Mellotron FX Sound Effects Console

The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in England, in 1963. The instrument is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. Different portions of the tape can be played to access different sounds.

The instrument began to be used by rock and pop groups in the mid to late 1960s, including The Moody Blues and The Beatles. The Mellotron was subsequently used by groups like King Crimson and Genesis, becoming a common instrument in prog rock. The instrument's popularity declined in the 1980s after the introduction of polyphonic synthesizers and samplers, despite a number of high-profile users like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and XTC.

The Mellotron FX model was designed in 1965, in collaboration with the BBC, specifically for use for sound effects in radio and TV. This model has a library of more than 1200 sound effects, from steam locomotives, to football crowds, to several species of frog.

Production of the Mellotron ceased in 1986, but it regained popularity in the 1990s and was used by several notable bands, such as Oasis and Radiohead.

The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in England, in 1963. The instrument is played by pressing its keys, each of which pushes a length of magnetic tape against a capstan, which pulls it across a playback head. Different portions of the tape can be played to access different sounds.

The instrument began to be used by rock and pop groups in the mid to late 1960s, including The Moody Blues and The Beatles. The Mellotron was subsequently used by groups like King Crimson and Genesis, becoming a common instrument in prog rock. The instrument's popularity declined in the 1980s after the introduction of polyphonic synthesizers and samplers, despite a number of high-profile users like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and XTC.

The Mellotron FX model was designed in 1965, in collaboration with the BBC, specifically for use for sound effects in radio and TV. This model has a library of more than 1200 sound effects, from steam locomotives, to football crowds, to several species of frog.

Production of the Mellotron ceased in 1986, but it regained popularity in the 1990s and was used by several notable bands, such as Oasis and Radiohead.