the Pink Floyd one at first until I saw them in the clips. ;-)

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! I won't give all the answers today to let people play a little but stay tuned, I'm sure people are going to find all the songs ;)

[@JohnLRice]

@@SoulMachine No problem. And I edited my post to remove the spoiler. ;-)

[@SoulMachine]

@@JohnLRice no no you didn't have to remove it, that's the game! ;)

[@JohnLRice]

@@SoulMachine D'OH! Should I reedit it back to the way it was? lol

[@SoulMachine]

@@JohnLRice help yourself haha!

[@quicopalomarcapdevila9979]

es nuevo ? a la venta? mas teclas? cintas , tapes? quien donde se hizo

[@SoulMachine]

I did build it, but it's unfortunately not to sell 😊

[@alainbaret8896]

Only great classics

[@SoulMachine]

Did you recognize them all?

[@johnmartin5153]

Great job !

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! Have you recognized all the songs? 😊

[@johnmartin5153]

@@SoulMachine yep !! I was the most impressed by the Air virgin suicides soundtrack How did you track the drums ?

[@SoulMachine]

@@johnmartin5153 my favorite as well 😊 i replayed the drums with a VST!

[@bobsburgersfan4205]

Oh my god yes.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot ;)

[@jonasdiaz7935]

Como es el nombre de la.cancion que aparece la cara de una mujer rubia????

[@SoulMachine]

"Playground Love" by AIR from "The Virgin Suicides" OST 😉

[@jonasdiaz7935]

Thankssssss

[@SoulMachine]

@@jonasdiaz7935 you're welcome mu friend, did you recognize all the other?

[@KeithEmerson1969]

5:37 A Saucerful of Secrets

[@SoulMachine]

Well done sir 😉 Have you recognized the other songs?

[@KeithEmerson1969]

@@SoulMachine Thank you☺️ 0:04 In the Court of the Crimson King 0:30 Nights in White Satin 2:31 Space Oddity

[@SoulMachine]

@@KeithEmerson1969 Great job! 2 remaining 😋

[@Lellos_]

-King Crimson: The Court Of The Crimson King -The Moody Blues: Nights In White Satin -David Bowie: Space Oddity -??? -Radiohead: Exit Music (For A Film) -???

[@SoulMachine]

4/6! Well done! Just some hints: 4: it is from a Movie 6: you can see the band playing behind me ;)

[@Lellos_]

@@SoulMachine Haha! I'll try to find out what are these!

[@SoulMachine]

@@Lellos_ some more hints: 4: French band 6: British band ;)

[@Lellos_]

@@SoulMachine Oh! The last one I think it's Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd!

[@SoulMachine]

@@Lellos_ Right Band, Wrong song! Well done anyway ;)

[@melvideo63]

Great 'Tron renditions. The last track with the 8-voice choir in my favorite. Do you have a longer version of this piece? You could make a stand-alone vid of this alone. Thank you.

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot my friend, I could definitely make a stand alone out of this one yes! In the meantime you should definitely check the original track 😉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3bUgYtjj51mabs

[@ClaudiaFinerty]

Hey this is amazing. Do you sell builds of this or could one be commissioned?

[@SoulMachine]

Unfortunately no, I definitely don't have enough time to build another one 😔

[@quicopalomarcapdevila9979]

me gustaria celebrar ese instrumento y hablar de fabricar instrumentos que tengo en idea acusticos y electronicos,,,,

[@SoulMachine]

That would be great 😊

[@candelise]

Is the this instrument fully polyphonic and why not the full seven octaves of a piano?

[@SoulMachine]

Yes it is fully polyphonic! But it will saturate like crazy if more than 14 samples are triggered simultaneously (12 is OK). The Mellotron only have 33 notes, i used a 4 octaves keyboard to be able to play 2 splitter banks. 7 octaves would have been possible technically but I wanted to stay faithful to the real instrument!

