Arturia Mellotron V User manual

USER MANUAL

Special Thanks
DIRECTION
Frédéric BRUN Kévin MOLCARD
DEVELOPMENT
Pierre-Lin LANEYRIE
Baptiste AUBRY
Geoffrey GORMOND
Arnaud BARBIER
Adrien BARDET
Alexandre ADAM
Benjamin RENARD
Corentin COMTE
Florian MARIN
Germain MARZIN
Kevin ARCAS
Loris DE MARCO
Marie PAULI
Mathieu NOCENTI
Matthieu COUROUBLE
Maxime AUDFRAY
Pierre PFISTER
Raynald DANTIGNY
Samuel LIMIER
Simon CONAN
Timothée BÉHÉTY
Yann BURRER
DESIGN
Baptiste LE GOFF Morgan PERRIER Shaun ELLWOOD Jonas SELLAMI
SOUND DESIGN
Victor MORELLO Boele GERKES Ed Ten EYCK Paul SCHILLING
SPECIAL THANKS
Terry MARDSEN
Andrew CAPON
Fernando Manuel
RODRIGUES
Marco CORREIA
Gustavo BRAVETTI
Matt PIKE
Adrien KANTER
Ben EGGEHORN
Boele GERKES
Chuck CAPSIS
Hans HOLEMA
Greg COLE
Ken Flux PIERCE
Marc GIJSMAN
Jason CHENEVAS-PAULE
Jay JANSSEN
Jeffrey CECIL
Jose Gerardo RENDON
SANTANA
Luca LEFÈVRE
George WARE
Mat JONES
Neil HESTER
Paolo NEGRI
Peter TOMLINSON
Richard COURTEL
JK SWOPES
Dwight DAVIES
Tony Flying SQUIRREL
Ernesto ROMEO
MANUAL
Fernando M RODRIGUES
(Author)
Stephan VANKOV
Vincent LE HEN (editor)
Minoru KOIKE
Charlotte METAIS
Jose RENDON
Holger STEINBRINK
Jack VAN
© ARTURIA SA – 2019 – All rights reserved.
11 Chemin de la Dhuy
38240 Meylan
FRANCE
www.arturia.com

Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not
represent a commitment on the part of Arturia. The software described in this manual is
provided under the terms of a license agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software
license agreement specifies the terms and conditions for its lawful use. No part of this
manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any purpose other than
purchaser’s personal use, without the express written permission of ARTURIA S.A.
All other products, logos or company names quoted in this manual are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Product version: 1.0
Revision date: 25 April 2019

Thank you for purchasing Arturia's Mellotron V!
This manual covers the features and operation of the Mellotron V.
Be sure to register your software as soon as possible! When you purchased Mellotron V you
were sent a serial number and an unlock code by e-mail. These are required during the on-
line registration process.
Special Messages
Specifications Subject to Change:
The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing.
However, Arturia reserves the right to change or modify any of the specifications or features
without notice or obligation.
IMPORTANT:
The software, when used in combination with an amplifier, headphones or speakers, may
be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. DO NOT operate
for long periods of time at a high level or at a level that is uncomfortable.
If you encounter any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist.

Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of Arturia's Mellotron V
Since the late 1990s, Arturia has received acclaim from players and reviewers alike for
designing state-of-the art software emulations of the venerable analog synthesizers from
the 1960s to the 1980s. From the Modular V, back in 2004, to Origin, a modular system
that was introduced in 2010, to the Matrix 12 V (2015), the Synclavier V (2016), and most
recently the CMI V, the DX7 V and, last but not the least, Pigments, our first original software
synthesizer, Arturia's passion for synthesizers and sonic purity has given demanding
musicians the best software instruments for professional audio production.
With the launching of a new version of the V (Vintage) Collection, Arturia consolidates its
position as a leader in the field of modeled vintage instruments software.
The ARTURIA Mellotron V is one of the three new instrument emulations included in the
current version of our acclaimed bundle, and benefits from fifteen years of experience in
recreating the most iconic tools of the past.
ARTURIA has a passion for excellence and accuracy. This led us to conduct an extensive
analysis of every aspect of one of the most famous and iconic keyboard instruments of
the sixties and seventies, one which definitely marked and helped to define the sound of
progressive rock, and is commonly regarded as the ancestor of the modern samplers,
carefully reproducing the behavior of its electrical circuits and tape modeling. Not only have
we faithfully modeled the sound and behavior of this unique musical instrument, we have
added many features that were unimaginable in the days that unit first launched.
Mellotron V runs as a stand-alone virtual instrument, as well as a plug-in in all major
formats inside your DAW. It has easy MIDI learn functionality for hands-on control of most
parameters, and as a plug-in also allows parameter automation for greater creative control.
DISCLAIMER: All manufacturer and product names mentioned in this manual are
trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with
Arturia. The trademarks of other manufacturers eventually mentioned were used solely
to identify the products of those manufacturers whose features and sound were studied
during Mellotron V development. All names of equipment inventors and manufacturers
have been included for illustrative and educational purposes only and do not suggest any
affiliation or endorsement of Mellotron V by any equipment inventor or manufacturer.
The Arturia team

Table Of Contents
1. WELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON......................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. What is the Mellotron?........................................................................................................................................................ 3
1.2. Some historical facts........................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2.1. Whos' who of Mellotron users .............................................................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3. Does a Mellotron make sense in this day and age?...................................................................................... 5
1.4. Arturia's secret ingredient: TAE®.................................................................................................................................. 7
1.5. Arturia's Mellotron V............................................................................................................................................................. 8
2. ACTIVATION AND FIRST START.......................................................................................................................... 9
2.1. System Requirements........................................................................................................................................................ 9
2.2. Activate the Arturia Mellotron V license................................................................................................................. 9
2.2.1. The Arturia Software Center (ASC)................................................................................................................................................................... 9
2.3. Initial Setup ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10
2.3.1. Audio and MIDI Settings: Windows.............................................................................................................................................................. 10
2.3.2. Audio and MIDI Settings: MacOS ................................................................................................................................................................... 12
2.3.3. Mellotron V as a plug-in........................................................................................................................................................................................ 12
3. MELLOTRON V OVERVIEW................................................................................................................................... 13
3.1. What can we do with Mellotron V?......................................................................................................................... 13
3.1.1. The original Mellotron limitations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 13
3.1.2. The Mellotron V main features.......................................................................................................................................................................... 14
3.2. Getting hands-on with the Mellotron V ................................................................................................................ 15
3.2.1. Basics................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
3.2.2. Using the "tapes" ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 16
3.2.3. Using your own sounds......................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
3.2.4. Using the effects........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18
3.2.5. Automating the Mellotron V with MIDI....................................................................................................................................................... 19
4. USER INTERFACE ...................................................................................................................................................... 20
4.1. Useful Computer Keyboard Shortcuts................................................................................................................. 20
4.2. The virtual keyboards.................................................................................................................................................... 20
4.3. The Upper Toolbar ............................................................................................................................................................. 21
4.3.1. Arturia Menu.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21
4.3.2. Preset Library Browser and Manager........................................................................................................................................................ 23
4.3.3. Preset Selection Filter............................................................................................................................................................................................ 24
4.3.4. Preset Selection......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.3.5. Effects (FX) Button................................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.3.6. Advanced (Double Arrow) Button.................................................................................................................................................................. 25
4.3.7. MIDI Learn assignment....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
4.3.8. MIDI controller configuration .......................................................................................................................................................................... 28
4.4. The Lower Toolbar ............................................................................................................................................................ 29
4.4.1. MIDI Channel Setting ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 29
4.4.2. Panic Button................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 29
4.4.3. CPU meter..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
4.4.4. Maximize........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 29
5. PRESET BROWSER AND MANAGEMENT TOOLS.................................................................................... 30
5.1. Searching Presets ............................................................................................................................................................. 30
5.2. Using tags as filters ........................................................................................................................................................ 30
5.3. Search Results window................................................................................................................................................. 32
5.4. Tag category windows.................................................................................................................................................. 33
5.5. The Preset Info section ................................................................................................................................................. 34
5.5.1. Edit information for multiple presets ........................................................................................................................................................... 35
5.6. Preset selection: other methods .............................................................................................................................. 36
5.7. Playlists .................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
5.7.1. Add a playlist................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 37
5.7.2. Add a preset.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 37
5.7.3. Re-order the presets................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
5.7.4. Remove a preset........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 37
5.7.5. Delete a playlist .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
6. MELLOTRON V CONTROL PANEL..................................................................................................................... 38
6.1. Main Control Panel ............................................................................................................................................................ 38
6.1.1. On/Off Button................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 38
6.1.2. Track Selector .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39

