[Harp-L] ElectroHarmonix MEL9 Mellotron

[Richard Hunter]

Hi all,

I read with interest Robert Hale's recent comments on the ElectroHarmonix MEL9 Mellotron emulator.  I trust everyone reading this understands that this device is not a multi-FX processor like a Digitech RP or Zoom G3; it's an instrument that generates Mellotron-ish tones from whatever sound source is input to it. A Multi-FX processor coupled with a harmonica produces sounds that in most cases clearly started with a harmonica; the MEL9 produces the tones of a different instrument when a harmonica (or anything else) is input to it.

In this sense the MEL9, like the Hammond organ emulator that ElectroHarmonix sells, is an example of the 21st century concept of an instrument--that any instrument, in addition to (or instead of) being a sound generator in its own right, is also (at least potentially) a controller for entirely different sound generating devices and processes.  

I think it's very cool that the technology has advanced to the point that such devices track pitch, timbre, and attack well enough to produce a convincing, musical non-harmonica tone from a harmonica input, and I fully intend to check this thing out when I get the chance.  The roles that a harmonica can play in a band keep getting bigger.  Cool.

Regards, Richard Hunter


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