Bowed Psaltery

• The Bowed Psaltery is a two-octave instrument, sampled chromatically from G to G, offering a high, glassy tone suitable for fantasy or historical compositions.
• It features 14 articulations, including bowed, plucked, picked, and struck sounds, with up to 8 round robins for each articulation.
• This library requires Kontakt Player, with a 15-minute demo limitation for users without the full version.
• The instrument was built by Jerry Read Smith, emphasizing its unique craftsmanship and historical context.

Product Overview

Bowed Psaltery is a modern interpretation of the ancient psaltery, offering a high, glassy tone that stands out in mixes. This instrument is particularly suited for fantasy and historical compositions, thanks to its rich, medieval character.

Details

The library features a two-octave range, meticulously sampled with 14 articulations, including bowed, plucked, picked, and struck sounds using a hammered dulcimer mallet. Each articulation is recorded with up to 8 round robins, ensuring a natural and varied performance. The instrument was built by Jerry Read Smith and captures a wide array of textures, from sustained bowed notes to sharp, percussive strikes.

Close miking was achieved using a combination of Rode NT5s in a NOS array and an Aston Spirit large diaphragm condenser, allowing for detailed capture of the instrument's intimate timbre. The recordings were made at 48kHz/24-bit resolution, ensuring clarity and depth. The library's diverse articulations and expressive capabilities make it a versatile choice for scoring, whether you need bright melodic lines or subtle background textures.