6.1.3. Volume.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39
6.1.4. Tone .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
6.1.5. Pitch.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
6.1.6. The Mellotron Keyboard........................................................................................................................................................................................ 39
6.2. Advanced Control Panel (Open Lid Mode) ...................................................................................................... 40
6.2.1. Amplitude Envelope (Macro)............................................................................................................................................................................. 40
6.2.2. Flutter ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
6.2.3. Tape Saturation .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
6.2.4. Mechanics ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
6.2.5. Noise Floor.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42
6.2.6. Vel > Volume................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42
6.2.7. AT > Flutter ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42
6.2.8. Tape Track Page........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
6.2.9. Virtual Keyboard....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43
7. TAPES AND SAMPLES MANAGEMENT............................................................................................................ 44
7.1. Tracks Page ............................................................................................................................................................................ 44
7.1.1. Mapping Tapes and Samples.............................................................................................................................................................................. 45
7.1.2. Sample Browser......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
7.1.3. Regions............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 46
7.1.4. Edit/Exit button ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 47
7.2. Sample Editing Page ....................................................................................................................................................... 47
7.2.1. Track Selector Button ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
7.2.2. Load Button .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
7.2.3. Remove Button........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 48
7.2.4. Waveform Window................................................................................................................................................................................................. 49
7.2.5. Pan .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
7.2.6. Gain .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 50
7.2.7. Trans (Transpose).................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
7.2.8. Tune .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
7.2.9. Stretch............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
7.2.10. Start (Sample Playback Start Point)........................................................................................................................................................... 51
7.2.11. End (Sample Playback End Point)................................................................................................................................................................. 51
7.2.12. Sample Envelope..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
7.2.13. Loop (Sample Loop).............................................................................................................................................................................................. 53
8. Mellotron V Effects................................................................................................................................................... 55
8.1. FX Page ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 55
8.1.1. In ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 55
8.1.2. Out....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
8.1.3. Bypass .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 56
8.1.4. Processing Chain Slots.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
8.1.5. Processor Preset Library....................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
8.2. Pedal Effects......................................................................................................................................................................... 58
8.2.1. Chorus............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
8.2.2. Flanger ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60
8.2.3. Phaser............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61
8.2.4. Compressor.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 62
8.2.5. Delay................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 63
8.2.6. Distortion........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 64
8.2.7. Equalizer.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 67
8.2.8. Reverb.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 68
8.2.9. Stereo Pan..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 69
8.2.10. Analog Delay ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 70
8.2.11. Limiter ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
8.2.12. Tape Echo...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 72
8.3. Amps........................................................................................................................................................................................... 73
8.3.1. Twin Amp......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 73
8.3.2. Rotary Speaker........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 74
8.4. Room Simulator (Convolution Reverb)................................................................................................................ 75
9. Software License Agreement............................................................................................................................ 77

1. WELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON
1.1. What is the Mellotron?
The first instrument that could play orchestral sounds, and the ancestor of the modern
sampler. That's the Mellotron. Many other " trons " followed, but the " Mello " remained one of
the most iconic symbols of its era and forever tied to some of the biggest keyboard players
in the History of Rock.
1.2. Some historical facts
Everything started many years ago, in the early fifties, when a guy named Harry
Chamberlin had the idea of building a keyboard that could play magnetic tapes of real
recordings controlled by the keys. The concept was apparently simple: He would record
sustained notes of real acoustic instruments for soloing, as well as musical phrases and
even complete band accompaniments. The main goal was to provide a keyboard instrument
that would serve as a music-band-in-a-box, allowing families to have fun singing along and
performing the music hits of the time.
The keyboard had a tape for each note, that would play for several seconds. The system
mechanics are similar to how a magnetic tape player works. When a key is pressed, a
mechanism pushes the tape onto the tape head and a roller begins to play the tape, causing
it to output the recorded sound. As soon as the key is released, the roller lifts and another
mechanism rewinds the tape back into its original position.
Of course, all this takes time and the mechanism was prone to mechanical problems.
Nonetheless, the Chamberlin saw some success, due mainly to the quality and type of the
sounds produced (at the time, the only other way to get a string orchestra or a woodwind
band sound was to hire real musicians, which was untenable for most, so Chamberlin's
recordings of real players provided a great alternative). Chamberlin also recorded complete
bands, allowing complete accompaniments to be played back with a simple key.
But since he wasn't very successful in solving the technical problems presented by his
machines, another company took over the manufacturing of redesigned musical
instruments following that same basic idea. That company was created in the UK by the
people who were supplying the tape heads to Chamberlin.
3 Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON

The company was called Mellotronics, and the first product, the Mellotron Mark 1, appeared
in 1963. Although it was an improvement over the Chamberlin, it wasn't much more reliable
than its predecessor. In 1964 it was followed by the Mellotron Mark 2, the first one that
proved to be reliable enough to be usable.
This was a truly monster machine, with two keyboards, capable of 70 notes of polyphony,
and with tapes available for many different sounds, including the famous flutes, violins and
choirs, as well as full strings, guitars, brass, organs, pianos, etc.
After a smaller interim Model 300, in 1970 the Mellotron Model 400 (M400) appeared. Even
smaller than the M300, more portable and cheaper, with a better tape mechanism and new
removable tape frames with three sounds each that could be easily replaced, it contributed
decisively to popularize the Mellotron, especially among members of the progressive rock
bands, which relied much on keyboards and orchestral sounds for their music.
1.2.1. Whos' who of Mellotron users
Anyone who remembers The Beatles remembers the famous song Strawberry Fields
Forever . The flutes intro in that song is one of the most famous passages featuring the
Mellotron.
The Beatles adopted enthusiastically the Mellotron, especially Paul McCartney, which was
the one who played it in Strawberry Fields Forever and used it several times after that, even
after The Beatles demise (for example, to play the bagpipes in Mull of Kyntire ).
Allegedly, it was Mike Pinder who introduced the instrument to John Lennon and Paul
McCartney. Mike was working at Mellotronics before joining The Moody Blues.
But there were many others. Actually, naming the notable users of the Mellotron is almost
a who's who of the rock scene of the sixties and seventies. The Beatles come first in our list
(obviously). Their big rivals The Rolling Stones also used the Mellotron as well (played by
Brian Jones).
Mike Pinder (The Moody Blues) also used it since 1967. After joining the band, the Mellotron
was called to play a key role in their music since the very beginning. Anyone who hears the
famous song Nights in White Satin from the first album of the band, Days of Future Passed,
will immediately recognize the Mellotron sounds in it.
Many other progressive rock bands followed, to the point where the Mellotron itself became
a defining feature of the prog-rock sound.
The Mellotron was often featured in the long pieces that defined the style, accompanying
guitar or synthesizer solos, supplying backing beds and even used as a replacement for
orchestral lines.
Tony Banks (Genesis) was another notable user, as was Rick Wakeman (Yes). King Crimson
bought a Mellotron when they started, and although aware of the way The Moody Blues
used it, they decided to go ahead, and also use it to fill the "orchestral" passages of their
music. The Mello was used right away in their great first album In the Court of Crimson
King , as well as its successor In The Wake of Poseidon . John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) also
featured the Mellotron on some albums of the band.
Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest) was another keyboardist who used
the Mellotron extensively. On stage, he even used multiple Mellotrons at the same time, to
play the orchestral passages the band was known for (in the beginning, the band played
with a real orchestra). The famous swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz (Yes, The Moody Blues)
also used the Mellotron, and its follower Novatron (Novatrons were rebranded Mellotrons).
Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON 4

