Man builds mellotron from 14 Walkmans

Mike Walters has built the Melloman, a 25 key mellotron, which gets its sounds from 13 Walkmans (Walkmen?), using one stereo channel for each key, plus stereo beats from the 14th Walkman. It is a thing of wonder and beauty. Mike has created many other things of wonder, most of which have been bought by Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo. (Thanks to Boing Boing, Analog Industries, Mikey, Krome, Ron, Lyle, Ben, and anyone else who sent me this)


Comments:
thats incredibly creative. I wonder how he would change the pitch of the walkman to get enough notes for all the keys. i am guessing there is a resistor to make the motor go slower?
 
Read the page... he has each stereo channel playing one note, so Walkman 1 is playing low C and high C, 2 is playing low D and high D etc.
 
man...I was totally gonna do that.
 
This is fantastic! Why not use the same principle, but use fourteen CD Discmen? Then have a set of fourteen CDs and each track is a different timbre.
 
make that 14 iPods and you could play the same timbre for hours before having to hit 14 [<<] buttons :), You could call it the "expensiveashellotron" :D

I'd like to try the "meloman" tho.
 
Cos you wouldn't get the ever-changing -according-to-environment analogue sound with CDs or iPods :)

I'm wondering why he hasn't made special tapes that are just loops so they never run out.
 
Continuous loop cassette tapes do exist - they were used for the outgoing message tape on telephone answering machines. Or maybe rig up 14 reel-to-reel tape machines with continuous tape loops... Or 14 turntables... Or 28 Edison wax cylinders...
 
actually, he says on his page that it's on a tape loop. problem already solved.
 
The problem with tape loops i.e. tapes that repeat infinitely is that they cannot accurately reproduce a sound as it is played naturally. The Mellotron used 8-second samples on each tape, which reproduced the authentic attack and decay characteristics of the original instrument. Looping a sample like that would just cause a repeat at the length of the tape; a bell sample would sound like ding-ding-ding instead of the desired diiiiiiiiiiiiing. There was a follower of the Mellotron called the Birotron that used 8-track tape loops and used very small samples repeated over and over; this solved the infinite sustain issue but offered only a straight tone versus a sound that would have a distinct envelope to it.
 
This remains one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
 
"thats incredibly creative. I wonder how he would change the pitch of the walkman to get enough notes for all the keys. i am guessing there is a resistor to make the motor go slower?"

The way a Mellotron works is that you record a separate tone for each key. So the C reproduces a recorded C the F# reproduces a recorded F# and so on.

Now that answers you question but I am left wondering if he used a modified cassette with a loop of tape.
I tried this and it works but the tape doesnt last that long. I built a simple copycat using a tape deck years ago and the biggest problem was getting the tape to loop and last long enough to be useful. I suspect that it would be a lot simpler to build a mellotron using a number of mp3 players and electronically loop the sound.
 
Hi there,
I had the great pleasure of playing w/ Mike Walters when I lived in NC- he used many of his instruments on my upcoming album Pilfershire Lane. You can hear the Melloman in the song "Pilfershire Lane" on this site:
myspace.com/tarabuschgirlonfire and more synths on myspace.com/tarabusch
these instruments are just as beautiful and soulful in the "flesh"!
t
ps...what a wonderful site this is.
 
Or maybe rig up 14 reel-to-reel tape machines with continuous tape loops...
You are, of course, talking about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Look out for the TV documentary on the peer-to-peer sites, it includes a breakdown of the Dr Who theme, digitally reproduced track by track. All hail the great Delia Derbyshire.
 
This is somewhat similar, although with a more creative interface. Done with 3 iPods, each playing stereo tracks that are split up...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JskjKBHjIl8
 
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