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G14 – Mellotron
It wouldn't be a vintage keys collection without some Mellotron
voices.
The Mellotron was probably the world's first sample-playback
"synth". Sounds were generated from recorded reels of tape. The
recordings were of actual instruments, and when you pressed a key,
one of the reels would start its spoolout. However, the Mellotron had
a curious quirk - tape playback lasted about 8 seconds, then the tape
would stop and rewind. So the trick became to try and play
successive new notes just as previous notes were nearing the end of
their "8-second run". That behavior is imitated here as well - hold
down a chord, after 8 seconds or so it will cut out.
Recording playback was a generous 2-bits (not 16 or 24 bits) and
generally the Mellotron sounds pretty bad but in a hip way. Distorted,
grainy, low fidelity, screeching, whining, gear grinding - yes, I'll take
some of that for my next hip-hop track. And oh yes, most people used
it for strings, choirs, and the occasional flute sound, although the
Mellotron libraries were actually quite extensive and featured dozens
of different sounds and instruments.
Mellotron Model 400, in classic white.
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