Finally, we should mention Edgar Froese (Tangerine Dream). Both with the band as well
as in his solo albums, Froese used the Mellotron extensively. The solo album Epsilon in
Malaysian Pale was almost entirely a Mellotron album, and was sometimes mentioned as
the best Mellotron album ever released. But he wasn't the only one. All band members used
Mellotrons. The earlier TD albums ( Atem , Phaedra , Rubycon and Stratosfear ) are full of
Mellotron sounds.
The Mellotron was also featured in the first two highly successful albums of Jean Michel
Jarre, Oxygene and Equinoxe .
More recently, we can mention Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark, Oasis, Radiohead, Spock's
Beard and Porcupine Tree.
1.3. Does a Mellotron make sense in this day and age?
The Mellotron had a distinctive sound. It still has. It is often spoken of as the first sampler
(which it kinda was), although of course nowadays it can't compete with the modern
samplers, strictly speaking.
However, almost all major samplers have libraries reproducing Mellotron sounds. This
means that those sounds are still useful, and while they may not be the most faithful
modern representations, people still love the character of the Mellotron flutes, violins, choirs,
strings, and brass sounds.
They certainly don't convince anyone that they are the real things (as the best orchestral
sample libraries can do, for example) but they have that "patina", that retro charm that we
can't find nowadays anywhere else. They are "Mello" sounds. They have a personality on
their own. So, it is natural to think that any sound that would be recorded on a tape and
played through that mechanism would acquire that same personality.
We at Arturia set out to capture and provide this authentic, sought-after experience of the
Mellotron, without all the headaches and hassles of maintaining the hardware instrument.
On top of that, we even captured the sonic character of the instrument, allowing you to
expand it with your own tapes.
Arturia's Mellotron V in Open Lid mode with the Advanced
panel opened
5 Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON

The advantages of a software version of the Mellotron regarding its hardware counterpart
are huge. For example:
• You will have a replica of one of the most iconic keyboard instruments of the
past;
• You don't have to worry about the delicate and sometimes unreliable tape and
rewind mechanisms, and tuning problems;
• If you play a long note, you don't have to wait for the tape to rewind before you
can play that same note again;
• You don't have to worry about transport and maintenance;
• You can use as many Mellotrons as you wish;
• You have a great collection of the best original Mello tape sounds. If you want to
change the sounds, new "tapes" are just a click away;
• You can use your own samples as "tapes" if you want (looped or non-looped).
This way you will have an ever growing assortment of sounds. The samples will
play through the emulated "tape mechanism", which will give them a vintage
sound that can't be achieved anywhere else;
• You have an instrument modernized and complemented with a great assortment
of effects and amplifiers;
• You have a macro envelope control, and you can use MIDI velocity to control
the volume, after-touch to control the flutter effect, and the modulation wheel to
control tape track mixing.
So, do you want a Mellotron or what?
Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON 6

1.4. Arturia's secret ingredient: TAE®
TAE® (True Analog Emulation) is Arturia's outstanding technology dedicated to the digital
reproduction of analogue circuits used in vintage synthesizers.
TAE®’s software algorithms result in spot-on emulation of analogue hardware. This is
why the Mellotron V offers an unparalleled quality of sound, as do all of Arturia’s virtual
synthesizers and plug-ins.
TAE® combines major advances in the domain of synthesis:
Linear Frequency spectrum of a well known software
synthesizer
Linear frequency spectrum of an oscillator modeled with
TAE®
Temporal representation of the
"sawtooth" waveform of a
hardware synthesizer
Temporal representation of a
"sawtooth" waveform reproduced
by TAE®
7 Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON

