The Mark Knopfler Songbook — Featured on MK's official YouTube channel

[Jules]

Or use something like this: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/originals-cimbalom#listen

They do rare things sometimes, I remember they hired once a trompetist for one song I can't remember, maybe for RPD but ended using a synth sound because it sounded better for the song than the real thing...

[quizzaciously]

Or use something like this: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/originals-cimbalom#listen

They do rare things sometimes, I remember they hired once a trompetist for one song I can't remember, maybe for RPD but ended using a synth sound because it sounded better for the song than the real thing...

El Macho maybe? That was the first song that would pop into my head. Maybe because this way trumpet is more "precise" and sounds better.

I mean that's the way you do it... Mark is giving purists his giant middle finger as usual. Can't use real cimbalom? No problem, a sample will do.

[Jules]

Or use something like this: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/originals-cimbalom#listen

They do rare things sometimes, I remember they hired once a trompetist for one song I can't remember, maybe for RPD but ended using a synth sound because it sounded better for the song than the real thing...

El Macho maybe? That was the first song that would pop into my head. Maybe because this way trumpet is more "precise" and sounds better.

I mean that's the way you do it... Mark is giving purists his giant middle finger as usual. Can't use real cimbalom? No problem, a sample will do.

I think it was for "Coyote", but I recall also Guy telling that for "El Macho" they also used synth trumpet.

[ds1984]

Exact, Guy wrote that story about 'Coyote'.

[quizzaciously]

Exact, Guy wrote that story about 'Coyote'.

Interesting. Since you've mentioned, I can't really imagine both of these songs with real trumpets, I think that would give it a strong "Ring Of Fire" vibe.

In other words, it would put too much attention on this part, which probably wasn't what Mark was looking for. Make it subtle, in the background.

[quizzaciously]

Or like in this song. The trumpet is an incredibly loud instrument, once played it overshadows everything, on stage or the record it doesn't matter. And RIP your ears if you end up with this thing in one room lol. Even little solo in "One More Matinee" grabs your attention even though it's played on the lowest volume possible.

[Matchstickman]

Exact, Guy wrote that story about 'Coyote'.

What I don't get is why the horns on Coyote sound good on the album, but cheap and thin live 

[MagicElliott]

I have to say that this song hit me strong from the first play, I was so amazed by everything, my top song from that EP from the very first second of that cimbalom sounds played with Guy's synths...

Also, it baffles me why they got probably the best Cimbalom player in the country and decided not to use his work. I understand when Guy played guide strings on synths and Mark decided to leave it as is, but having a player and not using him is strange. Besides, the Cimbalom sound is TOO REAL whereas you can tell the strings are not exactly real and feel artificial. Also, why in the credits Greg is credited with playing pedal steel when I cannot hear any pedal steel at all? So many questions...

UPD: Ok, this tremolo guitar in the beginning and the outro sounds like pedal steel although it could be played on virtually any guitar.

I remember that Guy posted something about the cimbalom in his diaries but apparently he deleted it, I can't find anything about it...

In Part 3 of Guy's 2023 recording diary, it says they hired Ed Cervenka (the guy from the video I used to talk about Cimbalom in my video, coincidentally, LOL), and he provided Cimbalom, but in the Q&A he said they ended up not using his contributions. The question remains whether he said it about the album, or if it also includes an EP as well. But then again, since nobody is credited on the EP playing Cimbalom, it has to be Guy. Interesting, was it sampled or what? Either way, it sounds amazing.

Well, maybe they sampled it, or they have similar sounds, seems that you used hapsichord sounds for your video and souns quite similar.

This is the deleted picture of Ed Cervenka playing cimbalom during the sessions, thanks JF!

Great picture! I'm glad I never talked directly about Cimbalom being used in the song in my video, because I knew there were no musicians credited playing this instrument, and decided not to give it extra attention. This is the sound and I love it, and all the rest is unknown. The only theories about why it happened could be:

1. There was some problem with the recorded part, which I doubt because how could it be in a studio like this
2. Maybe they hired Ed to play on one song, decided not to use his contribution, but loved the sound and felt that it could suit another song, and instead of hiring him again, Mark tasked Guy to recreate the sound because why not, Guy can do anything, including replicating the sound of a rare orchestral instrument so good it will fool anyone

Reminds me a bit of the time they were going to replace Guy’s part on Coyote with real horns, but decided Guy’s synth sounded better.

[quizzaciously]

I’ll never forget what he said to me… He said, "Ed, this is not pop music. This is classical music” — Dire Straits’ manager Ed Bicknell on presenting Love Over Gold album to Polygram UK president Ramon Lopez