Questions about Streetly Electronics, Omenie or the M3000? We've got the answers.
There seem to be a lot of digital mellotrons on the market. Why should I buy the M3000?
Streetly and Omenie have always striven for the most accurate sound. Other companies put a lot of emphasis on the use of sounds generated from “the Master Tapes", i.e., the original recordings laid down in London during 1962 and 1963. However, the tapes that ended up in production mellotrons were actually made from copy masters and work masters, which were several tape generations away from the originals. The ensuing degradation in sound is what creates the distinctive mellotronic sound we know and love. The master tapes simply do not have that same character.
What is the history of Streetly Electronics?
Streetly Electronics is the current incarnation of the original mellotron manufacturing company that was forced into liquidation in the late '80s. The head figure today is John Bradley, son of Les Bradley (the original MD of Streetly), who with his brothers Norm and Frank developed the mellotron in Birmingham in the early '60s. John has been around mellotrons since the first MKI in December 1963 and he built them at the factory. John’s depth of knowledge in all things mellotronic is unequalled.
Why is there more than one company claiming to make ‘real’ mellotrons?
People make claims but Streetly produce an electromechanical instrument that is faithful in every way to the original machines. Streetly’s instruments embrace all of the technology that was used back in the day, even down to the same tape stock. You can substitute a current component from Streetly’s production and it will work with any 'tron made by the original Streetly Electronics. That compatibility is unique to Streetly. The only change to the original instrument, which has no effect on the audio, is the stepper motor control in the M4000 to give a multi station instrument with 24 sounds available.
Do Streetly still make the ‘official’ mellotron?
The company no longer owns the trademark, which was lost in 1986, but they are proud owners of the heritage and lineage as well as the original jigs and fixtures! And most musos will remember the Streetly name ahead of any others.
What products do Streetly currently produce?
Streetly manufacture the all-new M4000, classic M400s on request, tapes and tape frames and all the spares anyone could need.
Who are Omenie?
Omenie is a privately held company in Bath, UK, founded by Phil Atkin, who has over 30 years experience in audio and graphics software development. Omenie produced the first mellotron on Apple’s App Store in early 2009, and soon after partnered with Streetly Electronics to develop the M3000 HD (an iPad exclusive application), which launched in 2010. Omenie are the exclusive mobile platform licensee of Streetly's mellotron tape library.
Is the M3000 the only digital mellotron that uses Streetly’s tapes?
On iOS, yes, but Streetly do have their sounds available for other platforms via licensed plug-ins.
Have any well-known artists endorsed the M3000?
Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues, Jack Bruce of Cream and Blue Weaver of the Strawbs and Mott The Hoople have all used and enjoyed the App. And, of course, Gorillaz used the M3000 on their iPad-generated album 'The Fall'. We also know that a 2014 Grammy-nominated CD featured M3000 sounds, but for commercial confidentiality reasons we can say no more!
Does the M3000 include the actual tapes from any well-known recordings?
Absolutely! You are getting the flutes from Strawberry Fields Forever, the violins from Space Oddity, Wheels on Fire and Nights in White Satin, the 'Eight Choir' from Radiohead’s Exit Music and Genesis’ Entangled, the brass from 2000 Light Years from Home and the cello from Wonderwall, to name but a few.
Will you be offering additional voices for the M3000?
The April 2014 edition of M3000, from version 2.84 and above, features an in-app Tape Store that brings another 47 of Streetly's classic sounds to the iPad platform, as well as some brand-new recordings. Streetly have a huge canon of sounds available, and if there is demand we will for sure make more tapes available in the future.
Where can I see/hear the M3000 being played so I can evaluate it for myself?
Streetly are producing a video ‘shoot-out’ of the M3000 playing in tandem with a genuine instrument, so watch this space. John Bradley and Martin Smith from Streetly (who are the most critical of listeners!), have described the M3000’s authenticity as ‘staggering’, and this upcoming video will show the world what the M3000 is capable of. To see M3000 being played, and to hear some remarkable multi-track recordings featuring just M3000, check out the 'MEDIA' page. There is also a user manual available, a free download iBook from the Apple iBook store - grab it now for a walk through of M3000's features.
