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Originally Posted by dar512
Mellotron?
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Mellotrons actually had magnetic tape strips and heads, one per key, with a single voice (usually chorused violins/violas/chellos, but others were available) recorded on it. Pressing the asociated key caused a felt pad to hold the tape strip (weighted at both ends) to be pressed to a long cylindrical capstan and made the tape move against the head. For long sustains there was some wacky mechanical arrangement to get the capstan to let go and the tape reversed direction until it was played out, and the capstan engaged again.
I actually saw on in person once, it was amazing....and a mechanical nightmare if it ever went bad, I'm sure.
String synths came a little later...and boy were they welcome. Although you couldn't easily get that Genesis effect where you interrupted power to the capstan and bent all the pitches at once....:-)