GForce M-Tron Pro £139 (PC/ MAC)

GForce's original Mellotron emulator was great but basic. Does its successor have enough extras to make it a worthwhile buy?

Following on from the success of Virtual String Machine, GForce software have updated their venerable M-Tron instrument, the most obvious improvement being that it now uses the same G:sampler interface/engine as VSM. This has allowed them to improve overall playback and synthesis options, but they've also remastered and extended the existing library. The tape bank count now stands at over 200, stacking up to around 3.5GB of content. This includes not only the original M-Tron tape banks (remastered at Abbey Road), but also a host of extras from Chamberlin, Birotron and Optigan. However, there's also over 700 patches, including a bank from renowned 'tron users.

Where the original software was pretty much a faithful emulation of the Mellotron, the transfer to the G:sampler gives the original content a massive boost. Most fundamental is the two-layer system. This enables you to blend two source tape banks, with individual or linked control over many parameters. With the majority of controls following a straightforward colour-coded system - red for layer A, green for layer B and blue when they're linked - the interface is extremely easy to use. Beyond the layer-specific parameters, you'll also find a global effects section. This includes stereo syncable delay and the classic ensemble effect (2,4,6 and 8 voice). Finally, rounding things off at a global level are pitch fine-tune, global pitchbend limit, volume and MIDI controller assignment for most parameters.

'Tron guy
M-Tron Pro has a number of 'tron-specific features. First up, for individual layers in addition to level, pan and tuning, you can instantly switch 'tape' playback to both half speed and reverse. To tie in with the second option there's also an adjustable start point (attack), enabling you to shift samples forward by up to two seconds in the loop. The sounds on M-Tron Pro are pretty much as they are on the original source " instrument, so each note is individually sampled and key ranges are limited (eg, 35 notes for a Mellotron). One aspect where they've deviated slightly is looping, with some of the one-shot originals now available in looped format.

M-Tron Pro ticks all the right boxes sonically. From the instantly recognisable Strawberry Fields flute to the crazy bossa nova set from the Optigan, it's a stunning array of sounds. Some of these are presented warts and all (including drop-outs and pitch wobble) and others are bizarrely cheesy. But they all have the kind of character often lacking from modern synth sounds. However, what takes M-Tron Pro beyond these basic mono building blocks is the G:sampler engine. The ability to layer, pan and shift the timing of the basic sounds brings them smack-bang up to date, and many of the patches show this off. We were very impressed by Virtual String Machine, but M-Tron Pro is even better - if you're a 'tron guy', don't miss out!

Contact: M-Audio, 01923 204010
Web: www.gforcesoftware.com
Info: Upgrade, €68
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Old school loop machines
The M-Tron Pro mines a rich seam of sound creation started by the Chamberlin Music Master and made famous by the original Mellotron in the 60s. The basic idea was to use individual prerecorded tape loops to play back in response to specific keys. This proved mechanically cumbersome in practice, but 'tron fans weren't put off, and the resultant slightly creepy and ethereal sounds produced became very popular. What's more, with access to choirs, strings, brass and woodwind, musicians found themselves with a simple way to play the sounds they wanted to use via a keyboard.

As time progressed, the tape system made way for optical discs (the Optigan) and, eventually, the appearance of string machines and samplers changed things forever. Even so, the sound of the early machines remains instantly recognisable and their existence most certainly paved the way for digital sampling.
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System requirements
(MAC)1.25GHzG4,512MB RAM,
5GB hard drive space, OS X 10.4

(PC) 1GHz CPU, 512MB RAM
5GB hard drive space, Windows XP/Vista

Test system
Apple Mac Pro dual 3GHz,
3GB RAM, OS X 10.4.11, Logic Pro 8

Alternatively
IK Multimedia SampleTron N/A»N/A»€25O
This uses IK's Sampletank system, giving it more flexibility

SONiVOX Mellotron Vintage Synth N/A»N/A»$30
Much simpler and cheaper, though doesn't have as many sounds

Verdict
FOR
- Extended sound set
- Flexible G:sampler interface
- Tape reverse option
- Remastered Mellotron sounds
- Additional lopped versions
- Easy to use

AGAINST
- Quite a specialist instrument

There's little to fault here, and much to get excited about, making this a worthy successor to M-Tron. Great work. GForce!

MARK: 9/10
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