Mellotron instrument

Darkwater

I've been asked by a band member to play some songs with a mellotron sound. Can anyone tell me whether there is an instrument within NI that is a mellotron or similar to it?

LostInFoundation

It has to be from NI? Because they don’t have a Mellotron plugin. But some third party libraries for Kontakt are available.

In any case, I think the 2 Mellotron reproductions most appreciated are

Mellotron V by Arturia (on offer at 50% now…also on Plugin Boutique. Link to PB page with some Mellotron plugins)

Sampletron 2 by IK Multimedia (very deep, not only Mellotron but also Chamberlin plus many added new sounds)

You also have some free Kontakt third party libraries:

https://sinewavelab.com/products/free-mellotron-library-for-kontakt/

https://velvetfidelity.com/products/mellotape

Or not Kontakt ones:

https://sites.google.com/site/artifakelabs/

http://www.dreamvortex.co.uk/instruments/

(scroll down for DVS Microtron)

https://web.archive.org/web/20030211054234/http%3A//batsound.users.btopenworld.com/

And I’m sure you can find many others…

reffahcs

Arturia has one as well. However, I'm not familiar with the original instrument, so I can't speak to how accurate/good/bad their version is.

LostInFoundation

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135749#Comment_135749

It’s the first linked, Mellotron V

Sunborn

GForce M-Tron Pro

Best Mellotron emulation ever, imo better than Arturia

https://www.gforcesoftware.com/products/m-tron-pro-iv/

mykejb

Kontakt has a selection of Mellotron sounds. Are you looking for a particular sound?

LostInFoundation

True. Factory Library has a whole Mellotron section. Forgot about it because I rarely use that library. It’s true it is included with Kontakt “for free”, but once you start to buy other libraries, the ones from Kontakt start sounding “meh”…

mykejb

Yeah they're not as good as the Arturia/G-Force, but they maybe "good enough" for the OP to use in a band context. Depends what sounds too - Kontakt ones are pretty basic, but they include the flute which is what most people want :)

PoorFellow

While I applaud what everyone else has suggested then I also found these for you :

Kontakt Factory Library (already suggested above) Page 66 : Vintage : Mellotron Various Mellotron Tape Sets

RETRO MACHINES MK II : KORG POLYSIX : It delivered a good Mellotron strings sound and you could save 32 patches

AQUARIUS EARTH : with sampled vintage keys like the Mellotron

P.S. Apparently then also 'mellotron-like presets' can be found in Ashlight and Pharlight .

LostInFoundation

I omitted Retro Machines because Polysix has a lot of qualities…but calling it similar to Mellotron is like eating an orange and saying “it reminds me of an apple” just because they are 2 fruits…

And Aquarius earth is one of my favorites expansions (long live the Soulquarians!), but I would never go there if wanting to play a Mellotron

PoorFellow

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135798#Comment_135798

Thanks , I were only quoting the N.I. page !

I myself have both Mellotron V by Arturia and Sampletron 2 by IK Multimedia as you initially suggested and I have been very fond of the Sampletron 2 myself and have actually used it a lot !

However the question from the OP were : "tell me whether there is an instrument within NI that is a mellotron or similar to it?"

And I do think that my answer qualifies !

LostInFoundation

Yes it does

Darkwater

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/135745#Comment_135745

thanks for this. I'm running Maschine 2, will Mellotron V work through that? New to this so don't know what I don't know!! Can you tell:)

mykejb

Yes it'll work well. Arturia products integrate into Maschine and Komplete Kontrol as they provide NKS presets. You can browse them in the library and the knobs on the hardware are mapped to VST parameters. The only one that doesn't have the presets is Analog Lab.

LostInFoundation

More generally: Maschine is able to load VSTs. The difference you can encounter is between those companies that make NKS ready instruments and the ones that don’t.

The ones with NKS will be listed in Maschine’s library to the left, with all the graphics, presets lists, parameters already premapped and all the bells and whistles.

The ones that don’t have NKS can be loaded in another way, only through the + sign that will show a drop down menu with VST and other things. There you will find the VSTs not listed in Maschine “graphical” library (and also the ones listed also there), but once loaded they will work anyway

PoorFellow

And as I understand it then in some cases when not otherwise NKS supported you can get NKS support by buying add ons from Freelance Soundlabs !