Recorded entirely using the Bear Meadow Concert Grand MIDI mountain dulcimer, "All Songs Lead To The Gift Shop" is a unique album filled with extraordinary flights of fancy. MIDI technology allows acoustic music to control synthesizers so that the familiar sound of the dulcimer can also transform into violins, cellos, flutes, horns, voices, bells, piano and percussion. Bing's history as a composer for film, theater and attractions surfaces in a big way here as each track playfully changes the channels on sound and style.
There are traditional tunes in the form of "Drowsy Maggie" and "Sandy River Belle," uplifting bluegrass anthems ("Never Too Late"), Chicago-style blues ("Listen Closely Mama"), arena-rock ballads ("It's Raining Again"), Russian circle dances ("Khorovod") and spacious soundtrack compositions that are alternately soothing, moving and terrifying. All throughout, the traditional sound of the dulcimer shares soundspace with a variety of instruments all produced using the Roland GR-1 and Fantom synthesizers. It's a wild trip into a 21st century world where the mountain dulcimer and digital orchestra marry to create amazing new life.