Subj : Tommy Roe
To   : Stephen Jones
From : Gary Gilmore
Date : Wed Oct 25 2000 11:34 am

SJ> Is the Mellotron a keyboard instrument?

Yes.  Pressing a key plays a tape loop.

SJ> Also, is it related to the Theron

I think you mean "Theramin".  No, completely different.  The Theramin works off
a feedback principal.  The closer to it's antenna you are, the more the
frequency changes.  It's probably the only musical instrument that you don't
have to touch to play it.

It's main use has been for "spooky music" for horror films, though there are
actual pieces composed strictly for it, and the inventor's friend used to
travel around the country giving Theramin concerts.  (The inventor was
Russian.)  If you've ever watched "The Day The Earth Stood Still", you've heard
a Theramin, since it's all over that movie, espcially in the scene where
Particia Neal is talking to Gort the robot. ("Gort!  Klatu berrada nickto!")

There's a pretty complete site about the Theramin located here:

 http://mdcm.arts.unsw.edu.au/Students98/BawdenH/innovate/index.html

The Mellotron can be found on these sites:

http://www.mellotron.com/  A company which even has a NEW (yes, new) model out.

Then there's Streetly Electronics who claim to be "the original Mellotron
makers" located here:

http://www.vemia.co.uk/mellotron/

Have fun!

--gary

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