Antique Zither Decent Sampler Library

Requirements:

• In order to use this instrument you must have Decent Sampler installed on your system, which can be downloaded for free from DecentSamples.com

Contents:

• Zipped file (59mb)

• DS Library file

• Instruction Manual

Full Background Behind the Zither

I often meander through antique stores and on a recent journey sifting through a seemingly endless supply of old glassware and door knobs I found a spinning display in a corner with this sweet little guy hanging out all the way in the back. Without hesitation I scooped it up. Best $25 instrument score I’ve ever come across!

Despite some strange discoloration patterns on the surface (which I hope to God isn’t lead paint) this harp ended up being in really nice shape and even had all its strings and came with little sheets of music that slides under the strings to tell you which notes to play (I now can play a killer rendition of Silent Night).

One of the biggest limitations of a harp like this is that you have to tune all 15 strings to one scale which means you’re stuck to one major/relative minor scale and it only has a limited range of scales it can be tuned to before you snap the strings or they become too loose. But you don’t have to worry about that with a digital version!

I thought this little guy deserved a full immortalization which I feel I have granted it through this free Decent Sampler library. Enjoy!

Round Robin Recording

This instrument is recorded and setup with “round robins.” This means that for each note there are 3 sample recordings that Decent Sampler will automatically cycle through for that one note. All samples were recorded by hand so each one has a slight character and volume difference which means when you pluck the same note repeatedly, it doesn’t sound robotic. Give it a go with some “fast-picking” by tapping the same note repeatedly.