Mellotron Sound?

claxor

Power User
Hey,

I haven't been able to find any mellotron synth-like sounds for the Axe fx 2. Anybody have an idea on how to get that mellotron "orchestra" sound?

EH has the Mello9 pedal, but I'd like to see if it can be done with the Axe:

 
There are a bunch of VST virtual instrument models of the melotron, which include all the original tapes

The Axe just isn't going to emulate a vintage tape playback keyboard very well. You can get some fairly basic subtractive analog synthesis sounds from it, but its not going to do much more than that. That EHX pedal is no doubt using some PCM samples for each tone and then running those through some synth engine.

Think of it this way, the mellotron was basically the first sampler. Instead of digital samples, it used short snippets of actual audio on tape, which it played back to create its unique tones. Its how it was able to recreate "realistic" instrument sounds of things like flutes etc.

Cool instrument but the Axe isn't going to get anywhere close
 
I have the Mel 9. It does a very good job.

I'd love to have a collection of good virtual instruments in a DAW someday, and a nice keyboard that can do it.

For now, those EHX pedals are fun to have, and they sound really good.

If someone can figure out a convincing Mellotron with the Axe FX, I'm all ears.
 
This endeavour has a serious risk of poor returns.The potential to spend an age trying to get the sound, only to find there are very limited uses. If you want that kind of sound, may be worth checking out EZKeys. Great song writing tool for those of us who don't play keyboard.
 
That mellotron sound is not possible with the Axe fx for sure. If you want it you have to buy the EHX.
 
Here are 5 free vst virtual mellotron instruments http://blog.wavosaur.com/5-free-mellotron-vst/

Nothing wrong with the EHX pedal, but nothing overly great with it either and it cost a fair amount of money for a somewhat limited usefulness (IMO) pedal. I personally think there is far more playing control using a midi keyboard (you can even turn an Ipad etc into a wireless midi controller) than trying to play what are basically keyboard parts on guitar. I've tried lots of guitar to midi convertors, guitar synths etc, and while I'm basically a hack on keyboard, and less of a hack on guitar, I just never find parts translate well.

Stuff that is easy to play on guitar is a pain to try to play on keys, and simple chords that you'd play on the keyboard (two hand parts) are difficult to reproduce on the guitar, essentially you can't really play left and right hand parts on a guitar neck.

Again, not knocking the EHX pedal, but I'd certainly try the virtual instruments out, even via iPad etc. If playing keys isn't your thing, I'd look for a keyboard player. In groups I've been in, I've found it works way easier than trying to do ambient stuff, organ sounds etc on guitar.

Its like yeah, you can get a B3 type pedal and kinda get that sound, but compared to a keyboard player who actually has the right sound and chops, no comparison
 
Here are 5 free vst virtual mellotron instruments http://blog.wavosaur.com/5-free-mellotron-vst/

Nothing wrong with the EHX pedal, but nothing overly great with it either and it cost a fair amount of money for a somewhat limited usefulness (IMO) pedal. I personally think there is far more playing control using a midi keyboard (you can even turn an Ipad etc into a wireless midi controller) than trying to play what are basically keyboard parts on guitar. I've tried lots of guitar to midi convertors, guitar synths etc, and while I'm basically a hack on keyboard, and less of a hack on guitar, I just never find parts translate well.

Stuff that is easy to play on guitar is a pain to try to play on keys, and simple chords that you'd play on the keyboard (two hand parts) are difficult to reproduce on the guitar, essentially you can't really play left and right hand parts on a guitar neck.

Again, not knocking the EHX pedal, but I'd certainly try the virtual instruments out, even via iPad etc. If playing keys isn't your thing, I'd look for a keyboard player. In groups I've been in, I've found it works way easier than trying to do ambient stuff, organ sounds etc on guitar.

Its like yeah, you can get a B3 type pedal and kinda get that sound, but compared to a keyboard player who actually has the right sound and chops, no comparison

You're right with the exception that some of us simply want to play with such effects with our guitars. I've personally never recorded anything using a synth like effect on guitar but for demoing and songwriting is a very good alternative and having such thing inside our black boxes is definitely a huge plus.
 
I just simply love massive ambient synth chord tones to play the guitar over for solos. That really is my simple goal. I'm not really into full-on synth keyboard playing that much. Just accompanying synth tones to guitar.
 
Again, not knocking the EHX pedal, but I'd certainly try the virtual instruments out, even via iPad etc. If playing keys isn't your thing, I'd look for a keyboard player. In groups I've been in, I've found it works way easier than trying to do ambient stuff, organ sounds etc on guitar.

Its like yeah, you can get a B3 type pedal and kinda get that sound, but compared to a keyboard player who actually has the right sound and chops, no comparison
Agreed. But sometimes you either don't have a keys player, or he's playing something else (for example piano) and you still want a simple string/horn/B3 type sound - not virtuoso parts, just something to fill in the sound. I'm joining a new soul/r&b group and there are a few songs where having something like this could come in handy. Certainly better than lugging an extra set of keys for me to play... ;-)
 
How about the Fishman Triole play to trigger a Mellotron or Hammond AU/VST? Works for me. I also have the EH C9 and it sounds good, but not as good as the Fishman triggering MTron.
 
I just simply love massive ambient synth chord tones to play the guitar over for solos. That really is my simple goal. I'm not really into full-on synth keyboard playing that much. Just accompanying synth tones to guitar.

Have you tried some of the ambient pads and shimmer type of presets floating around here?

IIRC, they use the multidelay block to create pads underneath a conventional amp tone.
 
Have you tried some of the ambient pads and shimmer type of presets floating around here?

IIRC, they use the multidelay block to create pads underneath a conventional amp tone.

Can you forward to me the ambient pads presets here or on Axechange that you are referring to?
 
But sometimes you either don't have a keys player, or he's playing something else (for example piano) and you still want a simple string/horn/B3 type sound - not virtuoso parts, just something to fill in the sound

I'm thinking the same thing lately too; some simple textures like you mentioned would be very useful in my current situation....
 
i just received my Mel pedal today, its just OK, but no better than some of the mellotron plugins available...Logic x has great ones
 
Back
Top Bottom