Monday, June 2, 2008

Free Mellotron Samples!



I've always had a thing for pre-digital sampling technology. Instruments like the Mellotron and the Chamberlin used note-by-note recordings of real world instruments on audio tape or disc-shaped media to allow musicians to easily and cheaply add previously big budget type sounds like orchestras and choirs to their own music. If you've heard the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields" (which used the Mellotron Flutes sound) or The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" (which used the Mellotron Strings sound), then you've heard a Mellotron. The recordings themselves are certainly lo-fi by today's standards (these instruments were built in the 60's), but that's exactly the point! That 'wrongness' of the sounds is what makes them so cool. Because of their age, working Mellotrons are becoming increasingly rare. Thankfully there are upstanding citizens like Taijiguy out there to preserve and share these awesome sounds via the miracle of the Internet Tubes™! Currently he has posted samples of every note from the string section, GC3 brass, and the apparently rare Combined Choir. Get 'em while they're hot!

15 comments:

Q Ball said...

Wow, I've been looking for that choir sound for ages. That's the one that's used all over New Order's Blue Monday, isn't it? I'm going to cram it into my Akai at home tonight.

Just came across your blog -- great resource, btw! :)

MV HQ said...

Awesome dude - Thanks for the link! As with Q Ball, that choir is such a great sound.

Bone

Ben Allen said...

thaks! loving the sounds!!! Im in heaven!! Really, crazy sounds

Anonymous said...

Thanks. I'll be integrating these in my microSampler. Very nice of you to make these samples freely available!

dyerjuano said...

thanks buddy I am crazy for music. I really want to play itfree samples

Anonymous said...

Thanks a lot man. I'd really love to play it, you've got great tunes out there. Here have some free samples by mail in return.

Viagra Online said...

I played some music in a local orchestra and I really liked it, so I think that play the piano is one of the best things in the life, I love the Beatles's music and the post is so cool!22DD

Mike Moreau said...

Thank you so much. I write and record progressive rock/old school electronic and I have spent quite a bit of money on several Mellotron virtual instruments but they all fall flat. Your are the most authentic I have heard and now my search is over. I loaded them into Kontakt 4 and was instantly amazed how pro these sound. Please let me know if you accept donations, maybe that would entice you to do some more! :)

sex shop said...

For my part every person must go through this.

Anonymous said...

these are not labelled corretly - a total night mare to implement!!

Martinize said...

Fantastic! Thank you so much for these authentic Mellotron WAVs. I'm also looking for the reedy lead sound from The Moody Blues "Tuesday Afternoon" but I don't hear it in this collection. By any chance do you have that one too, or is it in here and I'm just not seeing it?

Donovan Fite said...

Thank you so much for these awesome samples! Here's a link to a project I just completed using the Brass and Mixed Choir samples:
http://soundcloud.com/donovan-fite/anastasia-5

Unknown said...

Can someone please explain to me how, once I've downloaded the samples, I can add them to Logic Pro X and the MIDI keyboard??

jennifer said...

thanks for the free stuff and free samples you have provided, i got this offer from you but i mainly use the gratisfaction uk site. this freebie worked really well so i appreciate it :)

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