MELLOTRON Meaning and
Definition
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The Mellotron is a musical instrument that belongs to the family of keyboard instruments. It is an electro-acoustic machine that produces sound by playing back pre-recorded tape loops. The name "Mellotron" is a combination of two words: "mellow" and "electronic." The instrument was developed in the early 1960s and gained popularity in the progressive rock and psychedelic music genres.
The Mellotron consists of a keyboard and a set of tape loops that are activated when the keys are pressed. Each key corresponds to a specific tape loop, and when played, the tape is triggered to play the recorded sound associated with that particular note. The original Mellotrons were equipped with a variety of sounds, including orchestral strings, flutes, choirs, and other acoustic instruments.
The instrument became famous for its unique, ethereal sound, which is created by the imperfections and slight variations in the tape loops. These imperfections give the Mellotron a distinctive lo-fi and haunting quality that was widely used in the music of the era.
Over the years, the Mellotron has evolved and been recreated in digital and virtual formats, with more modern versions utilizing digital samples instead of tape loops. However, the term "Mellotron" still refers to the original electro-mechanical instrument and its characteristic sound. Today, the Mellotron continues to be cherished by musicians and collectors for its nostalgic and experimental qualities.
Etymology of MELLOTRON
The word "mellotron" is derived from the combination of two words - "mello" and "tron".
The prefix "mello" is derived from "Mellifluous", which means sweet and musical. It is borrowed from the Latin word "mellis" meaning "honey", and "fluere" meaning "to flow". "Mellifluous" is often used to describe a pleasing or melodious sound.
The suffix "tron" is borrowed from the name of an electronic valve instrument called the "Chamberlin", which was the precursor to the Mellotron. Harry Chamberlin invented this instrument in the 1940s, which used a series of tape loops to generate pre-recorded sounds.
When the British company, Streetly Electronics, acquired the license to produce the Chamberlins in the UK, they made their own version and named it the "Mellotron".