[@simonburns1055]

Not sure of the others

[@SoulMachine]

Only 2 remaining 😉

[@quicopalomarcapdevila9979]

raro conocia parecido

[@maxmatson1578]

Awesome video!🎹👍 I'd love to ask? What model type and name is that "Ibanez bass" you have? I love its body type!🎸👌

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! My bass is an Ibanez Artstar AB50, a beautiful instrument ❤️

[@maxmatson1578]

@@SoulMachine Thank you for letting me know. I wanted to find out cuz the bass design makes me think of Paul Barker from "Ministry/Rev co."

[@SoulMachine]

@@maxmatson1578 I don't know him, I'll check it out!

[@lazyguy3555]

Out of curiosity, did you you use any of the Leisureland (a.k.a. Taiji) free Mellotron samples?

[@SoulMachine]

Yes i did use some of them!

[@nordmarhammer6335]

I'm listening to this for 15th time. Great video! I'm just wondering what was the 4th song... I really want to find out! Little clue, please :D

[@SoulMachine]

Haha thank you! Ok here's a clue, the song is from a (world famous) French Band ;) I'll give you another clue if you still don't find :)

[@SoulMachine]

Hey man, still haven't found? ;)

[@simonburns1055]

Air _ How does it make you feel

[@SoulMachine]

Not far, another guess? 😉

[@Cleroy230]

❤

[@SoulMachine]

💕

[@Breakbeat90s]

holy shitamole... and stuff like this gets 0 attention cause no lofi hip hop clickbait smh

[@SoulMachine]

Haha!

[@nathanwells3566]

Working on my own one of these now! Functional at the moment but still needs a good deal of work till its good to go

[@SoulMachine]

Wooow tell me more about it!

[@nathanwells3566]

@SoulMachine Im working off the github files by craigyjp, did up my own front panel as well based on the og tron! Ive been making a few minor changes here and there to the code, and the only big difference is im gonna add a control to raise or lower the sample rate to simulate the pitch knob on the m400. Ive got it mostly running so far, with an op amp preamp and m400 tone control wired in, mostly working on converting the samples right now!

[@nathanwells3566]

@SoulMachine Got the whole thing enclosed in smaller wooden body based on the m4000d mini. Maybe not as impressive as the full sized one like yours but i just dont have space for it lol. Also cut down a 61 note midi controller to 35 to match the m400's range. Wanted a hardware mellotron for years, and it's so cool that there's a proper DIY build out there for it now!

[@SoulMachine]

@@nathanwells3566 can't wait to see it! I didn't know Craig uploaded my code on GitHub! If you check my "Psylotron Prototype" video, you'll see that I have a "half speed" control. As for the number of notes, I used a 49 keyboard to be able to create split between banks!

[@nathanwells3566]

@@SoulMachine Il get some pics when its finished! I decide to leave out the keyboard split in the end since i wanted to keep the keyboard shorter. I do have the half speed switch in though, and the plan for the pitch control is to be able to do subtle pitch bends, and have the half speed always drop it to the same half pitch.

[@Flibbybibby]

Great and inspiring vid, THANK YOU! What’s your thoughts on the Memotron and Mellotron M4000D?

[@SoulMachine]

The Memotron definitely sounds more vintage (AIR use it) but it the end they're way too expensive for what they are: Digital Romplers!

[@Flibbybibby]

Soul Machine To me the Memotron (and most VSR) sounds like whichever actual Mellotron it was sampled from, sort of a digital sample of a particular analog Mellotron playing the original Mellotron recording (tapes), not unlike a floppy disk of Mellotron samples played by an Emulator II (which I have and it sounds very vintage too). However, the M4000D (the full-size w/wooden keyboard) really is something special and feels more like a new way to access the original Mellotron (tape) recordings as opposed to playing back samples of another (albeit a vintage analog machine or not) accessing them. Just my experience and opinion and 2 cents. Again great vid and song choices!

