Alex Ball Artist Expansion

£24.99 Ex. VAT

Making a 'Tron Library in 2021


Exclusive 'Tron sounds from Alex Ball

As an existing GForce Software’s M-Tron Pro® user, you’ll no doubt be aware that, while the instrument comes with one of the largest Mellotron® Tape Bank libraries, it can also be augmented by the finest expansion packs recorded from original tapes from the UK’s original hardware Mellotron manufacturer, Streetly Electronics.

However, this is the first time GForce Software has invited an artist to create a fresh set of tape banks, utilising both modern and traditional Streetly Electronics ‘tron-based technologies to enrich your next composition. Over 150 presets were created to complement the pack.

If you follow his Youtube Channel, you know that with Alex you are in for a treat.

About Alex Ball

Alex Ball is a British composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who was brought up the analogue way learning instruments, studying music and playing with other musicians.

Alex was Music Producer for M&C Saatchi for over a decade where he composed, produced, sourced and licensed music for countless advertising campaigns for brands such TFL, Coca-Cola, Havana Club Rum, Virgin Holidays and many, many more. Outside of advertising Alex has worked on the trailers for ‘Sackboy: A Big Adventure’ and ‘Watch Dogs: Legion’, composed music for the Cbeebies BAFTA nominated series ‘Tee & Mo’ and, had music used in an episode of Netflix ‘Stranger Things’ and BBC’s ‘The Apprentice’.

In 2016, on a whim, Alex started uploading videos to YouTube as an outlet for his ideas and inspiration around music production, composition and arranging. This evolved into synthesizer documentaries and film score breakdowns which have proved popular…

Tour

The recording of the instruments and rhythms

The project started with Alex selecting and recording a series of instruments and capturing the 35-note key range of the original M400 Mellotron. In addition to chromatic instruments Alex also decided to include two distinct rhythm and accompaniment styles mirroring the key signature and tempo layout of the original Mellotron MkII.

These rhythms and accompaniments adhere to a tempo of 125 BPM, and each note adheres to strict note mapping where each note replays a different key changes within an overall key of C. By playing different notes, the user can easily build up a track with assorted key changes and then finish by playing the bottom G which replays a combined end rhythm and accompaniment.

To facilitate this, Alex played and recorded all the instruments for 70 rhythms and accompaniments, plus all of the chromatic instruments, in a series of exhaustive sessions.

The making of authentic 'Tron sounds

Once recorded, the results of those sessions were taken to Streetly Electronics and ‘Tronized’ via their Skeletron – a bare-bones Mellotron M400. This involved recording everything to tape and then re- recording the output via both the Skeletron pre-amp, plus, in the case of the rhythms and accompaniments, threading the tapes onto an original MkII Mellotron and recording the on-board speaker output. Finally, the ‘Tronized’ recordings were sent back to Alex Ball for chopping and shoe-horning into the M-Tron Pro.

While time-consuming and very labour intensive, we think this process was vital when it comes to staying true to the Mellotron’s ethos and origins. Without Alex’s exemplary musicianship and devotion to detail, and without Tronizing, this pack could be viewed as a straightforward sample pack for M-Tron Pro. However, with the convergence of skills and technologies from both Alex and Streetly Electronics, we think this set of tape banks affords you something unique, special and highly inspirational.

Audio Demos

Speaker

Compatibility

The Alex Ball Artist Expansion Pack is only available to registered users of M-Tron Pro.

Additionally, it is exclusively available via this website as a direct download (464 MB) via “My Instruments” when the purchase has been completed.

The Alex Ball Artist Expansion Pack is only available to registered users of M-Tron Pro.

Additionally, it is exclusively available via this website as a direct download (464 MB) via “My Instruments” when the purchase has been completed.

Key Features

  • A GForce Software and Alex Ball collaboration
  • Over 150 M-Tron Pro Patches
  • 27 carefully curated tape banks for M-Tron Pro
  • Instruments include: Double Bass, Electronic Bass, Balalaika, Banjo, Baritone Acoustic, Nylon Guitar, Tremolo Guitar, Ukulele, Baritone Electric, Twang Guitar, Piano, Clavinet, System 100M, Violins Pizz, Violas Pizz, Violins Bow, Voice Spectra.
  • 35 notes per tape bank
  • Exclusively available via download – 464MB

Also available as part of

Alex Ball – Artist Expansion is also available with new purchases of:

The “M-Tron Pro – Complete” bundle which includes the M-Tron Pro and all the Expansion Packs. That is a superb 11.5GB+ sound library with 480+ tape banks and 1850+ presets.

The “All M-Tron Expansion Pack” bundle which includes all the M-Tron Expansion Packs. That is the ultimate upgrade for M-Tron Pro owners adding a 300+ tape banks, 1150+ presets and instant classic vibes for your productions.

Artist's Opinion

The M-Tron Pro is the first Virtual Instrument we have ever used on a Morcheeba record and once we started we couldn’t stop, this plug sounds fantastic!
It blended brilliantly alongside our vintage hardware keyboards and delivered the psychedelic, majestic madness we had been searching for. Needless to say we now utilise it on everything!

Paul Godfrey

Morcheeba

Tour

M-Tron Pro (available separately)

The Original Instrument

Mellotron®

Made with the help of Streetly Electronic’s John Bradley and Martin Smith, the following film is a comprehensive and fascinating story of the trials and tribulations then ultimate resurrection of an iconic instrument which still grabs our sonic attention nearly 50 years after its birth.

Learn More

Legal Notice
All third party product names used in this product are trademarks of their respective owners and are in no way associated or affiliated with GForce Software Ltd.

Buy Alex Ball Artist Expansion

£24.99 Ex. VAT

Buy
Alex Ball Artist Expansion

£24.99 Ex. VAT