I have recorded two different hammered dulcimer players...each recording multiple albums over the years.  They did come in a couple hours early just to let the instrument adjust to the climate in the studio before they tuned.

They are a fun instrument to record.  A few of the albums were original music...some were gospel albums...some were traditional mountain music songs.  All were a blast to work on.

Hmm, vari speed charged particle into varispeed digital digit-unit-slot-bits. I've asked before, how many bits is tape-charged particles? ??? Digital music is full of "instructions" in set lengths that don't have the... incremental value... of charged particles. So... (postulating here)... there is no accurate instruction increment for digital varispeed. Just thinking about it.

mike_mccue

yorolpal


Sounds like that dulcimer player needs to take at least half a day off...the day BEFORE the session...and tune the heck up;-)

That might seem like a valid perspective, but in practical terms it's not so useful.

The reality is that a good sounding Hammered dulcimer is a high strung and light weight creature that, though it remains in tune with it self, is always sort of drifting up or down with changes in temp or humidity or both.

It's almost as hard as tuning a piano... and both require respectful silence when the tuning is taking place... so it's not like we expect someone to tune up at home and show up ok nor do we expect to make the time to provide a silent space to do it onsite.

It's no big deal... and usually string bands just tune to them as a practical compromise.

If you are making a recording, it's nice to have a quick way to get great results while letting the strings players make best use of their instruments by asking them to tune to concert pitch so that their fret intonation is as good as it can be.

all the best,
mike

Dulcimers. The new standard by which DAWs are measured.

*

I did not have to buy one, got THIS ONE for free. It's for Kontakt (which lacks Varispeed IIRC )

*

mike_mccue


I'm guessing the sales dude told you to use drum-a-gog and replace all the hammerings?

Nope. ARC revels that is not necessary.

*

yorolpal


What are these instruments that can't be tuned or are near impossible to tune that you speak of?

Any geetar I get near 

And who the heck plays them?

Straummy
 

Teds_Studio


I have recorded two different hammered dulcimer players...each recording multiple albums over the years.  They did come in a couple hours early just to let the instrument adjust to the climate in the studio before they tuned.

They are a fun instrument to record.  A few of the albums were original music...some were gospel albums...some were traditional mountain music songs.  All were a blast to work on.

And...as you say...all were in tune.  Which I'm sure all the other fellers and gals on the session highly appreciated.