you're are right — anyone can see it in the early 70's videos. But I had no bass pedals, so I used the Korg organ in the beginning for the bass notes; and in the second part for the two-voice higher parts (which should have been an octave higher, I have to say now...). Thanks for listening anyway.
i used to own a tron 400..... and if the motor mount is 90 degrees the tapes wobble.....it was always a pain... Rick Wakeman used to complain about it too.
yes, it's a little bit wobbling... it's a feature, not a failure :-))
But you are right, it is obvious at this point. Every now and then you have to adjust a Mellotron (cleaning the pinch rollers etc) then such effects are not to recognize. But it's the same with a piano: after a while, a year or two, you'll notice the first notes a bit out of tune and it's time for the piano tuner!
Tony actually wrote "Watchers" on a Mellotron Mark II and a Hammond L-122 organ connected to a Leslie 760 speaker. He wrote the mellotron part using what he thought was the better sounding chords because some notes didn't sound that great on the Mark II. He later switched to a Hammond T-102 and Leslie and subsequently lost the Leslie and made the chorus sound through a phasor and fuzz box. He also updated to a Mellotron 400 series.
Wow, that sounds very detailed! Even when I read the Armando Gallo book several times I never looked at all the details about the equipment in the first years of Genesis. In the Belgium video from 1971 or 72 you can see the MK II as well as the Hammond, but I am no expert in Hammond types. And later Tony didn't used a Leslie anymore? At which point? I guess after Peter Gabriel has left the band.
It was sometime during the recording of Trick of the Tail that he switched from the Leslie (which he also used to put the ARP pro-soloist and Mellotron through) to a chorus effect using a Fender-Blender Fuzz effect and MXR Phase 100 for Hammond T-102. I have been a Hammond finatic since the early 70s and haved owned many B3s, A-100s etc. but it is my L-122 with a 142 Leslie that I love the most because of Banks. The L and T models are the small cheap home spinet types that he used.
Let me correct something. It's been a while since I thought about what he used. He used a MXR Phase 100 and Boss CE-10 for the T-102organ to phase out (pun not intended) the Leslie.
Tony preferred ARP to Moog for the most part but did use a Polymoog in the 70s. ARP was the first to come out with a polyphonic sound even though it was only two notes at a time which we liked better than the Minimoog which was monophonic. The ARP sound was just as popular back then before going under financially. By the way, I live in the same town (Asheville, N.C.)as Moog pioneer Bob Moog. He was a great guy! We miss seeing him around town.
Tony actually wrote "Watchers" on a Mellotron Mark II and a Hammond L-122 organ connected to a Leslie 760 speaker. He wrote the mellotron part using what he thought was the better sounding chords because some notes didn't sound that great on the Mark II. He later switched to a Hammond T-102 and Leslie and subsequently lost the Leslie and made the chorus sound through a phasor and fuzz box. He also updated to a Mellotron 400 series.
A Hammond 102 (which has a smaler keyboard, only 3,5 octaves) with Leslie. That's what I know, but maybe he also used a phaser for some tracks. It's a very different sound to the always prefered B3, that's true!
it's organ bass (well, not a Hammond, but it is analogue organ). The sound choice for the Mellotron depends on what tapes I have: flute/violin/cello on frame one, and church organ/violins/8choir on the other frame. The church organ with the strings may sound also Ok (it has more power in the lower octave), so maybe I make another clip with that mix later.
But you're right, the brass/violins mix is the ultimative Watcher sound :-) But I don't own brass — yet!
O dear,
you're are right — anyone can see it in the early 70's videos. But I had no bass pedals, so I used the Korg organ in the beginning for the bass notes; and in the second part for the two-voice higher parts (which should have been an octave higher, I have to say now...). Thanks for listening anyway.
Thomasooo2003 11 months ago
good post! banks used the hammond on the right and the mellotron on the left.
douzilles 11 months ago
Thank you for posting this wonderful music. Please keep them coming.
vacuumtube1954 1 year ago
Beautiful! I always loved that intro. Never hit me that it was a Mellotron doing the strings.
Organgrinder010 2 years ago
i used to own a tron 400..... and if the motor mount is 90 degrees the tapes wobble.....it was always a pain... Rick Wakeman used to complain about it too.
mysticradio 2 years ago
Something's wrong with the Mello at 40... stretched tape?
mooghammondb3 3 years ago
yes, it's a little bit wobbling... it's a feature, not a failure :-))
But you are right, it is obvious at this point. Every now and then you have to adjust a Mellotron (cleaning the pinch rollers etc) then such effects are not to recognize. But it's the same with a piano: after a while, a year or two, you'll notice the first notes a bit out of tune and it's time for the piano tuner!