Streetly and Omenie have always striven for the most accurate sound. Other companies put a lot of emphasis on the use of sounds generated from “the Master Tapes", i.e., the original recordings laid down in London during 1962 and 1963. However, the tapes that ended up in production mellotrons were actually made from copy masters and work masters, which were several tape generations away from the originals. The ensuing degradation in sound is what creates the distinctive mellotronic sound we know and love. The master tapes simply do not have that same character.
What is the history of Streetly Electronics?
Streetly Electronics is the current incarnation of the original mellotron manufacturing company that was forced into liquidation in the late '80s. The head figure today is John Bradley, son of Les Bradley (the original MD of Streetly), who with his brothers Norm and Frank developed the mellotron in Birmingham in the early '60s. John has been around mellotrons since the first MKI in December 1963 and he built them at the factory. John’s depth of knowledge in all things mellotronic is unequalled.
Why is there more than one company claiming to make ‘real’ mellotrons?
People make claims but Streetly produce an electromechanical instrument that is faithful in every way to the original machines. Streetly’s instruments embrace all of the technology that was used back in the day, even down to the same tape stock. You can substitute a current component from Streetly’s production and it will work with any 'tron made by the original Streetly Electronics. That compatibility is unique to Streetly. The only change to the original instrument, which has no effect on the audio, is the stepper motor control in the M4000 to give a multi station instrument with 24 sounds available.
Do Streetly still make the ‘official’ mellotron?
The company no longer owns the trademark, which was lost in 1986, but they are proud owners of the heritage and lineage as well as the original jigs and fixtures! And most musos will remember the Streetly name ahead of any others.
What products do Streetly currently produce?
Streetly manufacture the all-new M4000, classic M400s on request, tapes and tape frames and all the spares anyone could need.
Who are Omenie?
Omenie is a privately held company in Bath, UK, founded by Phil Atkin, who has over 30 years experience in audio and graphics software development. Omenie produced the first mellotron on Apple’s App Store in early 2009, and soon after partnered with Streetly Electronics to develop the M3000 HD (an iPad exclusive application), which launched in 2010. Omenie are the exclusive mobile platform licensee of Streetly's mellotron tape library.
Is the M3000 the only digital mellotron that uses Streetly’s tapes?
On iOS, yes, but Streetly do have their sounds available for other platforms via licensed plug-ins.
Have any well-known artists endorsed the M3000?
Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues, Jack Bruce of Cream and Blue Weaver of the Strawbs and Mott The Hoople have all used and enjoyed the App. And, of course, Gorillaz used the M3000 on their iPad-generated album 'The Fall'. We also know that a 2014 Grammy-nominated CD featured M3000 sounds, but for commercial confidentiality reasons we can say no more!
Does the M3000 include the actual tapes from any well-known recordings?
Absolutely! You are getting the flutes from Strawberry Fields Forever, the violins from Space Oddity, Wheels on Fire and Nights in White Satin, the 'Eight Choir' from Radiohead’s Exit Music and Genesis’ Entangled, the brass from 2000 Light Years from Home and the cello from Wonderwall, to name but a few.
Will you be offering additional voices for the M3000?
The April 2014 edition of M3000, from version 2.84 and above, features an in-app Tape Store that brings another 47 of Streetly's classic sounds to the iPad platform, as well as some brand-new recordings. Streetly have a huge canon of sounds available, and if there is demand we will for sure make more tapes available in the future.
Where can I see/hear the M3000 being played so I can evaluate it for myself?
Streetly are producing a video ‘shoot-out’ of the M3000 playing in tandem with a genuine instrument, so watch this space. John Bradley and Martin Smith from Streetly (who are the most critical of listeners!), have described the M3000’s authenticity as ‘staggering’, and this upcoming video will show the world what the M3000 is capable of. To see M3000 being played, and to hear some remarkable multi-track recordings featuring just M3000, check out the 'MEDIA' page. There is also a user manual available, a free download iBook from the Apple iBook store - grab it now for a walk through of M3000's features.
