The Dulcitone is a keyboard instrument invented by Thomas Machell of Glasgow, Scotland, in the 1860s. Classified as an idiophone with percussion plaques (similar to a metallophone), it’s often referred to as a “tuning fork piano.” Its sound is produced by felt-covered hammers striking a series of tuned steel tuning forks, which then resonate through a spruce or pine soundboard. The instrument was manufactured by Machell’s firm, Thomas Machell & Sons, from the 1880s until the late 1920s or early 1930s.

The Dulcitone Pro library for Kontakt is the most comprehensive sample collection of this instrument.

The Dulcitone’s mechanism is a simplified version of a grand piano’s “down-striking” action, with the hammers positioned above the tuning forks. When a key is pressed, it activates a hammer, which strikes a tuning fork. The tuning forks are U-shaped pieces of metal, varying in length to produce different pitches. The instrument’s action includes a damper system; pressing a key lifts a damper from the tuning fork, allowing the note to sustain. A sustain pedal, attached to one of the front legs, lifts all the dampers simultaneously. The forks are acoustically coupled to a soundboard, which amplifies the sound. The instrument’s internal construction is primarily wood, with keys often made of ivory and ebony.

With the Kontakt library Dulcitone Pro, musicians and composers finally have access to the most comprehensive and sonically rich sample library of this unique instrument. Every key has been recorded with a variety of velocities and round robins, ensuring a lifelike performance. The inclusion of subtle mechanical noises and room ambience further immerses the user in the authentic experience of playing a real dulcitone.

The Dulcitone is known for its quiet, soft, and mellow sound. The sound is also said to have a “woody, clonky glockenspiel/celesta” quality. Its limited volume made it suitable for intimate settings, such as homes and small churches, but it was often too quiet for larger concert halls. Which makes it a perfect project for deep sampling for Kontakt. The Dulcitone Pro Kontakt library stands as the most thorough and detailed sampling of its kind.

Yes, the Dulcitone is considered an ancestor of the celesta, which uses metal plates instead of tuning forks, and the Rhodes piano, which also uses hammer-struck pronged forks, but is an electric instrument intended for amplification. The Dulcitone was developed around the same time as the Typophone, another tuning-fork instrument invented by Victor Mustel.  

Wrongtools also has released a celesta sample library featuring two celestas. 

Dulcitones came in various models, primarily distinguished by their size and range. In 1911, three versions were available:

• Style B: 3½ octaves in mahogany or oak.

• Style R: 4 octaves in mahogany or oak.

• Style F: 5 octaves in mahogany or oak.

The most common range is five octaves (61 notes), spanning from A3 to A8. The instrument’s construction varied over the years, with early models cased in oak and later versions, possibly redesigned by Machell’s sons, having a different design. Some later models also featured a quieter action suspended on a system of leaf springs.

Estimates suggest between 2,000 and 6,000 Dulcitones were manufactured.

A standard 5-octave Dulcitone typically has dimensions of around 32″ x 15″ x 12″ and weighs about 27 kg (60 lbs). A significant feature of the instrument is its portability. Its lightweight, compact design and the fact that its tuning forks are not prone to going out of tune made it an ideal alternative to the heavier and more delicate acoustic piano. Many models had foldable legs, further enhancing their portability.

The Dulcitone was originally marketed to a specific customer base: missionaries. They needed a portable, low-maintenance keyboard instrument to bring with them to remote areas for church services. It also found use in homes for quiet, domestic music. Composers such as Vincent d’Indy (Song of the Bells, 1888) and Percy Grainger (“The Power of Rome and the Christian Heart,” 1943) scored for the instrument, although Tchaikovsky famously considered it for The Nutcracker but ultimately opted for the louder celesta. More recently, musicians like David Rhodes and Jon Brion have used it in their recordings and film scores.

Yes. We’ve recorded multiple velocity layers and round robins to capture the subtle nuances of this historical instrument. The library includes different hammer strikes and key release samples to ensure a realistic and expressive playing experience. We have also captured the natural resonance and mechanical sounds of the instrument to preserve its authenticity.

When it comes to sampling the dulcitone, the Kontakt library Dulcitone Pro is in a class of its own. The library was recorded with new sets piano-felt hammers, and soft rubberball- mallets, and different mallets carefully hit each of the tines. We recorded a range of velocity layers and round robins to ensure that the subtle dynamic variations and unique character of the instrument were preserved in the library. 

The Dulcitone’s delicate and mysterious tone makes it perfect for a variety of genres. It’s an excellent choice for cinematic scoring, ambient music, folk, and experimental compositions. It can provide a nostalgic or vintage texture to your tracks and is particularly effective for creating a sense of intimacy or wonder. Composers like Jon Brion have famously used the instrument for its unique character.

DulcitonePro requires the full version of Full Retail Version of Kontakt 6.4.2 [or later]. It will not run in the free Kontakt Player. If you’re unsure about compatibility, see our general Kontakt compatibility guide.

It will take up 3.3 GB of free diskspace