Thomasooo2003 3 years ago
Candles-Nice Touch.
mooghammondb3 3 years ago
:-)
Perhaps they add a bit of gothic visual to the gothic music...
Thomasooo2003 3 years ago
che era sta porcheria?
PinoCarella 3 years ago
Tony actually wrote "Watchers" on a Mellotron Mark II and a Hammond L-122 organ connected to a Leslie 760 speaker. He wrote the mellotron part using what he thought was the better sounding chords because some notes didn't sound that great on the Mark II. He later switched to a Hammond T-102 and Leslie and subsequently lost the Leslie and made the chorus sound through a phasor and fuzz box. He also updated to a Mellotron 400 series.
NCMountainDavis 3 years ago
Wow, that sounds very detailed! Even when I read the Armando Gallo book several times I never looked at all the details about the equipment in the first years of Genesis. In the Belgium video from 1971 or 72 you can see the MK II as well as the Hammond, but I am no expert in Hammond types. And later Tony didn't used a Leslie anymore? At which point? I guess after Peter Gabriel has left the band.
Thomasooo2003 3 years ago
It was sometime during the recording of Trick of the Tail that he switched from the Leslie (which he also used to put the ARP pro-soloist and Mellotron through) to a chorus effect using a Fender-Blender Fuzz effect and MXR Phase 100 for Hammond T-102. I have been a Hammond finatic since the early 70s and haved owned many B3s, A-100s etc. but it is my L-122 with a 142 Leslie that I love the most because of Banks. The L and T models are the small cheap home spinet types that he used.
NCMountainDavis 3 years ago
Let me correct something. It's been a while since I thought about what he used. He used a MXR Phase 100 and Boss CE-10 for the T-102organ to phase out (pun not intended) the Leslie.
NCMountainDavis 3 years ago
Why did Tony 'til '73 to start using synths? Why ARP, not a Moog?
JIF882 3 years ago
Tony preferred ARP to Moog for the most part but did use a Polymoog in the 70s. ARP was the first to come out with a polyphonic sound even though it was only two notes at a time which we liked better than the Minimoog which was monophonic. The ARP sound was just as popular back then before going under financially. By the way, I live in the same town (Asheville, N.C.)as Moog pioneer Bob Moog. He was a great guy! We miss seeing him around town.
NCMountainDavis 3 years ago
Yeah. He used Polymoog on ATTWT and Duke. I meant to ask why did he wait 'til '73 to start using them?
JIF882 3 years ago
Tony actually wrote "Watchers" on a Mellotron Mark II and a Hammond L-122 organ connected to a Leslie 760 speaker. He wrote the mellotron part using what he thought was the better sounding chords because some notes didn't sound that great on the Mark II. He later switched to a Hammond T-102 and Leslie and subsequently lost the Leslie and made the chorus sound through a phasor and fuzz box. He also updated to a Mellotron 400 series.
NCMountainDavis 3 years ago
I've always wondered how tony achieved his signative hammond sound. What organ did he use?
mooghammondb3 4 years ago
A Hammond 102 (which has a smaler keyboard, only 3,5 octaves) with Leslie. That's what I know, but maybe he also used a phaser for some tracks. It's a very different sound to the always prefered B3, that's true!
Thomasooo2003 4 years ago
anyway a mellotron is always welcome
cactusfloyd 4 years ago
lovely instrument, it would be nicer if you use the brass sound and an organ bass
cactusfloyd 4 years ago
Thanks for the comment —
it's organ bass (well, not a Hammond, but it is analogue organ). The sound choice for the Mellotron depends on what tapes I have: flute/violin/cello on frame one, and church organ/violins/8choir on the other frame. The church organ with the strings may sound also Ok (it has more power in the lower octave), so maybe I make another clip with that mix later.
But you're right, the brass/violins mix is the ultimative Watcher sound :-) But I don't own brass — yet!
Thomasooo2003 4 years ago
There's no organ bass in the original. It's accordion bass.
taijiguy 4 years ago
BEAUTIFUL sound.
CadillacL 4 years ago 3
Wow - a real mellotron and an old bx-3 !
quaderni 4 years ago