The Electric Hammered Dulcimer - short cut

This is the final short cutting of the Introdction to the electric hammered dulcimer video, down to 5 minutes and 23 seconds from the original 10 minute version, with no history or performance clips and cutting the examples to seconds or eliminating them all togtether. But the whole story is there. In this case, the three basic things I did since I started with a traditional hammered dulcimer over 30 years ago and resulting in the first solid body electric hammered dulcimer I play now.
I have been asked about the sound in the video, and what you hear is the pickups directly through a small amp, with no reverb or effects, recorded on the mikeof the professional videocamera. The amp EQ is slightly biased to the bass because in this close-up situation the acoustic sound of the treble strings can be heard, so I cut the treble a bit on the amp for balance.

This is part a series of promotional videos to introduce the dulcimer, my music, and myself as an artist, in various versions, both maximum length and shorter cut down versions. There's extensive information about my instruments, my music, my life as a folksinger, and more on my website http://www.brianthefolksinger.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• brian
• folksinger
• electric
• hammered
• dulcimer
• solid
• body
• five
• octave
• folk
• modern

[musicmanning]

Hello Brian

I have a degree in Music Technology and very nice music/sound setup.

Compare the sound of your dulcimer to all the others on utube.

Most sound perfectly acceptable. You're mic sounds ok and you have a good dulcimer playing technique but the sound of the Dulcimer is badly distorted.

Regards Tim

[brianthefolksinger]

@musicmanning hey Tim, thanks! I need help with feedback, don't know sound engineering, any specifics?eg 3db cut at 600-1200htz? voice is recorded separately in hmestudio, dulcimer is camera mike where camera is, not good. thought of running though gear to improve, but no time at the time, barely got it up, literally "better than nothing" :) limited space here, sorry.  but am focused on moving forward, trying to set up to use studio mike/gear to record video soundtrack, not camera

[uigrad]

On the instrument, you really should add dampers. For the video, you really should have turned up the lights so we could see the instrument better, and moved the mic further away.

I love the concept. I wish I had an instrument like this :)

[brianthefolksinger]

@uigrad thks! guess I was trying to be dramatic! But many pictures in the dulcimer section f the website of this and several prototypes. Also planning on doing more, this is the start. voice is studio, dulcimer is camera mike with no eq or anything.. better than nothing. barely had time to get those up. Am trying to move forward improve sound by recording with the studio and separate mike, do a few performance videos to go with the intros and demonstrations. out of space!

[brianthefolksinger]

@uigrad oops forgot, in the instrumental demos series there's a few played with the felt damper, but it gets in the way of seeing the instrument. Am planning on installing pedal dampers eventually, had them, got in the way traveling, didn't get back to putting them back on. This is still my original prototype.. took me 5 years to sand it, too busy playing it!. so much to do, too little time, no resources,many distractions. Though it is all I do, music, the dulcimer, surviving on the street.

[musicmanning]

Hi Brian.

An your video camera you need to attenuate (turn down) the recording level.

Even with automatic recording level if the sound you are recording is very loud you can get this problem. Sometimes there is a attenuate button which will reduce the input recording level dramatically. Failing this find out how to adjust the recording level.

[BringEllisTheHoriZon]

@musicmanning it must be your speakers or computer... its fine for me in my speakers and headphones xD

[musicmanning]

Sounds very distorted. Too much bass clogs up the sound.

[BeautifulGirlByDana]

The Electric Hammered Dulcimer 5/5 ★s