1.5. Arturia's Mellotron V
With Mellotron V, we have accurately modeled the sound and charm of the famous original
instrument, while extending its functionality and providing modern features for music
performers and producers.
Its primary role is to play the old Mellotron tapes, as faithfully as the original. We even kept
the tape duration limit of eight seconds, to preserve the fidelity. And we have provided a big
assortment of "tapes" coming from the original collections of the Mark I, Mark II, M300 and
M400.
Of course, being an Arturia product, it wasn't enough to simply model the original hardware
and call it done. As usual, we pushed the envelope further, so we added some tasteful new
features that honor the original while making it more useful in a modern context.
For example, we added a great collection of "effect pedals" modeling vintage units
contemporary to the Mellotron. We also added two modeled "amps": A famous guitar Twin
Amp modeled amplifier, and an equally-famous modeled Rotary Speaker cabinet. Finally,
we modernized the collection with a Room Simulator (convolution reverb).
We also added the ability to adjust many features of the Mellotron inner works, such as
control over the flutter and tape saturation, the mechanics noise, the noise floor, and a
macro envelope to modulate the overall contour of the sound.
Real-time MIDI controls, like MIDI velocity (to control the overall volume), after-touch (to
control the flutter effect), and the mod wheel (to control the tape track mixing), were also
included.
Finally, we also added some ground-breaking features: The possibility to expand the
Mellotron V sounds through the use of your own samples, and the possibility to edit
extensively the sounds, defining individual start and end points, loop points, envelopes, etc.
The dream of owning a Mellotron capable of playing your own "tapes" is about to come true.
Now, it's time to play some flutes and violins. Let's go!
Arturia Mellotron V
Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ELCOME TO THE MELLOTRON 8

2. ACTIVATION AND FIRST START
2.1. System Requirements
The Arturia Mellotron V plug-in works on computers equipped with :
Win 7+ 10.10+
You can use the Mellotron V as an AAX, Audio Unit, VST2 or VST3 plug-in (64-bit only).
2.2. Activate the Arturia Mellotron V license
Once the software has been installed, the next step should be to activate your license, so
that you can use it without limitations.
This is a simple process that involves a different software program: the Arturia Software
Center.
2.2.1. The Arturia Software Center (ASC)
If you have not already installed the ASC, go to this web page: Arturia Updates & Manuals
Look for the Arturia Software Center at the top of the page, and then download the version
of the installer that you need for your system (macOS or Windows).
Follow the installation instructions and then:
• Launch the Arturia Software Center (ASC)
• Log into your Arturia account
• Scroll down to the My Products section of the ASC
• Click the Activate button
That's all there is to it!
9 Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ACTIVATION AND FIRST START

2.3. Initial Setup
The first time you launch Mellotron V in standalone mode, you'll be asked to define the Audio
settings (and MIDI settings) for the instrument. These settings can be accessed at any time,
by clicking the Arturia menu at the top left, then click Audio Settings. We will cover all the
options of the Arturia menu later in this manual [p.21].
2.3.1. Audio and MIDI Settings: Windows
This is where you define what kind of audio interface will be used to play the instrument,
as well as the MIDI controller. It works in a very similar way in both macOS and Windows,
although the names for the devices available to you will depend on the operating system
and hardware you are using.
Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - ACTIVATION AND FIRST START 10

