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MELLOTRON MOMENTS

Remember that fabulous flute sound in Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"? How about the string orchestra sounds in the Moody Blues' "Days of Future Passed"? Well, those sounds were generated by an instrument called the Mellotron. First built in 1946 by Harry Chamberlin, the instrument employs a keyboard-driven set of tape loops that have recordings of various orchestral instruments. The instrument was made popular in the late '60s by such groups as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and the Kinks. It has recently returned to favor, used by such groups as the Smashing Pumpkins, Kitaro, and Rush. This website has a complete history of this unique-sounding instrument, along with links to manufacturing dates and locations and a list of albums featuring the Mellotron. Do check it out.

Sat, 18 Dec 1999 23:51:06 -0800