[@SoulMachine]

@@Flibbybibby you're definitely right, I never said the M4000 was a bad instrument, I just find it a bit too bright compared to the Memotron but it is just a matter of taste!

[@simonburns1055]

Knight in white satin - Moody Blues

[@SoulMachine]

Well done! 😊

[@Marwatt]

please post the schematics... killer build! :-)

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot! I will share some stuff on my website when I'll find the time, stay tuned ;)

[@TabascoSour]

Are these available to buy or did you have this custom made?

[@SoulMachine]

I built it all by myself 😉

[@TabascoSour]

@@SoulMachine I’d love to see some more videos about how you went about doing that! Super dope piece of equipment.

[@SoulMachine]

@@TabascoSour thanks a lot! You'll find some information about the building on my website (djsoulmachine.com). You'll also find 3 more videos of me playing it on my YT channel. Enjoy and do not forget to subscribe for more ;)

[@bd594]

it's hard not to .........sniff.

[@SoulMachine]

Glad to give that much emotion :)

[@heyzeus777]

Beautiful. I love the sound of this much more than the m4000d, at least from listening to the videos. Yours seems more like the original somehow, and I love how it sits in the mix. I was planning on buying an m4000d once I found one on sale, but I'd much rather have one that sounds as good as yours. For someone looking for a digital Mellotron, which would you suggest?

[@SoulMachine]

Thanks a lot for your kind words! If you're looking for a vintage sounding Mellotron, the m4000d is definitely not the way to go because it "plays" samples from cleaned and remastered version of the master tapes... My instrument sounds much more vintage because it uses samples recorded on a real Mellotron with all the dirt, noise, modulation and detuning you can expect from these old boys, it makes ALL the difference! The Manikin Memotron are said to sound closer to the real deal than the newer "official" Mellotron. AIR are using them, so I strongly recommend :)

[@heyzeus777]

@@SoulMachine Hey, thanks for taking the time to answer my question. It really does make a huge, unmistakable difference. The next most important part of the sound in my opinion next to the flutter and modulation is the attack, which I also think the Psylotron does well. The Manikin seems to lack in attack. How did you record a) the samples and b) the Psylotron track you used for the video?

[@SoulMachine]

@@heyzeus777 I used samples from various free sources on the web and composed/recorded the track on Cubase while filming at the same time

[@goopywater3476]

Does anyone know the 4th song?

[@SoulMachine]

Ok just a clue: French Band (world known) ;)

[@goopywater3476]

@@SoulMachine Never found it 😔

[@SoulMachine]

@@goopywater3476 2nd clue: it's a movie Soundtrack ;)

[@goopywater3476]

@@SoulMachine I found it! It's Playground Love by Air :)

[@SoulMachine]

@@goopywater3476 yeaaaaaaaah, well done man!!!

[@neoaureus]

What in the world

[@SoulMachine]

Yes ? 😅

[@nicksimms3771]

Just found this thru your thread on muffwigglers. Do you have a site or something detailing how you made it? I’m especially curious how you were able to do the half speed setting! Also out of curiosity- did you opt to use a vintage correct 8 second sample time, or instead take advantage of the continuous looping that the wav trigger offers?

[@SoulMachine]

Hi Nick! Thanks a lot for your interest! You can find some information on my website djsoulmachine (dot)com but I've never found time to document the code... X___x If I remember well, the half speed is made by changing the sampling frequency of the samples (the wav trigger allows to do this). As for the samples, I kept a vintage approach with 7sec samples.

[@loreidama913]

[@SoulMachine]

;)

[@simonburns1055]

David Bowie Space oddity

[@SoulMachine]

One of the best Mellotron strings recording ever ❤️

[@jeromelambda]

❤🥹❤

[@SoulMachine]

Merci beaucoup ! Un bien long travail de conception ! Tu as reconnu toutes les chansons ?