Let's look at the options one by one, starting from the top:
•Device lets you choose which audio driver you want to use to route sound out
of the instrument. You may choose your computer’s own audio driver (Windows
Audio), DirectSound (which is also an internal Windows driver), or an ASIO driver
(which is the one that will offer you the best performance). The name of your
hardware appears in this field, and may vary according with the option made.
•Output Channels lets you select which of the available outputs will be used to
route audio out. Some audio interfaces offer more than the regular stereo out,
but if you don't have one of these, only one pair will appear as an option. If you
have a multi-output audio interface, you can select any specific pair of outputs.
• The Buffer Size menu lets you select the size of the audio buffer your computer
uses to calculate sound. The smaller the buffer, the faster it will play a note after
pressing a key. A larger buffer means a lower CPU load as the computer has
more time to process the audio, but can result in too much time taken to play
the note after the key is pressed. A fast, modern computer should easily be able
to operate at a buffer size of 256 or even 128 samples without creating pops or
clicks in the sound. Usually, a buffer of 256 samples is more than acceptable. If
you are getting clicks, try raising the buffer a little.
• The Sample Rate menu is where you define how many times per second the
digital audio will be sampled before being converted into analog (audible) sound.
Higher sample rates mean more definition, but demand more CPU power. The
options available will depend on the audio interface hardware you are using.
Modern computers’ own hardware may operate at high sample rates, up to 96
kHz. The latest external audio interfaces may go even higher, even the simpler
ones. Usually, there's no need to use such high sample rates. A value of 44.1 kHz
or 48 kHz is perfectly fine (audio CDs work at 44.1 kHz).
• The Show Control Panel button will jump to the system control panel for
whatever audio device is selected. Beware that some audio hardware may not
have a Control Panel, or that Control Panel is a generic OS one.
•Play Test Tone helps you to troubleshoot audio issues by confirming whether
sound can be heard through the correct device.
•MIDI Devices is where you will see your connected MIDI devices. All MIDI
devices available should be seen in the list. Click the check box of the MIDI
device (or port, if you happen to have a multi-port MIDI device) you want to use
to trigger the instrument. In standalone mode, Mellotron V listens for all MIDI
channels so there’s no need to specify a channel. You can specify more than one
MIDI device at once.
•Tempo defines the internal tempo used by the Mellotron V to play time sync
elements when in standalone mode, like synchronized effects. When used as a
plug-in, the instrument will always synchronize to the host tempo.
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2.3.2. Audio and MIDI Settings: MacOS
In macOS the process is very similar. The only important difference is that macOS uses
CoreAudio to handle audio. Other than that, everything works the same way as described
for Windows.
2.3.3. Mellotron V as a plug-in
Mellotron V comes in VST2, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in formats for use in all major digital
audio workstations (DAW) including Live, Logic, Cubase, Pro Tools and others. Unlike the
hardware, you can load as many instances as you find useful. The Mellotron V also has
some other big advantages over hardware:
• The instrument will now synchronize to your DAW’s host tempo/bpm rate, when
tempo is a factor;
• You can automate numerous parameters using your DAW’s automation system;
• You can use more than one instance of Mellotron V in a DAW project. In
standalone mode you can only use one, though;
• You can route Mellotron V’s audio outputs freely inside your DAW using the
DAW’s own audio routing system, for mixing and further processing;
• Any additional audio effects your DAW has available may be used to process the
sound, including delay, chorus, filters, etc.;
• Your settings and current instrument state will become recorded in your project,
and you can pick up exactly where you left off the next time you open it.
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3. MELLOTRON V OVERVIEW
3.1. What can we do with Mellotron V?
3.1.1. The original Mellotron limitations
The original Mellotron M400 (the one which this emulation is based on), although very
popular, had several limitations.
The sound was produced through the replay of magnetic tapes lasting around eight
seconds. The mechanics of the instrument had evolved since the first models, and now
reside in "removable tape frames" each featuring three-track tapes (three sounds in the
same tape), which could be replaced in just a few minutes to install a new set of sounds.
Still, each note produced by the instrument was based on a complete and somehow delicate
tape player mechanism, triggered by the keyboard.
The mechanism included the tape playback head, a pinch roller that descends over a
constantly spinning capstan, and a pressure pad the pushes the tape down to make contact
with the playback head. Add to this the mechanism that takes care of rewinding the tape
once the key is released. Tuning was not very precise either. And the mechanism was prone
to problems.
