IK Multimedia has introduced SampleTron II, a new version of their virtual instrument that goes beyond emulating the Mellotron and other early sample-playback keyboards by letting you create ‘new vintage’ sounds, based on your own samples.
The core of SampleTron is based on deep sampling of vintage sample-based instruments, including the Mellotron, Chamberlin, Optigan and other keyboards. It goes beyond the original keyboards, though, by letting you combine sounds from different sources, tweak the sounds with synth functions, add a wide variety of effects and more.
You can also load a custom sample across the keyboard, or a folder of samples, and play back your sounds with SampleTron’s modeled Mellotron characteristics.
Features:
- 8GB virtual instrument collection of sought-after vintage and tape-based samplers
- Over 400 tracks sampled from vintage Mellotrons, Chamberlins, Optigans and other rare pieces
- Each preset can load three tracks to split, layer and solo from over 400 available
- Features a collection of modern non-Tron and vintage digital sample-based instruments
- Includes the full content of IK’s original SampleTron updated for legacy users
- Sample loading function creates user Tron sounds with IK’s tape modeling DSP
- Rack effects include Channel Strip, Tape Echo, Multimod and new Vintage Plate
- Standalone operation or SampleTron 2 can be played as a library inside SampleTank 4
Pricing and Availability
SampleTron II is available now with an intro price of $199. Existing customers should see the site for upgrade pricing.
So. Much. Talking.
Seems like you could create tron sounds by running ANY sampler through some plugins that do tape wow, tape saturation, and band-pass.
$200 and 8 Gigs of my SSD
Pass.
149 for IK-loyal clients. Also one can use JamPoints. After all, 117E in my case.
Even so, too much Mellows on a market – Arturia, G-Force.
The original Mellotron keys would quiver beneath my fingers- you could feel the motor at work. Too bad there isn’t a simulation for that!
I can’t speak to Arturia’s Mellotron, but I think G-Media has the edge with the original Streetly tapes and a major library for M-Tron. Chamberlin, Optigan and Birotron add-ons if you want them, too. It all depends on how string/choir traditionally you want to use it versus warping it for unique effects & colorful song bridges.
I tried both from Arturia and this one and im staying with Arturia just because of the sound… But I like the addons from IK.
Andrew: The original Mellotron keys would quiver beneath my fingers- you could feel the motor at work. Too bad there isn’t a simulation for that!
I was playing one that had a nice string rack in it, but it did the horrendous tape snarl trick and that was that until further notice. I’d glad there’s no simulation for that! M-Tron’s sometimes-included ‘tape glurp’ when it rewinds is as close as I have to come. Progress. You lose some of that feel, but you’re also freed from the drawbacks.
In this day and age, I don’t understand the appeal of Mellotron sounds. Unless you’re intentionally trying to duplicate the lo-fi Mellotron sounds of the 60s and early 70s (as in something like a Genesis or Yes cover band), why would you want Mellotron sounds? In addition to its reliability problems, there’s a reason that people stopped using Mellotrons when better things came along.
Tim, the answer is simple it sounds unique and has a timemachine quality which transforms us all to the magic of the 60´s