On earlier models, the instrument is split into "lead" and "rhythm" sections.
Ī variety of sounds are available on the instrument. When the key is released, a spring pulls the tape back to its original position. While the key remains depressed, the tape is drawn over the head, and a sound is played. When a key is pressed, a tape connected to it is pushed against a playback head, as in a tape deck. The Mellotron uses the same concept as a sampler, but generates its sound using analogue samples recorded on audio tape rather than digital samples. Tape is pulled at a constant speed, counterbalanced by a tension spring (8–10) and stored temporarily in a storage bin (7) until the key is released. Pressing a key (1), causes two screws (2) to connect a pressure pad (3) with the tape head (5), and the pinch wheel (4) with the continuously rotating capstan (6). In 2007, Streetly produced the M4000, which combined the layout of the M400 with the bank selection of earlier models. This led to the resurrection of the original manufacturer, Streetly Electronics. Production of the Mellotron ceased in 1986, but it regained popularity in the 1990s and was used by bands such as Oasis and Radiohead. The instrument's popularity declined in the 1980s after the introduction of polyphonic synthesizers and samplers, despite high-profile users such as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and XTC. Later models, such as the bestselling M400, dispensed with the accompaniments and some sound selection controls so it could be used by touring musicians. The Mellotron became common in progressive rock, used by groups such as King Crimson and Genesis. The Moody Blues keyboardist Mike Pinder used it extensively on the band's 1967 album Days of Future Passed. The Beatles used it on tracks including the hit single " Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967). One of the first pop songs featuring the Mellotron was Manfred Mann's " Semi-Detached, Suburban Mr. It was adopted by rock and pop groups in the mid to late 1960s. Bandleader Eric Robinson and television personality David Nixon helped promote the first instruments, and celebrities such as Princess Margaret were early adopters. The first models were designed for the home and contained a variety of sounds, including automatic accompaniments. The Mellotron evolved from the similar Chamberlin, but could be mass-produced more efficiently. Different portions of the tape can be played to access different sounds. As the key is released, the tape is retracted by a spring to its initial position. It is played by pressing its keys, each of which causes a length of magnetic tape to contact a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in Birmingham, England, in 1963.
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