The Mellotron could only play 35 notes, and if/when the tape reached the end (eight
seconds), the sound would stop, and the tape would have to be rewound back into the the
start position. Only then could that note be played again.
The Mellotron M400 could select between three sound tracks, but since it had all the three
tracks in the same tape, it could also mix between two adjacent tracks, by slightly changing
the position of the playback head, which gave it an extra versatility.
Despite the problems, the instrument became quite popular, because it was capable of
playing some fantastic sounds (the flutes, the violins and the choirs, especially, marked their
presence in countless records), and there were no alternatives for playing orchestral sounds
on stage, except hiring a real orchestra.
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3.1.2. The Mellotron V main features
With the Mellotron V, you will be able to use replicas of many original tapes, coming from
the Mark I, Mark II, the M300 and the M400 collections.
Although we have limited the sound duration of each key to eight seconds, as was in the
original instrument, you have the option to define a loop so that you can sustain the sound
longer than that.
The Mellotron V has a special "sample editing window" where you can define sample start
point, sample end point, and loop points, as well as some other special sample parameters.
Those that already experienced the sample management and editing window in the CMI V
or the Synclavier V will feel immediately comfortable and at home in this window.
Another characteristic of the original Mellotron was that the instrument didn't transpose. The
sound of each note was produced by replaying its own tape. This means that, if we had a
vibrato in a sound, that vibrato would play with more or less the same velocity throughout
the entire keyboard (depending on how it was recorded, since each note was a different
recording). Also, if there were rhythms or special effects recorded, each recording would
always sound at the original pitch.
Digital samplers usually repitch the audio by reading the original samples at different
speeds (resampling). This causes a speed-up or speed-down of the internal rhythm and
transposition of the partials of the sounds, which sometimes may sound very unpleasant.
Since user samples can also be used with the Mellotron V, you will be glad to hear that
the instrument may reproduce them as if each note was played by its own tape. Internal
rhythms, like vibrato, or even rhythmic phrases are preserved throughout the keyboard. All
notes will play in sync. This is due to a special "stretch" mode, which is On by default.
Also, contrary to the original Mello, you can use more than one sound in each track. The limit
is 2 original tapes (factory samples). But if you use your own samples, you can go up to 8
user samples per track. This means that you can, for example, assemble a small drum kit,
or even some small drum tracks, with "phrases" like intro, verse, fill, ending, etc.
With the high quality "stretch mode" engaged you can play the samples transposed but
preserving their inner rhythmic pulse, which means this will be perfect for rhythmic
samples. And of course, all samples played through the Mellotron V will take advantage of
the emulated tape mechanism to achieve that vintage sound.
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Since the original Mellotron gave the choice of three tracks per tape, that three tape tracks
feature was also respected, as well as the possibility of mixing between A/B and B/C.
However, in Mellotron V you will also have the possibility of mixing between two tracks
dynamically, by controlling the mixing through MIDI or using the modulation wheel, for
example, and you will also have an extra "All" option, where all three tracks may be played
simultaneously.
3.2. Getting hands-on with the Mellotron V
3.2.1. Basics
To get an idea of Mellotron V's capabilities, we suggest you try the following:
• Open the Mellotron V in standalone mode;
• If you haven't yet, define the Audio and MIDI settings to be able to work with
the instrument. For more information about the Audio and MIDI Settings, please
read the entry [p.10] in Chapter 2 of this manual;
• Load the "Default" preset;
• Play some notes with your MIDI keyboard. If everything was set up properly,
you should hear a flute sound playing;
• Now click the Library icon to open the Library window;
♪: The Library icon resembles three books aligned vertically in a bookshelf, with a fourth book
inclined. This is where you manage your preset collection, organizing, commenting, deleting, creating
playlists, etc. For more information about this very important window, please read the Preset Browser
[p.30] chapter in this manual.
• In the Library window, click the Ambient tag in Styles (if you can't see the tags,
click the arrow at the left of the "Styles" title);
• You will now see a much shorter list than you did initially. This is because we
filtered the view, to just show presets that were tagged as "Ambient";
• Select the preset " Rubycon Psychedelic Piano ". This is a preset that recreates a
sound prominently used in the album Rubycon , by the German band Tangerine
Dream . Play some notes. We think you'll like what you'll hear.
Mellotron V Library window, with the "Ambient" Style tag
selected, and the "Rubycon Psychedelic Piano" ready to be
loaded
15 Arturia - User Manual Mellotron V - MELLOTRON V OVERVIE