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Not Enough Noise? - Pick Ups
Not Enough Noise? - Pick Ups
If the dulcimer, with tambourine and mouth organ, does not make enough noise, there are times when I find that it becomes necessary to resort to amplification! If playing on a stage with PA available that solves the problem, but if you are playing at a venue without this or simply busking out on a noisy street, you may need to find your own way of amplifying the dulcimer.
If the dulcimer, with tambourine and mouth organ, does not make enough noise, there are times when I find that it becomes necessary to resort to amplification! If playing on a stage with PA available that solves the problem, but if you are playing at a venue without this or simply busking out on a noisy street, you may need to find your own way of amplifying the dulcimer.
None of the dulcimers that I have described above have come with a fitted pick up (though I think that Dusty Strings may be able to supply the dulcimer with a pick up already installed) so I had to find a suitable pick up for installation and to have it professionally fitted. I looked around and found that Pick up the World made a pick up specially for dulcimers (though I think the specification of this has changed since I purchased). These are a bit pricy, but I have found that they work well. I prefer to use a pick up in stage performances (rather than a microphone) to avoid feed back and to prevent microphone stands getting in the way of my playing.
None of the dulcimers that I have described above have come with a fitted pick up (though I think that Dusty Strings may be able to supply the dulcimer with a pick up already installed) so I had to find a suitable pick up for installation and to have it professionally fitted. I looked around and found that Pick up the World made a pick up specially for dulcimers (though I think the specification of this has changed since I purchased). These are a bit pricy, but I have found that they work well. I prefer to use a pick up in stage performances (rather than a microphone) to avoid feed back and to prevent microphone stands getting in the way of my playing.
Fitting a pick up inside a dulcimer is a job for an expert. My musical friend, Ade Dawkins from Dover, is an extremely skilful guitar maker who has fitted many guitar pick-ups, though he admitted that he had never installed a pick up in a dulcimer before. He agreed to do this and watching him in action was an education: with many unusual tools used to perform the 'ship in the bottle' operation of fitting the internal pick up through the smallest of openings in the side of the Dusty Strings dulcimer. Ade did a very good job and the pick ups that he has installed in different dulcimers work well (including the two pick ups that needed to be installed in the double-sided dulcimer to pick up both sides).
Fitting a pick up inside a dulcimer is a job for an expert. My musical friend, Ade Dawkins from Dover, is an extremely skilful guitar maker who has fitted many guitar pick-ups, though he admitted that he had never installed a pick up in a dulcimer before. He agreed to do this and watching him in action was an education: with many unusual tools used to perform the 'ship in the bottle' operation of fitting the internal pick up through the smallest of openings in the side of the Dusty Strings dulcimer. Ade did a very good job and the pick ups that he has installed in different dulcimers work well (including the two pick ups that needed to be installed in the double-sided dulcimer to pick up both sides).
Normally, an internal pick up is installed through the sound holes at the top and bottom of the dulcimer. However, some dulcimers have horizontal internal cross bracing which makes this difficult. On this dulcimer my expert installer, needed to make a circular hole to gain internal access. The pick up plug point can be seen on the side below this.
Speakers and PA Systems
Speakers and PA Systems
In an ideal world, dulcimer players would not need to worry about speakers and PA systems, as these would be provided by event organisers, along with sound engineers to make sure that everything is working as it should do! In the real world, there are times when you have to make do with your own sound system or borrow some kit from someone else.
In an ideal world, dulcimer players would not need to worry about speakers and PA systems, as these would be provided by event organisers, along with sound engineers to make sure that everything is working as it should do! In the real world, there are times when you have to make do with your own sound system or borrow some kit from someone else.
For busking and small venues, I have used the Roland Cube and the Fender Mustang Mini battery amps with the dulcimer's internal pick up and found them to work very well, within their limits. However, I have taken care to avoid the many 'effects' that may be provided on these amps. I have taken the view that my listeners are probably not yet ready for the 'heavy metal' effect dulcimer which is available, though I accept that I could be wrong about this! For the moment at least, some of the more outlandish sound effects may best be kept for home experimentation on 'rainy afternoons'!
For busking and small venues, I have used the Roland Cube and the Fender Mustang Mini battery amps with the dulcimer's internal pick up and found them to work very well, within their limits. However, I have taken care to avoid the many 'effects' that may be provided on these amps. I have taken the view that my listeners are probably not yet ready for the 'heavy metal' effect dulcimer which is available, though I accept that I could be wrong about this! For the moment at least, some of the more outlandish sound effects may best be kept for home experimentation on 'rainy afternoons'!
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Please feel free to email me at bill.howarth54@gmail.com with any comments on the website.
Please feel free to email me at bill.howarth54@gmail.com with any comments on the website.
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