Mike Pinder was a founding member, and once the keyboardist, of the band The Moody Blues. Pinder passed recently. Mr. Pinder was an acolyte of the weird instrument, The Mellotron.
What was The Mellotron? I asked ChatGPT to provide some illumination. Here is what they said:
A Mellotron is an electro-mechanical musical instrument developed in the early 1960s. It works by triggering prerecorded sounds stored on magnetic tape when a musician presses the keys on its keyboard. Each key on the Mellotron is connected to a tape playing a recording of an instrument, such as strings, flutes, or choirs, allowing musicians to produce orchestral sounds and effects that were difficult or impossible to recreate in live performances at the time. The Mellotron became famous for its distinctive sound and was prominently used by bands like The Beatles, The Moody Blues, and King Crimson, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, adding a unique, ethereal quality to rock and progressive music.
Mike Pinder adopted the instrument to create some unique and memorable passages for the Mellotron. Witness his use of the instrument on "Nights in White Satin", "Tuesday Afternoon", and "Legend of a Mind". Symphonic, atmospheric, haunting. Awesome work! RIP, Mr. Pinder.
View the very interesting documentary on The Mellotron by clicking on the link below.
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