> >Mellotrons have a wonderful way of being very present in a rock mix >>without overpowering it where real symphonic instruments might tend >>to either dominate it or at the other extreme sound like "background". > >And the bonus question: how come this is true? At the risk of sounding like an empirical know it all bastard that one's easy. 1. The dynamic range of melotron samples is very limited so the level from the instrument is very predictable. 2. The frequency range is also pretty limited not much in the way of bas and the high mids are kind of punched up. 3. The melotron samples usually seem to have little or no ambience in them and are basically pretty "in your face" tape compression type sounds.