Musical Electronics Library

Abbreviation| MEL
Formation| November 2014[1]
Type| NGO, lending library
Location|

* New Zealand

Coordinates|  [ ⚑ ] : 36°51′24″S 174°45′35″E﻿ / ﻿36.856699°S 174.759786°E﻿ / -36.856699; 174.759786

Region served

| New Zealand
Website| musicalelectronicslibrary.wordpress.com

The Musical Electronics Library (or MEL) is a lending library of homemade electronic musical devices in Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand, and is a worldwide leader in the Scavengetronica movement.[2][3]

The library contains electrolytic capacitors, rampwave oscillators, white noise generators, light theremins, sample and holds, ring modulators, preamplifiers, pitch shifters, phasers, and mixers; mostly built inside repurposed VHS cases.[4][5][6] Highlights of the collection include the "electric bee motorcycle sound-maker box", a device which emulates the sound of meowing cats inside a Cats VHS box, and "Mad Max" which has been described as "Merzbow in a box".[7][8]

MEL is run by volunteers and curated by musician and device-builder Kraus.[9][10] The library was inspired by the work of Nicolas Collins and Bob Widlar.[11][12] Musicians using equipment from MEL include Hermione Johnson, Kraus, Pumice, Diana Tribute, Samuel Flynn Scott, the MEL Orchestra, Piece War, Ducklingmonster, the Biscuits, Powernap, Herriot Row, and Chronic Fatigue Sindrome.[13][14][15]

The library has been running synthesizer-building workshops around New Zealand.[5] MEL also co-hosts an open weekly maker night with the Auckland University of Technology where projects are developed in a collaborative environment.[16]

Kraus stated in a New Zealand Listener interview that "doing any kind of community project like this for me is a political thing - of self-organisation and encouraging people to take control of their lives, instead of just being a consumer, buying something someone else has made, or some robots in China. The kind of empowerment that comes from learning a new skill is a really powerful thing."[8] He said in NZ musician magazine that he wants "to emphasise the idea of sharing and also reducing waste through re-using things and giving seemingly broken or out of date things a new purpose."[7]

The library started in Auckland and 2014 and opened a Wellington chapter in 2016.[17]

## Gallery

*   *   *   *   *

## References

1. ↑ Smith, Emma (13 June 2015). "Headquarters: Kraus". Radio New Zealand. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/201758188/headquarters-kraus. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
2. ↑ Norling, Sean. "UTR's Highlights Of 2014". http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/9191/UTRs-Highlights-Of-2014.utr. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
3. ↑ "About". 19 March 2014. http://musicalelectronicslibrary.wordpress.com/about/. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
4. ↑ "Musical Device Library Set To Launch In Spring". http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/news/8220/Musical-Device-Library-Set-To-Launch-In-Spring.utr. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thomas, Melody (31 May 2014). "Kraus Synth Workshop". http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/2598046/kraus-synth-workshop. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
6. ↑ "Musical Electronics Library Inventory". https://mel.myturn.com/library/inventory/browse. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 O'Sullivan, Mitch (January 2015). "Musical Electronics Library". NZ Musician 18 (7): 52.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Smith, Emma (11 October 2014). "Smashingly Good Time". New Zealand Listener 245 (3883): 44–45.
9. ↑ Silver, Harry. "May Creative Technologists Meetup". Auckland University of Technology. http://colab.aut.ac.nz/events/may-creative-technologists-meetup/. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
10. ↑ "Musical Electronics Library". http://www.sonorouscircle.com/2014/05/musical-electronics-library/. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
11. ↑ Kraus, Pat (24 March 2014). "MEL prehistory 1". https://musicalelectronicslibrary.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/mel-prehistory-1/. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
12. ↑ "Bob Widlar". Space Surveillance Network (July 2014): 5. July 2014.
13. ↑ "MELtastic Auckland Artists". Space Surveillance Network (July 2014): 26. July 2014.
14. ↑ Dass, Kiran (22 November 2014). "Nowhere Festival 2014". http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/20158283/nowhere-festival-2014. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
15. ↑ Samuel Flynn Scott (2016-02-20). "Wellington Musical Electronics Library". Radio New Zealand National. Radio New Zealand. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/nat-music/audio/201790129/wellington-musical-electronics-library. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
16. ↑ "MEL & AUT Colab:Weekly Maker Nights". Space Surveillance Network (July 2014): 24. July 2014.
17. ↑ "M-E-L Launch Party!!". 2 February 2016. http://www.soundexplorers.co.nz/event/m-e-l-launch-party. Retrieved 13 February 2016.

## External links

* Musical Electronics Library blog
* Musical Electronics Library Auckland microblog
* Musical Electronics Library Auckland inventory
* Musical Electronics Library Wellington inventory
* Documentary on MEL

* v
* t
* e

Music technology

Music technology|

* Mechanical
* Electrical
* Electronic and digital

Sound recording|

* Audio channel
* Mixing console
* Binaural recording
* Digital audio workstation (DAW)
* Effects unit
* Equalizer
* Headphones
* Microphone
* Microphone preamplifier
* Monitor speaker
* Multitrack recording
* Music production
* Music sequencer
* Outboard gear

Recording media|

* Phonograph record
* Magnetic tape
* Compact cassette
* Compact disc
* DAT
* Hard disk
* MiniDisc
* MP3
* Opus

Analog recording|

* 8-track cartridge
* Amplifier
* Cassette deck
* Comparison of analog and digital recording
* Experimental musical instrument
* Phonograph
* Player piano
* Reel-to-reel audio tape recording
* Tape recorder

Playback transducers|

* Loudspeaker
* Headphones
* Monitor speaker
* PA system
* Sound reinforcement system
* Speaker enclosure
* Subwoofer

Digital audio|

* Digital recording
* Digital signal processing

Live music|

* Mixing console
* Bass amplifier
* Effects unit
* Foldback
* Guitar amplifier
* Keyboard amplifier
* PA system
* Radio
* Reverberation
* Sound reinforcement system

Electronic music|

* Chiptune
* Circuit bending
* Drum machine
* Electronic drums
* Electronic musical instrument
* MIDI
* MIDI controller
* Music workstation
* Sampler
* Sequencer
* Sound module
* Synthesizer
* Theremin

Software|

* Digital audio editor
* Digital audio workstation
* GarageBand
* ProTools
* Scorewriter
* Software effect processor
* Software sampler
* Software synthesizer

Professions|

* Audio engineer
* DJ
* Guitar technician
* Mixing engineer
* Monitor engineer
* Piano tuner
* Record producer
* Re-recording mixer
* Sound designer
* Sound follower
* Sound operator
* Sound recording engineer
* Tape op

People and organizations|

* Audio Engineering Society
* Goji Electronics
* Institute of Broadcast Sound
* Lejaren Hiller
* IRCAM
* Max Mathews
* Musical Electronics Library
* Professional Lighting and Sound Association
* Robert Moog
* SMPTE
* STEIM

Related topics|

* Audiophile
* High fidelity
* Home audio
* Home cinema
* Music store
* Professional audio store
* New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME)
* Vehicle audio

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