EH introduces the "Mellotron" pedal

**NSJ** · 03-17-2016, 10:57 AM

**mr. beaumont** · 03-17-2016, 10:59 AM

I can say, with absolute certainty, that I will not be able to resist this.

**gmek** · 03-17-2016, 11:12 AM

Neat! I also saw they recently came out with a key9 that does Rhodes and wurlis. These are much cooler to me than the b9 organ pedals.

**jzucker** · 03-17-2016, 11:21 AM

Doesn't knock me out. It's cool for playing '60s pop music but I'm looking for good clarinet (ala holdsworth atavachron) and more natural sounding strings.

I tried out their hammond organ pedal too. It was good but I expected to buy it based on the clips and when I played it live, I was not as impressed.

I think it'd be more impressive if they made a "master" synth pedal with all the sounds built in instead of nickel-and-diming you on individual pedals...

**Flat** · 03-17-2016, 11:25 AM

Yeah, man. The Key9 for piano sounds, the C9 for organ sounds. And NO triggering/latency issues--that's extremely cool, imho.

A pedal where you could pick and choose your favorite sounds from these pedals would be ideal. One Mellotron, one Hammond B3, one Fender Rhodes...really, that's probably the only ones I would use.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-17-2016, 11:26 AM

I guess what I like about it was the mellotron was always an "effect," you never thought it was a real orchestra or whatever...this seems to capture that.

I have the organ pedal. It's collecting dust. This very well might end up the same, but I feel like I have an actual application for this in the music I make...time will tell.

**NSJ** · 03-17-2016, 11:39 AM

Yeah, The Mellotron was originally designed to emulate string sounds, but it turned into it's own unique sounding instrument, which also allowed for the blending of various sounds together, using the A-B switch. Something unique and distinct altogether.

Some of these sounds sound better than others.

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-17-2016, 11:44 AM

Man I love the way he does the King Crimson and Genesis stuff...brings back a lot of flashbacks.

Yeah, EHX is killing me with these pedals. Sure they're a gimmick, but what a gimmick!

I personally don't have a use for this one at this point, cause I don't channel my inner Fripp or Tony Banks too much. I have a B9 pedal which I play around with at home. There are a lot of tricks to get the sound you want--have to use the bridge pickup, have the tone and volume set about halfway, play with a consistent attack, etc. Nevertheless, it's a lot of fun. I use it mainly with a looper to play backing tracks to solo over. Ray Charles songs and funky stuff like Green Onions sounds great with the pedal.

**jzucker** · 03-17-2016, 12:45 PM

if they'd do one with a decent clarinet, GR 300 and strings I'd be in.

**Greentone** · 03-17-2016, 12:57 PM

There are times when I use the C9 pedal to cop a B3 in a small trio. I could see using the Mel9 and the Key9 similarly. EH has something going on, here.

One thing, it really helps if you play without _any_ left hand vibrato when using these pedals--if you want to get a realistic piano/organ/mellotron effect. Then, again, often times it's the hybrid sounds that we are after.

**travisty** · 03-17-2016, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

I think it'd be more impressive if they made a "master" synth pedal with all the sounds built in instead of nickel-and-diming you on individual pedals...

Wouldn't this be possible to through MIDI interface to a VST synth package?

**mr. beaumont** · 03-17-2016, 01:02 PM

Maybe it was just because when I saw it, I thought "oooh, I can play in the court of the crimson king" and then I click on the video and BAM! First tune!

**medblues** · 03-17-2016, 01:56 PM

How about profiling these sounds with a Kemper ? Has anyone tried that (presuming they are just like amps, if it is legal to profile amps, it should also apply to pedals) ?

**vernon** · 03-17-2016, 02:04 PM

1972 Arie Crown theatre in Chicago. King Crimson Lizard tour - the mellotrons were utterly other-worldly. This pedal demo doesn't quite get there for me... a little too theater-organish for me. Great memories though...

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-17-2016, 02:54 PM

**ghoststrat** · 03-17-2016, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by jzucker

Doesn't knock me out. It's cool for playing '60s pop music but I'm looking for good clarinet (ala holdsworth atavachron) and more natural sounding strings.

I tried out their hammond organ pedal too. It was good but I expected to buy it based on the clips and when I played it live, I was not as impressed.

I think it'd be more impressive if they made a "master" synth pedal with all the sounds built in instead of nickel-and-diming you on individual pedals...

I'm with you on this. I've been using guitar synths since the mid-90's, and have yet to find one that I can depend on. My favorite so far was the GR33. I have the 55, but didn't dig it. I haven't tried the SY-300, but like the idea that it doesn't require an extra pickup. Since I never attempt to play the role of other instruments (strait flute sound, piano, violin, etc), having good versions of those sound don't matter to me, I just need good tracking, and the flexibility to create a range of sounds and textures. As far as soloing is concerned, I always layer it on top of clean guitar.

All of that led to a question: in your experience, what has come the closest to meeting your expectations?

**Bluedawg** · 03-17-2016, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Maybe it was just because when I saw it, I thought "oooh, I can play in the court of the crimson king" and then I click on the video and BAM! First tune!

And my first thought was Watcher of the Skies

I may have to get one of these

Not a cheap pedal .... but cheaper than a decent keyboard with good vintage sounds in it

LOL

**Dana** · 03-17-2016, 03:48 PM

I wonder if I can play Tuesday Afternoon with it.

**rickshapiro** · 03-17-2016, 04:16 PM

Novelty. I played the organ one and was not too impressed. Tracking kind of sucked.

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-17-2016, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by rickshapiro

Novelty. I played the organ one and was not too impressed. Tracking kind of sucked.

There are a few tricks which I mentioned above to improve tracking. Also, use bridge pickup but pick up toward the neck. Single coils seem to work better than humbuckers. Anyway, YMMV, but tracking isn't a big problem for me.