Originally an instrument from Persia, you can find the hammer dulcimer in only about a dozen cultures around the world. The Irish and Germans brought it to the United States in the 1800s. Primarily used in Irish and folk music, its warm tones can range from a music box-like quality to the powerful percussive sounds of a piano. In fact, it's the ancient precursor to the piano.
For a bit of background, the Smithsonian (https://music.si.edu/) says, "Today the dulcimer is known as the santouri in Greece and as the santoor in India. From the Near East, the instrument traveled both east and west. Arabs took it to Spain where a dulcimer-like instrument is depicted on a cathedral relief from 1184 A.D. Introduction into the Orient came much later. The Chinese version is still known as the yang ch'in, or foreign zither. Though its use in China is reported to date from about the beginning of the 19th century, Korean tradition claims association with the hammer dulcimer from about 1725."
These sounds played by the lauded artist Max ZT are primed and ready to inspire your tracks with their beauty and brilliance. They were recorded on AKG C414s through Avedis MA5 preamps with Elysia Mpressors Compression. Find loops ranging from 86 to 150 BPM, as well as one-shot chords, phrases, and a whole lot more. We hope these stunning sounds inspire a new level of creativity in your productions.
